Ways A Pediatric Dentist Is Different From A General Dentist

If you have young kids and have not yet brought them to a dentist, you should consider making an appointment soon. Kids should start seeing a dentist, like those at Sun Dental, by the age of one or two, and you may want to schedule the visits with a pediatric dentist. Pediatric dentists offer services for treating children only, and they are different from general dentists in several ways. Here are three of the main differences you should know about with these types of dentists.

Pediatric dentists have special training

To become a dentist, a person must complete a four-year program in dentistry, and this earns the person the title DDS or something similar. If a person wants to become a pediatric dentist, he or she must complete additional education to learn how to do this, and this often requires attending school for an extra two to three years. This extra training is helpful and necessary, as treating children in dentistry is much different than treating adults. There are different things dentists do and look for with children, and there are different challenges of working with kids than with adults.

Pediatric dentists offer different services

While most of the services offered by general dentists and pediatric dentists are the same, there are some differences. For example, a pediatric dentist will almost always offer sedation options to children who must undergo dental work, whereas general dentists may not have to offer sedation due to the differences in ages of clients. Secondly, pediatric dentists work a lot with baby teeth, whereas general dentists work primarily on permanent teeth.

Pediatric dentists offer incentives, educational resources, and more

The other key difference is the way the clinics are set up. A pediatric dental clinic will aim to make kids feel comfortable. There may be toys there or decorations for kids, and there may be a chalkboard wall that is titled, "The No Cavity Wall." Additionally, pediatric dentists will supply kids with kid toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other dental-related items. They will also offer educational supplies to the kids and parents to help them learn how to care for their teeth. Kids, especially young ones, will likely enjoy visiting a pediatric dental clinic, simply because they will feel welcome there.

If you would like to schedule a visit with a pediatric dentist, you can do so by contacting a clinic of your choice. You can learn more about pediatric dentistry by contacting a dental office today.


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