How to Find the Best Pediatric Dentist Near Me
Maybe you’re wondering why your child needs a pediatric dentist, especially considering their baby teeth are going to end up with the tooth fairy. But the truth is milk or primary teeth are very important for your child’s health and development. They help a child speak, chew, and smile, and they also keep space for their permanent teeth. That’s why we recommend you find a good pediatric dentist early in your child’s development.
When baby teeth are damaged as a result of cavities, or they fall out too early because of decay, their adult teeth move into the empty space, which makes it difficult for other new teeth to come in. This can end up causing a few problems such as overcrowding or crooked teeth as well as overbites and underbites.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), your child’s oral health affects his or her overall well-being, socially, psychologically, and physically. Ignoring things like cavities could result in painful and swollen gums, infections and abscesses, and damage to your child’s adult teeth.
Why is a pediatric dentist a better option for my child?
This is a fair question, especially if you’ve never been to a pediatric dentist before. While a general dentist can help, a pediatric dentist will be able to identify issues that are common with children.
A pediatric dentist understands the different developmental stages of children’s teeth and is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and tools to care for them. More importantly, pediatric dentists have the temperament to communicate with young children and teenagers, which isn’t always the case with someone who deals mainly with adults.
While this might not seem like a big deal to you as an adult, a pediatric dentist who has the tools and state-of-the-art technology better suited to smaller mouths will make a child’s check-up far more comfortable and a lot less stressful.
When should you book your child’s first dentist appointment?
It’s important that you make an appointment for your little one as soon as their first tooth breaks through. The dentist will speak to you about sealants and various fluoride treatments to keep your child’s teeth healthy and strong. Also, a good pediatric dentist will get your child excited about their teeth and good oral hygiene habits, which will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives.
But how do you find the best pediatric dentist near you?
Finding the Best Pediatric Dentist Near You
Finding a pediatric dentist that’s close to you shouldn’t be too difficult. But it starts getting trickier when you want to find the best pediatric dentist for your child. Here are a few handy tips to help you narrow down your search.
Visit the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry website.
It’s worth having a look at the AAPD website as they list all the pediatric dentists in your area. Simply type in your zip code and the mile radius and a selection of dentists will come up.
Read reviews.
It’s always worth reading reviews on websites such as Yelp. You can also do a search on Facebook for a practice in your area and check out the reviews there.
Ask friends for referrals.
Friends are always a great source of information, and word of mouth is especially good. Ask your group of friends to ask their group of friends for referrals. You can then look for more information on the AAPD website or search for reviews on Yelp and Facebook.
Of course, if you’re in the Greater Nebraska area, we’d love to be your child’s pediatric dentist! With offices in Hastings, Omaha, Grand Island, or North Platte, our team of specialized pediatric dentists, hygienists, and coordinators provides the very best oral healthcare for children with services that include preventative dentistry, sedation and baby wellness dentistry, cosmetic, orthodontics, and special needs dentistry.
With a passion for little people’s oral health, everything about Pediatric Dental Specialists caters to a child’s needs, emotionally and physically. There are happy smiles all around, super helpful and friendly staff, and dentists who dedicate their days to working with children.
Moms and dads love that their children are getting the best possible dental care, and our little patients love the play area and toy station. And for your convenience and peace of mind, Pediatric Dental Specialists offers flexible payment options through CareCredit.
If you have any questions or need more information, call any one of the offices today or book your appointment online.