brit
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- Joined
- Mar 23, 2006
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- In My Dental Happy Place
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.
'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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