Your Child's First Dental Visit: When to Go and What Happens
When AAPD and CDC suggest a child's first dental visit, what early checkups cover, and what CDC and the USPSTF say about fluoride varnish and sealants.
Many parents are surprised to hear that a baby with only a few teeth can see a dentist. This guide explains when national dental groups and public health agencies suggest the first visit, what usually happens at early checkups, and what CDC and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force say about fluoride and sealants. It is general information, not advice for your child. Your child's dentist and doctor can tell you what fits your child.
When the first visit is recommended
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) says the dental home should be set up no later than 12 months of age. A dental home is an ongoing relationship with a dentist who handles checkups, prevention, urgent care and referrals. AAPD's best practice on periodic exams puts it a little more precisely. It recommends the first exam when the first tooth comes in and no later than 12 months. After that, AAPD suggests checkups every 6 months or on a schedule set by the child's own risk of tooth decay.
CDC gives the same timing. Its oral health tips for children tell parents to schedule a dental visit by the first birthday.
What happens at an early visit
A first visit is often short and mostly talk. AAPD's best practice lists what the dentist covers for children from 6 to 12 months old. In plain terms:
- A look at the mouth, teeth and gums to check growth and spot problems or injuries. X-rays are used when the child's history, exam and risk call for them.
- A caries-risk assessment, which estimates how likely the child is to get cavities.
- Tips for parents on cleaning the baby's teeth, including how a caregiver's own oral health matters.
- Cleaning of the teeth if needed.
- Questions about fluoride: the water, the type of infant formula and toothpaste.
- Questions about feeding, including bottle feeding and breastfeeding, and diet.
- Advice on preventing injuries to the mouth and teeth.
- Talk about thumb sucking and pacifiers.
- Treatment or a referral if a problem is found, and a check-in with the child's doctor if needed.
- A plan for when to come back.
From 12 to 24 months, AAPD suggests repeating these steps every 6 months or as the child's risk calls for, with more attention to feeding habits such as sippy cups, and topical fluoride treatments on a schedule the dentist sets.
What CDC says about fluoride and sealants
CDC's tips for parents cover the basics at home and at the dentist:
- Before teeth come in, wipe the gums with a soft, clean cloth.
- Ask the dentist or doctor about fluoride varnish as soon as the first tooth appears.
- For children younger than 2, ask the doctor or dentist before starting fluoride toothpaste.
- Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Children under 6 should have an adult watch and use a pea-sized amount.
- Give children fluoridated tap water where it is available.
- Ask the dentist about sealants.
CDC's page on dental sealants explains that a sealant is a thin coating painted onto the chewing surfaces of back teeth. CDC says sealants work best when placed soon after the permanent molars come in. The first molars usually appear around age 6 and the second molars around age 12. Depending on state rules, dentists, dental hygienists or other qualified dental staff may apply them. So sealants are usually a topic for school-age checkups, not the first visit.
What the USPSTF says about fluoride varnish
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is an independent panel that reviews evidence on prevention in primary care. Its current recommendation on preventing dental caries in children younger than 5, released in December 2021, gives a grade B to primary care clinicians applying fluoride varnish to the baby teeth of all infants and children, starting when the first tooth comes in. In other words, your child's pediatrician or family doctor may offer varnish at a well-child visit, not only the dentist.
The same recommendation found the evidence insufficient to judge routine screening exams for tooth decay done by primary care clinicians. That is an "I" statement, which means the panel could not weigh benefits and harms. It does not say a dental visit is unhelpful. It speaks only to screening by medical clinicians.
If both the doctor and the dentist apply varnish, ask them how they coordinate so you know what your child has received and when.
Questions to bring
- How often does the dentist want to see my child, and why?
- What is my child's risk of cavities, and what raises or lowers it?
- Is our tap water fluoridated, and does that change anything for my child?
- When should we start fluoride toothpaste, and how much?
- Will my child get fluoride varnish here, at the pediatrician, or both?
- What should I do if my child chips or knocks out a tooth? Who do I call after hours?
- When will sealants be discussed?
Bring a list of your child's medicines, any health conditions and your insurance card. If your child has Medicaid or CHIP, see our guide to children's dental coverage under Medicaid and CHIP. If your child has a serious injury to the face or mouth, or trouble breathing, call 911.
Choosing where to go
Some families choose a pediatric dentist for these early visits and others use a family dentist who sees young children. Our guide to pediatric dentists and family dentists explains the training difference and how to check a license and board certification.
Every listing on this site comes from the federal NPPES registry, where dentists and practices apply for a National Provider Identifier (NPI). On that application the provider picks a taxonomy code that describes its type and specialty, and marks one code as primary, as CMS explains on its taxonomy page. Listings here use the Pediatric Dentistry code, 1223P0221X. That means the dentist or practice chose that code. It is not a license check and it is not board certification, and this site does not verify it.
Listings show the license number and state as entered, years since the NPI was issued, other practice locations and how many pediatric dentistry listings share an address. You can compare up to three side by side. We do not list prices, insurance, reviews or appointment times, so call the office to ask about first visits for babies. Search the directory to find practices near you.
General information only, current as of the date above. The information on Pediatric Dentist Index is not medical advice and does not replace a doctor, nurse, discharge planner or other qualified professional. Do not use it to make decisions about diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical emergency, call 911. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.