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Great Post by USA dental hygienist on how children should be treated....

brit

brit

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QUOTE: CBS6 ALBANY WEBSITE MAY 2008

'I am a dental hygienist and have been for 19 years. I want parents to know that you do not have to take your child to a pediatric dentist. They can go where you go. I have always worked in a general dentist office and we see children every day. If a child comes to me, and I can tell they aren't ready, I DO NOT force them. Sometimes they just let me look with my eyes, no instruments. If that is all they can handle, then that is all I do. They get their toothbrush and prize and we try again in 6 months. As soon as I see tears, we are done. I was tramatized as a child and I swore I would never do that to a child. Children that come to our office love to come. We even have a child that gets mad at his mom when she comes and he can't because it isn't his turn.
If you ever have a question about any treatment your child is recieving...PLEASE ASK!!! That is your child. You have every right to be with that child at ALL TIMES!!!!! I admit, sometimes it is easier to work on a child and get honest answers if the parent is not there, but if the child insists....of course the parent comes back. We NEVER say they can't, and it certainly is NOT against NYS Law! Some offices will use the new HIPAA laws as an excuse that they can't go with their child. That is a load of you know what. The parent is with their own child, not wandering around the halls checking out who else is being seen! To anyone looking for a dentist, or ANY doctor for that matter, go by referrals. Ask your friends, neighbors or co-workers who they go to. We get most of our patients through referrals from other patients.
Don't be afraid because you have child health plus. If it is through CDPHP, than any CDPHP dentist can take them. Just call and ask. As far as regular medicaid, unfortunatly, they have to take medicaid. Most private offices don't accept medicaid because they don't pay enough to even cover the expense it takes to do the procedure. That is why most medicaid offices do very "quick" work. They need to get enough procedures in to make it profitable. Good ole federal government!
Also, in response to some comments, sometimes a crown is necessary on baby teeth, but ONLY on the molars. Children keep these teeth until they are 11 years old or so. Even though they are baby teeth, they guide the permanent teeth in to the proper position. Crowns are not needed on front teeth. These teeth fall out at age 6 and the kids are better off having them extracted, but ONLY if there is GROSS DECAY, which you would know just by looking at them. If you didn't realize there was a cavity on the front tooth, then there is not enough decay that it needs to come out. If your child is 9 or older, then no crowns are needed. If the tooth isn't bothering them, or abscessed, leave it until it falls out. Nothing that happens to a baby tooth has ANY impact on an adult tooth....EVER. Just because a child fell and their front tooth has darkened, nothing needs to be done to the baby tooth and nothing will happen to the adult tooth. Adult teeth are totally seperate!
Use your gut feelings.....If you think something just doesn't sit right with you, leave, think it over and ask questions. Even if you call another office and just get their opinion of what was told to you. I am soooooo sorry for what these children have gone through and this, unfortunatly, is the reason people have such dental phobias. Please know that this is certainly NOT all offices. Most of use got into this profession because we are compassionate and caring, not for the money! I love what I do and how I do it. I am a mother of a 4year old, and he loves to come to our office and have his teeth brushed. I just act goofy with the little ones and they leave laughing at me!!!!
I hope I helped some of you....'

Great post Crudscraper.....I agree that a General dentist who you trust is often a great alternative to a pediatric dentist. Thanks Brit.:)
 
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Re: Great Post by USA dental hygienist on how children should be treated....

Brit, I think that hygenist's post ought to be framed in all dental and medical, too, for that matter offices. And lol not only for on how to treat children. That was awesome to read. Thanks for sharing. :)

Mona
 
Re: Great Post by USA dental hygienist on how children should be treated....

I do think that some great points were made in this post, but I would like to carefully evaluate some of the statements that were made.

1. "Crowns are not needed on front teeth": I would tend to agree but the parents should decide if they want this service. If a patients teeth are extracted at 2 years of age it may be 6 years before permanent teeth erupt. This could cause psychological problems for the child if other children tease this child.
2."Nothing that happens to baby teeth has any impact on adult teeth Ever" This a very absolute statement and I would caution against this. I can give many examples where this is incorrect. For example: A patient has significant decay on a primary second molar's distal surface. This surface is in contact with the first permanent molar. If nothing is done about this you may increase risk of decay on the mesial surface of the permanent first molar. Another example: a baby falls and intrudes his front teeth. The x-ray shows us that the root of the primary tooth is in contact with the permanent tooth bud. If you do nothing you will risk damage to the permanent tooth. It does happen. I have seen it. It is real. That is why pediatric literature recommends extraction usually in this case. My point, this absolute statement could harm versus help patients.
3. " I want people to know that you don't have to take your child to a pediatric dentist. They can go where you go." This is a true statement, (just like children can see a family physician instead of a pediatrician). The question I would ask is, why in our societies do we even have pediatric dentists?? It is because we saw the need for general dentists to have more training. We wanted dentists that could better deal with the needs of children. In the US the average general dentist will receive about 6-8 weeks of clinical training in pediatrics during his or her schooling. A pediatric dentist is a general dentist (all dentists must be general dentists first) who decides to get more specialized training. Pediatric programs are 2-3 years in length and are usually hospital based. A pediatric dentist has significantly more training than a general dentist. Finally, there are many good general dentists, and you can take your children to them, but if it is possible wouldn't you rather take your child to someone who has specialized training in pediatrics. Think, this person gave up 3 additional years of their life so that they could understand your child better.

