Family Dentistry
Our Grove Dentist
Family Dentistry at Our Grove
As adults, we tend to continue to see the same practice unless there is a motivating factor for change. If you are among the patients with healthy teeth and no ongoing concerns, you may even be happy to see a new dentist each time you attend a regular visit.
When you are responsible for the oral health of a whole family, however, routine dental appointments can begin to feel stressful. Without the support of a skilled team, the dental environment can easily overwhelm patients who are very young or who suffer from dementia or spectrum disorders. What is a parent to do?
When you have a family of mouths to care for, you need a dental clinic that cares. Family dentists are qualified to perform the same treatments and procedures as any dentist in Alberta, so what’s the difference between them?
The real difference that can be experienced with a family dentist is their profound knowledge of dentistry across the age spectrum, and that the dentists that specialize in family dentistry have a true interest in making the experience of visiting the dentist as positive as possible. This is no small feat considering the nature of dentistry, but by beginning dental visits early, children learn to trust their dentist and their dental team.
The clinical space is decorated and accessorized with calming colour and a variety of distractions to keep children feeling positive about this new experience.
We believe that poor dental experiences occur due to a lack of trust between dentist and patient. That’s the reason that we work so hard to get to know our patient families. We are committed to serving your family’s dental health over the long term. Unlike a pediatric dentist who will stop treating you in adulthood, you won’t spend years with your family dentist only to be referred on to a new practitioner. The practice of dentistry is a complex one with many factors. Our priority is patient comfort and trust.
As family practitioners, we intentionally keep a more flexible schedule than most general dentists. Scheduling this way allows us to accommodate patients who need more time to get comfortable with the environment.
Patients with special needs and their caregivers will enjoy seeing a family dentist, since their dentist takes the time to prepare for their arrival based on their particular needs. Small children may need a few minutes to walk around and explore the clinic before beginning their appointment while others may require a personal item from home, noise cancelling headphones, or a brief chat while they settle into the dental chair.
Our staff is sensitive to the stress levels of caregivers who may struggle to know what to do when their parent or child is apprehensive at the dentist. Our staff is made up of professionally trained dental assistants and hygienists who are well-versed in strategies to foster patient comfort and who enjoy working with children. As a parent, often with other children in tow, you can feel confident that your child will be as comfortable as possible during their appointment and that any reasonable accommodation to ensure the patient’s success. Whether ‘success’ means successfully undergoing a procedure like a dental filling, or celebrating a cavity-free smile, your child’s efforts will not go unnoticed as our staff encourages them to relax into the dental chair and choose a program to watch on our overhead screens.
Family dentists want dental visits to be easy to accommodate for the whole family. At a general practice, you could be running each member to the dentist for regular appointments, which eats into your time as a busy parent. Our office offers group appointments to families who don’t mind a longer session if each member of the family can be seen on the same day. Similarly, we offer evening appointments to those whose schedule does not permit appointments during normal business hours. We know that the easier it is for our clients to take good care of their teeth, the more that they will be motivated to do so.
Reinforcing Good Behaviours at Home
The best way to teach kids how to take care of their teeth is to show them. As toddlers, children enjoy watching their parents complete their oral health routine while they chew away on a baby toothbrush. Going through the motions, even before baby teeth erupt, familiarizes the child with the feeling of having something inside of their mouths and helps to rub plaque bacteria off the gums. When children are too young to use a toothbrush, a moist face towel can be used to stimulate the gums with gentle wiping and cleans away plaque.
For questions about this or other services offered by our general dentist, contact our clinic today.
