Dr.
Blankenship’s ultimate goal is to create an environment for
her patients that is non-threatening and one that children
feel very comfortable visiting.
“Once we achieve this goal, the dental
needs are much easier and certainly more pleasant for the
child to manage."
The doctor and her staff strive to make
every child's visit a very positive experience. They talk to
children in terms they understand and never use such terms as
'pull', 'shot', 'needle', or 'hurt'. Instead, they make it a
practice to use words that convey the same message, but are
much less frightening. We treat every child as if he or she
were our very own.
Our office, as well as the The American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Dental Association
(ADA), and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD)
all recommend establishing a "Dental
Home" for your child by one year of age. Children
who have a dental home are more likely to receive appropriate
preventive and routine oral health care.
The Dental Home
is intended to provide a place other than the
Emergency Room for parents.
You can make the first visit to the dentist
enjoyable and positive. If old enough, your child should be
informed of the visit and told that the dentist and their staff
will explain all procedures and answer any questions. The less
to-do concerning the visit, the better.
It is best if you refrain from using words
around your child that might cause unnecessary fear, such as
"needle", "shot", "pull", "drill" or "hurt". The office makes a
practice of using words that convey the same message, but are
pleasant and non-frightening to the child.
We ask that you allow
your child to accompany our
staff through the dental experience. 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 more positively when
permitted to experience the dental visit on their own and in an
environment designed for children.
We strive to make each and
every visit to our office a fun one!
For your convenience prior to
visiting our office, please click on the Patient Forms link
below, complete the information and bring it with you to your
first visit
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