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Kid Health

Open wide! Fight fear by going to a pediatric dentist. By Larry UrishPublished: May, 2009

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Escorting your child to the dentist may not be a walk in the park for you or your little one. The new environment, the need to stay still for a prolonged period of time and the interaction with strangers – not to mention the dental work itself – can stress out even the heartiest child.     However, you and your dentist can do a number of things to help your child adjust to his first and subsequent visits to the friendly tooth doc. By reducing, or even eliminating, his fear of dentists, you’ll be giving your child a gift for life and will help to ensure that he will continue with regular visits well into adulthood.      Your kid-friendly dentist It’s highly recommended that you take your child to a pediatric dentist, who completes two to three years of additional specialized training after finishing dental school. "I recommend a dental practice that is designed specifically for children,” says Huntington Beach pediatric dentist Dr. Dimitri Bizoumis. “The staff members choose to work for a pediatric dentist, because they like children. So most children are comfortable in the office. The pediatric dentist has special training in helping nervous children feel safe during dental treatment.     “Pediatric dentists,” Bizoumis adds, “are trained to help children feel comfortable with their dental treatment by, for example, showing and naming the dental instruments.”     Since kids are keen observers, they can pick up on small cues, even the words a dentist uses.     “It’s best to refrain from using words that might cause fear, such as ‘needle,’ ‘pull,’ ‘drill’ or ‘hurt,’” says Bizoumis. “We make a practice of using words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightening to a child. And the dentist and staff should explain all procedures and answer any questions.”     All pediatric dentists employ a colorful variety of resources to help make their little patients feel at ease.     “Kids love our books, toys, coloring materials and stuffed animals,” says Dr. Maryam Pearose, one of the pediatric dentists at Aliso Kids Dental & Orthodontics, in Aliso Viejo. “We have a little play area in the waiting room. The children are given balloons when they leave our office, and they can pick out a toy from our treasure chest. We also have a No Cavity Club, which awards kids who have good checkups.”     These colorful items, among many others, help to create an essential feeling of trust in young patients.     “Building a foundation of trust by treating our patients as special individuals is vital to our success,” says Bizoumis. “Every child does something right during a dental visit, and pediatric dentists let children know that.” What you can do Now that you’ve found an excellent pediatric dentist – a professional with a kid-friendly personality who offers the key elements noted above – what can YOU do to make your child’s visit to the dentist stress-free, or even pleasurable?     First off, should you accompany your child to the exam area?     “It depends on the age of the child,” says Bizoumis. “Infants and young children may feel more secure when their parents stay close. With older children, communication between the child and dentist is often better when the parents remain in the reception room.”     Parents can help their child by doing the right things long before you and your child enter the pediatric dentist’s office. Kids will pick up on your fears and concerns, and unless you’re careful, any bad experiences that you’ve had may cause undue stress for your child.         Pearose takes a simple, pragmatic approach: “The less you tell your children, the better,” she says. “Dental techniques and instruments are so much more advanced than they were in the past, so your child’s visit will surely be a lot easier than it was for you.”     Knowing that will brighten any child’s smile. QUALITY COUNTS Keeping your child’s choppers healthy for life starts with a positive first experience. A pediatric dentist knows exactly how to examine, reassure and treat tiny mouths.     Here are two excellent Orange County professionals: < Dr. Dimitri Bizoumis has a Pediatric Dentistry Certificate from USC and is now a clinical professor there. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the Orange County Dental Society and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. > Dr. Maryam Pearose of Aliso Kids Dental & Orthodontics received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from UC San Francisco. As a dental student, she received several awards for outstanding achievement. Most notable, she was the recipient of the Certificate of Merit Award from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in 2003. Larry Urish is a contributing writer for OC Family magazine.

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