A dental chair is not needed to perform an oral
screening. For infants and children under age 3, the health professional
and the parent should sit face to face with their knees touching
with the child placed in the health professional’s lap.
The child’s head should be nestled securely against the
health professional’s abdomen. Alternatively, the parent
may choose to nestle the child in the crook of her arm, held securely
against her chest. By age 3, children are able to lie supine on
an examination table or to sit in front of the parent, with both
the child and the parent facing the health professional so that
the parent can help position and steady the child.
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