Lots of dentists see kids. And while it may seem more convenient to take your kids to the dentist you see yourself, you should check out our office first!
General, family, and cosmetic dentists don’t have the benefit of specialty training for 2-3 years in a residency beyond dental school. And this leaves them without skills to deal with children or those with special needs. And they can’t be board certified in pediatric dentistry without first completing a residency.
That’s an important distinction. Kids really do have unique needs – they aren’t just miniature grownups! They deserve dental-care providers who don’t just have a calling to treat infants, children, and adolescents with but also have advanced training in:
- Behavior management
- Child psychology
- Childhood growth and development
- Hospital dentistry
- Interceptive orthodontics
- Pediatric sedation
Advanced Training
The advanced training of our Children’s Dentistry of Chattanooga doctors builds on their natural affinity with kids and gives them all the skills needed to alleviate anxiety, communicate on a child’s wavelength, and offer treatment with techniques that are particular to pediatric dentistry.
Understanding Approach
Everyone on our team knows how to respond to children, not just when they talk to us about their concerns or fears, but also when they express them in non-verbal ways. We’re trained to be guided by facial expressions and body language, and we take plenty of time to assess your child, moment by moment, and adjust what we are doing to keep them feeling safe and comfortable.
We use the “Tell-Show-Do” technique. With this technique, the doctor, assistant, or hygienist shows each tool to your child, demonstrates how it will be used, and lets them get comfortable with it before we start any work.
And while we are always honest with kids, we use gentle, non-threatening language that makes it easy for youngsters to understand what’s happening. We especially never use the words shots or needles. Kids respond very badly to that. Instead we use words like numbing juice or sleepy juice that makes your mouth feel like it is falling asleep. We will also help parents understand what kind of verbiage to use when talking to your children about upcoming visits. The more relaxed and happy kids are with us, the better the outcome of all procedures, and the more likely your kids will be to continue with dentistry throughout life.
Parents Are Part of the Team
Children’s Dentistry of Chattanooga believes in working closely with parents and making you a major part of your child’s wellness program. You know your child best, after all. That’s why we encourage parents of very young children or special-needs patients to come with their children to the treatment rooms and why we provide special education for parents.
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