Healthy Teeth: When is the very first dentist visit for a child?
Even small teeth can get tooth decay. It's good if the dentist regularly takes a look into the child's mouth. What parents should know about the dental check-ups.
In Germany, dental check-ups for infants and toddlers, known as Z1 to Z6, are now included in the "Gelben Heft" (Yellow Heft) since early 2026. The first check-up, Z1, takes place between 6 and 9 months old, where parents receive thorough advice from a dentist, and a brief examination of the child's mouth is performed. The goal is to detect early childhood caries and get children accustomed to regular dental visits.
These check-ups are designed to be child-friendly, with methods such as examining infants in a "Hoppe-Reiter position" and using toys and hand puppets for older toddlers. According to Johanna Kant from the Bundesverband der Kinderzahnärzte, any dentist can examine a young child, and parents can ask their regular dentist if they can schedule an appointment.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
