TELL, SHOW, DO: WHY KIDS LOVE TO VISIT PRASAD CDHP’S
MOBILE DENTAL UNIT

One of the remarkable aspects of PRASAD’s Children’s Dental Health Program is how much the children love coming to the mobile dental clinic. Part of the secret, says CDHP dentist Dr. Hallie Williams, is a process called “Tell, Show, Do.”

Tell, Show, Do involves explaining the procedure in non-technical language, demonstrating, in a fun way, how all the equipment is used, and giving a child time to feel at ease with the staff.

“Everything is talked about in a way that children can understand and is fun,” says Williams. “For example, the suction device is called ‘Mr. Thirsty,’ and we show the children how they can suck up water in a cup before we put the device into their mouths. When I show them the air and water syringe, I shoot it up in the air, towards a smiley face we have on the ceiling, and then let the child try to spray the smiley face too. Liquid anesthesia is called ‘sleepy water,’ and if local anesthetic is used, the needles are called ‘straws.’ These wording changes really do help children feel less apprehensive.”

Children also get to hold a mirror up at any time while they are being treated, to see for themselves what the dentist or her assistant is doing. “Seeing the reality of what is happening is always less anxiety-producing for children than what they imagine,” Williams says. “I’ve used the Tell, Show, Do process hundreds of times, and it still amazes me how effectively it changes how the child looks at the [dental visit] experience.”

Ivette Acosta, Dr. Williams’ dental assistant, agrees. “Kids continue to surprise us with how quickly they get comfortable with coming to the mobile dental clinic,” she says.

Acosta recounted one incident where a mother came with her two young daughters, ages two and six. The older daughter went in for her turn first, at which point the two-year-old started crying and saying something to her mother in Spanish. “We thought perhaps she was afraid,” said Acosta, “but when the mother explained in English what her daughter was saying, it turned out she was upset that she could not be the first to have her teeth ‘counted!’ As soon as it was her turn, she stopped crying, walked right in, climbed into the chair, and opened her mouth like she had been coming to see us for years.”

The enthusiasm of Williams and Acosta for the Tell, Show, Do process points to the other reason children love CDHP: the compassion and care shown by these two PRASAD CDHP staff. Their dedication to giving every child a healthy, happy smile inspires us all!