After calling several dentists in my area (we just moved to north Austin,Tx from Tennessee)I can not find a dentist that will allow me into the room with my 5 yr old daughter! I simply can not understand the logic behind this "rule". I would never let my child go into a doctor's appointment by herself, and they have NEVER asked me to leave the room. Why is a dentist so different? My dd has a bad problem with grinding her teeth at night. She has already chipped her front tooth, and her back tooth was chipped and is now decaying and painful. She has gone through surgeries and medical testings several times in the past 10 months (not dental related) and was always scared but very cooperative as long as I was there and able to comfort her. I know my child, and I know that she would completely freak out if I took her to a dentist and just LEFT her in the room for them to do whatever they want with her. I will not allow my child to be strapped to anything...how traumatizing!
I understand that they mainly don't want the parents to interfere or faint or knock out a doctor because he is causing discomfort to their child. But I would even be willing to stand out of my child's view in the doorway! As long as she knows I'm right there.
I had an incident in Nashville with my then 10 year old daughter 3 years ago. I was told over the phone that I would be allowed in the back with my child and on the first visit I did go back with her for the initial first exam and cleaning. But when she had to come back a week later for a cavity filling they told me I was not allowed back there with her. (I had chosen this dentist because they said over the phone that parents were allowed to stay with their children)
At the first visit the dentist told me she would need two minor surface fillings that would not require novicane. When they told me I could not go to the back with her on the second visit, they led her away while I stood there for several minutes dumbfounded. I finally got control of myself and quietly went and stood in the doorway. I watched for a few minutes while a different dentist I had never met was about to inject her with novicane (which I had just told her on the way there was NOT going to happen and had also told her that I would be with her the entire time) but before I could say anything a nurse ordered me to go back to the waiting area. I whispered that I would feel more comfortable standing in the doorway to observe and that is when the dentist lost his cool. He stood up, yanked off his gloves and THREW them over my daughter and across the room. He then stormed out of the room and cussed all the way down the hall to his private office where I could hear him in there ranting and cussing away. A little dramatic don't you think? My daughter started crying and we left (and reported them to the ADA and BBB).
Ugh, so is anyone else on the same boat as I am on this issue? I am not an interfering person, I am not squemish and I understand that kids will sometimes cry like they are being killed with the smallest of discomfort. I simply want to BE THERE. I don't want my child surrounded by strangers in an unfamiliar place with drills and novicane running through their imaginations and mom nowhere to be found. How hard is it to give a parent a CHANCE?
Dawn
I understand that they mainly don't want the parents to interfere or faint or knock out a doctor because he is causing discomfort to their child. But I would even be willing to stand out of my child's view in the doorway! As long as she knows I'm right there.
I had an incident in Nashville with my then 10 year old daughter 3 years ago. I was told over the phone that I would be allowed in the back with my child and on the first visit I did go back with her for the initial first exam and cleaning. But when she had to come back a week later for a cavity filling they told me I was not allowed back there with her. (I had chosen this dentist because they said over the phone that parents were allowed to stay with their children)
At the first visit the dentist told me she would need two minor surface fillings that would not require novicane. When they told me I could not go to the back with her on the second visit, they led her away while I stood there for several minutes dumbfounded. I finally got control of myself and quietly went and stood in the doorway. I watched for a few minutes while a different dentist I had never met was about to inject her with novicane (which I had just told her on the way there was NOT going to happen and had also told her that I would be with her the entire time) but before I could say anything a nurse ordered me to go back to the waiting area. I whispered that I would feel more comfortable standing in the doorway to observe and that is when the dentist lost his cool. He stood up, yanked off his gloves and THREW them over my daughter and across the room. He then stormed out of the room and cussed all the way down the hall to his private office where I could hear him in there ranting and cussing away. A little dramatic don't you think? My daughter started crying and we left (and reported them to the ADA and BBB).
Ugh, so is anyone else on the same boat as I am on this issue? I am not an interfering person, I am not squemish and I understand that kids will sometimes cry like they are being killed with the smallest of discomfort. I simply want to BE THERE. I don't want my child surrounded by strangers in an unfamiliar place with drills and novicane running through their imaginations and mom nowhere to be found. How hard is it to give a parent a CHANCE?
Dawn
Thanks for sharing.....and I'm sorry you had to deal w/ that.....