Sincerely,
Max
 
Re: Great Post by USA dental hygienist on how children should be treated....

Your affords will be evident for years to come.

Yep, the effects of these efforts are evident on this forum :(.

May I recommend a little book called "Building A No-Fear Practice: Introducing Children to a Lifetime of Positive Dental Care" by Allan Pike, DDS. Allan used to think similarly until he discovered that forcing dental care onto children and using methods such as restraint is a sure-fire way of turning them into adult dental phobics. Luckily, he was man enough to admit he'd been wrong all along and completely turned his practice around. The book can be ordered on Amazon.
 
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Re: Great Post by USA dental hygienist on how children should be treated....

Sorry Letsconnect, I've deleted her already but basically she was saying you do have to force kids.
 
Re: Great Post by USA dental hygienist on how children should be treated....

Nevermind, it's a good book tip anyway :thumbsup:
 
Re: Great Post by USA dental hygienist on how children should be treated....

3. " I want people to know that you don't have to take your child to a pediatric dentist. They can go where you go." This is a true statement, (just like children can see a family physician instead of a pediatrician). The question I would ask is, why in our societies do we even have pediatric dentists?? It is because we saw the need for general dentists to have more training. We wanted dentists that could better deal with the needs of children. In the US the average general dentist will receive about 6-8 weeks of clinical training in pediatrics during his or her schooling. A pediatric dentist is a general dentist (all dentists must be general dentists first) who decides to get more specialized training. Pediatric programs are 2-3 years in length and are usually hospital based. A pediatric dentist has significantly more training than a general dentist. Finally, there are many good general dentists, and you can take your children to them, but if it is possible wouldn't you rather take your child to someone who has specialized training in pediatrics. Think, this person gave up 3 additional years of their life so that they could understand your child better.


My dentist sees older kids all the time but not babies. He recommends a pediatric dentist for smaller children or children who have special needs, or a lot of fears, because a pediatric dentist and hygienist see kids all the time and know all kinds of 'tricks' to help them not be as scared. Also many adult dental offices don't have colorful and fun things to look at and toys and stuff. They also don't have stickers and fun toothbrushes and stuff like that which makes it easier for kids. My daughter hates to have her teeth brushed or for us to even look inside her mouth at home for any reason, even though we have always been super gentle with her. She is a toddler and I think its just one of those phases but for this reason we will be taking her to a pediatric dentist instead of my regular dentist. I think it will be better for her to be in a fun environment meant to be soothing for children mainly so she won't be afraid, and maybe even look forward to her visits. I remember not being afraid of the dentist because I always got a Tinkerbell toothbrush and a sticker after each visit. I only became afraid of the dentist as an adult.
 
Re: Great Post by USA dental hygienist on how children should be treated....

I'm not trying to steer up trouble, just my opinion which I maybe shouldn't have as I am not a mom yet. Just trying to explain why I, and possibly others would chose to take their kid to a regular dentist.

Normal dentists will usually not see kids under three because kids under three normally don't need to be seen before that unless they have an actual issue. Which, if they did, would be apparent to either their parents or their doctor, if not both. I read someone (The American Academy of pediatrics?) that you are supposed to take your kid to the dentist when they have their first tooth or AT LEAST at age one. I was like, what? Yes, I know, the appointment is presumably for the parents. But why don't they just give baby/toddler oral health courses for parents instead? Would make a whole lot of more sense than bringing in your one year old for an appointment . What are they gonna do with a kid who has one tooth? Look at that tooth and polish it? It's been there less than six months, I doubt it needs polishing yet. I get that the concept for familiarizing them with the environment, but that is possible without them having their first appointment at age one. Take them to with your to your check up appointments, take them to their siblings check ups etc. No matter what kind of reasoning they come up with, I'm not even gonna take a kid under at least two and a half who has zero issues to the dentist.

I'd take a not so fun regular dentists office where I know they won't be overtreated and stuck in a papoose if the dentist gets sick of dealing with them over a "fun" invasive office where I cannot come back with them. In the end going to a not so fun office beats being strapped down, alone, without your mommy at a "fun" office. I'm not saying all pediatric dentists are like that, but I heard my fair share of stories of folks being told that their kid needs a mouth full of stainless steel by a pediatric dentist who then took the child to their own dentist, who said they only needed a few fillings. Some of those folks I know personally so not just hearsay. Though in all fairness- many of the dentists at pediatric dental mills aren't even pediatric dentists. If I found a GOOD, affordable pediatric dentist who would let me go back with my hypothetical kids, and doesn't seem to want to put stainless steel on everything- I'd go there. But you aren't limited to just the pediatric guys. If a regular dentist can't handle a kids issues for whatever reason, I'm sure they refer them.

