Moms Talk: Woodinville Kid Dentists

This week’s question comes from Amy B who has a teething baby and is wondering when she should take her baby to the dentist.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends seeing a pediatric dentist when that first tooth appears and no later than their 1st Birthday. Finding the right dentist, however, is a bit tough. Your dentist may not work for your kiddo. Moms tend to ask online where to find the best in town. Lucky for you, I've found her, at least she's the best for my family.

Nate, age 4, has been seeing Dr. Rama Oskouian, DMD at since his first tooth erupted when he was four months old. Dr. Rama is famous around these parts. Just ask on Facebook if your friends have a recommendation for a kid’s dentist and her name is guaranteed to come up. Parents and kids love her. Her gentle, sweet nature and genuine excitement at meeting local families make her stand out.

So what do you look for when calling around for a dentist? Here’s my checklist:

Fantastic Staff – When you call, a real person should answer the phone, when you go to the office, the staff should be excited to see you and your kiddo. We live in a fantastic hometown community and I feel that Woodville businesses, especially those that cater to children, should make you feel especially welcome. I love going to see Dr. Rama and seeing the same staff each time and they actually remember who  you are and are actually glad to see you.

Parents in the room – I was shocked (and this is hard to do) when one of my mom friends posted that her dentist did not allow her to go back the exam space with her child. I would never, ever, allow my child to go into any examination room without having me there. Perhaps they intend to build independence or keep well-meaning parents from making their kiddo even more nervous, but that kind of facility is not suited for me. When I go to the dentist, I’d love to have someone there to hold my hand or distract me with funny stories or promises of ice cream. I just cannot fathom my son going solo, even with the best of dentists.

I prefer the more open-space feel of Dr. Rama’s office. The bright purple color scheme, the TVs built into the chairs and the gentle and very patient staff make for a warm, fun and friendly atmosphere. Of course, there are private rooms as well for more sensitive procedures, but I like the fact that the overall process of routine dental care seems, well, routine. I think it helps the kiddos get over any fears of getting their teeth “tickled”.

Emergency Contact Info – Hopefully, you will never need this service, but be sure that your dentist is on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There may come a time when you might need a frenum cauterized or  your child has chipped a permanent tooth or in the case of my husband when he was a child, knocked his permanent teeth back up into his gums while playing Superman. Many offices are NOT available after-hours so be sure you know where to go in an emergency.

Acceptance of Lifestyle – We were a pacifier family. My son constantly had a pacifier in his mouth and I was pretty concerned about damaging his teeth or impairing his jaw development. It was very refreshing, after hearing stories about moms being chastised for their use, to be told the risks, given a recommendation on when to stop and how and to have it let go at that. So whether it’s pacifiers, night-time nursing, gum chewing, thumb sucking or anything else you may fear could impact dental health, your child’s dentist should be on your team on such matters, providing information without judgement.

Fun for Kids – Obviously, your kid should be having a blast. They should look forward to the twice yearly visits to the office. There should be cool prizes and snazzy character toothbrushes and bubblegum flavored toothpastes. Making the dentist a routine part of your life and practicing the recommended course of action at home may keep your little one from having the not-so-great experience of filling cavities!