First Visit

Your First Visit

We are so glad you have chosen to hop onto our pad!

At your child’s first visit, our main goal is to get to know your child, establish good rapport with them, educate you and your child, and address dental needs.  We want your child to feel safe and loved in our office. We understand that your child may be apprehensive for their first dental visit.  We encourage you to reassure your child prior to their appointment, and we will do our best to make sure they have fun! We use a method called “Tell-Show-Do” where we first tell your child what we are going to do using positive and elementary language, then show the child what we are going to do, and then do it. This has been shown to alleviate much apprehension in children. 

We will perform a thorough examination of your child’s mouth.  We will examine the teeth, observing the formation of the teeth and noting any areas of decay.  The gums, cheeks, and tongue are important for us to see too!   We are also very concerned with the growth and development of your child’s teeth and jaws and make that a priority in our examination.  One of our registered dental hygienists will clean your child’s teeth and take X-rays as indicated. Dr. Fortenberry will then discuss with you our findings and make specific recommendations based on your child’s specific needs. 

For your convenience... we have provided a New Patient Information Form for you to complete and bring with you on your first visit to our office.  Click the link below to open the New Patient Information Form. When you arrive for your first visit, please bring your driver’s license, insurance card, and completed first visit packet (download here).  If you are unable to complete this prior to your appointment, please arrive 15 min prior to your appointed time.  We will first review your child’s medical and dental history with you so we can safely and effectively address his/her needs.