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Everything to know before the first visit

What to expect, when to start, our kids and teen offices, care for parents, and how we practice.

Dr. Stafford and a smiling baby in a mirror

The first visit

Preparing for the first dental visit

At World of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, we are excited to welcome you and your child to the practice and will strive to make it a pleasant experience.

The first visit will consist of a thorough review of your child’s dental and health information and a comprehensive dental examination along with a discussion on proper diet, nutrition and good oral hygiene habits. Usually, a professional dental cleaning, remineralization therapy and any necessary radiographs are also performed during this visit. The information gathered will allow our doctors to prepare a treatment plan and recommend the best options for your child’s dental care.

You can help us make the first visit enjoyable and positive. It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear or tell “scary” stories about going to the dentist. Words such as “needle”, “shot”, “pull”, “drill” or “hurt” may cause preventable anxiety and make the first dental visit more difficult for your child. At World of Smiles, we strive to make your child’s first dental visit a positive and exciting adventure. Therefore, we use words that are pleasant and non-frightening to your child while explaining what we are doing in “kid-friendly” terms.

We encourage you to stay with your child during the initial examination. Our goals include: providing the highest quality of care for your child, developing a positive relationship with you and your child, discussing proper diet, nutrition and oral hygiene as well as answering all questions.

We review your child's dental and health information.
We examine with a comprehensive, gentle exam.
We talk about diet, nutrition and good habits for home.

When should my child start?

By the first birthday

The American Academy of Pediatricians, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists and our Board Certified Pediatric Dentists recommend that a child’s first dental visit occur around his/her first birthday or within six months of the eruption of his/her first tooth.

This first visit will orient the child to the new experience of a dental office. Also, the parents and/or caregivers will receive information on proper oral hygiene habits, nutrition and diet guidelines. Just as it is important for a child to have Well-Child Check-ups with your pediatrician, it is important for a child to establish a Dental Home. Early education and check-ups can lead to a lifetime of good oral hygiene. We will partner with parents to keep children cavity-free.

A toddler in gloves practicing brushing a toy shark's teeth

Dr. Stafford in colorful scrubs cleaning a young patient's teeth while another child watches

Kids · Suite 280

Pediatric Dentistry

World Of Smiles is primarily a pediatric dental office. This means we employ board certified pediatric dentists, who receive an additional two years of training to specialize in the oral health of kids and those with special needs.

At World Of Smiles, we firmly believe in starting kids on a path that leads toward success with their oral health. A big part of this is the age one dental visit. The purpose of a first year exam is to educate the parents or guardians on what is taking place in the mouth of their child, how to prevent cavities, what proper nutritional habits will keep teeth healthy and strong, and what to do in case of a dental emergency.

Our pediatric dental practice is specially equipped to make each visit fun for kids, with TVs over every chair, toys and games in the waiting area, and special prizes to take home.

Two smiling teens, one carrying the other

Teens · Suite 220

Teen Dentistry

World of Smiles is growing up with the addition of a dedicated teen clinic! The new office is located in Suite 220, just across the hall from our original office, allowing parents to continue scheduling their teens with younger siblings at the same time.

This transitional practice will focus on preventative care for teens and young adults including regular cleanings, exams, x-rays, and sealants. The office will continue to offer nutritional counseling as well as acting as a resource on the dangers of tobacco marijuana, vapes, and ZYN's use and other teen issues.

In addition to basic care and hygiene, the clinic will treat small fillings, and provide some extractions. Concerns like root canals, aesthetic crowns, and third molar extractions will be referred to a trusted provider. Only once their dental needs regularly exceed our scope will it prove necessary to find those young adults a new dental home with a true adult dentist.

Parents too

Grown-Up Dentistry

And of course, we are also adding space in our schedules to allow parents to be seen right alongside their teens! This service is described as Adult Preventative Dentistry, since we will not be set up to handle the more complicated cases.

We will need to establish if we are a good fit for your own dental care.

If you are interested, please COMPLETE THIS SURVEY to see if this service is a good option for your dental needs.

How we practice

Science-based and sustainable dentistry

We define science-based and sustainable dentistry as treating the whole child and family in a safe and intentional environment. Our goal is to provide a positive learning experience for each child that we meet, and we work with parents to identify the contributing factors to their child’s cavities. Our extensive patient interview, Oral Hygiene Instruction and Nutritional Counseling all play a part in treating our patients.

The features of our approach to science-based and sustainable dentistry include:

Mercury-free
BPA-free
Recycling all approved plastics
Electronic charting
BIS-GMA free options

Click through the gallery below for more detail on some of these and other topics.

