The dental office can be a scary place for kids. For those with special needs, it can be terrifying. As a parent, you never want your child to go through anything that makes them feel scared or nervous, but you do want to do everything you can to keep your child healthy. So what do you do when they’re frightened to go somewhere that’s necessary for their wellbeing? Our pediatric dental office in Long Island can help you make the right decision for your child’s oral health care.
Before we can cover how to make sure a special needs child is getting the dental care she deserves, it’s important to define what special needs dentistry means. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), special needs pediatric dentistry is an appropriate term to describe a special kind of dentistry designed for anyone with the following types of needs:
Children with special health care needs (SHCN) need to see a dentist just as regularly as everyone else. But in order to get the best, most appropriate care possible, they should go to a dentist that’s trained to meet their advanced needs.
Pediatric dentists in specific are required to complete two or more years of additional education beyond dental school to learn advanced techniques on the differences between treating adolescent patients and adult patients. They’re also trained in behavior management and sedation to help get children the care they need. Often this training includes how to treat those with special needs.
Ideally your child will see one of those dentists that has advanced education and experience on working with special needs children. You should look for a dentist that specifically says they’re trained to treat SHCN patients. Most importantly, you should choose one who makes your child feel as comfortable as possible, and who makes you comfortable too.
At our Long Island pediatric dental office, we’re here to take care of little smiles of all kind, including our most special patients. If you’re looking for a dentist who can help your child with special needs get and keep a healthy mouth, give us a call to schedule an appointment.
Accepting new patients from Long Island, Westbury, Nassau County.
