What's the Difference?

 

When it comes to picking a dentist, it seems like the choice should be easy. After all, a dentist is a dentist, right? And any dentist can see kids, so why not just take the whole family to the same dentist? Why see a Pediatric Dentist?

While it’s true that all dentists have received a high-quality dental education, have a doctorate degree and have passed state exams to be eligible to practice, it’s not true that all dentists are the same. Sure, all dentists are allowed and able to treat children, and most can. However, there are some reasons why picking a pediatric dentist is a good choice.

Have you ever met someone who didn’t love the sound of crying babies and rambunctious toddlers? We know. It’s hard to imagine. But there are people who prefer to spend their time around adults, especially those that are potty-trained, less likely to cry and don’t need a prize box to bribe them into cooperating.

This is true for dentists, too. Perhaps the most important things about a pediatric dentist, is that they have CHOSEN to work with children. Call us crazy, but we actually chose to spend two years in a dental residency specializing in pediatric dentistry, just so we can see your child!

This choice brings us to the next reason kids should see pediatric dentists. Education. Yes, all dentists are qualified and educated. However, pediatric dentists have two to three additional years of education, spent in a residential program specializing in pediatric dentistry, health, psychology and behavior management. By the time we finish this residency, we have usually seen everything from severe trauma to birth defects and extreme special needs- things that may not have been focused on in a traditional dental education.

Another key difference in a pediatric dentist versus a general or family dentist is the environment. We know that our audience is young children. Most pediatric dental offices, like Anderson Pediatric Dentistry, are kid-friendly. What does this mean? Aside from brighter colors, a kid-friendly waiting area and smaller instruments that fit better in a child’s mouth, the vibe of the office will be different. From a parent perspective, you don’t have to try to keep your child sitting quietly in a chair in the waiting room, or break into a cold sweat if they scream, cry and try to run out of the room. We’ve seen it all before. And remember, pediatric dentists and their staff choose to work in this environment!

Our schedules are designed to spend that extra time with each patient when they need time to settle down, or a little more explaining. Our staff is trained to help de-escalate and nurture and our goal is instilling life-long oral health care habits. Of course, a great treasure box doesn’t hurt, either! (Hey, we all like to be rewarded for great behavior!)

While the goal at a dentist office is always to provide top-notch quality dental care, Anderson Pediatric Dentistry’s goal is to make seeing the dentist a great experience. Our amazing staff is there because they love children. Our mission is to provide our patients, who are always children, a welcoming environment and a positive experience so that taking care of their teeth is less of a chore and more of a goal! Give us a call at 864-760-1440 and let us give you, and your child, Something to Smile About!