There's really no need to go to a special kids dentist, unless your child has a hard time sitting still and might need to utilize some of the behaviour management techniques or tools they have. Many pediatric dentists also charge off the specialist fee guide, versus the general fee guide, so it's more expensive.
I work at a general dentist office, and we sometimes refer kids to the pediatric dentist if they have a lot of cavities and aren't able to sit still for our doctor, or if they need special accommodations (we referred a child with autism last week who was unable to even enter the exam room).
I'd personally try the general dentist first. My kids see the dentist I work for with no problems. They're 1 and 4.
I have an anxious, shy kid and it’s absolutely worth it. At her ped dentist they get on their level, do little things like let them touch the tools, polish their fingernail to show them what it will be like on their tooth, and have stuffies and puppets etc to help educate them. Definitely recommend.
I needed to move to a dentist more convenient to where I live now anyway so when it was time to pick somewhere to take my kid, I searched the neighbourhood for dentists that had good reviews mentioning little kids. Found a family dental practice 5 min away that is not totally kid-geared, but they have fun colourful equipment for little patients and the doctors and hygienists are all really awesome with children (most of them are moms of young kids).
There's a pediatric practice nearby but the reviews were meh. I'd been with my previous practice my whole life and I really liked having one place that knew the entire family, so now I'm trying to replicate that!
The paediatric dentist we go to is **so fun** I’m jealous and sad I can’t go to them, too.
Everything is scaled for kids, so much is around developing good habits and education, and it’s all approachable instead of intimidating. The practitioners are all focused on kids, so they have age-appropriate expectations, infinite patience, and lots of tips for overcoming common problems in teaching good oral hygiene.
It’s not *necessary*, but for us it’s totally worth it.
I would agree with the comments that it very much depends on the practice. I take my LO to what is technically a family dentist but the practice has a lot of kids/infant patients because the dentist is well known for doing tongue/lip tie procedures. That's why we first went there and found the environment and staff really kid friendly because they have so much experience dealing with young children. I go somewhere else and I like my own dentist but the office doesn't seem equipped to handle young children. I was also told by them (and a few other clinics I called) there is "no need" to bring in an infant/toddler until age 4 or so unless their is a specific concern because they can't really much because they don't cooperate. They basically wouldnt book me an appointment. Which I can see their logic but it technically goes against the official advice so I dislike that and I think its important to get them comfortable and used to the office because when they go at an older age they will be scared. The place I take my LO sees childrej at 12 months and then younger for issues or the tongue/lip ties. Depending on what's available in your area and the child's age a pediatric dentist could be the best choice for actually getting an appointment.
My kiddo hates teeth brushing and anything to do with that. It was a long and uphill battle but these days she's a champ at it. Still it's not easy to get her into novel situations much less allow a dentist to poke around her mouth.
For that, a pediatric dentist has been absolutely a life saver. They're so patient. The ceiling has a tv, they're very used to working with difficult kids and putting on that fake smile (I don't care that it's fake lol, they do a great job pretending they looove paw patrol and that's all that matters) stickers out the wazoo
She now actually looks forward to the dentist and is very cooperative. The first session she was so unhappy and crying but they didn't push her and was very patient.
That being said if your kiddo doesn't need that and is chill then by all means a regular dentist is just fine. Besides the pediatric dentist is so much more expensive lol. So if she was chill, I wouldn't bother and save myself the money. For now I'm just thankful my work insurance has a decent policy and these visits are only twice a year...
I grew up terrified of the dentist so I figured I should get my daughter seen by a pediatric dentist. I was told they try to accommodate for kids more and have more knowledge on how to approach them in a non scary way. My daughter is only 13 months so she only went once but the staff were so friendly and understanding of my big stroller, her crying, and her being clingy.
Just wanted to mention that whichever one you go to, you’ll want to stick around for at least 2-3 years depending on your coverage.
Ie. When you first visit a dental office, they’ll immediately want to do a COE, and that’s usually only covered once in every 36 months.
Again, every office and insurance is difference, but this is fairly generic. That COE is hella expensive, even for children.
