Welcome to The Dental Library Review! In this feature, we will be reviewing and highlighting different children’s books we have collected at our office. Our staff have personally used these books with their own children and have had great reception. Today, we will be going over Just Going to the Dentist by Mercer Mayer.
This story is written and illustrated in the familiar style of Mayer’s “Little Critter” series. In this book, Little Critter goes in for his first dental appointment. Although the setting of the dental office was a little strange and uncomfortable, he has a very good experience. His exam, X-rays and filling didn’t hurt him at all, and he even got a treat when it was over. Little Critter quickly learned that dental appointments weren’t scary at all, just tiresome!
Our office recommends this book because it can introduce some of the more intimidating aspects of the dental office before your child’s appointment. Throughout the story, Little Critter encounters many different parts of a dental visit, only to find them fun or (at the worst) uneventful. Even the dreaded “shot” was shown to be nothing but a small inconvenience. If your child has had a bad experience at a medical or dental office, this book will show them that it can be fun and easy!
Given the large illustrations and simple words, we would recommend this book as an early reader or a great bedtime story. As with all the stories we review, feel free to check it out at your next appointment. We are always happy to do anything we can to get your family excited and educated about dental health topics!