Social story topics
Social story: Going to the dentist
The dentist asks a child to lie back in a strange chair, open their mouth for a stranger, and keep still while something buzzes and a bright light shines in their eyes. The smells are odd and the sounds are sharp. For autistic and neurodivergent students the unknowns stack up before the car has left the driveway.
This story goes through the visit in order: the waiting room, the chair, the light, the counting of teeth, the rinse and the end. Read it a few times in the week before, and if the clinic allows, visit once without an appointment so the room is already familiar.
A sample story
My Check-Up at the Dentist
- 1First, I sit in the big dentist chair.
- 2Then, the dentist looks inside my mouth to check my teeth are healthy.
- 3The dentist knows that checking teeth stops them from hurting later.
- 4Finally, my teeth are checked and I feel safe.
A sample made with HandsOnTop. Yours is written for your student.
Make this story for your student
The situation is filled in. Add a name and what they love, then click Make it — the first one is free.
Free to try · no card needed.
Tips for using it
- Ask the clinic for a quiet first appointment and tell them what the student finds hard.
- Practise lying back and opening wide at home, with a torch and a mirror.
- Bring the story to the appointment so the dentist can follow the same words.
Common questions
Can I write in what will actually happen at this visit?
Yes. If you know it is a check-up and a clean, say so in the topic. If a filling is coming, make a separate story for that day with the extra steps.
Is it alright to promise a sticker or a treat afterwards?
Only promise what will happen. If the clinic gives stickers, put it in. A small reliable reward at the end gives the student something to hold onto during the hard part.
How many pages should it be?
Five or six, because there are several steps. Set the length before you generate; each page is one sentence with its own picture.