In the United States, 13.2% of children between the ages of 5 to 19 had untreated dental caries, also known as tooth decay. Regularly visiting the dentist is vital for your child’s oral health. It can help them prevent worsening tooth decay and will establish healthy oral health habits for the future.
To make sure your child enjoys going to the dentist, you must find the best pediatric dentist for them to work with. This can help ease their dental anxiety and will provide a better experience for them at the dentist!
Do you want to learn how you can choose the best dentist for children? Keep reading this guide to find the best pediatric dentistry near you!
Talk to Other Parents
One of the easiest ways to find a high-quality pediatric dentist in your area is by talking with other parents. Everyone has had to take their child to the dentist, so you can get some great recommendations from your neighbors, friends, or family members.
Word-of-mouth recommendations are a great way to learn more about a dental office. You can learn more about how they treat their patients, how effective the treatment is, and more.
Consider Office Location
Next, you need to consider the office location for your dentist. Because dental appointments can be during the middle of the day, you should make sure your dentist’s office isn’t too far from your home, your child’s school, or even your workplace.
Otherwise, it may be difficult to get your child to a dentist’s appointment.
Another great benefit of choosing a local dentist is that you can regularly point it out to your child when you drive by. This will increase their familiarity with the office and can help ease their dental anxiety that may come with a dental checkup.
Confirm Credentials
To make sure your dentist has the right type of training and certifications, you need to confirm their credentials. Even if your dentist has completed dental school and is licensed to work in your state, they should still have extra training to enable them to work with children.
Often, dental offices will have these licenses and certifications on display in their office. They may even list more of this information on their website.
To confirm your dentist’s credentials, you should learn where they got their education. Did they graduate from an accredited dental school? Are they board-certified?
You should also make sure they prioritize continued education. This way, you can be sure that your dentist is always up-to-date on the best practices.
Pediatric Dentistry Experience
Not only do you want to make sure they have the right qualifications, but you should also find a dentist with many years of experience. It is especially important to find a dentist that specializes in pediatric dentistry.
This way, you will be confident that they know how to interact with children to keep them comfortable and relaxed during their appointment. Pediatric dentists also know how to communicate with children and can help ease their fears!
Make sure your dental office has many years of experience treating children before you book an appointment.
Check Online Reviews
While asking family members and friends for recommendations can be beneficial, you can also learn more about a dentist’s reputation by looking at online reviews.
You can look at reviews for several local dentists to see how each dentist compares to others in the area. Do these reviews have only negative feedback? Are there any serious complaints that were never addressed?
Reading online customer reviews can help you weed out bad dentists from the good ones and will make it easier to choose a dental office to work with.
Conduct an Office Visit
Conducting an office visit is one of the last steps you can take to find a high-quality dentist for your children. First, this will let you drive to their office to make sure it is in a good location!
Plus, you can visit the office to meet with the staff and to get a feel for the environment. You need to make sure your dentist has a kid-friendly office that makes your children feel welcome and engaged.
For example, many pediatric dentists have toys and books for your children to use while you are waiting for their appointment. You should also talk with the dentist if possible.
This way, you can see how they interact with you and your child!
Finally, going to your dentist’s office before your child’s appointment can help them become familiar with the environment before their check-up.
Ask About Preventative Treatment
Finally, you need to find a dentist that prioritizes preventative treatment for children. When you start your child’s dental treatment, your dentist can identify potential issues with their oral health and treat them before the problem worsens.
If your dentist prioritizes preventative treatments, like fluoride, it can prevent cavities from forming and can protect your child’s oral health!
Plus, it will show that your dentist cares more about your child’s wellbeing than making money off of their dental treatments.
Need the Best Pediatric Dentist?
When you are looking for a dentist for kids, it is essential that you do plenty of research to find the best pediatric dentist! By following each of these tips, you can find a reliable dentist for your child’s oral health care.
Do you need to find a dentist in Utah? Burg Children’s Dentistry can help! Our team specializes in pediatric care and can help with everything from routine cleanings to filling cavities and more.
Contact us today to learn more about our services or to request an appointment for your child!
