Parents need to make an important decision when it comes to deciding the type of dentist their child should visit. A pediatric dentist in Los Angeles, CA and most family dentists have the expertise, tools, and compassion to handle children’s dental concerns. That said, children require a certain level of care, so it’s important to choose a dentist who has the training, experience, and compassion to keep your child comfortable for the entire visit. 

Some of the things to consider when choosing a pediatric dentist include:

1. Relaxing and Kid-Friendly Dentist Office 

Children love fun and games, so they’ll be naturally repulsed by a sterile and rigid environment. Being required to sit still or be in perfect behavior can be daunting and stressful for energetic and curious kids. A kid-friendly dental office should be designed to meet the unique needs of children by providing a degree of freedom with fun activities, games, child-sized chairs, friendly staff, bright walls with exciting pictures and graphics, entertainment features like cartoons or movies, and so on. 

2. Availability of Kid-Specific Treatments 

Although dental tools and equipment are largely standard, a kid’s dental practice should have smaller tools and less scary equipment, removing anything that is unlikely to be used for children treatments. Pediatric dentistry mostly focuses on preventive care, so the dental practice should be more focused on delivering relevant treatments to help prevent decay and tooth damage, such as dental sealants, fluoride treatments, mouth guards, and so on. More importantly, the pediatric dentist in Los Angeles, CA should help ease a child’s dental anxiety by providing treatments in a gentle manner and using comforting or soothing words. 

3. Continuity of Dental Care 

All dentists go through the same training, but specialists such as a pediatric dentist in Los Angeles, CA get an additional 2-3 years of training to better handle children-specific dental issues. As your child grows, he/she is likely to require a broader range of dental services that include orthodontic care, cosmetic treatments like veneers and teeth bleaching, root canal therapy, and so on. So it’s important to choose a dental practice where your child is likely to receive all or most of their dental care until the age of 18 years. Working with one dentist who’s familiar with your child’s oral problems makes it easier to follow up on the needed dental care for optimal oral health. 

Ensuring that your child has a pleasant experience during dental appointments is important for their long-term oral health, as they will be more willing to keep regular checkups and seek timely treatment when problems arise. 

Pediatric dentistry in Los Angeles offers your child a unique dental experience not found at a general dental practice.  Your children’s dentist is an expert who is trained in caring for the dental needs of kids and offers an approach to specifically meet those needs.  Often this approach can be seen throughout the practice from the warm welcome from staff, the design of the office, and how your dentist explains information to you and your child.

Why Choose Pediatric Dentistry?

With your pediatric dentist, you can expect optimal dental care for your child.  Your child’s dental team will ensure that he/she feels comfortable and understands each process of their visit whether it is a routine cleaning and exam or a more detailed dental procedure.  Common techniques used to help your child feel at ease include:

• Tell-Show-Do
• Modeling from other patients
• Positive reinforcement
• Distraction — music, pictures on the ceiling, movies
• Helpful tools — mouth pillows, rubber raincoats
• Patients become the doctor and fix a puppet’s teeth
• iPads
• Certified Pediatric Conscious Oral Sedation

The ultimate goal of pediatric dentistry in Huntington Park is to provide the best dental care possible for your child while helping them remain positive about their experience.  With that in mind, pediatric dentists often have a fun atmosphere that helps most children feel at ease or offer sedation options to relieve anxieties for a procedure.

Schedule Your Appointment

To learn more about pediatric dentistry, contact your children’s dentist in Los Angeles to schedule your child’s appointment today.  We look forward to helping your family with all your dental needs.

A child’s first visit to the pediatric dentist is typically brief and informal. Your child will get to know the dentist during this appointment and get used to the clinic settings. A small checkup may also be done, depending on the little one’s comfort level and age.

Their teeth will be inspected for signs of gum, teeth and jaw problems such as gum disease, bad bites and decays.

It is normal for a child to become anxious at the mention of a hospital, doctor or dentist. Let them know you understand them and try to help them overcome that fear. Try the following tips:

• Speak positively of the dentist – Do this and talk to them about the risks associated with not visiting the dentist.
• Stay relaxed – Avoid looking tense as your child may be easily enthused and terrified as well.
• Come prepared – You may bring along your child’s toys to keep them distracted in the waiting room.
• Plan a treat – A movie or a trip to the playground before or after the appointment will make your child start associating dental appointments with treats and other nice things.

To begin your child’s positive experience with a pediatric dentist, please schedule your appointment with your Los Angeles kids dentist today.