Love to Laugh and Learn

Dentists: Love to Learn about Community Helpers
with free downloadable activity sheets

Do you know when your child should have his or her first dentist appointment? I thought it was around ages 3 or 4 years old but I recently found out that it’s supposed to be by the age of 1, or within 6 months after his or her first tooth comes in. With that in mind, you should help your child learn about the dentist so they will be more comfortable when they go for their appointment.

I always like to start my learning activities with a book. There are a several listed in the Story Time section below. If you know of another great book please share it with me.

Below you will also find a craft and some ideas for pretend play. Be sure to enjoy this time of exploration and learning with your child.

Content:

Playtime
Craft
Fun Sheet
Snacks
Story Time
Related Posts
Acknowledgements

Playtime

Dress up is a fun way to explore the world of dentists. The same lab coat your child used for doctors can also be used for the dentist. Dress up is fun for boys and girls alike. I like to look for costumes after Halloween, when you can find them on sale.

I found a couple of blogs that had some really cute creative ideas. I love the the activity I found on Preschool Playbook. They used play dough and white navy beans to represent a child’s gums and teeth.

There are a couple of great activities on Sense of Wonder: Let’s Play Dentist. My favorite is making a set of teeth out of a cardboard egg carton and using green tissue paper as the “food” caught between the teeth. The children get to use dental floss to remove the “food”.

What other activities do you and your children enjoy?

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Craft

Materials Needed:

Tooth template
Cream colored construction paper or cardstock
White paint
White glitter
Inexpensive toothbrushes
Plate to put paint on

Instructions:

1. Print off the tooth template onto a cream colored cardstock or use the template as a pattern to trace onto a cream colored piece of construction paper. The reason I am suggesting cream colored paper is so that the child can see the difference between the cream colored “dirty” tooth and the sparkling white tooth after it gets “brushed”.
2. Pour some white paint onto a paper plate.
3. Mix some of the white glitter into the paint.
4. Use the toothbrush to “brush” the tooth with the white paint and glitter.

5. Now you have a sparkling white tooth. I added a little more glitter after I painted it, to give it just a little extra sparkle.

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Fun Sheet

I have created a fun sheet to do with your child. Have your child color the dentist and then color only the items that the dentist would use. Don’t color the items that the doctor would not use. Click on the picture to get the downloadable fun sheet.

The fun sheet is a great way for your child to develop their fine motor skills, as they color. They will learn to follow directions and will also reinforce what they have learned about dentists.

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Snacks

Make snack time a fun lesson time. Have some snacks that will make healthy teeth and some items that aren’t good for the teeth. See if your child can tell you which ones are good and which ones are bad. Of course you child will probably want some of the “bad” snacks as well as the healthy ones. Just explain that a little “bad” food (on occasion) is okay but be sure to brush your teeth as soon as snack time is over.

I am including a happy tooth and a sad tooth template. You can use these as a hands-on activity and actually sort the foods that are healthy and unhealthy.

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Story Time

The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan & Jan Berenstain
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old

Sister Bear has her first loose tooth and, what luck, Brother Bear has a dentist appointment. Brother Bear like to tease Sister Bear so he tell her that she better wiggle that tooth until it comes out or the dentist will yank it out. Mama Bear assures Sister that the dentist is gentle. Sister gets to watch while Brother gets his teeth cleaned and a cavity filled. Then it’s Sister’s turn. The dentist takes a piece of cloth (not the “yanker”) and gently grasps Sister’s tooth; with a gentle tug it pops right out. The book gives a fun introduction to the dentist office.

Dentists (Community Helpers) by Dee Ready
Reading Level: Ages 4 and up

This is a great book to introduce your child to the responsibilities of a dentist. The illustrations are actual pictures of dentists doing their many jobs. The text is simple; just a few clear sentences to each illustration. Once you share this book with your child, they will have a better understanding of what dentists do and the things they need to perform their jobs.

