Are you looking for a pediatric dentist?
Around 530 million children suffer from dental caries. If left unattended, these can lead to serious oral diseases and can affect the health of your children. Getting them the proper dental attention is a must, but approaching any dentist isn’t the ideal way to deal with the issue.
Finding a good pediatric dentist for your kids ensures they have a good dental experience, especially when it’s their first time going to one. Not only does this enhance the experience for your child, but finding the best pediatric dentist will also make sure that dealing with dental health at an early age isn’t stressful for you.
For this to be true, though, you’ll need to vet the different pediatric dentists in your area. Here are nine questions to ask each prospective dentist to find the best fit for your family.
1. Why Do Milk Teeth Matter?
Most people think that, since milk teeth fall off anyway, they don’t matter when it comes to long-term oral health. However, 20% of children have at least one decayed tooth when they’re 5 years old. This is a problem since baby teeth tend to fall off at the age of 6 and above.
This can result in having painful toothaches before they even fall off. Taking care of baby teeth also matters because they impact the growth of adult teeth. They pave the path of growth for adult teeth, and improper care can lead to a lot of problems.
Bad growth can affect your child’s speech and the structure of their mouths. A good pediatric dentist helps by providing advice to you and your children to follow.
2. Do You Have Specialized Training?
Pediatric dentistry requires three years of extra training to learn how to deal with children’s unique dental issues. Asking this question is important to ensure your children get the best care available. You can start by asking them where they studied pediatric dentistry.
Check out their credentials and certificates to verify their qualifications. You can often see these in their offices, or on their online profile if they have a website.
3. How Do You Handle Fearful Patients?
It’s no secret that many people, especially children, fear the dentist. This is often because of the unfamiliarity of the environment and the experience. This is why knowing how your pediatric dentist handles patients is important.
The best pediatric dentist knows how to make children feel comfortable even during their first visit. You want to look for a dentist that constantly communicates with the patient. Communication builds trust and helps distract the patients from what’s happening while they’re in the chair.
4. Do You Do Consultations?
Visiting the dentist in person is a great way to gauge a practice’s quality. Ask them for a consultation so you can check out their practice in person. An ideal practice will offer consultations for free and give you a chance to sit down with the dentist.
You can discuss whatever problems your child is having here. You can also take the opportunity to introduce your child to the dentist. Getting to know them earlier is a great way for them to get familiar, which is vital for their comfort, as mentioned above.
5. What Treatment Options Do You Provide?
It’s important to know if your prospective dentist provides different treatment options for you to choose from. Different children will have different needs, and a professional will be able to cater to each unique case. An array of treatment options also speaks for the dentist’s expertise in the field, which should make you feel more at ease in the service they provide.
Some children will be too anxious to remain calm throughout their session. This is why sedation dentistry for children is a must. This makes each visit safer and more effective by keeping the patients calm throughout.
6. Where Are You Located?
Location is another factor that you should consider when looking through potential candidates. You’ll want a dentist that’s close to where you live. Otherwise, you’ll be spending minutes of your day driving your child to and from the dentist’s office.
When talking to a dental practice, ask whether they have different offices located in the area. Picking a practice that’s close to your home makes it easier for you to take your child to and from their appointments.
7. Do You Have Reviews I Can Check Out?
Reviews are your best resource for a practice’s quality. They’re unbiased statements from previous clients that you can use to gauge a dentist’s ability and service. Ask the dentist if they have reviews available on their website, and check them out when you can.
Do note that you need to watch out for fake reviews. These can be negative comments that do nothing but criticize the practice. You can tell these are fake reviews if they sound generic and have no direction to their criticisms.
8. Do You Take a Preventative Approach?
Proactiveness is a good quality to look out for in a pediatric dentist. It’s better to prevent issues from happening than by reacting to them when they happen. Asking this question should give you a sense of how a dentist deals with children’s dental issues.
A good dentist will also recommend you some products to promote oral health. Kid’s toothpaste with fluoride and dental sealants are great in preventing decay and cavities from manifesting on your children’s teeth.
9. Do You Accept Insurance?
The last thing to bring up to your potential dentist is whether they accept insurance. Dental sessions and operations can cost you a lot, and having insurance can help. However, not all dentists accept insurance as a form of payment.
If you don’t have insurance coverage for your child, ask about their rates upfront. Clearing this up from the get-go is a surefire way to avoid complications later on.
Find the Right Pediatric Dentist Today
The best pediatric dentist will ensure all goes well and your children’s oral health is well taken care of. Knowing what to ask each pediatric dentist will help you in looking for the right one for your kids. Ask these questions and find the dentist that fits your children’s needs today!
Are you looking for professionals that specialize in dentistry for kids? Contact us here and we’ll get in touch with you as soon as we can!
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