top of page

Role of Child Psychology in Pediatric Dentistry

The easiest way to make an adult feel anxious is to remind them their visit to the dentist is due. Grown-ups who have visited dentists every month fret going to the dentist even after being familiar with all the procedures.


Familiarising your child with the dentist and the dental clinic becomes all the more difficult. A child’s psychology is influenced by two key factors; his/her character and the external environment. These factors can impact a child’s behaviour during dental visits.


Psychology of a child at an initial stage

At an initial stage, a child is majorly dependent on his/her parents. The psychoanalysis theory tells us how a child at the initial stages is not able to differentiate between himself and his parents. There are various ways that can be adapted to make a young child familiar with the dentist and the dental clinic without making them anxious.

  • Parents must always accompany their children to the pediatric dentist. A child should not be made to visit the dentist without the parents. A child should only visit the dentist with somebody he feels comfortable with.

  • A pediatric dentist should be well-versed with a child’s psychology at all stages. It is not an easy task to make a child cooperate with the dental procedure swiftly and hence the pediatric dentists should be familiar with making a child comfortable with all dental procedures. A dentist should know how to introduce the types of dental equipment and tools to children.

  • A dentist that specialises in children’s dentistry must be a polite and friendly person. The amicable personality of the dentist can help in making a child comfortable with all kinds of dental procedures and oral hygiene.

Psychology of a child after gaining maturity

After a few visits, a child may find himself/herself in a more comfortable position to interact with the pediatric dentist. After the child grows up and starts interacting with his/her environment, he/she becomes independent of his/her parents. The children at this point can be trained to develop a habit of visiting the dentist on his/her own.


A child up to the age of 5 has an impressionistic mind. This period can make or break their habits. Hence, parents are advised to help their child in building good habits. If a child becomes fearless during his dental visits at this time, then he/she can maintain this habit throughout his life. This in turn would help them in becoming independent and brave while visiting the dentist.


A child needs to visit the dentist as much as the adults do. Many parents do not plan their way around their children when it comes to dental visits. This becomes a problem for them when the child grows up and faces any dental issues. Such children fret going to the dentist and hence it becomes difficult to get their dental treatments done.


A child’s psychology plays an important role in pediatric dentistry. A pediatric dentist should be well-trained and aware of the practices he needs to follow in order to make children comfortable in and around the clinic. The pediatric dentists at Alba Dental are well-versed with their jobs and make the whole experience more comfortable for your child.




96 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page