When You Look for a Dentist for Kids, you may find a Dentist for YOU!

Kids are popping up all over the place… kids in strollers, kids darting in and out in front of you at the grocery store, kids swarming the parks.  Little babes and pregnant Moms are everywhere.   It’s a baby boom and a kid explosion….and it is happening right in front of us!!  These kids start to get older and their little teeth start popping into their mouths!!  Those little teeth need to be brushed and checked and maintained and the parents find themselves in a position of having to find a dentist for kids and schedule an appointment.

Kids are precious and parents are busy!!  Parents may neglect themselves because they work a million hours, but they want to be good parents.  They know they need to take their kiddo to the dentist for a dental checkup.  Many parents don’t want their kiddos to have the kind of teeth they have; or they don’t want their kiddos to fear the dentist, like they do.  So they bring their little ones to a dentist for kids because they love them!!  And want them to have beautiful teeth, a confident smile and a wonderful life!!

But when you look for a Dentist for Kids, how do you find a good one? 

First, there are specialists that offer dentistry for kids.  They are called Pediatric Dentists.  These specialists, or Pediatric Dentists, that offer dentistry for kids are dentists who gain additional education to specialize in dentistry for children.  These dental specialists for kiddos do all kinds of treatments from simple to complex.  They have offices that cater to children and have designed their offices with kid-friendly themes and people.  They often times have hospital privileges so they can treat very advanced or difficult cases under general anesthesia.  A dentist for kids is an amazing person.  How they can take care of these little children with their tiny mouths and squirming bodies, all with a smile on their face is nothing short of a miracle!!

But, do you really need to go to a dentist for kids specialist for your child’s first visit??  Do you need a specialist at all??

It is our belief that the best person to offer dentistry for kids is a person who has children of their own and LOVE being a Dad or Mom.  Most people that have children have an “understanding of kids” that makes it work.  It’s like the time when you are on the airplane and a child starts crying like crazy when the plane is landing (I mean he is really airing out the pipes!!)  If you take a look around, the people who are parents barely hear it.  They totally get it.  And it’s no big deal to them.  The people who get annoyed are the ones who don’t know what it is like to have a child.  It’s not their fault; it’s just the way it is!!

So, we feel that the first qualification to be a great dentist for kids is to be a parent yourself and to love being a Dad or Mom.

The second qualification for being a great dentist for kids is to be kind and loving to the child.   100% maximum effort should be on your child during their dental appointment.  No rush!!  No hurry!!  Have some fun.  Talk to them.  Be a little silly.  Even a little game of “show and tell” can be in order!!  Only do what the child will let you do.  No forcing and No bossing!!  Kids’ movies on the ceiling and a great toy box are a big plus too!  A great dentist for kids realizes that kids are just little people and they need to be treated like little patients.  Kindness and caring work for our little patients every time!!

Someone offering dentistry for kids is a dynamic person.  The dental office turns into this wonderful area where adults and kids alike can enjoy a piece of heaven where everyone is working together in harmony for the benefit of the child.  We find that when kids come into our office, our office is transformed to a simpler time; a time where nothing matters but smiles, happiness and fun.  It’s an amazing thing to experience!  Something so simple can be so wonderful!

What usually happens is the parents of the child will ask the question, “Do you guys work on adults too?”

Well, of course we do, and that’s when we get to see Mom or Pop!  In fact, when they bring their child in for a dental checkup, they get their teeth cleaned too.  It’s just that simple and easy!  How wonderful it is for a child to see Mom or Dad getting their teeth cleaned!  It connects all the dots on the importance of healthy teeth in their little brains.  Isn’t that awesome?

When you are looking for a great dentist for kids, it is probably OK to start with a fun loving general dentist who is also a parent.  Basic treatments like cleanings and fillings should be no big deal.  If your child needs more advanced care or has special needs, your general dentist will refer you to a specialty dentist for children, or a Pediatric Dentist. 

When you go to your child’s first dental visit, hang around the dental chair and see if this dentist is a kid-loving-parent expert.  If so, you will not only see it in action, but you will feel it in the air!!   Often times, it is the parent who benefits the most from this kind of appointment.  Why?  Because they end up becoming patients themselves.  After all, if the dentist for kids is good enough to take care of your children, they are good enough to take care of YOU!!

At Dr. Thomas L. Anderson and Associates our number one priority is making sure your child’s visit and your visit is as fast, pain-free, and as pleasant as possible.  We strive to create office visits that surpass your expectations.  Your family will always be welcomed warmly when you arrive at an appointment at one of our three convenient locations!  We look forward to scheduling your dental appointment soon and always offer you and your family the affordable dentistry you deserve… please contact us today!