I am always surprised when a ‘regular kid patient’ who enjoys cleaning visits and is generally a good patient, freaks out when he or she has to come in for a small filling, sealants or another procedure. In most cases, I track this abnormal behavior to a conversation that the parents had with the child. Please do not sabotage all of the good feeling that we have worked so hard to nurture! Example: A 10 year-old boy had been a patient since age 3, came to every six month visit with no problems – even looked forward to each visit (overhead TV entertainment always helps!). One day he needed to have a small filling placed on a tooth – not even requiring anesthetic. The appointment was scheduled. His father brought him in for the visit, but the boy walked in to our office in tears. He was so upset that we had to cancel the visit and refer him to a specialist for sedation. Why? On the way to the visit, Dad told the boy of HIS first filling experience – the shots, blood, pain, etc.! Six years of trust and respect down the drain! Ironically, the dad didn’t think he had done anything wrong. “I don’t blame him for not wanting a filling , I told him that I hate them too.”