7 Tips for Choosing an Orthodontic Practice for Your Child

More than half of kids aged 6 to 8 get cavities in their baby teeth, while the same is true of permanent teeth in adolescents between 12 and 19. The importance of your child’s oral health can’t be understated. Healthy teeth and gums are crucial for long-term oral health but just as important for things like gut and heart health. If you don’t get the right orthodontist for your child, you may regret it down the road. Choosing an orthodontic practice might seem arbitrary to some parents, but it makes a huge difference in your child’s attitude toward their oral health.

In this post, we’re going to give you 7 tips that will ensure you’re getting the best orthodontic care for your child.

It’s time to stop those cavities in their tracks. Keep reading, and you’ll have the best orthodontist possible for your child.

1. Experience Matters

When choosing something as important as a child’s orthodontist, you have to take experience seriously. Find out how long different orthodontists in your area have been practicing and how long they’ve been working with children.

It’s one thing to see a new orthodontist for your procedures, but when it comes to your child, you want to be confident in their experience. The longer an orthodontist has been practicing, the more time they’ve had to refine their abilities and treat all sorts of dental issues.

Every dentist has to start somewhere but having your child’s oral health in the hands of an orthodontist who is straight out of school should give you pause. For now, the more experience, the better.

2. Check Online Reviews

You should never pop into the first orthodontist practice that you find in the yellow pages. It’s important in this day and age to go online and search for all of the potential pediatric orthodontists in your area. This should give you dozens that are driveable from your home.

In order to separate the good from the mediocre, you’ve got to look at online reviews from former patients. There’s no better way to find out how an orthodontist and their practice operate than from someone who’s been there and experienced the treatment first-hand.

The ones that have the highest average rating with the most reviews will appear at the top of your Google search, but you can dig in a bit further. Read the reviews themselves to get a better idea of things, everything from customer service to the atmosphere of the practice.

Choose the ones that check all of the boxes and contact them to discuss your child’s oral health.

3. Gauge the Atmosphere

When you’re having initial talks with different orthodontists, make appointments to visit a few offices. You can’t go on reviews alone, you need to take your child into the practice to see what the atmosphere is like.

This is so important because an orthodontist’s office should be comfortable for a child. If they’re frightened of going to the dentist, it’s going to cause oral care problems now and into the future. They’ll need to feel safe, but the atmosphere should go as far as to make dentistry feel fun.

The staff and orthodontists should all be friendly and welcoming. The decor, from the posters on the wall to the dentist’s chair, should be comforting for your child. Ultimately, the best case scenario is that your child enjoys going to their orthodontist appointment.

4. Investigate Specializations

We discussed how important experience is above, but specializations are just as important. Choosing an orthodontist that specializes in treating children is a no-brainer for parents.

Many orthodontists will treat a wide variety of patients, from young children to the elderly. This can be beneficial for families because you can have everyone in for their dental appointment in a single afternoon. That said, kids and adolescents require special care.

At Ross Orthodontics, we specialize in early treatment for children between 7 and 9, as well as adolescent oral care. With our services, you’ll be able to make sure your child’s teeth are in good shape as they grow.

5. Do They Offer Consultations?

The first time you visit any orthodontist should be a consultation. Schedule consultations with a few different orthodontists and pay close attention during them.

The orthodontist should spend some time getting to know both you and your child. They should also take a look at your child’s mouth and let you know if there are any issues that might need dealing with.

Most of all, you should be paying attention to how the dentist and staff interact with your child. Should they offer up treatment plans, compare each one and figure out what makes the most sense for your family.

6. Be Logical

You have to be logical about how far you’re going to get your child their dental treatments. Only schedule consultations at practices close to home. You shouldn’t have to drive for hours to see a good orthodontist.

Think about your daily schedule as well. Do their hours work well with you, or are you going to have to go out of your way to get your child to their orthodontic appointments?

Lastly, do they take your insurance? Paying out of pocket for your kid’s treatment might be unsustainable. At Ross Orthodontics, we offer flexible financing, so you don’t have to let money stand in the way of your child’s oral health.

7. Getting Recommendations

When in doubt, a proven way to find a great orthodontist is by asking your friends and family for referrals. Most families get their children orthodontic care, so don’t be afraid to ask which orthodontist they go to.

Choose the Best Orthodontic Practice in Greenville

If you live in Greenville, NC, the best orthodontic practice for your child is a phone call away. At Ross Orthodontics, we specialize in orthodontic treatment for people of all ages, including children and teens.

Getting proper orthodontic treatment for your child is so important for their current and long-term oral health. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.