Tag Archives: General dentists who treat children

Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric Dentist Yelled at My Daughter

My daughter is very inquisitive. I told him this before her appointment. I also told him that if he’d take just a couple of minutes before the appointment and explain what the tools are and what he’s going to do, she’d be fine and quiet. Without that, she’s likely to interrupt, grab, and ask a million questions. Well, guess what? He didn’t listen to me. He seemed rushed, greeted her and went straight into her check-up. She kept reaching around and stopping him to ask questions. He’d tell her to be still which lasted for a bit, but then the questions and reaching would start again. Eventually, he just shouted at her to shut up so he can finish. I don’t know if it was a bad day or what, but now my daughter thinks of the dentist as the “mean man” and doesn’t want to go back. Is there a way to fix this?

Mad Mom

Dear Mad Mom,

Child sitting in Pediatric Dentist chair

I don’t blame you for being upset. This is a disaster, but I think it can be salvaged. I don’t know if this is regular behavior for your pediatric dentist. It doesn’t sound like you do either. Because you were explaining your daughter’s personality to him it sounds like this may have been a new relationship. The first thing I’d do is check his online reviews. If he’s done this kind of thing before I’m sure someone would have mentioned it. I’d just look for another pediatric dentist in that case. Your daughter doesn’t need a “mean man” for her care.

If everyone seems to have had a positive experience with him, it’s likely something caused him to have an unbelievably bad day. I’m reminded of that scene in “It’s a Wonderful Life” where the pharmacist was cruel to the boy and it turned out he’d just found out his son had died. We never know what’s going on in a person’s life. If he’s a good man who made a mistake, he likely feels terrible about it. It would be a good opportunity to teach about forgiveness. Of course, he’d need to be willing to apologize to your little girl and tell her he’ll not do that again.

He’ll also need to be willing to follow your original advice and take her through all the cool tools. In fact, as part of the apology, maybe he can even take her on a little tour of the entire office.

A Good Pediatric Dentist Leaves a Postive Outlook in Children

At Peck Family Dentistry, Hillary Peck is fantastic with the children. Even though she’s not a pediatric specialist she loves working with the little ones and always brings them joy. IF it turns out this dentist is a dud, you can look for a general dentist who’s great with kids. Maybe even your dentist so you and your daughter can have a shared experience going to the dentist together.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

Pediatric Dentistry

When Do You Leave a Pediatric Dentist?

Everyone’s saying my daughter needs to move away from a pediatric dentist. But, we have a good relationship with our pediatric dentist. He lets parents come back into the operatory which helps me feel safe about her being treated. I’m not sure I want to let my sixteen-year-old loose with an adult dentist who may or may not allow me back with her. When do we have to leave?

Sandra Q.

Dear Sandra,

Child with Pediatric Dentist

There isn’t a universal rule for when your child, son or daughter, should switch. Each pediatric dental office usually has their own policy. I’d talk to them and see what their policy is.

One thing I don’t want you worrying about is the safety of your daughter with dentists. I know there have been some stories in the news that would make any parent nervous, but those are very rare indeed. If you’re afraid, many general dentists will also let parents back into the operatory. When you’re calling around, simply ask them.

Are General Dentists Qualified to Treat Children?

If you’re looking for a sort of transitional period, there are general dentists who treat children. They’re perfectly qualified. All of them did a pediatric rotation during dental school. They just didn’t do the extra time to specialize in it. By the time they’re sixteen, you rarely have to worry about something coming up totally pediatric related that they’ll need to give you a specialist recommendation.

In fact, their jaws are developing more into an adult’s, so things like crowns and composite fillings may be better suited to an “adult” dentist. Teenagers also start getting interested in procedures such as teeth whitening, which most pediatric dentists don’t offer. Be aware, though, that their bite is still developing so don’t listen to a dentist who suggests that they’re ready for something like porcelain veneers.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

Pediatric Dentistry

Is It Normal For Children to Freak Out About Cavities?

