Pediatric Dental Patients: Dentists Like Them
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dentists treating kids to our blog
Read the
pediatric dentistry press release
Most dentists treat pediatric patients, found our recent
survey. Ninety-five percent treat teens, and two out of three treat kids under 6.
"I love caring for kids," said one dentist, while another confessed, "I break out in hives when I treat anyone under 18."
"Pedodontists make their money the old fashioned way - they earn it!" opined one general dentist.
Nearly all dentists report that they treat teenagers.
Over 10% of dentists said that they always refer out patients under age 6.
It's no surprise that pediatric dentists are more likely to treat kids than general dentists! Only about half of general dentists treat patients under 6, while every pediatric dentist does.
There's money in family dentistry
- "If you treat children like gold, you'll see their mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, and grandparents as well!" (Virginia dentist)
- "It seems like parents readily spend money on their kids but compromise on themselves if required." (Endodontist)
But not everyone loves treating kids
- "I break out in hives when I treat anyone under 18." (Indiana dentist)
- "I don't enjoy restorative on very small children... It's not profitable, and it's stressful." (Kentucky dentist)
- "Life is too short." (North Carolina dentist)
- "Either the child or the parent may be problematic." (Texas dentist)
Treat who you prefer
- "If they can be reasoned with and kept calm with nitrous, I'll treat them. I don't treat anyone that is screaming and crying, and I don't care how old they are!! Be calm, or take drugs!!" (Michigan dentist)
- "If you do not enjoy treating them, then don't! They know you do not like it and they get traumatized." (Illinois pediatric dentist)
- "It depends on your attitude and nature." (New York dentist)
- "I will refer out sedation candidates and patients with poor behavior, but that's only about 3-5% of younger children." (Arizona dentist)
Good dental care for kids
- "They will have a better dental life if they start with a pediatric office. Pedodontists make their money the old fashioned way---they earn it." (New York dentist)
- "General dentists need to start seeing more children including infants and toddlers. Every child should have a dental home by age 1." (Tennessee dentist)
Teens are different from children
- "I only consider children up to age 13 as pediatric patients. This is based on the pediatric medical model. But this may be changing as more and more physicians compete for health care dollars. I have seen some pediatricians that take children to 16. But when I was in nursing school, the hospitals only allowed children on pediatric floors up to age 13." (Colorado dental office worker)
Note: Survey sample included 147 respondents.
