Pediatric dentists are dedicated to the oral health of children from infancy through their teenage years. A pediatric dentist should have the experience and qualifications to care for a child’s oral health throughout the stages of childhood. Pediatric dentists are required to complete four years of dental school and two additional years of residency training in pediatric dentistry. Read on to learn about the tips for choosing a pediatric dentist for your child.
Pediatric Dentist Referrals
Ask your friends, family, and neighbors if they have any recommendations for a good pediatric dentist in your area. This remains to be one of the most helpful ways to learn about professional services in your local area.
Use a Search Engine
Use Google or Bing to search for pediatric dentists in your area. Search engine local business listings allow locals to leave reviews and comments that can be helpful for you to learn more about the services that you are searching for.
Reputation
Be sure to do a background check on the dentist that has been recommended to you or the dentist that you found. Plenty of information can be found on the dentist’s website and review websites. Google and Yelp are good websites to look for reviews. Previous patients are likely to share their experiences, and reading about their experiences will help you make a good decision.
Training and Experience
When you find a dentist that you think you’ll want you and your child to visit, be sure that they have an adequate amount of training and experience. Check their qualifications. Make sure that the clinic is licensed. Check to see if the dentists and pediatric dentists at the clinic are qualified. You may want to ask how long they’ve been in their profession and their experience. Choosing an experienced dentist is better than choosing a beginner.
Does the dentist have special training in treating children? Is the dentist a member of the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry? Does the office offer toys, books or games for children? How does the clinic handle emergencies? Does the dental clinic accept your insurance? You should ask all of these questions before you schedule an appointment for your child.
Environment
It’s important to choose a pediatric dentist who enjoys working with children. You’ll want to make sure that the pediatric dentist you choose is friendly, and the clinic should be a comfortable atmosphere. Many children don’t enjoy visiting a dentist, so it’s important to choose a clinic that doesn’t have an intimidating environment. The clinic should have distractions for children so that they’ll be more likely to enjoy their experience.
Equipped
The dental clinic that you choose for your child should be equipped with the necessary materials. There should be an oxygen tank, a pulse oximeter, intubation sets and a papoose board.
After the Visit
Was your child seen promptly? Was the dentist gentle when examining your child’s mouth? Were you asked for all of your child’s medical and dental records? Did your child enjoy their visit? Did the pediatric dentist encourage your child to take care of their teeth? You should ask yourself all of these questions after the visit to determine if your child should continue to visit the dentist you chose.
Don’t forget to leave comments and reviews about your child’s experience with the pediatric dentist you chose. This helps others in the same situation determine which dentist they will choose.
At South Tulsa Dental, the office of Dr. Chris Tricinella, our goal is to provide state of the art pediatric dental treatment in a caring and compassionate manner. A child’s first visit to the dentist is important. A positive experience sets them up for a lifetime of dental greatness.