We strive to make dental visits positive, fun experiences for both children and parents.
For your first visit as well as six month checkups, the Little Grinners team will use some butterfly whispers, fairy sparkles, and many years of expertise to make sure those little grins are shiny and healthy.
Here is what we provide at checkup based on the child’s age.
Age 1
This is a “happy visit”. Our littlest grinners will receive a full exam from Dr. Craig. We will also review dental health habits that can be started at this age, and make sure all those new baby teeth are looking healthy and happy. You’ll also get a goodie bag of supplies, including a Baby Banana Toothbrush, to help kick start the healthy dental habits we discuss.
Age 2
Now that all those baby teeth are in, it’s time for the first cleaning, which is called a toothbrush phophy. We usually do this cleaning with a regular toothbrush rather than our electric brush, which can feel a little funny to some toddlers. Our Little Grins team will also apply a preventative fluoride varnish, or “vitamins”, to help keep those chompers strong. Dr. Craig will do a full exam, and we will also review dental health habits that are appropriate for this age. You’ll also get a goodie bag of supplies to help keep up the healthy dental habits we discuss.
Age 3
Little Grinners who are three get to have a try with our electric toothbrush, which can feel a little tickley, but does a great job of cleaning off all those big kid foods that they’ve started eating (this is called a professional cleaning, or a prophy). We’ll floss all those teeth (usually there are about 20 of them by now!) and work with mom and dad to identify any areas that might need special brushing and flossing attention at home. Our Little Grins team will also apply a preventative fluoride varnish, or “vitamins”, to help keep those chompers strong. Dr. Craig will do a full exam, and we will also review dental health habits that are appropriate for this age. Meanwhile, Little Grinners get to watch a 3D movie on our ceiling-mounted screens while all this is going on! You’ll also get a goodie bag of supplies to help keep up the healthy dental habits we discuss.
Age 4-11
Our preschool and elementary aged kids are ready for a comprehensive exam! This includes everything in the Age 3 exam described above, plus X-rays. Our X-rays are digital, which means less radiation for everyone. We also use a child-sized digital sensor, which is a lot easier to fit in little mouths, and a whole lot less pokey than the ones your dentist used when you were a kid!
Age 12 and up
By this point, most kids have all of their adult teeth except for their wisdom teeth. The professional cleaning takes longer now, since teeth are larger, and there are more crevices and grooves to clean. However, we are happy to provide kind and big-kid-friendly care to our preteen and teen aged patients while they “chill” (is that still a cool word?) and enjoy our 3D televisions. And, we’ll still set them up with a goody bag full of tools to help them keep their smiles healthy.
