When you have a dentist appointment for your child coming up, your first priority is to make sure your little one feels comfortable in the dentist's chair. While not all children are happy with their dental visits, you can do your part to make the transition as beneficial as possible on your child by letting them be part of the dentist-choosing experience. How do you let your child pick their own dentist? Well, you can ultimately make the decision for them, but here are ways you can let your child help pick their own dentist.

Choose a family practice

A family dentist is a type of dentist who works on all members of the family, from younger children to adults. These professionals are able to treat the entire family at once and make great kids' dentists as well. Let your child be part of the decision to choose a dentist by allowing them access to a family dental practice.

Let them meet the dentists

If you choose a dental clinic that has more than one dentist, allow your child to meet all the dentists that your insurance company accepts. Some dentists may have a bedside manner your child prefers over others, which can help them feel more comfortable. Of course, you may go to a dental practice where you cannot choose your own dentist, but never fear; your child may still be able to choose their own dental hygienist or assistant, which can help make the trips to the dentist much easier on them.

Let them change their mind

Was your child happy with their original dentist but has since changed their mind or outgrown the bedside manner of their current dentist? Does one of your children see a different dentist than the others, and now wants to see the same dental practitioner as their siblings? Let your child change their mind about the dentist they see so they can feel more in control and confident in the process of seeing a dental practitioner. Once your child has chosen a dentist they ultimately like, you can move forward in allowing your child to be part of selecting what days they get seen in the dentist's chair.

Your child will be able to find comfort in getting their own dentist, even if there are not many dental practitioners to choose from. Talk to your family dentist clinic to see how flexible they are with allowing your child to be part of the dental service selection.