For many children in Costa Rica and around the world, the first dental appointment is an event fraught with anxiety and fear, but it does not need to be that way. Dental care experiences can be turned into positive experiences for a child, but this requires the collaboration of parents and dentists.

A child’s fright of a dental visit is not unfounded; it is essentially a reaction to one of the most primal anxieties experienced by humans: Fear of the unknown. To this effect, parents should talk to their children about the upcoming visit, but not every single detail should be revealed. During this parental conversation, it is important to let children know that the dental professionals who will see them are friendly people who care about their well-being.

All explanations should be delivered in terms that are easy for children to understand. Certain words such as injections, needles, pain, hurt, etc., should be left out of the conversation. Children often query their parents with regard to experiences at the dental clinic; this is not a good time to bring up any unpleasant memories.

The importance of healthy teeth and their social value should be stressed at an age-appropriate level; this is a good time to introduce the dentist as a person whose duties and responsibilities include making sure that we all look our best when we smile. With regard to rewards, it is generally better to not promise anything before going to the dentist; however, rewarding the child after the visit is a good idea as long as it is possible to do so. For example, a special treat for children in Costa Rica is almost invariably a Cajita Feliz (Happy Meal) from McDonald’s; the problem with this reward is that it may not always be possible for a child to eat a regular meal after a dental treatment.

Once at the dental clinic, the emotional well-being of the child is in the hands of the dental professionals therein. It all starts with the support staff that greets the young patients and their parents; at an advanced clinic such as the Flikier Dental Institute of Costa Rica, all staff members are thoroughly trained in dealing with patients of all ages. What is even more important is that the primary practitioner should be a dedicated professional who specializes in treating children.

At the Flikier Dental Institute of Costa Rica, Dr. Daniel Lelchuk is the resident pediatric dentistry expert. He has not only obtained medical degrees in oral surgery and orthodontics but has also chosen to specialize in mixed dentition patient handling, which means that he is thoroughly familiar and experienced in treating children as well as patients of all ages. Dr. Lelchuk has also treated foreign patients who arrive in Costa Rica for dental tourism purposes at clinics in Guanacaste and at the Cima Hospital near San Jose.

Having a pediatric dentistry specialist on staff makes all the difference when it comes to treating children. Experienced specialists learn to develop friendly voices and demeanor to set children at ease by means of engaging patients in conversation, drawing their attention away from the procedure, reinforcing positive behavior, being firm when needed, offering toys when appropriate, and carefully administering sedatives when needed.

In the end, providing an optimal experience for children at the dental clinic is crucial insofar as avoiding future phobias related to medical treatment in general.