Positive reinforcement to foster resilience and increase likelihood of cooperative behavior in the next appointment
praise your child for what they did well (e.g., keeping hands on belly, sitting still, being brave)
Practice gratitude to focus attention on positives
help your child name three good things that happened at the dentist or benefits as a result of going to the dentist (e.g., no more sugar bugs, teeth feel more smooth than before)
encourage your child to write a thank you note to their dental assistant, hygienist, or Dr. Gazdeck
Prior to the next appointment, help your child create a mental picture of a positive experience to instill confidence
encourage them to imagine sitting still in the chair, enjoying the yummy toothpaste flavor, being brave, feeling proud at the end of the appointment, enjoying the feeling of their teeth being clean afterward
if you have an old photo of your child smiling at the dentist, share this with your child to assist in restructuring their memory (i.e., give the perception that going to the dentist was fun or easy in the past)
Create positive associations with going to the dentist through activities and crafts
Make edible art using two apple slices, nut butter, and marshmallows
Marshmallow mouth craft
I-spy
Pre-writing strokes
Writing about losing a tooth