Chalkboard reading: Mercury is for thermometers, not teeth

Mercury-Free

At World of Smiles, we only use the most sophisticated products that we know are safe and healthy for our patients. Therefore, we do not use any mercury-containing materials. We use dental materials that are the most biocompatible. Furthermore, we do not use Dental Sealants that contain Bisphenol-A. Rest assured that we are concerned with the overall health of your child.

Computerized Office

From the moment you enter World of Smiles and complete all forms on a computer, you will recognize you are in a high-tech environment. Everything from digital radiographs to paperless charting is incorporated into this modern pediatric dental practice.

A TV on the wall and a giraffe plush in a kid-friendly room with painted trees

Patient Entertainment

Televisions built into the ceiling above every dental chair provide children with a positive and family-friendly distraction. By keeping the patient distracted with our commercial free, age appropriate movie selection, the dental team can easily communicate with parents while thoroughly examining and cleaning their child’s teeth. During treatment procedures, the child is able to engage in a fun movie experience which makes appointments seem shorter and much more enjoyable for the child.

Patient forms on a tablet at the front desk

Paperless Office

We run a highly sophisticated dental software program that allows us to create individualized treatment plans for our child patients. We can easily display your child’s radiographs, pictures and dental needs on the computer screen to better communicate with you and answer any questions you may have. Once we determine a plan for your child’s oral health care, we will print you an easy-to-understand take-home statement.

Water Filtration

At World of Smiles we provide only the healthiest options for our patients which is why we installed a highly sophisticated water filtration system. This state-of-the-art system filters all incoming water so that patients receive only the highest quality filtered water during cleanings, treatment and while in the office.

Panoramic X-ray machine in a room painted with hot air balloons

Digital Radiography

All x-rays are taken with state-of-the-art computer technology, which uses significantly less radiation than traditional x-rays. We also have an unique extra-oral panoramic machine which can capture everything we need to see and eliminates gagging or struggling to keep the film in place. Patients love how easy it is!

Modern dental equipment in a treatment bay

State Of The Art

We believe in keeping up with technology and the most sophisticated dental products. There are some cutting edge products that allow for repairing an area of tooth decalcification or early cavity without drilling. This is a very new concept and still in the early stages of research and development but the possibilities are exciting.

Good to know

Our office policies

Patient Appointments

Patients are seen by appointment only. We make every effort to be on time for our patients and we ask the same courtesy from your family. If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us immediately, giving a minimum of 48 hour notice to avoid any missed appointment fees. We realize that unexpected illnesses and emergencies may occur, but we ask for your assistance in this regard.

Our office strives to schedule appointments at your convenience and when time is available. Preschool age children should be seen in the morning when they are fresh and easily cooperative. This enables our doctor and assistants to work slowly and at a comfortable pace with your child. School age children requiring treatment should be seen in the morning for the same reason. Dental appointments are considered an excused absence and a doctor’s letter is available for your child’s teacher upon request.

Please understand that all of our patients will have school schedules to maintain and while our goal is to enable each individual child to miss a minimal amount of school, there may be times when your child will need to be excused for a short period of time during the morning or early afternoon for their regularly scheduled exam and cleaning. We expect all of our families to be prepared to schedule at least one visit during the school day.

Insurance & Patient Co-Pay

If you have insurance, we will help you understand your coverage. Please give us any new or updated insurance at least 48 business hours before the appointment, so we can check your benefits and network status. Otherwise, you will be responsible for the full bill. It also helps to call your insurance company before the visit to make sure your children are on your dental plan.

If your child needs treatment, we will give you a written plan with an estimate of what your insurance may pay and what you will pay at the time of service.

World of Smiles accepts most insurance plans. As a courtesy, we prepare and submit your claims to any non-HMO plan you have, and we are happy to help with any insurance questions. Your bill is between your family and our office, not your insurance company.

Estimated patient portions are paid at the time of service. We accept Visa, Mastercard, checks, cash and CareCredit.

Cancellations: please give us 48 hours’ notice. We may charge for appointments that are missed or canceled without notice.

Our full financial policy is HERE.

Consultations

We are happy to schedule a second-opinion consultation with our doctors to talk about treatment another office has recommended for your child, so your family can feel confident about the plan.

Every child referred to us, or brought in for a second opinion, needs a complete exam by our doctors first. Please fill out our New Patient Paperwork and have your prior office send us all x-rays and chart notes before the appointment. Many offices need 7 – 14 business days to transfer records.

Please send us your dental insurance ahead of time (and medical insurance if the problem comes from an injury or a medical diagnosis), so we can give you a cost estimate after the consultation.

We suggest both parents come, and no other children, so all your questions can be answered. A free follow-up consultation is available if you have more questions. Call us anytime with questions.

Ready for the first visit?

Request an appointment Call/Text: (503) 626-9700 Patient forms