About Smiles Pediatric Dentistry

Smiles pediatric dentistry, along with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the American Dental Association (ADA), and ) all recommend establishing a “dental home” for your child by the time they turn one year of age. Children who have a dental home are more likely to receive appropriate preventive and routine oral health care. Usually, the first appointment consists of an examination, age appointment x-rays, a cleaning, and fluoride treatment. Any questions or concerns that you may have should be brought up at the beginning of the appointment so that we can tailor the visit to your child’s needs. At smiles pediatric dentistry, we allow and encourage the presence of one parent in the room during the visit. We believe your presence may actually help with anxious children. Once your child has been evaluated by the dentist, you and the dentist will decide together what will level of parental presence best suits the needs of your child.

When discussing the visit with your child, try to discuss dentistry in a positive way. There are many books for children that discuss dental visits that will give an idea of what to expect. Speaking of negative dental experiences can sometimes cause anxiety. Be honest, but not specific in terms of what will happen, avoiding words like “shot” and “drill”. If your child has a lot of questions that you are not sure how to answer, tell them to ask the dentist during their visit. We are here not only to provide dental care but to do everything we can to make your child as comfortable as possible with regular dental visits, to put them on a path to a lifetime of healthy smiles!!