Dental FAQ for New Patients

DENTAL FAQS

1. At what age should my child's first visit to Where Smiles Grow be?

   Your child should see the dentist when the first tooth erupts, or by their first birthday.  We offer complimentary dental screenings for children 18 months and under.  An early visit to the dentist provides parents the information that they need to care for their child’s teeth. We will guide parents on how to deliver proper home care and also review dietary factors that can lead to cavities.  Starting early at the dentist helps the child become accustomed to these visits, and also establishes a dental home for your child in the case of a dental emergency.

2. What happens during my child's first visit to the dentist?

   At your child’s first visit to our office, our well trained team will help navigate you and your child through a comfortable, informative examination appointment.  Because we want to get to know you and your child well, we will be asking lots of questions regarding your child’s medical history, past dental history and current home care and dietary conditions.  One of our board certified pediatric dentists will perform a thorough exam of your child’s mouth, head and neck region. We fully understand that every child may have a different level of anxiety and/or comfort with this, and we have many strategies to help make this as pleasant as possible.  Depending on your child’s level of comfort, we can then decide if he or she is ready to have their teeth cleaned by the hygienist.  Radiographs are also a possibility depending on your child’s age, the results of the exam, and risk for caries (cavities).  All of this will be thoroughly discussed by our team and the doctor at your visit.

3. Will I be with my child for their appointment?

   We feel strongly that parents should accompany children throughout their examination appointments. These appointments are important for sharing information about how to have healthy teeth. We want to be able to answer all of your questions and provide useful tips on homecare, healthy foods, and your child’s dental health.

4. What types of services do you offer?

   At Where Smiles Grow, we provide a full array of dental services for infants, children, and adolescents, including those with special health care needs.  We provide multiple treatment options, and adapt to the needs of your child in particular.  Please visit the section of this website, labelled, “Smile Services”  for a full list of services that will meet the needs of each age group.  We also provide after-hours emergency care for our patients.  In the case that your child suffers a dental injury, our doctor on call can be reached after hours by calling our office.

5. What should I do if my child has a dental trauma?

   In the case of injury to the teeth and surrounding soft tissues, call our office to schedule an emergency visit.  If the emergency occurs outside of our office hours, call our office and you will be guided through reaching the doctor on call.  If your child suffers a trauma in which a tooth is knocked out of the mouth, place the tooth in milk or saliva, and call us immediately.  If your child suffers a severe head injury or is unconscious, call 911 immediately.  Also, please check out this dental trauma diagram for more information on how to handle specific dental injuries.

6. Why should my child see a Pediatric Dentist instead of our regular family dentist?

   Pediatric Dentistry is a specialty of dentistry that focuses solely on the oral health of infants, children, adolescents and young people with physical and mental challenges.  After completing four years of college, and four years of dental school, a pediatric dentist must then complete 2-3 additional years of training specifically related to these young patients.  During the pediatric dental residency, there is intense training in growth and development, child psychology, behavior management, and special health care needs.  Our mission is to use our training and expertise to educate patient-families and provide excellent and appropriate dental care to children of all ages and special needs.