Children Don't Forget

Psychologists tell us that a traumatic experience during childhood may affect the way we feel and behave later in life. Nowhwere is this truer than with visits to the dentist. As an experienced pediatric dentist, I have observed many fearful children who have had painful dental experiences.These experiences often lead them to have dental anxiety and  avoid the dentist. Many of these children will carry these fears well into their adult lives.

We also know that parents who have had a traumatic experience at the dentist may, knowingly or unknowingly, transmit their anxiety to their children. Researchers have studied the long-term effects of forceful methods on dental attitudes.  In one study of 1000 adults, 204 said they were highly fearful of the dentist and that they had acquired that fear in early childhood. While it is difficult to vouch for the accuracy of such experiences, the bottom line is  that this is how these adults remember their childhood trips to the dentist. These visits clearly made lasting and damaging impressions.

After practicing dentistry with traditional methods of managing children for nearly 20 years, methods that made me uncomfortable and many of my child patients miserable, I knew I had to find a different way. This book describes the change I made by putting the child before the tooth. It is my goal to work toward eliminaing traumatic experiences in the dental office so that all children grow up feeling good about going to the dentist.

—Allan R. Pike, DDS, MD

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