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What is a Dental Home?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) defines the dental home as "the ongoing relationship between the dentist and the patient, inclusive of all aspects of oral health care delivered in a comprehensive, continuously accessible, coordinated, and family-centered way." They recommend that parents establish a dental home for their child before their first tooth erupts and no later than 12 months of age, with a first visit or dental well visit to the dentist.
How can you establish a Dental Home?
The most important part of establishing a dental home is to start early, both by selecting a trusted dental office with qualified, experienced professionals, as well as building good dental habits at home.
Kaydental's team of professionals includes certified specialists in dentistry for children (pediatric dentists) and a certified specialist in orthodontics. Together with the rest of our team, we are here to guide you and your family's oral health at every age, from the first dental well visit, through your child's early years, then through their growth and development from baby teeth into the adult dentition and beyond into adulthood.
Why is it important to establish a Dental Home?
A pediatric dentist understands common diseases that can afflict children, and how to combat them. Common oral diseases include early childhood cavities, gum disease, tooth decay, infections and halitosis (bad breath). Early childhood caries (cavities) are especially common in children under the age of three. It can run in families and can be passed from parent to child, even from generation to generation. However, an oral health risk assessment, usually done at the child's first dental visit or before 1 year of age, can provide the opportunity to identify high-risk patients and provide timely intervention to reduce the risk for early childhood caries and treat any cavities that have already developed.
On their first visit to Kaydental, we will examine your child's mouth and teeth to make sure everything is as it should be and address any concerns you may have. These first visits also help your child get used to the sights and sounds of our dental office as we gently introduce dental care using age-appropriate language and techniques. We can determine your child's oral care needs including recommendations for a sound dental home care routine. A very important benefit of early visits to the dentist is that they help children develop a healthy attitude toward dental care and this goes a long way to reducing anxiety and fear of the dental environment. Regular visits and preventive care will prevent small problems from becoming bigger than they need to be, often resulting in lower costs for many treatments.
Dental problems can begin early especially if your child uses a bottle during naps or at night. This is a common cause of early childhood caries (cavities). Whenever possible, children should drink from a cup after their first birthday. And, although we all know that kids love to snack, limiting your child's snacking behaviour can significantly decrease the risk of developing cavities.
Your own dental hygiene and dental care routine are also very important. By setting a positive example with your own regular dental care, young children accept dental home care and regular visits to the dentist as routine for them as well.
Another benefit of establishing a dental home is that you will have a trusted and accessible place to call if a dental emergency or concern arises. Your child will be treated by a dentist who knows their dental background and with whom your child is comfortable.
Contact Kaydental today if you would like to establish a dental home for your family or if you have any questions about the scope of dental care we provide. Click here to learn more about our certified pediatric dentist, Dr. Leila Raziee. Our dedicated team will provide a positive introduction to dental care that will serve your child well now and for years to come.
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Our fees are based on the most current Ontario Dental Association fee guide for General Practitioners for general dental services and the most current Ontario Dental Association fee guide for Specialists for specialty dental services.
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At Kaydental, we believe that a fair fee is one of the key features in building a strong patient-doctor relationship. At our North York dental office, we follow the suggested fee guide for General Practitioners from the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) in order to maintain pricing stability and keep patients in the know about the price of every service and product they pay for.
If you have any questions about the costs of any of our dental services, please contact us so one of our staff members can clarify and guide you through the price determinations.