My son has always gone to the dentist just fine.  He’s even looked forward to the appointments. This last visit was a disaster. We found out he has a cavity. The dentist offered to fill it right then. That’s when everything fell apart. My son started screaming, went limp, slid out of the chair, and fled the room. Is this normal? I was mortified.

Sadie M.

Dear Sadie,

Pediatric Dentist

There could be a few things factoring into this.  First, it doesn’t sound like your dentist is skilled in working with children. Most children don’t do well when an unexpected medical treatment is suddenly thrust upon them.

He would have been better served if the dentist talked to him for a minute ahead of time to let him know what a cavity means and how easy it is to treat, in terms he could understand.

Talk to him about what he thought was going to happen. He may have heard a false horror story at school about what happens when you have a cavity at the dentist.

Maybe the dentist pulled out the needle for the anesthetic. That long puppy could scare a navy seal.  Dentists who work with children know ways of keeping that out of sight.

Sometimes children just can’t handle the idea of the needle anesthetic. Most pediatric dentists also offer sedation dentistry. This helps relax children. In fact, many of them completely sleep through the entire procedure.

I hope this helps.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

 

Affordable Dentist

Is it Possible to Save Time AND Money at the Dentist?

ThereI have a large family. It’s nearly impossible for me to pay for everyone to get their dental work done twice a year and afford it without spreading it out throughout the year. What that boils down to is we’re at the dentist EVERY month; more if someone needs a filling or crown. What I’m looking for is a dentist who will let us all come on the same day, but pay it out throughout the six months. Is that possible?

Sandy B.

Dear Sandy,

Yes, that’s possible but it depends on the dentist. Your best bet is to look for someone who calls himself an affordable dentist. They’re generally more willing to work with patients, especially those in your situation.

The other thing to look for if you want your family to all get treatment is to find a dentist who treats both adults and children. There are many general dentists who are happy to treat children.

However, don’t just jump at the first dentist you see who meets these two criteria. Check their reviews. You want to make sure they’re skilled and thoughtful with patients. You don’t want a dentist who is going to cause your children to dread the dentist.

In fact, if you find a great dentist who works with whole families, does great work, and is good with patients, it doesn’t mean you won’t be able to afford to go. There’s a medical “credit card” of sorts called Care Credit. The best thing about this is you can set your terms. Depending on your credit, you can even get zero interest payment plans and there’s no penalty for paying it off early.

I hope this helps you get the dental care you need without feeling like you have to live at the dentist’s office.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

Pediatric Dentistry

Can You Help Me Understand a Pulpotomy?

My son’s dentist says he needs something called a pulpotomy. I tried to ask him questions about it, but he gets annoyed and feels like I’m questioning him. I know he’s the dentists, but this is my son. I don’t want to just have a procedure done on him without understanding it.

Laura L.

Dear Laura,

I hate to hear that your dentist has you afraid to ask questions. Yes, he’s the dentist, but part of his job is to make sure you understand why he’s recommending certain procedures and gives you all the options. Especially as a pediatric dentist, you’d think he’d understand that. There’s nothing more precious to you than your child. If he can’t understand that, you need another dentist. You’re not stuck having to go to a pediatric dentist if your options are limited. There are general dentists who are great with children. Whoever you go to, I’d love for you to be able to ask as many questions as necessary for you to feel at peace.

Now, onto your question. Think of a pulpotomy as a mini root canal treatment for baby teeth which are infected. It’s usually done on molars which need to last until your son is around twelve years old. Otherwise, if he loses a molar, his teeth will shift causing crowding with his adult teeth. If his molar is infected, it does need a pulpotomy.

The procedure is fairly simple and your son won’t think of it any worse than a normal dental appointment. The pulp is removed from the roots of the tooth. Then it’s daubed with a disinfectant such as formocresol. When that’s completed, the tooth will be sealed. Usually, they’re covered with a stainless steel crown.

If it turns out the tooth has to be removed, make sure the dentist puts a space maintainer in its place so the teeth don’t shift.

I hope this helps you. Feel free to ask as many questions as you need.

This blog is brought to you by Affordable Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.