Importance of Establishing a Dental Home

As a parent, one of the most exciting events in your child’s first year of life is watching their first tiny baby tooth come in. And one of the most important things you can do for their oral health at this time is establish a dental home! 

Regular visits to the same dental office provide numerous benefits to your little one. So if you’re in the market for a dentist, here are some things you should know (and how our AMPD team can help!): 

Start With a Simple Meet and Greet

One of the first visits your child has at the office should involve more than just their oral care. At a meet and greet, your child should meet the staff, get a feel of the dental chair, and even learn a few things about the tools that we use. We’ve found that most children fear strangers more than going to the dentist, so a meet and greet will help ease their anxiety.

Create Positive Associations at an Early Age

With the meet and greet handled, we will then focus on creating positive experiences that prevent the development of new dental fears. Our state of the art equipment allows us to do things such as provide no shot treatments so that your child does not associate going to the dentist with pain or discomfort.

Read More: How To Make Dental Visits Stress Free

Know How to Handle Each New Stage

Being a parent often feels like stepping into new territory without a guide map. Fortunately, your child’s dental home is the one place you know you can go to get the answers that you need on how to care for their teeth. Are you worried about a baby tooth that seems to be growing in wrong? Or maybe you need help getting your older child to floss. We’ve got all of the answers to those questions and more, and we make sure to leave plenty of time at every appointment to get them all answered.

Work With Dentists Who Understand Special Needs

Every child is unique and deserves to enjoy a quality experience no matter what their skills or abilities may be. Your child’s dental home should include a staff of pediatric dentists who understand how to work with children who have special needs. Whether your child needs long treatments broken up into smaller appointments or requires assistance getting in and out of the chair, they benefit from having dentists who know just how to provide the right amount of help at every appointment.

Benefit From Extensive Training and Experience

Pediatric dentists enjoy going above and beyond for their patients, and they prove it by making the decision to attend two to three years of specialized education after regular dental school.

We encourage you to check out our dentist profiles to learn more about each member of our team. We have all made it our mission to pursue educational experiences that allow us to deliver top quality services to the little ones that visit our office.

Love Watching Your Child Smile

You love your child, and their smile can brighten up any room. When you establish a dental home for your child, you give them the best chances of preserving each one of those tiny teeth. You’ll also love watching your child smile as they grow, and that is reason enough to find a dental home today.

Going to the dentist can easily become the highlight of your child’s oral health care routine. We understand that choosing a dental home for your child is a serious decision. Be sure to visit our website or give us a call with your questions so that we can help you transform your child’s dental visits into a positive experience!

5 Ways You Can Get Ready for National Children's Dental Health Month

T-minus two days until National Children’s Dental Health Month! 

What once began as a two city event in 1941 has developed into a nationwide annual program each February. This month long observance is meant to educate and promote the importance of oral health. 

By instilling good oral health habits early, your child will have a better chance at having a beautiful smile for years to come!

Here are five ways you can help get ready for National Children’s Dental Health Month:

1. Make oral health a routine - Brushing for two minutes twice daily and flossing regularly should be as much of a routine as making a bed or putting toys away. Be a positive role model for your children, if they see you brushing and flossing regularly, they’ll be more likely to follow suit.
2. Incorporate oral health into reading - Whether your child needs to read a certain number of books for school assignments or you incorporate reading into your bedtime rituals, choose a book specific to oral health! From brushing teeth to rockin’ braces — check out our Pinterest board for some inspiration!
3. Offer healthy snacks regularly - If your kids are used to eating healthy snacks, they’ll be more likely to continue for years to come. Get even the pickiest of eaters used to healthy choices that naturally maintain and improve oral health. For example, dairy products (like cheese, milk, and yogurt) contain calcium and protein which helps strengthen tooth enamel. Veggies are high in vitamins and minerals that contain numerous health benefits while also stimulating saliva!
4. Don’t miss dental appointments! With so many activities going on, it’s easy to push dental visits to the side. But committing to a twice annual check up is crucial to maintaining oral health. These visits help us spot any problems early, when they’re more treatable. Plus, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your child’s teeth are developing properly with a clean dental bill of health!
5. Contact us for a school visit or info session - What better way to teach the importance of oral health than by hearing it from us! We’d be more than happy to come to your local school for a dental health info session. We are also accepting meetings at all three of our locations for any local girl scout or cub scout troop! Scouts will be given a small presentation on good and bad snacks and how to keep teeth clean and health. 
   

If you have any questions about how to better care for your child’s oral health - give any of our offices a call. Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dentistry has three convenient Long Island locations. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment!

How To Make Dental Visits Stress Free

Dental visits can be stressful for both parent and child — they can also cause children to experience a great deal of anxiety! Fortunately, there are things that you can do to keep your little ones calm before heading into an appointment.

Educate Them About the Dentist 
One of the reasons that children are so afraid of the dentist is because they do not know what to expect! You should talk to your child about the dentist before their appointment — explain to them what will happen and let them know there is nothing to be afraid of!

Take Them to Their Dentist by Their First Birthday 
Taking your child to the dentist early will help them get adjusted to the environment as you’ll be establishing a dental home for years to come! Not to mention, early intervention helps prevent serious dental problems.

Pair the Dental Visit With Another Fun Activity 
While we know our office itself is a fun place to visit — with all the games and activities we have — why not make a day out of it! Head out to a movie, go bowling, or treat your child to their favorite restaurant.

Encourage Good Dental Habits at Home 
You can get your child comfortable with the idea of dental care by establishing good habits at home. If they are familiar with brushing and flossing, then chances are they won’t feel as stressed in the office.

Bring Your Child to AMPD!
One of the easiest ways to make dental visits stress free? Choosing our office, of course! Our office focuses on being a fun and easy environment for all of our families — with a fun, under the sea theme, video games, and TV.

If you are a new patient to our practice, as a courtesy we’d love to extend you our offer of $105 off your new patient exam, cleaning and fluoride! This coupon is valid at any of our three Long Island locations — contact us today!