Many adults remember going to a dentist or other medical professional who made them nervous or where they had negative experiences. Because of this, they often want to make sure that when they pick doctors and dentists for their own kids, they pick ones where their kids will feel comfortable. A positive dental experience is fundamental in encouraging kids to take care of their own oral health and build healthy habits at home. So, how do you find a dentist that is right for your kids? In this article, we will cover a few ways you can find dental teams that put kids first. If you are looking for a family-friendly dental practice in Chicago, we have five offices that are highly rated online thanks to our dedication to positive dental visits.
First and foremost, it is important to understand that some dental offices just do not work with kids at all. You should not bring your child to your dentist if they do not specialize in children’s dentistry. Not only could there be gaps in how they interact with kids, but they might not have dental equipment that is designed for kids.
Everyone needs to go to the dentist, which means you probably have a network of people in your life who have opinions and recent experiences with local dentists in your area. We highly recommend asking friends and family, especially friends with kids the same age as yours. Another great option is to talk to your coworkers. Your coworkers are likely using the same dental insurance, which can make their recommendation even more valuable. Lastly, if you have a pediatrician for your child, you should ask them for their recommendation, as they likely have relationships with children’s dental offices in the area.
Another great method for finding a great dentist for your child is to check online reviews. Beyond the aggregate rating of the office, you should read through a handful of reviews to understand what is specifically liked or disliked about a dental office. For example, you might notice that a practice is consistently praised because of how well they work with kids with dental anxiety, while the negative reviews might be about smaller issues that might not matter to you specifically. Alternatively, if you notice that most of the negative reviews are related to how kids felt at the office and the positive reviews do not outweigh those negative ones, that might be a sign that you shouldn’t visit this office.
If you have specific questions about how your child’s dental visit will go or how a dental office helps kids with dental anxiety feel more comfortable during their visits, you can always ask in advance. Dentists who care about kids will let you know what they have in place to help kids feel more comfortable. For example, they might let parents stay with their children throughout the dental visit, or let kids use a hand signal if they need the dentist to stop and take a short break.
All Star Dental provides family-friendly dental services for patients of all ages at our five offices in the Chicago area. For more information, please give one of our offices a call or use our online appointment scheduling option.
