What Age Should My Child First See a Dentist in Marietta, OH?
By the first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth, whichever comes first. That surprises most parents, who expect to wait until three or four. Here is what the first visit involves and why age one is the right time to start.
Bring your child in by their first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth appearing, whichever happens first.
The Short Answer
Age One, Not Age Three
That is the American Dental Association guideline, and it is the one our dentistry for kids team follows at every office. The ADA's own parent resource, MouthHealthy, puts it plainly: schedule the first visit any time after the primary teeth break through, but no later than the first birthday.
Most first teeth show up around six months, so for a lot of Marietta families the first appointment lands somewhere between six and twelve months old. If the teeth came early, go by the six month rule. If they came late, go by the birthday.
The visit itself is short and low-drama. Nobody is drilling anything on a one year old. What we are doing is looking, coaching, and getting your child comfortable in a dental office before there is ever a reason to be nervous in one.
About Fifteen Minutes
What Actually Happens at a First Visit
Parents brace for a full appointment and get something much closer to a conversation. Here is the shape of it.
Your Lap, Not the Chair
For the youngest patients the exam often happens with the child on a parent's lap, facing you. No stirrups, no stranger holding them down.
A Look, Not a Procedure
We count the teeth that have arrived, check the gums and bite, and look for early decay. It takes a couple of minutes.
Fluoride If It Fits
A quick fluoride varnish when it is appropriate for your child's age and risk. It takes seconds and does not require sitting still for long.
Coaching for You
Honestly, most of the value is here. How much toothpaste, how to brush a squirming toddler, what to do about the bedtime bottle, when to worry about thumb sucking.
Bring Your Questions Written Down
You will think of four on the drive over and remember one in the room. Our team would rather answer all four. Our new patient page covers what to bring, and we bill most major insurances.
The Reasoning
Why Age One Feels Early, and Isn't
Baby teeth fall out, so the instinct is that they do not matter much. They matter for the six to eleven years they are in your child's mouth, and for how the permanent teeth come in behind them.
Decay Starts With the First Tooth
A tooth can develop a cavity as soon as it is in the mouth. There is no grace period.
Habits Are Set Early
Bedtime bottles, sippy cups of juice, and thumb sucking are all easier to redirect at one than at four.
Small Problems Stay Small
Early decay caught at a checkup is a filling. The same tooth two years later can mean a crown or an extraction.
The First Visit Is Not an Emergency
A child whose first trip is a pain visit learns that a dental office means pain. Starting early avoids that entirely.
That last one is the whole argument. See our comfort services for how we handle the kids who are already nervous.
Getting Here
Two Marietta Offices, Both 7am Starts
Colegate at 319 Colegate Drive and Acme at 30 Acme Street are both in Marietta, so most Washington County families are ten minutes from one of them. Colegate opens at 7am Monday through Friday, which is how a toddler appointment happens before a workday rather than in the middle of one.
If you are coming from Belpre, Beverly, Lowell, Vincent or Little Hocking, either Marietta office works, and our Belpre office may be closer depending on which side of the river you start from. Families over in Wood County usually head to Parkersburg.
Ten dentists across four offices means we can usually find a slot the week you call rather than the month after. Compare hours and directions on the locations page.
Meet Our Dentists
Colegate Drive
319 Colegate Dr, Marietta
Monday through Wednesday 7am to 5pm, Thursday 7am to 3pm, Friday 7am to 5pm. The Acme Street office is a few minutes away on the other side of town.
What Marietta Parents Say
Trusted With the Whole Family
Here is what patients say about bringing their kids to Family Tree Dental.
Common Questions
Kids and the Dentist: Parent FAQ
The questions Marietta parents ask us most often about children's dental visits.
What age should my child first see a dentist?
By the first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth coming in, whichever happens first. That is the American Dental Association guideline and it is the one we follow at all four of our offices. Most first teeth arrive around six months, so for a lot of families the first dental visit lands somewhere between six and twelve months old.
What if my child's first tooth came in late?
Then go by the birthday. Eruption timing varies a lot between children and a late first tooth is usually nothing. The first birthday is the backstop precisely so a slow starter does not go two years without anyone looking. If nothing has come in by around 18 months, mention it when you book so we can take a look sooner.
How often should kids go to the dentist after the first visit?
Every six months for most children, the same schedule adults are on. Some kids need to come more often, usually because of a high cavity rate, enamel that came in weak, or braces to work around. Your dentist will tell you at the visit rather than putting every child on the same calendar.
When do children need dental X-rays?
When the teeth are close enough together that decay can hide between them, and when the dentist has a reason to look. There is no fixed age. We use digital X-rays, which use less radiation than the film versions many parents remember, and we only take them when they will change what we do.
When should my child get sealants?
Usually not long after the first permanent molars come in, which is typically around age six, and again when the second molars arrive around age twelve. A sealant is a thin coating over the grooves on the chewing surface, and those grooves are where most childhood cavities start.
What if my child is scared of the dentist?
Tell us when you book so we can plan the visit around it instead of finding out in the chair. A first appointment for a nervous child can be almost entirely a look-around, and pillows, blankets and cable TV are standard at every office. For children who need more than that, nitrous oxide is light, wears off within minutes, and is what we reach for most often with kids.
Do all four offices see children?
Yes. Colegate and Acme in Marietta, Belpre, and Parkersburg all see kids, so you can book whichever is closest to home or to school pickup. Colegate on Colegate Drive is the usual choice for families on the north side of Marietta, and it opens at 7am Monday through Friday.
Start Before They Can Spell Dentist
Marietta · Belpre · Parkersburg