STORY: First Cleaning

SCRIPT #467

AIRDATE: Monday, Dec. 1, 2003

Daybreak & Midday

DHC MASTER #16 Timecode: 16:41 When should a young child get their first

dental x-rays and cleaning?

Many parents wait until the child enters

kindergarten.

But Dr. Linda Niessen suggests

parents take their preschool age children

for the first dental cleaning and full

check-up.

SOVT: 1:48 More in today’s Dental Health Check.

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STANTON GETTING EXAM (VOICE-OVER)

Stanton Pruitt shows no fear of dentistry.

SUPER: Dallas :02-08 At age three, he undergoes his first set

of dental x-rays and a thorough dental

cleaning.

SUPER: Amy Pruitt :15-20 (“We wanted to get him into a dentist

Stanton’s Mother early and start off the situation positively.

Make it fun. And make him look forward

to it.”)

ON CAMERA (STAND-UP BRIDGE)

SUPER: Dr. Linda Niessen :24-28 By age 2 ½ to 3 years, all 20 baby teeth

Baylor College of Dentistry have come in, which makes this a good

time for the first professional dental

cleaning and x-rays.

SUPER: Dr. Barrie Choate (“Generally by 2 and a half or three, most

Pediatric Dentist :38-42 children will lay down in the chair, or sit

up on the end of the chair and allow you to

use the prophy angle, have a fluoride

treatment and radiographs.”)

TWO-SHOT Dr. Barrie Choate is a pediatric dentist.

DR. CHOATE (“And it’s all about communication. Key

to cooperation is communication. And if

you’re prepared them along the way, if

parents have prepared them, most of the time you can talk to a child and make them

comfortable enough to take care of that

whole procedure.”)

Page 2 1^st Cleaning

REVERSE QUESTION (DR. NIESSEN: “So what the common

mistakes parents make?”)

DR. CHOATE (“Informing them too much in a threatening

manner. Parents who’ve told the child that

if they don’t allow them to brush their teeth,

or if they don’t quit snacking, that they’re

STANTON IN DENTAL CHAIR going to have to take them to the dentist

and get a big shot in their mouth. So

children develop a fear before they’ve

even walked in the door that they’re going

to be hurt based on their behavior at home

and the lack of care of their teeth.”)

ON CAMERA (STAND-UP CLOSE)

As a parent of a young child, choose your

words carefully. Never say pain,

needle or shot in the same

sentence with dentist. And if you

STANTON WITH BALLOON are a fearful dental patient

LEAVES WITH MOTHER yourself, your child may do better

when you stay in the reception area.

For Baylor College of Dentistry,

Texas A & M System, I’m Dr. Linda

Niessen.