#116 Kinderzahnheilkunde: Mit Kindern gut kommunizieren – Pediatric Dentistry: Communicating with Children

00:00:03: Sabine Nemec: Herzlich willkommen zu Dental English to go. Ich bin Sabine Nemec und lade Euch ein, mit diesem Podcast Euer Englisch aufzufrischen. Ich möchte Euch zeigen, dass es ganz leicht ist, sich im Praxisalltag auf Englisch zu verständigen. Jede Woche schauen wir uns eine bestimmte Situation in der Zahnarztpraxis an und trainieren/üben die passenden Vokabeln und die richtige Aussprache. So here is your weekly dose of language refresher.

00:00:33: In today’s lesson, we will focus on communication with children in the pediatric dental office. So, let’s start! Talking to children is very much about making the dental chair a safe space. After all, children read emotions before they read words. If the dentist is tense, they will be tense. If the dentist is genuinely relaxed and curious, they will follow the lead. The tone matters more than the technique. Beim Gespräch mit Kindern geht es vor allem darum, den Behandlungsstuhl zu einem sicheren Ort zu machen. Schließlich nehmen Kinder Emotionen wahr, noch bevor sie Worte verstehen. Wenn man angespannt ist, werden sie angespannt sein. Wenn man wirklich entspannt und neugierig ist, werden sie dem Beispiel folgen. Der Tonfall ist wichtiger als die Technik.

00:01:48: Today we cover three phases: before the treatment starts, during the procedure, and how to end on a high note. Phase 1 – Before the Treatment: This phase is about getting to know the young patient. Before the dentist picks up a single instrument, two minutes should be invested in the child. Ask about their shoes, their favorite cartoon, what they had for lunch. This is not small talk — it is clinical preparation. A child who trusts the dentist will open their mouth. A child who is afraid will not. Here’s a dialogue: Dentist: “Hey, I'm Dr. Schmidt. Is that a dinosaur on your backpack? Which one is it?” Child: “It's a T-Rex!” Dentist: “A T-Rex—perfect. You know what? T-Rexes have really big teeth. Let's see if yours are as impressive. Do you want to be my tooth inspector today?” Giving children a role—tooth inspector, chief counter, the helper—transforms them from a passive patient into an active participant. This reduces anxiety.

00:03:38: Phase 2 – During Treatment: The gold standard technique in pediatric dentistry is Tell-Show-Do. An instrument should always be introduced with an explanation and a demonstration first. Tell: Describe what will happen in simple, friendly language. Show: Demonstrate the instrument outside the mouth – let the child touch it if they want to. Do: Then proceed, slowly, with a running commentary to keep the child engaged.

00:04:23: Dentist: “Okay, so this is our little water squirter. See? It just blows a tiny bit of water—like a little raindrop. Can I show you on your hand first? Great. Now let's try it on your tooth—you'll feel a little coolness, that's all.” For school-age children (6–10 years), the dentist can offer limited choices to give them a sense of control: “Would you like to hold Mrs. Mirror, or shall I hold it?” “Do you want me to count down from five before I start, or shall I just begin?” “If at any point you need a break, just raise your hand – I will stop immediately. Deal?” That last phrase — establishing a stop signal — is one of the most powerful tools you have. It gives the child agency.

00:06:08: Age-specific language: When speaking with toddlers (2–5 years), ultra-short sentences, animals and stories are good: “This is Mr. Tickle — he tickles your teeth clean!” When speaking with school-aged children (6–10 years) simple explanations with logic should be used: “Plaque is like a sticky film—it loves sugar and makes holes. Brushing is how we fight it.” When speaking with Preteens (11–13 years) respect and directness will take the dentist a long way: “I know the injection isn't the most fun thing. It'll take about thirty seconds and then you won't feel anything during the filling. I'll tell you exactly when I start.”

00:07:20: Phase 3 – Ending on a High Note: The last impression is the one that matters most for the next visit. Always end with genuine, specific praise — not just 'good job', but something concrete. Here are some ideas: “You were absolutely amazing today. Do you know what was especially impressive? When I was doing the filling, you kept completely still. That takes real self-control – well-done.” “I want to hear how the brushing song from the movie Frozen goes next time – make sure you practice! You can find the video on the internet.” Send children home with a small mission—a sticker chart, a brushing song, a specific habit to try. This bridges the dental visit into daily life and builds anticipation for the next appointment.

00:08:41: Here is your overview of the vocabulary of this week’s lesson: to bridge – etwas überbrücken, überleiten; to need a break – eine Auszeit brauchen; to reduce – verringern; to tickle – kitzeln; amazing – erstaunlich, großartig; impressive – beeindruckend; stop signal – Stoppzeichen; sense of) agency – Selbstwirksamkeit, Kontrolle; anticipation – Erwartung; praise – Lob; raindrop – Regentropfen; high note – Höhepunkt.

00:09:48: Das war unsere Lesson für diese Woche – und unsere 9. Staffel! Wir verabschieden uns in die Sommerpause und wünschen Euch eine gute Zeit! Freut Euch auf hilfreiche neue Lessons, denn Anfang September kommen wir zurück mit der zehnten Staffel. Dann setzen wir das Thema Kinderzahnmedizin fort. Wenn Ihr noch mehr Dental Englisch trainieren wollt, empfehle ich Euch mein Buch „Dental English“, erschienen im Quintessenz Verlag, oder auch die Fachzeitschrift „Team Journal“ – hier findet Ihr in jeder Ausgabe eine Übung. Vielen Dank fürs Zuhören. Wenn es Euch gefallen hat, dann abonniert diesen Podcast. Es gibt jeden Montag eine neue Folge – überall, wo es Podcasts gibt. Wenn Ihr Fragen habt, dann schreibt auf Instagram oder an podcast@quintessenz.de. Alle Links und Adressen findet ihr auch in den Shownotes. Ich sage: Goodbye and see you next time! Das war Dental English to go mit Sabine Nemec: der Englisch-Podcast für den Praxisalltag – ein Quintessence Podcast.