Special Needs
Dental special needs in Redmond, WA, refers to a branch of specialized dentistry. For individuals who need additional considerations during dental care, you can count on these professionals to tailor their approach to meet the patient. Whether your child has physical, mental, or emotional special needs, the staff at Growing Smiles Children’s Dentistry treats every one of our clients with the respect they deserve.
How to Prepare Your Child
One of the most important things to do for a special needs child is to make sure that they’re prepared. Even more so than other kids, a hypersensitivity to touch, smell, and sights can throw an appointment into overdrive. From oral aversions to general discomfort, our staff can say with certainty that there are a few simple ways to get everyone ready:
- Consistency: You want your child to be used to going to the dentist, so it’s important to schedule appointments as early as possible. In addition, you’ll want to stick to a checkup every 6 months, no matter how painful the first few times may be.
- Attitude: Showing any type of dental anxiety around a child can have a lifelong impact on how they perceive the dentist. It’s important to understand how your personal fears translate around your child. Trying to disguise your feelings may not be as effective as you think, particularly if you notice your child becoming uncomfortable with the idea of the dentist.
- Education: A special needs child needs to be empowered in the same way that all children do. Helping them understand what they can do to prevent certain scenarios can give them the motivation they need to practice better hygiene habits at home. If they want to curb their time in the chair, it’s one of the best ways to teach them about the positive consequences of following the recommendations.
Special Needs Dentistry in Redmond
The most important thing for a dentist to understand is that not every patient will react the same way to the same services. This is true even for kids who may have the same condition, such as autism. Just because one child is startled by having their teeth cleaned, doesn’t mean another child will. All dentists will adapt to their patients over time, once they learn more about their personal preferences and fears. The key is finding a staff without too high of a learning curve.
At Growing Smiles Children’s Dentistry, our staff can tell you more about how we deal with different types of patients. You can also tell us more about specific tendencies of your special needs child and how that might impact our experience with them. Our top priority is promoting a lifetime of your child’s oral health. The more prepared everyone is, the more effective the treatments will be.
