The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children receive their first dental exam shortly after the first primary tooth erupts and no later than their first birthday. This early visit places special emphasis on feeding, diet and oral hygiene and habits (pacifier, thumb).

Your child's first office visit should be very positive. The first visit will consist of a thorough review of your child's health history and other pertinent information, a complete oral examination, diet counseling and oral hygiene instruction. Beginning at or around age 3, necessary X-rays, a cleaning and a topical fluoride application will be performed. The necessary X-rays are taken to allow for the detection of cavities, jaw abnormalities, cysts, tumors and crooked and/or missing permanent teeth.

Dr. Franklin is interested in determining your child's general and oral health, growth patterns, tooth alignment and bite. The first visit usually lasts about 30 minutes. If dental treatment is found to be necessary during the examination, additional appointments are made. However, if no treatment is indicated, regular six-month visits are recommended as a measure for continuing preventive care.

Don't Be Nervous
It is normal for children to sometimes feel anxious or apprehensive about dental treatment. Dr. Franklin and his staff have special training in behavior management, which aids in making your child's visit more positive.

Each visit begins with an expression of warmth and care that makes most children feel very comfortable. To enhance cooperation and relieve apprehension, techniques such as "Tell-Show-Do" are used, as well as lots of Praise and Positive Reinforcement.

For children requiring extensive dental treatment (fillings, crowns, extractions), several different sedation techniques are offered. These range from light sedation with Nitrous Oxide ("laughing gas") to other levels of sedation, such as oral sedation ("pedi-cocktail") and General Anesthesia (hospital setting). Dr. Franklin currently has hospital staff privileges at Children's Hospital of Austin, Bailey Square Surgical Center and North Austin Medical Center.