A Child’s First Dental Visit: When to Book and What Is Checked

Book your child’s first dental visit when their first tooth appears or by their first birthday. You do not need to wait for a full set of baby teeth. If you think there may already be a dental problem, arrange a visit rather than waiting for that milestone.

That first appointment is also a chance to ask the questions that come with caring for a small child’s mouth. At Karrinyup Dental Centre, our children’s dentistry service describes a first visit that includes your child’s medical history, a check of baby teeth and gums, and a conversation about teething, cleaning and mouth habits.

• Plan the first visit around the first tooth or first birthday, not the start of school.
• Expect a discussion about medical history and daily care, as well as a check of teeth and gums.
• Seek dental advice if you notice a possible problem, including dark spots on teeth.
• Check Child Dental Benefits Schedule eligibility rather than assuming every child is covered.

Healthdirect’s advice on children’s teeth is to visit by the time the first tooth appears or by the first birthday. If the birthday arrives before you have spotted a tooth, the birthday is still a reason to arrange that first visit.

Baby teeth matter even though they will eventually fall out: they help guide adult teeth into place. Healthdirect recommends caring for teeth and gums from an early age, including before teething begins. A first appointment gives you an opportunity to ask how that advice applies to your child.

If your child is past their first birthday and has not been to a dentist, arrange an appointment now. Tell the team their age and whether you have noticed anything concerning. The recommendation is to start young and continue regular checks; waiting for more teeth is not part of that advice.

Our first-visit information sets out two parts: talking with a parent or carer about the child’s health and habits, and checking the baby teeth and gums. You do not need to arrive with a diagnosis or a treatment choice already made.

• Medical history: be ready to discuss your child’s health history with the dentist.
• Teeth and gums: the dentist checks the baby teeth and gum tissues.
• Home cleaning: ask about mouth cleaning and brushing techniques.
• Teething and habits: raise questions about teething, thumb-sucking or other mouth habits.

Use this conversation to explain what is difficult at home. For example, you might want a demonstration of brushing or advice about a habit you have noticed. These are subjects covered by the clinic’s first-visit guidance, not reasons to feel that you should already know the answers.

Keep the explanation simple and use words your child understands. Our children’s dentistry page suggests practising counting teeth together and avoiding frightening stories about dental visits. Tell the team when booking if you are worried about how your child will respond, so you can discuss the appointment beforehand.

A short list of your own questions can help you use the visit. Note anything you want to discuss about teething, cleaning or thumb-sucking, alongside your child’s medical history. You can ask the dentist to show you a brushing technique rather than only explaining it.

Ask which brush, toothpaste and cleaning routine suit your child’s age. Healthdirect recommends a soft brush with water and no toothpaste up to 17 months, unless a dentist has assessed a high risk of decay and advised toothpaste. From 18 months to five years, it recommends brushing twice daily with a soft toothbrush and a small pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.

That age distinction matters. Bring the toothpaste you use, or its name, if you would like advice about it. Healthdirect also recommends starting flossing when two teeth touch and asking a dental practitioner to show you how. Your dentist can help you understand the routine for your child rather than borrowing an older sibling’s instructions.

Food and drink habits are another useful topic. Healthdirect advises limiting sugary foods and drinks, encouraging water when children are thirsty, and not letting a child fall asleep with a bottle containing milk, formula, juice or another sweet liquid. Ask how to manage your child’s current routine if you need help making a change.

Arrange a dental visit as soon as you think there is a possible problem. Healthdirect specifically includes dark spots on teeth and a concern that the upper and lower teeth do not meet when biting. Describe what you have seen when you contact the clinic rather than trying to decide the cause yourself.

Our article on spotting early tooth decay is further reading, not a way to rule out a problem at home. A dentist needs to assess your child’s own teeth. Do not wait for a scheduled routine check if you have noticed a concern.

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) can cover part or all of the cost of some basic dental services for eligible children. Services Australia says eligibility requires Medicare eligibility, being aged zero to 17 for at least one day of the calendar year, and the child or an eligible parent or carer receiving a qualifying payment at least once that year.

You do not need to apply or register for CDBS; Services Australia sends a letter if your child is eligible. Read its current eligibility conditions rather than assuming Medicare enrolment alone is enough.

Ask for the expected cost of the appointment when booking, and ask how any CDBS benefit would apply. Healthdirect notes that private health insurance may leave an out-of-pocket gap, depending on the policy. An eligibility letter or health-fund card is not, by itself, a quote for your child’s visit.

Ask when your child should return and what to do between visits. Our children’s dentistry information says the timing of checks varies with age and oral health, with the dentist advising the interval. It is a personal recommendation, not a reason to book every child to the same timetable.

If care is proposed, ask the dentist to explain why it is needed, the options, the risks and the costs before deciding. The purpose of this article is to help you prepare for an assessment, not to recommend a particular treatment for a child we have not examined.

To arrange an appointment, contact Karrinyup Dental Centre or call (08) 9341 6233. Tell us your child’s age, whether this is their first dental visit and any concern you want to discuss. Our clinic is at Unit 5/57 Burroughs Road, Karrinyup WA 6018.

Written by Dr Justin Soon (Dentist). Category: Oral Health.

General information for parents and carers, not a diagnosis or personal treatment advice. Sources checked 9 November 2026. The hero is an AI-generated illustration of appointment preparation, not a patient, clinic photograph or demonstration of brushing technique.

• Healthdirect: Looking after your baby or child’s teeth, reviewed March 2025.
• Karrinyup Dental Centre: Children’s dentistry and first-visit information.
• Services Australia: Child Dental Benefits Schedule and who can get it.
• Karrinyup Dental Centre: contact details and Dr Justin Soon’s profile.