FAQs

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that any child see a pediatric dentist for the first time either by the age of one, or within six months after their first tooth develops.

Our goal is that every child has a positive experience at our office. For some work, local anesthesia is needed to make the child comfortable. We refrain from using words like, “shot” or “needle” and instead refer to “sleepy juice.” We are well trained in behavioral guidance to communicate effectively to our patients to make them as comfortable as possible. We also use nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” to assist in reducing anxiety.

Your child’s comfort and health will always come first, so if there is a step that we can take to help create the most pain-free experience possible, rest assured it’s one we’re willing to take.

During your child’s first examination, your pediatric dental professional will give you a wide array of information on things like:

• Finger-sucking habits
• Teething
• Mouth cleaning best practices
• Infant feeding best practices
• Baby bottle tooth decay and more

Click here to learn more about what to expect during your first visit.

A pediatric dentist is a type of dentist who has had specialty training on how to treat children, and how a child’s mouth, gum, and teeth develop. A pediatric dentist also has unique training dedicated to helping children feel comfortable during an office visit, including behavioral guidance techniques.

We are providers in-network for many insurance companies including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, United Concordia, and MetLife. We also accept all major credit cards, checks, and cash.

Does the Office Accommodate Families?

Yes! We’re well aware of the fact that every family’s schedule is packed, which is why our team is happy to co-schedule appointments to save your family time.

We can schedule siblings together for dental cleanings and also orthodontics when the time comes! 

We understand that our youngest patients are often apprehensive and it may take a while for them to learn to trust us. For our youngest children, we may begin by doing a knee to knee exam with the parent present and the patient’s head laid back in the doctor’s lap. We may progress at future visits to the patient sitting in the chair and slowly leaning partially back. It may take several visits to get to the point where the patient is comfortable leaning back all the way in the chair and having a full cleaning.