First Trip to the Dentist

How do you find a dentist for your toddler? Google! I googled children's dentists in my area and found one with an informative and entertaining website and it was near my home. A dentist specifically for children. Their office is decorated with fun ocean life, have kind speaking receptionists and assistants, and hopefully nice doctors. I was nervous and excited. I started talking to Samantha about her upcoming appointment about a week before. I taught her how to open her mouth "like a crocodile" and told her how proud the dentist would be of the good job she does brushing her teeth twice a day. It is one of her favorite things to do. Sometimes I find her in the bathroom brushing away in the middle of the day!
The day arrives and we head to the dental office. On the way there, Samantha keeps trying to talk me into the dentist being a "she". "No honey, the dentist is a man." "Mama, SHE will look at my teef?" Oh boy... When we arrive she gets shy but soon is playing with other kids in the waiting room. They have a cute little toy room with a video game and other things to entertain the kids while waiting.

Then it's our turn. The assistant brings us back and we sit and wait for the doctor. He finally comes in and shakes my hand and talks to me. ME! What about Samantha? He takes us back to the examining area where Samantha is supposed to sit on my lap and then lay back with her head in the doctor's lap. Really? Because that would make anyone comfortable? At this point, he hasn't said one word to her yet and she is supposed to feel good about laying in his lap and letting him put his hands in her mouth? Of course she starts crying and it was two miserable minutes of him examining her teeth and Samantha struggling to get away. Poor baby. She was so upset afterwards she didn't even want the balloon the assistant tried to give her.
After we left, we talked about it. She told me she didn't like it when the dentist pinched her (he did use a tool to poke around her teeth and gums). He also told her not to bite his finger which she remembers too.

I was so disappointed. I wanted her to have a good experience. I'll try a different dentist next time. Hopefully one who will spend a little time with her before hand to make her more comfortable.