2 dental questions

[ProudGrandma]

1) if you were going to switch dentists for your young children (ages 9,7 and 5), what types of things would be important to you to try and find, what types of questions would you ask, and WHO would you ask (the receptionist, the hygenist or the dentist)?

 

2) if anybody here uses NON flouride toothpaste, can you please tell me why you feel that is important and any sites that you have relied on...and what brand of toothpaste do you small kids like to use?

 

THANKS!!

 

Kathy

[nd293]

My ds2 has just had dental work, with much more to come (waiting for his final baby molars to appear, as there seems to be pre-existing weaknesses in the enamel that will need fixing). Given his age, I made the decision to go with a paediatric dentist. Expensive but worthwhile.

 

I got solid information and a good "vibe" from the receptionist, and found the dental nurse/hygenist/assitant (not sure what she was) more informative than the dentist. I would assume a worst case scenario (tooth extraction or multiple cavities) and ask how they would handle it. I would also ask how they would handle a very anxious patient.

 

It was very important to me that ds (who can be sensitive about being touched by people he doesn't know) was not upset. He sat on my lap during the visit, facing me and lying back with his head on the dentist's lap. They declined to do more than the absolutely necessary work, as doing too much could "push him over the edge". As it was he coped with the limited work very well. The bulk of work will be done under general anaesthetic, and I will go with him to theatre.

 

I would also ask about orthodontic work. Current thinking is to see the children early, but the "old school" still only want to see them once most of their adult teeth are through.

 

I might pop in and have a look at their waiting room. Is it set up for children?

[Carrie12345]

Now that we've used one, we will never use anything but a PEDIATRIC dentist for our kids. Not a dentist who's great with kids, but a dentist who ONLY sees kids!

For us, that means using a dentist 100 miles away, and we're happy to do it.

 

The fact that the practice we use also does orthodontia is pretty important to me, knowing that at least 2 of my kids will need extensive work.

[Guest janainaz]

I've had nightmare experiences with dental offices and I finally found a good one a few years back. I love the office because of the way they treat my kids. They take the time to talk to them and treat them like THEY are the patient and not me. They also do not have a big turnover of staff. I see the same people every time I go in there. I also have come in to have work done and had to bring both of my kids with me and the staff in the office is great with my kids. They are just family-friendly and I love that. I also like the fact that they are always pretty much right on time, they give reminder calls, they are polite when I need to reschedule.

 

I just got lucky with this office. I kept trying new dentists until I found one. However a BIG thing for me was in how the front office was run. I felt like I had been going to this office for years when I first walked in.

[gingersmom]

I took my kids to a pediatric dentist and was not overly impressed.

 

I then found a regular dentist that we adore. He has games/videos/cable tv for the kids in the waiting room. Kid sized chairs and tables. Really cool fish tank with spongebob and stuff. Treasure chest filled with kids stickers, little toys for after their visit. They get to pick from 10 different toothbrushes.

 

He also tv's with cable in every room for when you are getting your teeth cleaned, etc (you control the remote).

 

He is never in a hurry. He will spend however long just hanging out and chatting with your kids before he begins just to make sure they are comfortable.

 

He has 5 kids of his own (3 adopted from Africa). He is just an incredibly nice person in addition to being an excellent dentist.

[Tap]

I prefer a dentist that sees adults too. I haven't had good luck with pediatric dentists, they all seemed burnt out.

 

I would ask:

 

Does the doctor like to treat kids or does he/she prefer teens/adults? How about the hygienists?

 

Do you do sealants/fluoride and how does the doctor feel about parents choice to skip them?

 

Do you ask the parent before ANY work is done on the teeth? ie If I come in for a filling will I come out with 3 unexpected fillings being done w/o being consulted.

 

Will you allow the parent in the room with the child?

 

Do you suggest fillings in baby teeth, even if they aren't bothering the child? How do you handle this situation?

 

Will you let me schedule back to back appointments for my family? (We go all at once and sit side by side in hygienists chairs LOL It make scheduling easier so I don't have 5 different appointments every 6mths)

 

Do you bill insurance and are you a preferred provider for XYZ insurance. Do you expect to change that any time soon?

 

How do you handle cancelled appointments? What is your policy on seeing sick patients (lite cold etc).

 

How long does it take to get an appointment?

 

How long has the staff been at the office? (This speaks volumes if there is a lot of turn over)

 

How often does the doctor like to do xrays?

 

How does the dentist see his care plans? Conservative (only doing the most nec work)? Progressive (using the latest technology can improve pt care but can mean higher prices to patients)

 

What is the average cost of a filling, cleaning, sealants etc...

 

What type of filling material does the dentist use?

 

If there is a filling, who does the work? If a specially trained hygienist does some of the work, can you choose to have the doctor do all the work? How much experience does the hygienist have in doing fillings etc?

 

 

 

If I think of more I will update later.

[ProudGrandma]

these have all be awesome!! We were seeing a pediatric dentist...but after she told my son to "shut up"...(loud enough that I heard it in the waiting room)...because he was all upset about the x-rays (not to mention that he has sensory issues)....I decided that enough was enough....but I just didn't know how to go about finding another dentist...we live in a rural area and we just don't have that many options without having to drive 3 hours. So thanks. If anyone else has anyother suggestions...I am all ears!!!

[Mommyof4ks]

The big questions for me are:

 

Can I stay with my child during visits? (some don't allow that)

 

Do you fill tiny cavities or leave them alone?

 

Can I refuse xrays?

 

Can I get copies of my child's records for myself?

 

What sort of preventatives do you recommend? (fluoride, sealants, mouthwash, so on)

 

Can your office do sedation or what is done if my child needs extensive dental work?

 

Most importantly be sure your kids are comfortable with the office and staff.

 

We have a wonderful pediatric dentist, and so far with 3 kids we have had no tooth issues.

[Jen500]

You've gotten some good advice. I'd also add this--take your kids to the dentist you've chosen for check-ups (before they have a dental problem) so that it's less stressful and you don't feel pressured.

[ProudGrandma]

I HAVE received some very helpful advice...thanks so much. Does anybody have anything to say about non-floride toothpaste?