The American Dental Association recommends that a child see a dentist as soon as the first tooth erupts (around 6 months old), but definitely no later than the first birthday. This early initial dental visit is a "well-baby checkup" for the teeth.

During this initial exam, you can expect the dentist to check for tooth decay that can form as a result of misuse of the baby bottle known as "baby bottle decay." The dentist can check for developmental problems such as cleft palate or cleft lips. The dentist also may show you how to clean the child's teeth properly, as well as how to evaluate and prevent any damaging habits such as thumb sucking.

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