Going to the Dentist by Helen Frost
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old

This wonderful little book will introduce your child to the dentist and his/her office. The text is simple and the illustrations are of things you will see in the dentist office. Your child can see the dentist using his different tools to look inside the mouth. I would use this book before a child’s first trip to the dentist.

Going to the Dentist (My First Time)
by Kate Petty, Lisa Kopper and Jim Pipe
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old

Sam and Jenny take their first trip to the dentist. Jenny is little enough that she sits in mom’s lap while the dentist counts her teeth and takes a good look at them. Sam is a little older and he gets to sit in the dentist’s special chair. The dentist cleans his teeth and takes pictures of them. Sam has a small cavity that the doctor fills without any problems. The majority of the illustrations are drawings but there are a few actual photos inlaid on some of the pages. This book is a fun way to introduce your child to the dentist.

  Just Going to the Dentist (Little Critter) by Mercer Mayer
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old

Little Critter gets to take a trip to the dentist. He describes what it’s like in the waiting room. He is big enough that he gets to go back and see the dentist all by himself. I like that Little Critter uses descriptions that children will relate to such as the room he goes too looks like a spaceship because of all the weird machines. Little Critter even has a cavity and it describes a bit of what it’s like to get a tooth filled. This is a fun light-hearted way for children to learn about the dentist.

Meet My Neighbor, the Dentist by Marc Crabtree
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old

This book has large simple text so it is good for an early reader or for a young child just learning about the dentist. I love that the illustrations are actual pictures of Doctor Meisels, both with his family and performing the duties of his job. Your child will get to see the dentist at work in someone’s mouth and the different tools he will be using. This would be a great book to share with a child before their first trip to the dentist.

Show Me Your Smile!: A Visit to the Dentist (Dora the Explorer) by Christine Ricci
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old

Do your children love Dora? If so, they will enjoy making a visit to the dentist with Dora. Dora explains her appointment from the visiting room, through her exam, concluding with the special treats she receives at the end of her visit. The illustrations are bright and the text is easy to understand. A must for any child that loves Dora and is getting ready to visit the dentist.

The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss
Reading Level: Ages 2 – 7 yrs old

What is there to say? It’s Dr. Seuss! I love rhyming books so, of course, I love Dr. Seuss. In this fun rhyming book, we learn all about teeth. We see people and animals that have teeth; and some that do not. We will learn about things we should not do with our teeth, if we are going to keep them. And don’t forget to be nice to your dentist, because he is the one that takes care of your teeth.

We Need Dentists (Helpers in Our Community) by Lola M. Schaefer
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old

This is a simple little book that will introduce your child to the dentist. It talks about the different tools dentists use and the various things they might do to your teeth. I like the illustrations because they are actual pictures of children at the dentist. This would make a good book to read to your child before their first trip to the dentist.

What to Expect When You Go to the Dentist by Heidi Murkoff
Reading Level: Ages 4 – 8 yrs old

This book has some heavy duty reading, so it would be better for a little older child. I love the way it covers the things a child will see and experience while in the dentist office. The information is shared by, Angus, the Answer Dog. On each page there is even a game or idea to think about to prepare for a trip to the dentist. If your child is a little older and would like some more detailed information about the dentist and how to take care of his/her teeth, this will be an awesome book.

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Related Posts

Community Helpers – Overview
Doctors: Love to Learn About Community Helpers
Firefighters: Love to Learn About Community Helpers
Police Officers: Love to Learn About Community Helpers

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Acknowledgements

Some of the images for the Fun Sheet were created by Cara’s Clips
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Cara-Taylor-8656

Some of the images for the Fun Sheet were created by Charlotte’s Clips
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Charlottes-Clips-4150

Some of the images for the Fun Sheet were created by Lauren Thompson
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Lauren-Thompson

Some of the images for the Fun Sheet were created by Whimsy Clips
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whimsy-Clips

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