It is certainly understandable that a parent would want to be in a kids dental treatment room with their child. Exams, cleanings, X-rays, fillings and other procedures can be scary and confusing for kids. Of course parents want to be on hand to provide comfort and reassurance. There may also be a feeling that having a grownup there to observe the goings-on will keep professionals on their toes, providing meticulous care and cutting no corners. However, sometimes having additional adults in the room during treatment can make things more stressful for all concerned. Consider these pros and cons before insisting on being on hand.
Parents can serve many important functions in the dental treatment room.
Parents know their child better than anyone. Having quick access to information on medical history, allergies, preferences and behaviors may be helpful to kids dental professionals during the exam and dental work.
For small or particularly wriggly little ones, it may be useful for a pediatric dentist to place the young patient on a parent’s lap for treatment rather than in a big chair all alone. Parents who can stand quietly by and hold a child’s hand can be welcome, calming assets to the treatment team.
If a child is distressed at the notion of Mom or Dad not being close at hand, then clearly the parent ought to stay. An older child, on the other hand, may wish to bravely go it alone. That is a good opportunity for a parent to step out. The age and temperament of the patient should always be an important guideline as to who stays and who goes.
Although parents can be an asset to the professional team, they can also make everyone’s job a little harder.
If a kids dental treatment room is filled with large equipment and the many professionals needed to do the job, one more adult may be one too many. Squeezing into a corner of a small room just for the possibility to observe is not the most helpful way to facilitate a child’s treatment.
Constantly asking questions, making comments or loudly reassuring a child who may take that as a cue to get upset will not make the visit easier for anyone.
Parents who have a personal level of high anxiety around dental procedures may communicate that distress to the child, who will become as upset about the parent’s distress as much as anything the pediatric dentist is doing. If it seems important for a family member to be present for a child’s treatment, dentists may want to talk with moms and dads to see who would be the most useful dental chaperone.
Before insisting on being present for a child’s treatment, parents should be clear on what to do, how to do it and where to be out of the way. The goal for all should be the least upsetting environment for the young patient. A parent needs to be part of the solution, not the problem.
Request an appointment here: https://www.grandparkwaypediatricdental.com or call Grand Parkway Pediatric Dental at (832) 579-0960 for an appointment in our Richmond office.
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