Pediatric Dentist: How to Choose the Best Dentist for Your Child

Every child needs a good pediatric dentist. But unfortunately, not all offer the same level of gentle care and skill that your child deserves. If you’re not careful about which dentist you choose, then you could have some serious challenges ahead.

Does Your Child Beg to Go to the Dentist?

• Does this sound familiar? Your child kicking and screaming all the way to the dentist.
• Loud crying in the waiting room as you wait for a dentist who is always late.
• A growing fear of the dentist, which leads to fear of other doctors too.
• Your pediatric being too rough with your child, which just makes the problem worse.

A good pediatric dentist doesn’t let any of this happen! That’s why it’s so important to choose your child’s dentist carefully. Taking a few minutes today to research your options and compare will easily save you year’s worth of frustration and heartache.

What is a Pediatric Dentist?

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, a pediatric dentist specializes in the dental care and oral health of young children.

But keep in mind: not all family dentists can call themselves pediatric dentists. An official dentist completes not only 4 years of regular dentist school, but also an additional 2-3 years of specialized education or training.

This ensures that these dentists have obtained the specialized skills they need to treat children.

Why is Using a Pediatric Dentist So Important?

Maintaining good oral hygiene is critical for young children. Consistent dental care at an early age will result in your child having healthy teeth and gums as they grow, and it will instill good habits for adulthood too.

• Children’s primary teeth are essential for speech development, proper chewing and good nutrition.
• Studies show that children who have poor oral health perform poorly in schools and form poor social relationships.
• When children experience pain from decayed teeth or other oral hygiene problems, they become distracted and can’t concentrate in school.
• Your child’s healthy smile isn’t just physical – it can boost their confidence and help them feel good about how they look to others.
• Children of all ages, from infants to adolescents, must be educated on the best methods for brushing, flossing, and diet. (A good pediatric will make these methods FUN!)

What to Look for in a Good Pediatric Dentist

Want to find a dental provider that you and your child will love? To help you choose, let’s look at some of the most important things to consider when searching for a pediatric dentist.

Good with children.
This may seem obvious. But sadly, some of the best are not good with children at all. So, what’s a good way to tell? First, get references. Ask the dentist for references from current patients. The longer the client list, the better. Also, try to make an appointment to meet the dentist to ask questions and observe how he or she interacts with other children.

Skilled at dentistry.
Experience is everything. One relatively simple way to determine a dentist’s skills is to check how long they’ve been practicing and how successful that practice is. In addition to the dentist’s formal qualifications, education and certification: if hundreds of families have been taking their children to that same dentist for years, then you know they’re doing something right!

Gentle and caring.
A good dentist understands that a child needs to be treated carefully and gently – otherwise, trust is quickly broken. Look for dental providers who have special pain-free methods in place and other solutions that result in a great experience for your child – not a scary one!

Fun environment.
A dentist’s office can be a strange, scary place for a child. Often, a small hidden playroom or few scattered coloring books aren’t enough to calm a child’s fears. To find a dentist that your child will love, look for providers whose entire offices are made to be fun, exciting and entertaining environments for children.

Make it FUNtastic for you and your child!

For a dental experience that will give your child a healthy smile for years to come, call Dr. Stella at FUNtastic Dental & Orthodontics in Long Beach. Dr. Robert J. Stella, D.D.S. has been improving children’s smiles for more than 30 years! In both his private practice and as a hospital staff member, Dr. Stella has extensive experience performing all aspects of his profession.

Not only that, Dr. Stella and his team have completely changed children’s dentistry from “kicking and yelling” to fun and easy. Here’s how:

1. A Complete Dental Theme Park
   FUNtastic Dental is unlike any dentist’s office you’ve seen before. Based on the idea of “dental entertainment,” FUNtastic Dental is a magical, fun environment, complete with movies, games and even a sugar-free candy store!
2. Pain-Free Dental Care
   Say “goodbye” to noisy old drills and “hello” to today’s best pain-free dental methods at FUNtastic. We’re always investing in the latest dental technologies to find safer, more effective and painless treatments for your child. Even if your child has cavities, your child may not even need shots!
3. No More Waiting.
   You should never have to wait for a dentist long after your appointment time. At FUNtastic Dental, there is NO waiting room. Your child’s care begins the moment you arrive. And in the event that you have to wait longer than 10 minutes, you get $50 knocked off your bill.
4. 100% Risk-Free.
   We’re so confident you’ll love FUNtastic that we guarantee it. If you aren’t completely satisfied with your child’s care, we’ll fix it right away – or give you 110% of your money back.

Take a virtual tour of the Dental Theme Park at FUNtastic Dental today, or make an appointment to tour the office in person. And don’t forget to bring your children! They’ll be begging to come back as soon as you walk out the door.

Call 562-627-8800 to see why your child will love going to the Pediatric Dentist.