We are continuing to celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month, and we hope you are enjoying the helpful tips and information we’ve been sharing on our blog and social media! In this article we discuss what we try to do everyday to be a great dentist for kids.

In our last blog, we reviewed 5 things parents can do at home to make their child’s first dental visit a success. We also created a short (and sweet) video to demonstrate those tips on a real, live toddler.  

Here is part 2 of this video, where this little one visits a 1st Family Dental location for a dental check-up.  Check out 1st Family Dental from a toddler’s perspective!

A Great Dentist for Kids: 5 Ways 1st Family Dental Will Make Your Child’s Check-Up A Great Experience

Finding a great dentist for kids can be much harder than choosing a dentist for yourself. As parents, we want to choose the VERY BEST dental clinic possible for our kids, which is why we’ve made a list of what makes 1st Family Dental a great choice for your kids.

Convenient Locations & Flexible Scheduling

Children are at their best when they are well-rested and fresh.  It helps to find a dental office that is nearby so that getting to and from visits is easy. With 10 locations in the Chicagoland area, chances are that there’s a 1st Family Dental office that is convenient to your home, work, school, or even all three! We also offer flexible appointment times, including early morning, evening, and Saturday appointments.  We will help you find individual and even whole-family appointment times that fit around your work, school, activities, and life in general.   We offer a full range of general, pediatric, and specialty dental services, including orthodontics, which means you won’t have to sacrifice time or convenience for quality.  And, in case it’s ever needed, we also have same-day emergency and walk-in appointments.  Need a last-minute school form for your child?  No problem.

Caring, Compassionate, Kid-Friendly, & Experienced Doctors and Staff

Dentists, hygienists and staff should not only have experience in pediatric dental techniques and services, but they should also love what they do, and it should show.  What can we say?  We love kids.  We are proud to have an outstanding team of dental professionals that are both experienced and love working with children of all ages.  We’ve been in business for nearly 20 years, which means we’ve had the privilege and opportunity to watch a generation of children grow up through years of check-up visits.  Now those “kids” are grown and bringing their little ones to 1st Family Dental for their first and future check-ups.  We have families of our own, and we understand how important it is to build relationships and good communication with both children and parents to make sure office visits are successful, and to create great oral health habits at home.

Kid-Friendly Check-Up and Treatment Areas

We are dental professionals, but we are parents, too.  We understand that dental office visits can be a little hair-raising for  both children and parents, even when we’ve worked hard to prepare them (and ourselves).  We have dedicated exam, check-up and treatment rooms just for kids.  Our rooms are bright, clean, and filled with familiar, interesting and engaging decor.  Each operatory is equipped with a wall mounted, flat-screen TV, great for oral health education, or for child-friendly TV programming.  Our child-friendly pediatric dental treatment rooms are also equipped with Nitrous Oxide, or laughing gas, to help children to relax and feel comfortable when needed during dental treatment visits.  

Tried-and-True Behavioral Engagement Techniques

We’ve had a lot of time and practice to develop child-focused techniques that focus on strengths and encourage positive reinforcement.  Here are a few examples:  Our staff, doctors, and hygienists will physically get on your child’s level to speak and ask questions.  We practice tell, show, and do – we’ll explain what the visit is for in kid-friendly language, show them some of the instruments, sights and sounds they may see and hear, and answer any questions to help them get ready.  We’ll talk while we work, or sing, count, or any variety of communication techniques that work for your child.  We’ve got lots of songs, rhymes, jokes, and stories to share. We’ll use positive reinforcement and rewards, to help both you and your child have a great experience and look forward to the next dental check-up.

Tools and Tips for A Great Home Dental Hygiene Routine

Baby teeth are more than just a right of passage – they are essential for maintaining a healthy diet, for self-confidence, and ensuring that permanent teeth grow in healthy and strong.  The best way to ensure your child has a healthy smile as they grow and develop is to create and maintain a great dental hygiene routine at home.  Our doctors, hygienists and staff are always ready with tips and ideas for both kids and parents to make toothbrushing fun and effective.  We’ll show you and your child how to brush and floss effectively with models or mirrors, and send you home with a goodie bag to help you get started, or to keep up the great work.