When you have a child with special needs, it’s especially important to find a well-experienced pediatric dentist you can count on. Finding a dentist should not be a challenge, but it’s essential to choose one who is compassionate and caring to help guide your child throughout his or her entire dental experience. Children with special needs — whether medical, physical, developmental, or cognitive — may require specialized care from oral health practitioners trained in making sure they are cared for properly, such as the team at Little Pearls Dentistry for Children in Lansdowne, Virginia.
When you call our office to make an initial appointment for your child’s dental exam, let the front desk staff know that your child has special needs. If required, our team can then schedule specific rooms and extra exam time so that we can be sure we are providing our best services to you and your child. We also offer the option of visiting the office before the actual appointment so that when the big day arrives, your child will be more comfortable with the office and the staff.
When you arrive at Little Pearls Dentistry for Children for the appointment, we will go over your child’s dental history, address any questions or concerns you may have, and details of their oral care routine. If possible, providing our team with dental records from previous dentists would be helpful, too. During the appointment, you can also expect the following:
Some excellent best practices can be followed to help your child be prepared to receive dental care. For example, establishing a dental-focused home is key to making your child comfortable with receiving care at the dentist’s office. If children are taught that oral health is important, they can more easily understand that sometimes they need to see a dentist.
New Patients : (571) 601-2080 Existing Patients : (703) 726-3030
A child may be resistant to dental care because of past trauma, anxiety, or a lack of understanding of the procedures and the dental office environment. As such, we incorporate behavior guidance techniques such as Floortime® and relationship development that can make a huge difference in how they perceive us.
Equally important is understanding that the food we consume can play a huge role in our oral health. If parents carefully monitor their child’s diet, they can expect them to maintain better oral health by, for example, keeping excessive sugar and carbonated sodas out of the house.
Are you ready to schedule an appointment with a special needs pediatric dentist? Please get in touch with Dr. Michael Gazori and the team at Little Pearls Dentistry for Children in Lansdowne, Virginia, for more information. You can call us at (571) 601-2080 or request an appointment online today.