What can I do if my child is scared of the dentist?
Prepare your child calmly a day or two ahead, practise opening wide and counting teeth at home, and use neutral words rather than promises that nothing will hurt. Book a short morning visit, stay relaxed yourself, and praise specific things your child did. At Creative Arts in Dubai, the dentists who see children use tell-show-do and short visits, and laughing gas can be discussed when suitable.
Who treats you here Dr. Duaa Ameen General Dentist · Dr. Julia General Dentist
Every dentist’s licence can be checked on the DHA Sheryan medical directory.
Why are children scared of the dentist?
For most children it is not one thing. A strange room, a bright light overhead, lying back, unfamiliar noises and an adult close to their face all arrive at once, and a young child cannot predict any of it. Some common triggers:
- The unknown. Children who do not know what will happen fill the gap with imagination.
- A first visit for toothache. When the first experience of a dentist is pain and treatment, the next visit starts with fear.
- Picking up on adults. Children notice a parent's tense voice or a sibling's dramatic story very quickly.
- Loss of control. Not being able to see, talk or move freely feels threatening, especially for toddlers who are wary of strangers anyway.
- Sensory sensitivity. Some children, including many neurodivergent children, find the sounds, tastes and textures of a dental visit genuinely hard.
Fear is not bad behaviour, and it is not a reason to avoid the dentist. It is a reason to plan the visit differently.
How do you prepare a nervous child for the dentist?
Preparation works best when it matches your child's age. Keep it short and matter-of-fact; too much talk can build anxiety rather than ease it.
| Age | What helps | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 | Play 'open wide' and count teeth with a small mirror at bath time; sit your child on your lap for the visit | Long explanations; booking at nap time |
| 3 to 5 | A picture book or role play with a toy, telling them the day before, and bringing a comfort toy | Telling them weeks ahead, which gives time to worry |
| 6 to 9 | Simple honest answers to their questions, and letting them choose a small thing such as the toy or the time | Promises that nothing will be felt; sharing your own bad experiences |
| 10 and older | Treating them as part of the conversation, agreeing a stop signal with the dentist, and letting them ask questions directly | Talking about their fear in front of them as if they were not there |
Morning appointments often go better for young children, before they are tired. Avoid rushing in late, which makes everyone tense.
Which words help a child at the dentist, and which make it worse?
Children take words literally. The aim is not to hide what happens, but to describe it in calm, child-friendly terms the dentist will also use.
| Instead of | Try | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 'It won't hurt' | 'The dentist will tell you everything first, and you can raise your hand if you need a break' | The word 'hurt' plants the idea; a stop signal gives real control |
| 'Don't be scared' or 'Be brave' | 'The dentist is going to count your teeth and see how strong they are' | Telling a child not to be scared suggests there is something to fear |
| 'Needle', 'shot', 'drill' | Leave these to the dentist, who uses child-friendly words such as 'sleepy water' or 'tooth tickler' | Graphic words create images you cannot take back |
| 'If you're good, you'll get a big present' | 'Let's go to the park afterwards' | A large bribe signals that something unpleasant must be coming |
| Stories of your own dental visits | 'Lots of children go to the dentist; it helps keep teeth healthy' | Children copy adult anxiety, even when it is not said directly |
What does a dentist do to help a frightened child?
Children's dentistry has well-established ways to guide a nervous child, set out in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's behaviour guidance. The most familiar is tell-show-do: the dentist explains a step in words suited to the child's age, shows it, for example by letting the child feel the water spray on a finger, and then does exactly what was shown. Nothing happens by surprise.
Alongside it, dentists use specific praise ("you kept your mouth open really wide", rather than just "good job"), distraction and short breaks, and a clear signal such as a raised hand that the child can use to pause. Parents can provide comfort and encouragement, and whether you stay close or step back is agreed with the dentist beforehand.
At Creative Arts, first visits for children are deliberately low-key: a ride in the chair, counting teeth and meeting the mirror and suction. Treatment can be spread over shorter visits if that keeps a child calm, and our dentists do not restrain a frightened child to finish a procedure that could wait. Children's care here is with Dr. Duaa Ameen and Dr. Julia, General Dentists; our children's dentistry page describes the approach in full.
Do not let toothache be the first visit
The single most useful thing for a child's attitude to the dentist is an early, easy first visit, ideally by the first birthday, when nothing needs doing. A child who has sat in the chair, been praised and gone home happy has something to compare a later treatment visit with. Our guide to your baby's first dental visit explains what happens.
Can laughing gas help a child who is scared of the dentist?
Sometimes. Laughing gas (nitrous oxide with oxygen) is breathed through a small nose mask and helps many children feel relaxed while staying awake and able to talk. It is offered at Creative Arts, and whether it suits a particular child is decided case by case after a medical-history review. It works best for children who are mildly or moderately anxious and who can accept the nose mask and breathe through their nose; a child who is crying hard or will not wear the mask usually cannot benefit from it. Local anaesthetic is still used to numb the tooth where treatment needs it.
Our guide to laughing gas for children covers how it feels, safety and aftercare, and the main laughing gas page explains how it is given.
When are deeper sedation or general anaesthesia discussed?
For a small number of children, for example those with severe anxiety, some additional needs, or a lot of treatment needed at once, deeper sedation or treatment under general anaesthesia may be discussed with parents. Any such option follows a review of the child's medical history and a full conversation about risks and alternatives, and general anaesthesia is given and monitored by an anaesthesiologist. Sedation can make treatment possible, but it does not teach a child that the dentist is safe, so gentle familiarisation visits remain part of the plan.
Planning a first or fresh-start visit for a nervous child? See how children's dentistry in Dubai works at Creative Arts, from familiarisation visits to prevention.
See children's dentistryWhat should you do after the visit?
How the visit is talked about afterwards shapes the next one. Praise something specific your child did, such as climbing into the chair or keeping their mouth open, even if not everything went to plan. Keep any treat small and ordinary. If the visit was hard, avoid dwelling on it; book the next short visit soon rather than waiting months, so the last memory of the dentist is not the difficult one.
Fear that does not ease over several visits, or that is spreading to other situations such as doctors or haircuts, is worth discussing with the dentist and, if needed, your child's doctor. For older teenagers whose fear has carried on, the approaches on our dental anxiety page may also help. And because untreated decay is the most common reason for a painful first treatment, our guide to brushing and toothpaste by age is a good place to start preventing it.