We are delighted to welcome your child into our practice. In the practice of “pediatric dentistry,” we often have office routines that are somewhat different than what you may have been accustomed to in general dentistry practice.  For you and your child to feel more ‘at home,’ we would like to familiarize you with our practice.

At the first visit, you will be asked to complete a medical and personal history questionnaire for your child.  We will then acquaint your child with our dental office and perform a complete oral examination. Everything that we intend to do for your child will be explained and demonstrated before we do it. 

If, during the examination, we discover that your child has no cavities and is sufficiently cooperative, the teeth will be cleaned and polished, and topical fluoride will be applied.  If  cavities are detected, future treatment visits will be planned and the cleaning and fluoride treatment will be postponed until the last scheduled visit.

At the completion of this initial examination visit, your child’s oral health, the necessary treatment plan, and office financial policy will be discussed with you.  Please feel free to ask any questions.

We have found that most children are much more cooperative if parents remain in the waiting room during examination and treatment visits. Unless otherwise agreed upon, we appreciate your cooperation in this matter. 

One of our prime objectives is to help children develop into good dental patients who will be able to receive dental care with positive attitudes.  This process should begin at home prior to the first visit. Here are some suggestions to aid you:

1)    Make the appointment day as easy as possible and try to see that your child is well rested.

2)    It is best to tell a young child about a dental visit the day of the appointment.

3)    If your child requires more information, you can say, “The dentist will look at your teeth to make sure they are healthy.”

4)    Try to convey the feeling that dental visits are a normal part of growing up.  (Sometimes the promise of a reward for “going to the dentist” inadvertently implies that there is something to fear)

            5)    Of course, always avoid the threat of a dental visit as punishment for misbehavior.
 

This pediatric dental practice is committed to a policy of prevention. By seeing children early in life we can often reduce the incidence of dental decay and infections with early preventative treatment techniques. Recognition and early treatment planning of developing orthodontic problems often enable us to either correct the problem or lessen the severity of the problem, thereby resulting in much better long-term results.
 

We strive to make each and every visit to our office a fun one!