The best way to handle an anxious child is to build trust and confidence. The Department of Dentistry tries to do this through various methods. Many times our staff will explain to the child what is being done and will show them an example before performing a procedure.
For example, if a child is having a cleaning, the dentist will show them how they are going to "tickle" their teeth by first tickling their finger.
Another way that our staff builds trust and confidence is through praise. When children do something well, such as following directions while taking X-rays, we tell them what a great job they have done.
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