How to prepare for
the dental visit
Overview
Preparing for a dental visit can be challenging. This section provides practical advice on how to make the experience smoother and more comfortable. It covers the importance of communicating with the dental team about your child’s specific needs and sensitivities, setting realistic expectations, and celebrating small victories.
Top tips
Here are some top tips provided by families:
Speak with the dental team
You don’t have to tell the dentist your child is autistic, but it might be useful to do so. Giving the dentist and staff as much information as possible will help them prepare for the visit and make any necessary adjustments. Informing them about sensitivities to certain words, phrases, noises, or lights can also help. Additionally, discussing preferences such as a male or female dentist and the importance of seeing the same dentist consistently for familiarity can make the experience more comfortable.
Look at this section here and the resource below to think about what questions and adjustments you may ask for.
Manage expectations
When preparing for a dental visit, it's important to consider what you would like to achieve and what works best for your child. Each child is different, and setting realistic expectations can help make the experience more manageable.
Think about specific goals for the visit. For some parents, the initial goal might be simply spending some time in the waiting room over a few appointments to help the child get used to the environment. For others, it might be successful if the child can sit in the dental chair for a couple of seconds. These incremental steps are valuable progress.
It may be helpful to let your dentist know before the visit how you think your child is likely to cope with the visit. This allows your dentist to have realistic expectations of what your child can do. The resource 'Questions to ask your dental practice before your child’s appointment' has some questions you could ask.
Dental visits may not always go perfectly, and that’s ok. Sometimes it can feel that progress is going backwards, but remember that after long periods away from the dentist, after illness, or after times of distress, your child’s tolerance for the dentist may be less than it was before. It's important to celebrate small victories and understand that building comfort and familiarity takes time.
Sometimes it can feel that progress is going backwards but this is very common after long periods away from visiting the dentist such as after COVID, or after times of distress. It's important to celebrate small victories and understand that building comfort and familiarity takes time. Be patient with your child and yourself and remember that each visit is an opportunity to gradually build a positive experience.
Prepare for the visit
Before the visit, some parents found it helpful to gather information to make the experience smoother. By contacting the dental practice ahead of time, you can ask about reasonable adjustments they can make, such as extending the length of the visit, scheduling appointments at quieter times, and understanding parking and logistical details.
You may also want to prepare a list of questions to ask the dentist. These could include asking about the team's experience with autistic children, the option of a quiet waiting area, or specific accommodations like dimming the lights.
Downloadable resources
Here are some possible questions you might consider asking your dental practice:
Make a dental passport
Parents have told us that they have made their own passports for going to school, hospital, etc. They have found this helpful to let professionals know about their child's specific needs, preferences, and triggers. These passports can include important information such as sensory sensitivities, communication preferences, and effective calming strategies, which can help make the experience more manageable.
We understand that having multiple passports can be overwhelming. To make this easier, we have developed a one-page document that can be attached to your existing passports, specifically covering dental-related need.
Other examples of health passports
Other examples of passports include NHS England, National Autistic Society, and NHS Leeds Teaching Hospitals
Ask for reasonable adjustments
Reasonable adjustments are changes made to ensure that individuals with disabilities or specific needs can access services and facilities. These adjustments can include modifications to the physical environment, like providing accessible facilities, or changes in communication, such as using visual aids or offering information in easy-to-read formats. They may also include flexible appointment scheduling or additional support during medical procedures.
Consider what appointment times work best for your child. Some parents prefer school holidays to avoid disrupting their child's routine, while others find morning appointments easier so their child can settle back into their school routine afterward.
You can watch this video by the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to learn more about reasonable adjustments:
Make social stories
Some parents have found it helpful to use social stories and visual supports to help their child understand what will happen during a dental visit. Social stories are short descriptions of a particular situation, event, or activity that include specific information about what to expect and why. These stories can help your child feel more prepared and less anxious about the visit. Additionally, pictures of the dental team and the clinic can be very helpful in familiarising your child with the environment and the people they will meet.
The National Autistic Society goes through this in more details covering:
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How to use social stories to explain dental visits to your child.
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Strategies for preparing your child for the dental environment and procedures.
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Tips for making the visit as stress-free as possible.
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Advice on communicating your child's needs to the dental team.
Widgit Health is another other example of social stories at the dentist that you can adapt for your child and how your dentist works.
Watch again
Jump straight to what parents and early years professionals have said about going to the dentist.
