FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 15, 2018 • WELLNESS • THE QUEENS COURIER 43
The Benefits of Choosing a Pediatric Dentist for Your Child
The most advanced care in Queens.
If you were to look in a textbook for a
description of a pediatric dentist, you would
read a definition that states “the branch of
the dental healing arts that focuses on the
condition of children and associated structures
of the oral cavity.” However, if you ask a
pediatric dentist to define what they do, you
will get a much different answer. The truth is
a pediatric dentist is so much more and there
are many benefits to having a pediatric dentist
treat your child.
One of the biggest advantages of choosing a
pediatric dentist is their gentle nature. Going
to see the dentist can be overwhelming for
many adults, so imagine how a young child
must feel. Pediatric dentists are aware of
these common concerns and because they
have the training and skills to manage them,
they are best suited to make your child feel
comfortable and at ease once they are in the
dentist’s chair.
While having a dentist who makes your child
feel comfortable is important, it is equally
as important to make sure that the person
taking care of them is well qualified; this
happens to be another advantage of selecting
a pediatric dentist. Pediatric dentists receive an
additional two years of formal training to focus
on the growth and development of a child’s
oral cavity, from birth through the teenage
years. Since pediatric dentists specialize in
caring for children’s teeth, they are naturally
better equipped to address the many potential
problems that may occur, such as a delayed loss
of baby teeth or the development of cavities
and tooth decay.
Pediatric dentists take a holistic approach
to providing care to children and work with
parents to identify environmental factors that
may contribute to poor dental health, such
as dietary choices and the potential risks
associated with habits such as thumb sucking,
teeth grinding or the use of a pacifier. These
interactive opportunities serve to empower
the entire family to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Statistics indicate that pre-school children
are getting more cavities than ever before,
with one out of every four children having
one by the age of four. In addition, children
miss more time from school due to tooth
aches than they do from the flu. Due to these
alarming facts a pediatric dentist will practice
developmentally-based dental care by focusing
a great deal of time during your child’s initial
visits on teaching them about good dental
habits, such as how to properly take care of
their gums and teeth.
The pediatric dental team at Jamaica Hospital
is dedicated to treating all children, from the
time their first tooth erupts through their
high school years. They believe the world is a
happier place when it is filled with smiling
children and they take pride in maintaining
those smiles.
For more information, or to schedule an
appointment at Jamaica Hospital’s Pediatric
Dental Center, please call 718-206-6980.