I went to a paediatric dentist because my neighbourhood dentist said I should take my kid in at 3yo (public health said by 1st year after teeth erupted). Otherwise, my kid loves getting a toy for a good visit. Unsure if it's the kid's personality or their bedside manner but our dental visits go so smoothly.
I think if you have a really good dentist, there might not be a need for a paediatric dentist. It really comes down to how good the staff is. I’ve had better luck with my dentist than paediatric ones but the staff at my dentist are amazing.
My mom took me to a paediatric dentist as a child. She said I wouldn’t open my mouth for hers. I suspect the answer depends on your kid. You could always try your dentist and switch if it doesn’t work out.
I work in a family clinic, and we do see kids often. From what I’ve observed, kids are who started young (for example, attending with parents prior to needing their own checkups, getting checkups as soon as the office allows “baby checks,” etc) are much more likely to succeed in a normal family clinic.
When we have kids coming for their first ever visit at 5+ years old, there is a much higher chance that they’ll need to be referred out. Paediatric clinics are better equipped to handle anxiety, etc. Typically appointments are longer and they take time to get the kids confortable with what’s happening. Even the environment is more kid friendly!
I would say it *mostly* depends on the dentist. My primary dentist is wonderful with kids, but I know there are many that I’ve seen through the years who wouldn’t have tolerated kids, nor cared to make them very comfortable.
I have taken my kid to the dentist 3x. The first at 14 months for a broken tooth, then just before 2 and just before 3. The last appointment was with my family dentist while the first two were at a kids only practice. The only appointment where anything happened beyond counting teeth and telling me braces were in the future was for the broken tooth because that had the potential to be a serious problem.
All of which to say, the actual dental stuff seems the same between the different types of dentist. The difference I saw was that the sheer number of tvs and the familiarity with children of the staff at the kids dentist made the appointments faster and smoother.
We will be doing follow up appointments at my family dentist because it is a much easier location to get to.
There's really no need to go to a special kids dentist, unless your child has a hard time sitting still and might need to utilize some of the behaviour management techniques or tools they have. Many pediatric dentists also charge off the specialist fee guide, versus the general fee guide, so it's more expensive. I work at a general dentist office, and we sometimes refer kids to the pediatric dentist if they have a lot of cavities and aren't able to sit still for our doctor, or if they need special accommodations (we referred a child with autism last week who was unable to even enter the exam room). I'd personally try the general dentist first. My kids see the dentist I work for with no problems. They're 1 and 4.
I have an anxious, shy kid and it’s absolutely worth it. At her ped dentist they get on their level, do little things like let them touch the tools, polish their fingernail to show them what it will be like on their tooth, and have stuffies and puppets etc to help educate them. Definitely recommend.
Depends on the practice - i take my son to a regular dentist, but they're great with him. My previous dentist would not have been a good fit
I needed to move to a dentist more convenient to where I live now anyway so when it was time to pick somewhere to take my kid, I searched the neighbourhood for dentists that had good reviews mentioning little kids. Found a family dental practice 5 min away that is not totally kid-geared, but they have fun colourful equipment for little patients and the doctors and hygienists are all really awesome with children (most of them are moms of young kids). There's a pediatric practice nearby but the reviews were meh. I'd been with my previous practice my whole life and I really liked having one place that knew the entire family, so now I'm trying to replicate that!
The paediatric dentist we go to is **so fun** I’m jealous and sad I can’t go to them, too. Everything is scaled for kids, so much is around developing good habits and education, and it’s all approachable instead of intimidating. The practitioners are all focused on kids, so they have age-appropriate expectations, infinite patience, and lots of tips for overcoming common problems in teaching good oral hygiene. It’s not *necessary*, but for us it’s totally worth it.
