X

Welcome, Dr. Lauren Heisinger to the Where Smiles Grow Family. Click here to read more!

Specializing in dentistry for infants, children & adolescents.

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.

PRACTICE FAQS

  1. Are you currently accepting new patients?

    Yes we are!  We’re currently accepting new patients at both our Latham & Delmar offices.  Please give us a call at 518-785-3911 and speak with one of our business team members about getting an appointment scheduled for your child!

  2. What if I have to cancel an appointment?

    We ask that you kindly give us 24 hours notice so that we may offer the appointment to another child in need of dental treatment.  Please give us a call at 518-785-3911 and speak with one of our business team members.  After hours you may leave a message for us and we will return your call the next business day.  If there are many consecutive cancellations and/or failed appointments we may require a fee to be paid before rescheduling.

  3. What if my child has an emergency?

    Please call us at 518-785-3911 and speak to one of our business team members.  We have emergency time allotted every day for emergency appointments.  If you have an emergency after hours you may reach our pediatric dentist on call by calling 518-785-3911 and following the prompts for emergency call.

  4. What if I can't accompany my child to their appointment?

    For your new patient/first appointment we ask at least one parent or guardian accompany their child.  We will obtain information from you to help us get to know your child.  Our doctors and team will go over a wealth of dental information with you at this first appointment.

    We do understand that there may be times you will need to have a grandparent or other responsible adult bring your child for a routine recall appointment.  Please give us a call at 518-785-3911 so we may direct you to which forms we will need to be filled out to allow another adult to bring your child.

  5. How do I obtain a dental certificate for my child's school?

    Many school districts will have their own form.  Please send your form to our office or stop in and we will be happy to fill it out for you.  If you do not have a form we can supply you with a confirmation form of your child’s last dental visit.

  6. What forms will I need to complete for my child's visit?

    Our new patient coordinators will mail you a new patient packet with forms.  If time doesn’t permit to mail them to you, you may download the forms off our website and complete them before you arrive for your appointment.  For your child’s recall (check-up) appointment we ask you fill out a medical history update.  You can find many of our forms here: Patient Forms