NO-ONE likes going to the dentist.

This attitude is fostered early with foggy memories of dental pain and fear. I still remember when I was 10 and I went to the dentist alone. Like the doctor in a Norman Rockwell painting, he hid the large needle behind his back while he smiled and told me to just be quiet, "this won't hurt."

Times have changed. Now young dentists are trained to make visits more fun for children. They strive to create a calm environment to eliminate fear. The idea is that positive early experiences will encourage long-term preventive care and regular dental check-ups.

In the United States, this emphasis has created an entirely new specialisation called paediatric dentistry. These dentists learn "advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures, along with child psychology and clinical management, oral pathology, child-related pharmacology, radiology, child development, management of oral/facial trauma and care for patients with special needs," according to the American Association of Paediatric Dentists (AAPD).

While we don't have a paediatric dentist available locally, we do have Dr Dean Mihailoff and he is passionate about children's dental health.

"In Sweden we start very early with trips to the dentist. These early visits should encourage a trusting relationship with the child," says Dr. Mihailoff, a Swedish/Bulgarian dentist practising in Sofia. Playing with water, reading about dental care and counting teeth are some suggested activities for first-timers. Those visits should take place around the child's third birthday. By then the child has his first set of teeth and it is important for the dentist to check the child's dental development.

"Is he brushing by himself or are you brushing for him, where does he get his water from, and what does he eat?" these are the necessary questions to ask parents in the beginning, according to Dr. Mihailoff. He recommends that parents supervise brushing for their children until the age of nine. While that age seems extreme, he believes parents are the best preventative to dental problems.

"Brushing for them, cutting down on sweets and drinking less-sugared drinks can make a big difference," says Mihailoff.

Fluoride also makes a big difference. While bottled water and toothpaste do contain some fluoride, "it's the frequency of fluoride use that matters as well as the amount," he says. American and European dental standards in general are similar but they do differ when it comes to fluoride administration. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends 1 milligram of fluoride once a day but the Europeans recommend 0.25 milligrams three to four times a day.

"It's proven a quarter of a milligram is enough and works better with higher frequency." And, he says, there are no side effects at this dosage rate.

For all you young moms out there, he has bad news about putting sugar in your baby's bottle.

"The people with the most cavities choose sugared beverages." That's why parental education should start at the pre-natal stage in his mind.

Some parents put off the first visit because of ignorance or misunderstanding.

There is a misconception that baby teeth are not really important; there is another of a high risk of radiation from x-rays.

According to the AAPD, "Primary, or "baby," teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to erupt." Don't take these little teeth (or their owners) for granted is the message.

As for the risk of radiation through x-rays? The AAPD assures, "There is very little risk in dental X-rays. [Dentists] are especially careful to limit the amount of radiation to which children are exposed. Lead aprons and high-speed film are used to ensure safety and minimise the amount of radiation."

The AAPD also advises the use of dental sealants to protect young teeth.

"Sealants work by filling in the crevasses on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. This shuts out food particles that could get caught in the teeth, causing cavities. The application is fast and comfortable and can effectively protect teeth for many years."

Maybe all of these advancements will make going to the dentist as easy as going to

get new school shoes for your kids? I don't know, but hopefully at the very least, it will encourage more smiles at the dentist's office and a lot less pain and fear.