Much like a pediatrician, a pediatric dentist is carefully trained in all aspects of growth and development.  This knowledge gives the specialist an awareness of the specific dental and emotional needs of growing children.  The entire focus is on your children; relating to them, fostering good dental health habits and instilling a healthy and positive attitude toward dental visits.

What specifically sets the services of a Pediatric Dentist apart from a family/general dentist?

To begin with, a pediatric dentist goes to school for an additional 2 years learning psychiatric techniques to calm the anxious child, specific anatomy of baby teeth (greatly different from adult teeth) and achieves certifications in the use of nitrous oxide, conscious sedation and general anesthesia as a toolkit to provide dental services to children.  These details give the pediatric dentist an advantage in treating the anxious child and building confidence in their dental health. 

In addition, if your child were to have a dental emergency, you would need to be a patient of record to access after hours care or an immediate appointment.  Pediatric dentists are specifically trained to handle pediatric dental emergencies therefore, dental trauma in children is usually referred to a pediatric dentist by a general dentist.

Finally, most pediatric dental offices are set up to specifically cater to children.  Similar to your pediatrician’s office, the instruments used, dental chairs, xrays, etc. are smaller to meet the needs of smaller mouths.  Games and prizes are common protocol to insure a positive, fun visit.  Also the décor is provided with the intent of specifically delighting a child’s taste and comfort.  Our office in particular is a magical jungle, intended to embrace your child’s imagination and offer comfort in an adventurous manner.  We have incorporated a “jungle safari passport” where your child receives stickers on each page of his/her passport as he/she achieves various components of their preventative care appointment.  This incentive-based program takes them on a journey through “Hygiene falls – a sink area under a waterfall where they learn to brush their teeth properly, our “Education Station” where our assistants provide the prophy (cleaning) and fluoride while they educate our passengers on ways to avoid decay, and “Smile with Lyle” where the journey takes them on a Kodak picture moment with our stuffed resident 4’ tall gorilla (this is where we take dental xrays).