Getting through the visit with an anxious child

Talk about the visit in neutral or positive terms — avoid words like “hurt,” “shot,” or “drill,” even when reassuring. Read a book or watch a video about going to the dentist together. Avoid over-promising (“it won’t hurt at all”) — say instead that the dentist will tell them everything before it happens. Let them bring a comfort item. And consider a practice run: driving by the office, or having them sit in the waiting room on an unrelated errand, so the space itself isn’t new on appointment day.