Early Childhood Dentistry: From the First Tooth to Age Six
We see children from their first tooth onwards under our Early Smiles programme. The early visits are deliberately short and are about familiarity rather than treatment: a look, a count, a polish if the child is willing, and a conversation with the parent about brushing, bottles, snacks and what to expect next.
- From
- First tooth
- Visit
- 20–30 min
- Recall
- Every 6 months
- CDA
- Baby Bonus accepted
What happens
A short, unhurried look, usually with the child on a parent’s lap for the first few visits. Nothing is forced.
Counting and cleaning the teeth, with fluoride varnish where appropriate for the age and risk.
Photographs where useful, so a parent can see what we are describing rather than take it on trust.
Practical coaching: brushing technique for a child who does not want their teeth brushed, bottle and night-feeding habits, snack frequency, and when a thumb or dummy habit actually matters.
A recall interval set by risk — six months for most, shorter where there is early decay.
The purpose of the first few visits is not to find problems. It is that a child arriving at seven or eight is already familiar with the room, the chair, the light and the noise — so that if something ever does need doing, it is not the first time they have met a dentist. Adults who are frightened of dentistry can almost always name the early experience that did it.
Baby teeth are worth treating. They hold the space that adult teeth erupt into, they are needed for eating and speech, and a child in dental pain sleeps badly and learns badly. Early childhood decay also moves faster than adult decay, because the enamel is thinner — a small cavity found at a check-up is a filling, and the same cavity found nine months later can be an extraction.
Both Dr Tan and Dr Ou see young children. Dr Tan holds the IFDEA medal in paediatric dentistry from his undergraduate training.
Who does this at Calm Dental
Fees for this treatment are on our fees page, including GST. A written quotation follows examination.
Questions
When should a child first see a dentist?
Around the first birthday, or whenever the first tooth appears. The early visits are about familiarity, not treatment.
Can I use the CDA Baby Bonus?
Yes. The Child Development Account may be used for your child’s dental treatment. Bring the card and we will process it.
Do baby teeth really need filling?
Often, yes. They hold space for the adult teeth, they are needed to eat and speak, and decay in baby teeth progresses quickly because the enamel is thin. Leaving it usually means an extraction later instead of a filling now.
What if my child will not open their mouth?
Then we do not force it. We show them the mirror, count what we can see, and try again in a few months. Pushing a frightened child through an examination costs far more in the long run than waiting.
Do you use fluoride on children?
Yes, in age-appropriate amounts, because the evidence for topical fluoride preventing decay is strong. If you would prefer not to, tell us and we will discuss the alternatives and the trade-off honestly.
When should we think about braces?
Separately, and usually around seven. See early (Phase 1) orthodontics.