How to Choose a Pediatric Dentist
Find a qualified dentist., Locate a dentist recognized by a professional dentistry organization., Find out how the dentist deals with emergencies., Map the distance from the dentist to your home., Check the availability of dental care for your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a qualified dentist.
Not all dentists can provide for your pediatric dentistry needs.
Ask your dentist or pediatrician for recommendations regarding a good pediatric dentist.
Friends and family members with children might also have useful recommendations, so ask them if they can help.As a last resort, you might choose to utilize online reviews in your efforts to find a qualified dentist. -
Step 2: Locate a dentist recognized by a professional dentistry organization.
Look for a dentist who is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry or a similar organization.
This means the dentist has special interest or training in dentistry for children.
A good dentist will also hold membership in the American Dental Association or a similar professional organization., Ask the dentist or a representative of their office, “Have there ever been any emergency situations at your office? How did you – or how would you – deal with emergencies?” Listen carefully to the dentist’s answer.
Avoid pediatric dentists who cannot offer a detailed and reassuring reply to these questions., There are a lot of great pediatric dentists out there, but not all of them will be within easy reach.
Before selecting a pediatric dentist, determine the maximum distance you prefer to travel for pediatric dental care.
Look for pediatric dentists that fall only within the zone you’ve selected.For instance, you might decide that you do not want to take your child more than 45 minutes away for dental care.
In that case, only consider dental offices that are within 45 minutes’ travel time.
There is no right way to determine how far you should go for pediatric dental care.
Some people will decide 30 minutes is too far, while others are willing to travel 60 minutes or more for pediatric care. , Depending on where you live, you might have limited options about which pediatric dentist you can select.
For instance, if you have a private dental insurance policy, you will only be able to select a pediatric dentist who accepts that type of insurance you have.
Contact pediatric dentists you’re interested in patronizing before scheduling an appointment to find out if it is possible to receive care based on your child’s health coverage., In the rare case that you cannot locate a pediatric dentist within a reasonable range, you should be able to get adequate care from a regular dentist.
Ask several dentists in the area if they accept children as patients and which ages of children they will treat.
Evaluate them using the other criteria you’d use when deciding which pediatric dentist to choose. -
Step 3: Find out how the dentist deals with emergencies.
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Step 4: Map the distance from the dentist to your home.
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Step 5: Check the availability of dental care for your child.
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Step 6: Take your child to a regular dentist if necessary.
Detailed Guide
Not all dentists can provide for your pediatric dentistry needs.
Ask your dentist or pediatrician for recommendations regarding a good pediatric dentist.
Friends and family members with children might also have useful recommendations, so ask them if they can help.As a last resort, you might choose to utilize online reviews in your efforts to find a qualified dentist.
Look for a dentist who is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry or a similar organization.
This means the dentist has special interest or training in dentistry for children.
A good dentist will also hold membership in the American Dental Association or a similar professional organization., Ask the dentist or a representative of their office, “Have there ever been any emergency situations at your office? How did you – or how would you – deal with emergencies?” Listen carefully to the dentist’s answer.
Avoid pediatric dentists who cannot offer a detailed and reassuring reply to these questions., There are a lot of great pediatric dentists out there, but not all of them will be within easy reach.
Before selecting a pediatric dentist, determine the maximum distance you prefer to travel for pediatric dental care.
Look for pediatric dentists that fall only within the zone you’ve selected.For instance, you might decide that you do not want to take your child more than 45 minutes away for dental care.
In that case, only consider dental offices that are within 45 minutes’ travel time.
There is no right way to determine how far you should go for pediatric dental care.
Some people will decide 30 minutes is too far, while others are willing to travel 60 minutes or more for pediatric care. , Depending on where you live, you might have limited options about which pediatric dentist you can select.
For instance, if you have a private dental insurance policy, you will only be able to select a pediatric dentist who accepts that type of insurance you have.
Contact pediatric dentists you’re interested in patronizing before scheduling an appointment to find out if it is possible to receive care based on your child’s health coverage., In the rare case that you cannot locate a pediatric dentist within a reasonable range, you should be able to get adequate care from a regular dentist.
Ask several dentists in the area if they accept children as patients and which ages of children they will treat.
Evaluate them using the other criteria you’d use when deciding which pediatric dentist to choose.
About the Author
Dennis Jordan
Experienced content creator specializing in organization guides and tutorials.
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