I’ve been practicing dentistry for 23 years now. My staff and I love treating our patients and their families. When we see people every six months, we mark the passage of time in their lives, as well as our own. We love seeing kids when they come in for their first “happy visit” and take a ride in the dental chair. It seems almost overnight that we’re seeing them around Christmastime home from college!
So many of my adult patients who are fearful tell me they had bad dental experiences as children, and that fear has carried over into adulthood. It is a very common and unfortunate refrain. Moreover, fearful patients tend to put off dental issues until they become painful and expensive emergencies, which only reinforces those negative feelings.
I consider it both a privilege and a responsibility to make sure that children in my practice have positive dental experiences. Nearly all of my staff are parents (and some grandparents!) themselves, and we make it our business to make kids’ dental visits exceptional. Here’s just some of the things we do in my office for our younger patients:
As a mom myself, I know how hard it is to get kids moving in a particular direction for appointments (my father-in-law likens it to “herding cats”) so I stock a fridge in my reception area with healthy snacks for patients. Busy parents coming from work and school greatly appreciate that!
I have a collection of age-appropriate movies for kids to watch during treatment, and I use laughing gas (when needed) to help distract that fidgety-can’t-sit-still-for-a -second kid. Kids are not fearful dental patients unless the parent has taught them to be that way or the dentist has hurt them. My most important dental tool is communication. If I think something is going to be even remotely uncomfortable, I tell the child this in advance and when to expect it. I show them everything I’m going to do before I do it, so there are no surprises. By the time I’ve shown them everything and gotten them hooked up with the movie, headphones and laughing gas, they really are somewhat annoyed with me when I stop the movie to tell them what I’m going to do next!
It’s simply music to my ears when a child says to a parent that a procedure wasn’t bad at all! I know that this child is building a foundation of good dental health, and will have positive memories of going to the dentist. And not surprisingly, we treat our adult patients with the same kindness and compassion.
So why do I like being a dentist? When I call my patients in the evening to see how their doing, and they tell me how great they’re feeling and how nice it is that I called to check up on them—that’s my payback. The satisfaction that comes with knowing I’ve not only provided a valuable service, but I’ve treated my customers with care—that’s why I like being a dentist.
Gingivitis normally occurs when you don’t brush and floss your teeth regularly. If you change your brushing habits and your lifestyle, you can decrease your risk of ever getting gingivitis. This includes looking after your general health, and taking care of poor dental hygiene.
The responsibility of a pediatric dentist is to treat dental problems that are associated with young children and teens. Common dentist visits will include dental cleaning, orthodontics, protective sports guards and regular check ups. A pediatric dentist demonstrates to parents and their children the best methods of flossing, brushing and keeping that perfect smile.