What Is A Pediatric Dentist?
Pediatric dentistry is the specialty of dentistry that focuses on the oral health and unique needs of young people. After completing a four-year dental school curriculum, two to three additional years of rigorous training is required to become a pediatric dentist. This specialized program of study and hands-on experience prepares pediatric dentists to meet the unique needs of your infants, children and adolescents, including persons with special health care needs.(AAPD) We are concerned about your child s total health care. Good oral health is an important part of total health. Establishing us as your child’s, “Dental Home” provides us the opportunity to implement preventive dental health habits that keep a child free from dental/oral disease. We focus on prevention, early detection and treatment of dental diseases, and keep current on the latest advances in dentistry for children. (AAPD) Your Child’s First Dental Visit According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), y
A Pediatric Dentist is a specialist who has completed two to three additional years of training after dental school to gain expertise in treating infants, children and adolescents. Pediatric dentists, or pedodontists as they used to be called, limit their practice to the treatment of children. There are many General Dentists or Family Dentists who also treat children. There are even General Dentists who advertise themselves as Childrens Dentists and limit their practice to the treatment of children without having the training that a Pediatric Dentist does. When in doubt, ask if he or she is a Pediatric Dentist.
A pediatric dentist is like a pediatrician that specializes in the oral health of infants to teens and those with special health care needs, the growth and development of the mouth and face, prevention of dental disease and care for a child’s mouth, teeth and gums throughout a child’s life. One may chose to become a pediatric dentist because of their love of children, interest in being a part of a lifelong program of optimal oral health or simply because children are fun, silly, easily amused, full of life and energetic. A pediatric dentist is required to successfully complete dental school and then obtain two years of specialized education and training in: overall child development; growth and development of the face and mouth; behavior management including the use of sedation and general anesthesia, management of traumas to the face and mouth; and the delivery of quality dental care to children. To further their commitment to the treatment of children, some pediatric dentists elect t
The pediatric dentist has an extra two years of specialized training and is dedicated to the oral health of children from infancy through the teenage years. The very young, pre-teens, and teenagers all need different approaches in dealing with their behavior, guiding their dental growth and development, and helping them avoid future dental problems. The pediatric dentist is best qualified to meet these needs. [Back to Top] Your Child s First Dental Visit Your child should visit the dentist by his/her 1st birthday. You can make the first visit to the dentist enjoyable and positive. Your child should be informed of the visit and told that the dentist and his staff will explain all procedures and answer any questions. The less to-do concerning the visit, the better. It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as needle, pull, drill or hurt.
