What a first visit looks like
- Meeting before anything happens. Your child rides the chair up and down, counts teeth in a mirror, and gets shown the little water squirter and the suction straw. Nothing goes in their mouth until they have seen it.
- A gentle look. We check the teeth, gums, bite, tongue, and how the jaw is developing, and note whether the spacing looks right for permanent teeth to come. Digital images only when there is a reason to take them.
- A cleaning, if today is the day. Polish, floss, and fluoride if it is appropriate. If your child is not ready for all of it, we do the part they can handle and finish next time. A short visit that ends well is worth more than a complete cleaning that ends in tears.
- A conversation with you. What we saw, what to watch, what to change about brushing or snacks, and whether anything needs treatment now or can safely wait. You get told which of those it is.
Care we provide for children
- Cleanings and checkups, usually every six months
- Fluoride treatments, and honest advice about how much fluoride your child actually needs
- Sealants on permanent teeth, which is the single most effective thing we do to prevent cavities in kids
- Tooth-colored fillings, including for cavities in baby teeth
- Digital x-rays, taken only when there is a specific reason and always with a lead apron and thyroid collar
- Custom mouthguards for contact and ball sports
- Help with thumb sucking and pacifier habits before they start affecting the bite
- Emergency care for a knocked-out, broken, or badly bumped tooth
- Nitrous oxide sedation for children who need help staying calm
How we handle a nervous child
We use tell, show, do. Every instrument is named in kid-friendly language, demonstrated on a finger or a mirror, and only then used. Nothing is a surprise, because surprises are what children remember.
We avoid the words that create the fear in the first place. No shot, no drill, no pain, not even in a reassuring sentence, because a child hears the scary word and not the reassurance around it. We would rather say we are going to count your teeth and take pictures.
Practical things help too. Morning appointments work better than late afternoon, and our Wednesday and Thursday hours start at 7a for exactly that reason. A parent is welcome in the room. A comfort object is welcome in the chair. And our team speaks English, Spanish, Russian, and Hebrew, which matters when a child is more at ease in a language other than English.
When your child needs a specialist
We are a general practice that welcomes children, not a pediatric specialty office, and we are straightforward about where that line falls.
Very young children with extensive decay, children who would need general anesthesia or hospital dentistry, kids with complex medical or airway needs, and significant orthodontic problems are usually better served by a pediatric dentist or an orthodontist. When we think that is your child, we say so and help you find the right person rather than stretching past what we should be doing.
For everything else, the routine care that keeps a child out of trouble, we would rather see your whole family under one roof. Call or text (713) 668-8383 to get your child on the schedule.
Common questions
At what age should my child first see a dentist?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a first visit by the first birthday or within six months of the first tooth appearing. Our practice sees children starting at age 2, so if yours is younger than that, your pediatrician or a pediatric dentist can handle that earliest check, and we are glad to take over from age 2 onward.
Do cavities in baby teeth really need to be fixed?
Yes. Baby molars are not temporary in any meaningful sense; some stay until around age 10 to 12. Untreated decay causes pain, can become infected, can damage the permanent tooth developing underneath, and losing a baby tooth early lets neighboring teeth drift into the space the permanent tooth needed.
How often should my child come in?
Every six months for most children. Some kids get cavities easily and do better on a three or four month interval, and some are genuinely low risk. We will tell you which group your child is in based on what we actually see, rather than putting every family on the same schedule.
Can I stay with my child during the appointment?
Yes, always, at any age. Some children do better with a parent right there and some do better when a parent steps back a little; you know yours best and we will follow your lead. Tell us in advance if your child is anxious so we can plan a slower visit rather than discovering it in the chair.
