News

When should I take my child to the dentist?

The question

I have a toddler. When I should take her to the dentist?

The answer

Just a few days ago, I asked the mother of a toddler if she had taken him to their dentist yet. Her answer was not uncommon: “My dentist told me to bring my toddler when he is a bit older.”

But pediatric dentists are very adamant that soon after the first tooth comes in, a child should be seen.

Two years ago at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics, pediatric dentists offered a symposium on dental care in children. The idea behind the symposium was for pediatricians to learn more about dental care, because often pediatricians are the first clinicians to see a cavity or early signs of dental erosions. (See www.aapd.org for various topics regarding pediatric dentistry.)

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Source: The Globe and Mail

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Idaho Statesman: Some dentists aren’t smiling about Idaho’s Medicaid contract

New Medicaid fee cuts have forced some dentists into dropping the Idaho Smiles program for low-income patients or limiting the number of Medicaid patients they see. The impacts of recent DentaQuest changes continue to be felt as the state faces another possible shortfall in Medicaid funding.

Since Willow Tree Dental decided earlier this month not to renew its contract to provide Medicaid dental services, the practice has laid off 25 staff members, including four dentists, and received more than 100 calls a day from concerned patients requesting referrals.

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