Dental Appointments
To make an appointment for your child, simply call our office at
(770)439-9119. Our office may
be closed at times for holidays and when we are attending continuing
education seminars. However, our answering service is always
available to take messages whenever the office is closed.
If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us at least 24 hours
in advance. This courtesy allows us to give your child’s appointment
to another young patient. We realize that unexpected things can
happen, but we ask for your assistance in this regard.
New patients will be scheduled early in the morning and immediately
after lunchtime since we have more time to spend with them during
that part of the day. We want to give your child and you as much
time and attention as possible for this important appointment. New
patient appointments involve: completing medical and other health
forms, getting to know our office, experiencing the “Tell-Show-Do”
approach for children to get familiar with our procedures, and
provides an information session for the parent to meet with the
doctor and other staff members.
Young children, such as preschoolers, should be seen in the morning
because they are less tired and we are typically less busy since the
older kids are school. We can spend more time with these children
and make them feel more comfortable while meeting their needs.
School children who need a lot of dental work should also be seen in
the morning for the same reasons as above. This appointment will be
an excused absence from school and we will provide them with a school
note before leaving. Missing school can be kept at a minimum when
regular dental care is continued.
Sedation appointments will also be scheduled in the mornings because
children must be without food before the procedure and we do not want
to keep them hungry. They are well rested and more comfortable at
that time of day. We also want to give them the rest of the day to
recover from the sedation medications that they will receive in the morning.
Parental Participation
We welcome parents to the initial new patient appointment and for an office
tour. However, we suggest that your child accompany our staff through future
dental treatments. We are all highly experienced in helping children
overcome anxiety. Separation anxiety is not uncommon in children, so
please try not to be concerned if your child exhibits some negative
behavior. This is normal and will soon diminish. Studies and experience
have shown that most children over the age of 3 react much more positively
on their own during the dental visit and in an environment designed for
children. Our purpose is to gain your child’s confidence and overcome
apprehension. In most cases, we invite you to come in toward the end of
your child’s visit to discuss what we have found.
If your child shows significant anxiety about coming to the treatment area
without you, however, you may certainly accompany him or her. Some very
young children are often more comfortable with a parent nearby. We do ask
you to be a “silent partner” and stand by quietly in order to give our
staff an opportunity to establish communication and trust directly with
your child. We also ask that, for the safety and privacy of our other
patients, other children who are not being treated should remain in the
reception area with a supervising adult. It is very important that you
do not leave our office during your child’s appointment. Situations may
arise when we may need to speak to you about their treatment plan or
emergency situations.
New Location Opening in Fall
Our new office at Cedar Crest will be open on October 5, 2010.