Brush Up on Pretend Play
It's National Dentist Day on March 6! Polish kids' imaginations with our Super Smile Dentist Play Set!
Pretend play makes great practice for when kids face real-world situations, so if your kiddo gets anxious about going to the dentist, Melissa & Doug has a pretend toy to help ease those uncomfortable feelings—the Super Smile Dentist Play Set!
My 7-year-old daughter Violet recently made her regular check-up trip to the dentist, where they discovered she had a number of little pinhole cavities that required fillings. It also turned out she had an abscess on one of her baby teeth, which required an extraction! All of this, despite the fact she brushes twice a day and uses a cavity rinse before bed. (It’s still important to brush and floss, no matter what!)
As a parent, I was terrified for my kid, because I have struggled with anxiety going to the dentist my entire life. Luckily, we found a great pediatric dentist in our area with an awesome bedside manner, who uses child-friendly tools, and provides video games and streaming during procedures to really ease a kid’s anxiety.
To help prep her for the day she got her tooth pulled, the family gifted her the Super Smile Dentist Play Set from Melissa & Doug, as our doctor recommended that pretend play could help ease any fears she had about the upcoming visit. We tried a similar strategy when getting her ready for the first day of school with much success, so this seemed like a no-brainer—and it worked great!
We gifted her the Super Smile Dentist Play Set for Christmas, then sat down with her and explained what would happen at her upcoming visit. The best part? It worked like a charm: No tears, no fussing…and now she says she wants to be a dentist when she grows up to help other kids! With results like that, it’s no wonder we’re firing up the Toy Spotlight, so sit back and relax as we examine the Super Smile Dentist Play Set.
Why Kids Will Love this Super Smile Dentist Play Set
Super Smile Dentist Play Set
Play Basics: This 25-piece dentist play set includes realistic pretend play dental care essentials to give cleanings, treat cavities, and fit retainers and braces on an over-sized set of pretend teeth.
Playful Details: Smile, the dentist will see you now! This 25-piece dental care play set features an over-sized set of pretend teeth so young dentists-in-training can give cleanings, treat cavities, and even fit retainers and braces! Mark the pretend teeth with "cavity" stickers, then use the vibrating tool with interchangeable polishing and drill heads, and the toothbrush to clean. The set includes realistic instruments like a pick, mirror, and floss, a dental rinse bottle and cup, 2 gauze pads, 2 tooth polish cups, and an instrument tray to keep organized. A mask, reusable ID tag on a lanyard, and a double-sided reusable activity card round out the dentists office experience. The play set is a fun and engaging way to teach good dental health practices, and to ease kids fears or feelings of stress associated with a visit to the dentist. Spark a child's creativity and imagination, and to inspire young dentists for years to come.
Age: 3+ years
Who Will Love This: Any kid with teeth! Seriously, kids go bonkers when they start losing teeth and getting visits from the Tooth Fairy, so they can get especially obsessed when it comes to learning about their chompers. Plus, we all know how important good dental health is to our overall well being, so consider that the Super Smile Dentist Play Set is really just an early investment in your child’s dental wellness. (And let’s face it—this pretend dentist toy is WAAAAAY cheaper than real braces!)
Skills at Play: Sparks imagination and curiosity; encourages fine motor development, problem-solving, storytelling and narrative ability; helps teach good dental health practices, and ease kids’ fears and stress
The earlier you can introduce your kiddo to good dental health practices, the better it will be for them—and their teeth—in the long run. Plus, any toy that inspires your child to pursue a career in the medical field would make for a great gift: Much like Hermey the Elf in “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Violet told us she now wants to be a dentist when she grows up!
Gift Tip: Hold back on gifting the Super Smile Dentist Play Set during the celebratory festivities. Instead, keep it in reserve until your child’s bedtime routine. When it’s time for them to brush their teeth before bed, surprise them with this instead of their real toothbrush!
Plays Well With: Looking to inspire your child’s medical career? Pair the Super Smile Dentist Play Set with an awesome pretend play activity center available from Melissa & Doug! We offer two medical-themed activity centers specifically that will pair perfectly: the Get Well Doctor Activity Center can also double as a dentist office, while the Animal Care Activity Center can provide medical assistance to plush toys and stuffed animals!
Toy Story: “Best toy ever! I'm so impressed with the quality of this toy. The kids love playing dentist and they have learned so much from this toy. It has a set of dentures that acts as a model for flossing, brushing, whitening trays, even braces. It has a mask, drill (you pull the string and it slightly vibrates), every tool you will find at your dentist and hygienist typically use. I have bought a lot of Melissa & Doug toys over the past 15 years and this is the #1 hit in our house. The kids mimic their dentist/hygienist techniques and language and it is so educational as well as fun for them. Highly recommend.” —A recent 5-star online review