The only dentist I didn't hate was my first one. Not a pediatric dentist, and that guy was great. If he had stayed around I'm pretty positive that things wouldn't have gone to hell. I always got a prize, usually something like a dental mirror or military insignia. I thought that was the coolest, totally beat stickers and cool toothbrushes that I knew my parents could and would buy me anyway. Everything was always explained to me on my level. I was always praised and it always felt genuine. I was cool with it back then, even kinda liked going because I liked the dentist. I didn't like my pediatrician. He wasn't rude, or ever hurt me he simply wasn't my cup of tea. Which just goes to show that certain people, even children, just trust and respond to certain people better than to others regardless of their formal training.

Most regular dentists that treat kids do have little toys, or stickers, toothbrushes or SOMETHING for them and I have never been to an office of a dentist who treats kids and didn't have at least a couple of toys in the waiting room. And if the one I happened to take my kid to didn't, I'd bring my own toys and stickers and take them somewhere really fun afterwards.

As for the "parents should chose if they want ascetics crowns on baby front teeth"- well, I'd wanna punch anyone who chooses that their under six year old undergoes a procedure for nothing but a very temporary crown in THEIR teeth. Teased? What is it with these almost insane attempts to protect kids from being teased ? Every child WILL be teased for something during their childhood. Often it's a completely harmless part of childhood. Of course that's not always, and when it isn't the answer isn't to cap their teeth because they might be teased if they are extracted. They might get teased if they have glasses, so are you gonna get them contacts at two years old to prevent it?
Heck, a friends son got teased for his packed lunches at age 7. Should she stop packing him the lunches he loves because some little weirdo who has to eat school lunch makes stupid comments? No. This is really just this recent attitude of trying to protect kids from every possible negative emotion instead of teaching them to stand up for themselves and be proud of who they are. Naming your kid Roadkill, not teach him any manners and not wash and groom him before sending him off to school with a trashbag instead of a bookbag would be just asking for it . But there's something in between just asking for it and going above and beyond to make sure your kid isn't teased.

Maybe kids are completely and utterly different now, but back in the 90's, we loved the idea of losing our baby teeth. I couldn't wait to lose mine in Preschool and if I had seen someone my age already missing a bunch of front teeth- I would have been impressed. Also physical appearance based teasing didn't start until Elementary school, at which point everyone else would start losing THEIR teeth, too. I'd think that someone with a mouth full of stainless steel would be more likely to be teased than someone missing a few front teeth. Placing too much empathsis on a very young childs appearance, in my opinion, is never a good idea. There are too many teenage girls (and boys) not feeling good about the way they look already.
 
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Re: Great Post by USA dental hygienist on how children should be treated....

What a great post! I completely agree!
 
Re: Great Post by USA dental hygienist on how children should be treated....

I want to make one comment that no one has mentioned that is a major problem for pediatric dentists.
Many times the Rdh will see the young kids several times and never get any x-rays then finally the caries becomes visibly evident(extensive). At that time the general dentist will try and treat the kid "if he is good" but because the dentist isn't particularly good with little kids and can't offer any type of sedatives those appointments can be troublesome so now the generalist refers to the pediatric dentist.
This is the worst type of referral. The pediatric dentist now has an upset child whom he has not had a chance to build a relationship that needs immediate treatment.
The above is a rather common problem.
Now saying that I am a general dentist but I had extensive pediatric training including O.R. treatment of all types of kids so I understand how this happens. A doctor needs to decide which type of patients he can treat and which ones not to treat and that will vary with the individual.
Forget large office young pediatric dentists that's where most all the problems occur.
 
Re: Great Post by USA dental hygienist on how children should be treated....

I'd take a not so fun regular dentists office where I know they won't be overtreated and stuck in a papoose if the dentist gets sick of dealing with them over a "fun" invasive office where I cannot come back with them. In the end going to a not so fun office beats being strapped down, alone, without your mommy at a "fun" office. I'm not saying all pediatric dentists are like that, but I heard my fair share of stories of folks being told that their kid needs a mouth full of stainless steel by a pediatric dentist who then took the child to their own dentist, who said they only needed a few fillings. Some of those folks I know personally so not just hearsay. Though in all fairness- many of the dentists at pediatric dental mills aren't even pediatric dentists. If I found a GOOD, affordable pediatric dentist who would let me go back with my hypothetical kids, and doesn't seem to want to put stainless steel on everything- I'd go there. But you aren't limited to just the pediatric guys. If a regular dentist can't handle a kids issues for whatever reason, I'm sure they refer them.

Couldn't agree more - parents in USA choosing 'kid-friendly environment' need to ensure they are avoiding the Corporate Mills and avoiding any bona fide pediatric dentist who refuses to let them in the room.
 
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