Why Morning Appointments Are Best
By Ashley Valco
You just spent the entire day running errands, working, straining your brain, or whatever it is that you do every day. You are tired, probably hungry, and would love to take a nap. Instead, you have to go to the dentist. Not everyones favorite place, I know... You suck it up and get through it. Hey, maybe you even appreciate the fact that you can lay down for 30 minutes in a quiet room! Either way, you have had a lifetime of learning how to act appropriately in a situation you would absolutely rather not be in.
Now, imagine you are 3 years old. It is 4:45 pm. You are hungry, cranky, and you need a nap. You are being forced to go to the dentist and you don’t understand why you can’t just stay asleep in the car. Now someone is expecting you to sit quietly with your mouth open and it seems like torture. You have not yet learned how to act appropriately in any situation...
This is common, and it is why we encourage morning appointments for the little ones. We want to make sure your child has the best experience possible, which is why it is imperative to schedule their appointments accordingly. Just like you, children are well rested in the morning and will be much more cooperative and refreshed. As the day goes on they become tired and cranky. This puts the appointment in a difficult situation before it even starts.
We recommend early appointments for young children that are scheduled around their nap time. No one wants to get their teeth cleaned when they should be sleeping! I had a child in my chair not too long ago that was 4 years old. Mom brought her into the office during a time that she would normally be napping. She was so tired that she couldn’t even keep her mouth open for me to examine her. After a few minutes, she began to cry. Not because she was afraid, or apprehensive, or even because she wanted her mom. She cried because she was tired and wanted a nap. Just like most children. Of course, Mom felt terrible for her and said she simply didn’t think about it when she scheduled the appointment. She made sure to schedule future appointments with this in mind.
Sometimes we simply don’t think about the time. We, as moms, have so much going on that it may be the last thing we are thinking of when we are scheduling. Just as I am writing this I am remembering when I scheduled my sons pediatrician appointment at 9:30am. He was 6 months old and took a nap every day at 9am. I don’t know what I was thinking. My God did I regret that so bad! He screamed through the entire thing. My son is a very happy baby. Most people comment that they never see him upset or crying. Always smiling! However, he was being poked at prodded and everything else when he should have been fast asleep cuddled up with his Wubby.
With older children there is another aspect that should be considered. Especially for restorative appointments (fillings, extractions, crowns, sealants, etc). Some children are apprehensive about what may occur during the visit. We do everything we can to make them feel comfortable. When they are scheduled for an after school visit they have the entire day to think about it! By the time they walk into our office they are about to burst from anxiety! If your child does not have any anxieties about the dental office than no worries here. Some are very nervous so it would be best for them to schedule earlier appointments.
We know that this can be very inconvenient for some parents, however, the Rose Tree Kids staff puts the safety and comfort of your child first. A positive dental experience will have an impact on their dental health as they grow into young adults.
