Fun, not fear, should be the focus of your conversations. You can make your child's first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. Tell your child in advance that someone will look at their teeth and clean them. Try showing them pictures of dentists or have fun role-playing, acting like you or your child are the dentist. Most dentists prefer that a parent be present for the examination of any child under the age of 3. Some ask the parent to sit in the dental chair and hold the patient in their lap during the first examination. It can also be helpful to take your younger children along for an older sibling's dental visit so they can get accustomed to the office and the people. As children get older, they are usually happy to be "grown up" and willing to sit in the chair alone while they send their parents back to the waiting room.