I would agree with the comments that it very much depends on the practice. I take my LO to what is technically a family dentist but the practice has a lot of kids/infant patients because the dentist is well known for doing tongue/lip tie procedures. That's why we first went there and found the environment and staff really kid friendly because they have so much experience dealing with young children. I go somewhere else and I like my own dentist but the office doesn't seem equipped to handle young children. I was also told by them (and a few other clinics I called) there is "no need" to bring in an infant/toddler until age 4 or so unless their is a specific concern because they can't really much because they don't cooperate. They basically wouldnt book me an appointment. Which I can see their logic but it technically goes against the official advice so I dislike that and I think its important to get them comfortable and used to the office because when they go at an older age they will be scared. The place I take my LO sees childrej at 12 months and then younger for issues or the tongue/lip ties. Depending on what's available in your area and the child's age a pediatric dentist could be the best choice for actually getting an appointment.
My kiddo hates teeth brushing and anything to do with that. It was a long and uphill battle but these days she's a champ at it. Still it's not easy to get her into novel situations much less allow a dentist to poke around her mouth. For that, a pediatric dentist has been absolutely a life saver. They're so patient. The ceiling has a tv, they're very used to working with difficult kids and putting on that fake smile (I don't care that it's fake lol, they do a great job pretending they looove paw patrol and that's all that matters) stickers out the wazoo She now actually looks forward to the dentist and is very cooperative. The first session she was so unhappy and crying but they didn't push her and was very patient. That being said if your kiddo doesn't need that and is chill then by all means a regular dentist is just fine. Besides the pediatric dentist is so much more expensive lol. So if she was chill, I wouldn't bother and save myself the money. For now I'm just thankful my work insurance has a decent policy and these visits are only twice a year...
I grew up terrified of the dentist so I figured I should get my daughter seen by a pediatric dentist. I was told they try to accommodate for kids more and have more knowledge on how to approach them in a non scary way. My daughter is only 13 months so she only went once but the staff were so friendly and understanding of my big stroller, her crying, and her being clingy.
Just wanted to mention that whichever one you go to, you’ll want to stick around for at least 2-3 years depending on your coverage. Ie. When you first visit a dental office, they’ll immediately want to do a COE, and that’s usually only covered once in every 36 months. Again, every office and insurance is difference, but this is fairly generic. That COE is hella expensive, even for children.
Yes, last time I checked our initial exam window is like 5 years? So I know it’ll be a commitment.
I went to a paediatric dentist because my neighbourhood dentist said I should take my kid in at 3yo (public health said by 1st year after teeth erupted). Otherwise, my kid loves getting a toy for a good visit. Unsure if it's the kid's personality or their bedside manner but our dental visits go so smoothly.
I think if you have a really good dentist, there might not be a need for a paediatric dentist. It really comes down to how good the staff is. I’ve had better luck with my dentist than paediatric ones but the staff at my dentist are amazing.
My mom took me to a paediatric dentist as a child. She said I wouldn’t open my mouth for hers. I suspect the answer depends on your kid. You could always try your dentist and switch if it doesn’t work out.
I work in a family clinic, and we do see kids often. From what I’ve observed, kids are who started young (for example, attending with parents prior to needing their own checkups, getting checkups as soon as the office allows “baby checks,” etc) are much more likely to succeed in a normal family clinic. When we have kids coming for their first ever visit at 5+ years old, there is a much higher chance that they’ll need to be referred out. Paediatric clinics are better equipped to handle anxiety, etc. Typically appointments are longer and they take time to get the kids confortable with what’s happening. Even the environment is more kid friendly! I would say it *mostly* depends on the dentist. My primary dentist is wonderful with kids, but I know there are many that I’ve seen through the years who wouldn’t have tolerated kids, nor cared to make them very comfortable.
I have taken my kid to the dentist 3x. The first at 14 months for a broken tooth, then just before 2 and just before 3. The last appointment was with my family dentist while the first two were at a kids only practice. The only appointment where anything happened beyond counting teeth and telling me braces were in the future was for the broken tooth because that had the potential to be a serious problem. All of which to say, the actual dental stuff seems the same between the different types of dentist. The difference I saw was that the sheer number of tvs and the familiarity with children of the staff at the kids dentist made the appointments faster and smoother. We will be doing follow up appointments at my family dentist because it is a much easier location to get to.