title: When should children have their first dental visit?
abstract: In summary, the goals of infant oral health care are to: Break the cycle of early childhood caries; Disrupt the acquisition of harmful microflora; Manage the risk/benefit of habits; Establish a dental home for health or harm; Impart optimal fluoride protection; and Use anticipatory guidance to arm parents in the therapeutic alliance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Community Oral Health, University of Tennessee, College of Dentistry, USA.
authors.forename: Martin E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.forename: Sanford J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Fenton
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002652:Child Behavior; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003448:Crying; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000502:physiology; D014078:Tooth Eruption / Q000502:physiology; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D005459:Fluorides