Children’s Dentistry · San Ramon
Where children learn the dentist isn’t scary
The habits and the feelings both start here. We take the feelings just as seriously.
Who this is for
- A first visit for a toddler and you’re not sure what to expect
- A child who’s already anxious, possibly after a bad experience elsewhere
- School-age kids due for sealants or getting their first cavities
- Parents who want the whole family in one practice long-term
The first visit is deliberately uneventful
We’re not trying to accomplish much at a first visit. We’re trying to make sure your child leaves having had a good time.
So it’s short. They sit in the chair — or on your lap, if that’s easier. We count their teeth out loud, which most small children find funny. We look for anything that needs attention. They pick something from the drawer. That’s it.
It sounds like very little. It’s the reason those same children are relaxed with us at twelve.
How we handle a frightened child
Tell, show, do. We name what we’re about to do, let them see and touch the instrument, then do it. Nothing arrives unannounced.
They can stop us at any time by raising a hand, and we always stop — which is what makes them stop asking. We don’t hold children down. If a visit isn’t going to work, we end it kindly and try again another day; that’s not a failure, it’s the strategy.
If your child has had a bad experience somewhere else, please tell us before the appointment so we can plan around it.
What actually prevents cavities in children
Sealants on the permanent molars, which arrive around six and again around twelve. They’re painless, they take minutes, and they seal the deep grooves where the large majority of childhood cavities actually start.
Fluoride varnish at each visit. Brushing supervised by an adult until roughly age eight — younger children genuinely don’t have the fine motor control, however capable they seem.
And the honest one: it’s the frequency of sugar, not the quantity, that causes decay. A juice box sipped over an hour does more damage than a dessert eaten in five minutes.
Questions
Answered before you ask.
Should I stay in the room?
Whatever works for your child. Younger children usually do better with you there. Some older kids do noticeably better without an audience — you’ll know.
What if my child won’t open their mouth?
Then they won’t, and that’s fine for today. We’ll do what we can, keep it positive, and pick it up next time. Forcing it buys one exam and costs years of cooperation.
Do baby teeth matter if they’re going to fall out?
Yes. They hold space for the permanent teeth, and an infected baby tooth can damage the adult tooth developing above it. They also hurt — which is reason enough.
What about thumb sucking or pacifiers?
Generally not a problem before four. Past that, it can start affecting how the bite develops. Mention it and we’ll take a look rather than guess.
In their words
Thirty years of families who stayed.
Every quote below is a patient's own, unedited, from our reviews.
“We LOVE LOVE LOVE Avalon Dental! Dr. B is the best dentist we’ve ever gone to”
Cassondra H. “Dr B. always does a great job and you don’t feel the work getting done”
Marie T. “The staff always make my experiences with them the best and most comfortable”
Rebecca C.