Checkup and Sealant Planner
Enter a child's birth month and the last dental visit to get a personal dental calendar: the first visit, every 6-month checkup, the toothpaste change at age 3, and the windows when back molars arrive and sealants come up. Download it straight to a phone calendar.
🔒 Answers stay on this device. Nothing is sent to Alpine Pediatric Dentistry or anyone else.
Build the Dental Calendar
Why Sealants Matter for School-Age Kids
The CDC's 2016 Vital Signs report found that school-age children without sealants had almost three times more cavities in their first adult molars than children with sealants, and that sealants prevent more than 80% of cavities in those molars for 2 years.
The first adult molars, the "6-year molars," arrive behind the baby teeth between 6 and 7 years, so they are easy to miss. The planner flags that window.
Common Questions
When Does a Child First See the Dentist?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends the first exam when the first tooth comes in, and no later than 12 months of age.
How Often Are Kids' Dental Checkups?
The AAPD guidance calls for a cleaning every 6 months or as a child's own needs indicate. A child with a higher cavity risk often returns sooner.
When Do Kids Get Sealants?
Sealants go on the chewing surfaces of back teeth once they come in, especially the first adult molars at 6 to 7 years and the second adult molars at 11 to 13 years. The AAPD recommends sealing at-risk pits and fissures as soon as possible.
Sources and How This Tool Works
The planner adds dates to the birth month and the last visit date. The first-visit rule (when the first tooth comes in, and no later than 12 months) and the 6-month cleaning interval come from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's periodicity guidance, which also notes that a child's own needs can change the interval. The toothpaste change at age 3 comes from the AAPD fluoride policy. The molar windows come from the American Dental Association's permanent tooth chart, and the sealant figure from the CDC. Dates stay in this browser; the calendar file is created on the device.
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Periodicity of Examination, Preventive Dental Services, Anticipatory Guidance/Counseling, and Oral Treatment
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Policy on Use of Fluoride
- American Dental Association, Permanent Tooth Development chart (MouthHealthy)
- CDC, Vital Signs: Dental Sealant Use and Untreated Tooth Decay Among U.S. School-Aged Children (MMWR, 2016)
- CDC, About Dental Sealants
General information for parents, not a diagnosis or a substitute for a dental exam. For a child with tooth pain, swelling, or an injury, call Alpine Pediatric Dentistry at (704) 479-6777. In an emergency, call 911.
Questions about a child's teeth? A board-certified pediatric dentist in Lincolnton answers them.
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