What To Expect

ALL ABOARD!!!

…here we believe that a great smile is a journey, not a destination!!

Thank you for choosing High House Pediatric Dentistry for the oral health of your children. We are looking forward to welcoming you and your children to our practice and embarking on a trip that focuses on positive and fun experiences for parents and children alike. If the going gets tough, no need to worry: Our team will be by your side to get things back on track!!!!

We partner with you, the parent/guardian, and your child to create a positive experience and comfortable environment for dental care throughout your child’s lifetime. Parents are always welcome to accompany their child into the treatment area during the initial examination and at all appointments. This gives you the chance to see our team working with your child and allows doctor(s) to discuss dental findings and treatment needs directly with you.

We welcome feedback from you regarding how your child will be best served. Dr. Ray, associate(s), and clinical team are trained and experienced in managing child behavior. The following is a brief explanation of some of the methods used to guide your child’s behavior in order to provide a positive dental experience. Every child is unique and may require a different combination of techniques to guide them through their dental experience.

• TELL SHOW DO: This is the most important tool for teaching your child and the most commonly used technique. The child is told in simple terms what is going to be done, they are shown what is going to be done, and then the procedure is performed.

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• IMAGERY: The child is explained in simple alternate terminology. For example, instead of saying “dental exam”, we say we are going to “count your teeth” or “see how your teeth fit together”. A dental prophylaxis/cleaning is explained as “brushing your teeth”, and fluoride varnish is stated as “tooth vitamins”.

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• DISTRACTION: Sometimes it is necessary to distract your child from an unpleasant sensation by focusing his/her thoughts on something other than what is being done.

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• POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT: We use this to reinforce good behavior by verbally praising your child or providing a reward following a desired response in hopes of promoting good behavior.

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• VOICE CONTROL: This is a controlled change of voice volume, tone, or pace to influence and direct a child’s behavior. It is used to establish a line of communication between the doctor and the child.

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• OPERATIVE PROCEDURES (dental restorations or “fillings”): Nearly every dental procedure will require the use of the dental hand pieces, which many people think of as “drills”. We refer to our high-speed and low-speed hand pieces as “Mr. Whistle” and “Mr. Bumpy” or the “Motorcycle Brush”. These instruments will be introduced to your child so that they know what to expect when they are used. A rubber dam or “Raincoat” is used to isolate and dry the teeth that are being repaired. This helps keep saliva away from the tooth and keeps unpleasant and unfamiliar tastes out of your child’s mouth. Finally, a mouth prop or “Tooth Chair” is used to help the child keep their mouth open so it does not get tired. This is necessary to keep teeth dry and/or to make sure kids don’t bite down on our hand pieces, thereby avoiding serious injury to the teeth, gums, and soft tissues.

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• LOCAL ANESTHESIA: Most restorative procedures require the use of local anesthetic (Novocain) or “Sleepy Juice”. Please avoid using words such as “shot, needle, or injection”. These words cause fear and anxiety among children, and we NEVER use these words. A topical anesthetic or “Tickle Jelly” is used to help numb the soft tissue at the injection site. The child is told we are going to “Shake Your Cheek and Put the Tooth to Sleep”. The dental assistant will place their arm lightly across the child’s chest or hold their hands during the injection to protect the child from reaching up and grabbing the syringe and hurting themselves.

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Prior to your child’s first visit, please fill out all the paperwork and bring it with you to your child’s appointment. If you have more than one child visiting our practice, please fill out separate paperwork for each child. Filling out paperwork in advance helps to make sure that you experience an on-time “departure”.

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Biological parents or legal guardians must be present on the child’s first initial visit.

Please also remember to bring your current dental insurance card as well as a valid ID.

Thank you and we look forward to meeting you,
Raymond J Tseng, DDS, PhD and the Dental Team