How to Prepare a Child for Their First Dentist Visit (Plus a Book Starring Them)

Once Upon Me · 2026-10-19

Short answer: walk your child through exactly what will happen (the waiting room, the chair that goes up, the bright light, “open wide,” counting teeth), play dentist at home with a toothbrush and a mirror, and use positive, simple words. Avoid words like “hurt” or “shot.” A story where your child is the brave patient makes the visit feel familiar before you arrive.

From “Visits the Dentist”: the chair goes up, up, up, like a rocket ship!

When should the first dentist visit be?

US pediatric dental guidance (the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association) recommends a first visit by a child's first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth appearing. Many families go later, and that's fine. It's never too late to make the first visit a good one.

How to prepare them

Describe it step by step. Waiting room, a friendly dentist, a special chair that moves, a light like a little sun, a tiny mirror, counting teeth, a buzzy toothbrush.
Play dentist at home. Take turns counting each other's teeth with a toothbrush handle and a small mirror. Let them be the dentist for a teddy.
Choose your words. Keep it positive and simple: “The dentist will count your teeth and make them shiny.” Skip “it won't hurt.” It plants the idea of hurting.
Book a good time of day, not nap time or right before lunch.
Give them a coping trick. Squeezing your hand and taking a slow breath works well in the chair.
Read a dentist story in the days before.

Brushing basics worth repeating

Brush twice a day for about two minutes, in little circles. For under-3s, use a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice. From 3 to 6, use a pea-sized amount. Help with brushing until your child can do it well, usually around age 6–8.

A dentist book starring your child

Our ready-made story “Zara Visits the Dentist” (we'll call the hero Zara here; your book uses your child's name) turns every unfamiliar part of the visit into something fun. There's a fish tank in the waiting room and a chair that rises “like a rocket ship.” The bright light comes with movie-star sunglasses, and Dr. Kim's tiny mirror goes tap, tap, tap. Then Zara roars “like a lion” to open wide, counts all twenty teeth, gets a buzzy strawberry brush, squeezes Daddy's hand when feeling wiggly, and learns to brush in little circles. The refrain is: Open wide, brave inside!

On Once Upon Me, choose Mode 3 → Big life moments, type your child's name, and pick girl or boy. The story is ready in under a minute, and the first pages preview free. Your child's name and pronouns appear throughout the 13 illustrated spreads. The book also has a dedication page, a “Meet {name}” page that can hold a photo of your child, a Certificate of Adventure, and a maze and colouring page at the back. It costs $9.99 for the PDF (emailed in minutes), $34.99 for a softcover or $49.99 for a hardcover, printed and shipped in 5–7 business days with the PDF included.

One honest note: the illustrations in the ready-made stories are pre-painted, so the child on the page is a friendly storybook character with your child's name, not a portrait of them. If you want the hero drawn to match your child's hair and features, or you want real details such as the baby's actual name, the school's name or the family dog, use Keyword Magic instead. Enter the details as keywords (for example “new baby brother named Theo, our dog Biscuit”) and a one-of-a-kind story is written and illustrated from scratch for the same price.

Frequently asked

When should a child first go to the dentist?

US pediatric dental guidance (AAPD and ADA) recommends a first dental visit by the child's first birthday, or within six months of their first tooth. If your child is older and hasn't been yet, it's still worth going. A calm, positive first visit matters most.

What should I not say before a child's dentist visit?

Avoid words like “hurt,” “shot,” “pain” or even “it won't hurt,” which can put the idea in their head. Use simple, positive words: the dentist counts your teeth and makes them strong and shiny.

How can I help my child who is scared of the dentist?

Explain each step in advance, play dentist at home, read a dentist story together, give them a coping trick (squeeze my hand and take a slow breath) and stay calm yourself. Pediatric dentists are very used to nervous children.

Is there a personalized book about going to the dentist?

Yes. Once Upon Me's “Visits the Dentist” story uses your child's name throughout a 36-page illustrated book. PDF $9.99 (instant), softcover $34.99, hardcover $49.99.

How much toothpaste should a toddler use?

For children under 3, a smear of fluoride toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice. For ages 3 to 6, a pea-sized amount, brushed twice a day with adult help.

Once Upon Me (onceuponmebooks.com) makes personalized, fully illustrated 36-page storybooks for children aged 1–9, including ready-made “big life moment” stories for a new baby, the first day of school, moving house, potty training and a first dentist visit. PDF $9.99, softcover $34.99, hardcover $49.99 (PDF always included). Preview free.

Make the dentist feel familiar

A dentist-visit story with your child as the brave hero. Preview it free in under a minute.

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