Ease Dental Anxiety With Kids

By Jill Feilmeier on February 5, 2020 in Dental Health

*Updated February 2025

Regular dental check-ups can keep your child’s smile healthy and prevent issues like cavities and gum disease. However, the thought of visiting the dentist can spark feelings of fear or dental anxiety for some kids. As a parent, it’s important to address these concerns early and help your child feel comfortable and confident about dental care.

Keep reading to explore strategies for helping ease dental anxiety and ensure your child builds healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

Tips to ease dental anxiety with your kids

It’s not unusual for children to feel nervous about visiting the dentist. To make their next dental appointment a more positive experience, try these tips to help them feel at ease:

1. Start taking your kids to the dentist early. The American Dental Association recommends children visit the dentist when their first tooth appears or by age one. Early exposure to the dentist allows kids to become familiar with the process and can help reduce dental anxiety.
2. Lead by example. If you get nervous around the dentist, your kids might pick up on it and follow suit. According to a study in the International Journal of Pediatric Dentistry, adults can unintentionally transfer their dental anxiety or fears to family members. So, it’s essential to stay positive about the dentist. By modeling this relaxed behavior, you show your kids there’s nothing to be afraid of.
3. Read books that explain the dentist experience. You might be able to reshape attitudes with the power of the page. Pick up library books that explain dental appointments in kid-friendly language. Popular options include Curious George Visits the Dentist by  A. Rey, Just Going to the Dentist by Mercer Mayer and Open Wide: Tooth School Inside by Laurie Keller.
4. Make your child comfortable with the dentist and staff. Stop by your dental office before the appointment so your kids learn what to expect in a lower-pressure situation. Introduce them to the dental team without the stakes of an actual appointment to help them feel more comfortable in the environment and alleviate dental anxiety.
5. Practice beforehand. Try creating a mock dental visit in your home to prevent confusion about what happens in the dentist’s chair. Pretend to clean your child’s teeth while explaining how visiting the dentist helps keep their smile healthy.
6. Use relaxation techniques. If you’ve tried everything and your kids still get the heebie-jeebies in the dental chair, don’t fear! Try calming them down with some simple relaxation exercises, including instructing your child to inhale and exhale slowly and steadily. You can also try a technique where they imagine themselves being quiet and calm in their favorite place. 
   1. Pro tip: Bring their favorite toy or game to appointments to build more positive associations with the dentist. 
7. Keep up with dental services: Once you bring your child in for their first dental check-up, it’s important to have them seen every six months thereafter. A study from the research journal Children looked at the most effective ways to reduce dental anxiety in children. They found the “frequency of dental experiences seems to act as a positive factor in reducing children’s anxiety.” The study reported a notable difference when check-ups were performed once or twice annually. 

Dental anxiety in children can be helped

Building a positive and comfortable relationship with your dentist—or your child’s dentist—is key to easing their dental anxiety. Calming strategies before and during the check-up can help reduce fear, answer questions, and create a safe environment that fosters confidence during appointments.

Want more tips on overcoming dental anxiety? Check out “Tips for Dentists to Help Patients with Dental Anxiety” for practical advice to make every dental visit stress-free.