Your child should visit the dentist by his/her 1st birthday. Sort of early huh? Well Pediatricians for years have been stressing the value of well-baby and child visits. The underlying theme regarding well-checks is the concept of preventative medicine- "regular check-ups before anything emergent happens". This concept has long been applied to dentistry as well. Preventative dentistry allows for pediatric dentists such as Drs. Ngai and Chang to evaluate and make sure your child doesn't have cavities and to help instill habits to minimize the possibility of cavities in the future. This means no drills, no scary instruments, and best of all- lots of stickers! 

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends establishing a "dental home" at 12 months of age or when the first baby tooth erupts into the mouth. By making the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive your child can be rescued from the negative feelings so often associated with going to the dentist!