Our Philosophies

What To Tell Your Child Before the First Visit

You can explain to the child that the dentist wants to be a friend and help care for his or her teeth: "At the first visit the dentist will count your teeth, clean them with a special, tickling toothbrush, and take some pictures of your mouth." Never tell a child that the dentist will not hurt, as this may have never entered the child's mind, but rather, that the dentist will be very gentle.

The First Visit

The child's first visit is important for several reasons. In many instances, it is the child's first experience with dentistry; in some cases, the child has had a previous unpleasant experience. Emergency problems will be dealt with first, and if your child is in pain, we will do our best to alleviate it. If there are no emergency problems, we will examine your child's mouth ( lips, cheeks, tongue, floor of the mouth, tonsil area, hard and soft palate), check the growth and development of the head, and check the teeth and gums. The child will receive a thorough cleaning and topical fluoride treatment, and we will take such x-ray films as necessary. We will evaluate any tongue, lip, cheek, or thumb habit that may influence the development of attractive teeth. We will also examine your child to see how active his or her organized bacteria are at producing dental disease. After this has been completed, there will be a consultation during which we will present our findings and recommendations. Because this first visit is easy and enjoyable, it helps to overcome many of the fears that the child has acquired, and the child becomes acquainted with dentistry in a pleasant manner.

Your Child Needs Fluoride

The tooth is made more resistant to decay by the use of fluoride. Fluoride is a mineral like calcium or sodium. When used on a tooth makes the enamel more decay resistant. The best way to do this is by fluoridating the drinking water.

Information on Insurance Coverage for Fluoride Treatments

The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists both recommend that children receive preventative cleanings and fluoride treatments every six months. Our doctors support these guidelines and recommend this treatment for your child. Some insurance companies limit the number of fluoride treatments they will consider for payment to one per calendar year instead of the recommended two. If you would like to request that your child receive only one fluoride treatment per year, please inform one of our staff members when you child arrives for their cleaning visit. If you have a concern about how your insurance company pays for fluoride treatment, we encourage you to contact a service representative at your insurance company.

Your Child Needs X-Rays

We feel it is our obligation to give the child patient the very best in dental care. To accomplish this goal we must have at our command all diagnostic aids, including x-rays. Looking at the teeth alone without x-rays misses over 60% of dental decay. A tooth may even be abscessed without evidence of pain or swelling. Only an x-ray can show this to us. As far as safety, we utilize minimum radiation dosage, protective lead aprons, and the most modern equipment available.

Treatment With Sedation

Many children are calm, comfortable and confident in a pediatric dental office. Because pediatric dentists specialize in treating children, they make children feel special. The office is especially designed for children. Our staff members choose to work in a pediatric dental office because they enjoy kids.

Sometimes, however, a child feels anxious during treatment. Your child may need more support than a gentle, caring manner to feel comfortable. Nitrous oxide/oxygen is a safe, effective technique to calm a child's fear of the dental visit.

Our office offers several agents used in conscious sedation. During your new patient visit, we will explore sedation options based on your child's age, level of anxiety, amount of dental work, and length of the appointment.

Baby Teeth Are Very Important

Often parents don't think primary (baby) teeth are important since they are lost anyway. But primary teeth need the same care as permanent teeth for chewing, good speech, habits for appearance, and to preserve space for the permanent teeth.

 
   
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