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How do I prepare my autistic child for the dentist?

Choosing a dentist, preparing with pictures, practice visits, and what to ask for on the day.

By The Autism Kit teamUpdated Sep 28, 2026 · 1 min read
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A dentist and a smiling girl giving thumbs up in a dental clinic
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The short answer

Look for a pediatric dentist experienced with autistic children, and tell them what helps before you go. Prepare with photos of the office and a short social story, practise opening wide and counting teeth at home, and ask for a first visit that's just a look around. On the day, bring headphones, sunglasses for the bright light, and a comfort item, and ask the team to show and tell before each step.

Key takeaways
  • Choose a pediatric dentist who knows autism.
  • Prepare with photos and a social story.
  • Ask for a practice visit first.
  • Bring headphones, sunglasses and a comfort item.

How do I find the right dentist?

Ask other autism parents or your pediatrician for names. Pediatric dental guidance encourages individual plans for patients with special health care needs, so ask how the office adapts visits.12

How do I prepare my child?

  1. Write a social story with photos of the office.3
  2. Practise at home: open wide, count teeth with a finger, look with a mirror.
  3. Book a practice visit to sit in the chair and meet the team.
  4. Show picture steps: chair, light, count teeth, brush, rinse, done.

What helps on the day?

Try
  • Sunglasses for the bright light
  • Headphones for noisy tools
  • Asking staff to 'tell, show, do' before each step
  • The first appointment of the day
Skip
  • Long waits in a busy waiting room
  • Surprise tools
  • Promising 'it won't hurt'
Free printable: social narrative templatePDF · 1 page · a simple story to prepare for a new or hard situation
Download Free printable: social narrative template

What can I try this week?

0 of 3 done

Read next: My autistic child hates brushing teeth. What can I do?

Common questions

Pediatric dentists generally recommend a first visit by the first birthday. It's never too late to start.

Sources

  1. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: Management of dental patients with special health care needs. aapd.org
  2. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: Resources for parents. aapd.org
  3. Carol Gray Social Stories. carolgraysocialstories.com

This guide shares general information and our team's perspective, based on the sources above. Every child is different, so please talk with your child's doctor or care team about what's right for your family. How we write our guides.

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