Children’s dentistry in London, ON

When should a child first come in?

Earlier than most parents expect. The general guidance is somewhere between the first birthday and age three, or within six months of the first tooth appearing. That sounds very early for something with four teeth, and the reason is not that a one-year-old needs a thorough examination. It is that the visit is easy, nothing happens, and your child learns the place before they are old enough to build it up into something frightening.

If your child is already five, or nine, or fourteen and has never been, that is fine and it is not too late. Start now. Nobody here will comment on it.

What happens at a first visit

Usually less than parents are braced for. We count teeth, check how things are coming through, and let your child sit in the chair and handle the mirror. If they are comfortable, we clean and, if it is due, take a look for decay. If they are not, we stop and try again next time.

We would rather do half of what we planned and have your child leave happy than get everything done and have them dread coming back. That is not a soft option, it is the whole strategy. A child who is not frightened of the dentist at six is an adult who goes to the dentist at forty.

What we look after

Smilo is a family practice, so children are seen by the same general dentist who sees the rest of the family, often at the same appointment. Dentistry for kids is mostly the same dentistry, done more slowly and explained more often.

• Checkups and cleanings — the same careful exam and teeth cleaning we give adults, scaled to a smaller mouth and a shorter attention span.
• Digital X-rays, only when they are needed — not automatically at every visit, and at a lower dose than film.
• Fillings and repairs — tooth-coloured, for decay and for the chips that come with being a child.
• Watching how adult teeth arrive — spacing, crowding and bite, so that if something needs attention it is spotted at the right age.
• Dental emergencies — knocked-out and broken teeth happen on playgrounds and in hockey rinks. Call us and we will try to see you the same day. A knocked-out baby tooth should not be put back in, while an adult tooth needs first aid within minutes, so our emergency page is worth reading before you need it.
• Habits and snacks — thumbs, bottles, sports drinks, and which snacks actually matter. Practical, not a lecture.

If your child is nervous

Most of the answer is not clinical. We go at their pace, explain each thing before it happens, and agree beforehand that they can raise a hand and everything stops. Being able to stop is what makes children willing to start.

Where more help is needed we offer nitrous oxide, the mild laughing gas breathed through a small mask, which wears off within minutes. We want to be specific about the limits of that, because “sedation dentistry” means very different things at different practices. Nitrous oxide is the only sedation offered here. We do not provide oral sedation, IV sedation or general anaesthetic, and we are not an asleep-dentistry clinic. If your child genuinely needs to be asleep for treatment, we will tell you and refer you to a practice equipped for it. Our page on dental anxiety and sedation sets out the detail.

What we do not do here

So nobody makes a wasted trip: we do not place fixed braces. We provide ClearCorrect clear aligners, which suit some teenagers, but complex bite problems are better treated with braces and often mean a referral. We will watch how your child’s bite develops at ordinary checkups and tell you when it is worth seeing someone about it.

Dr. Chopra is a general dentist, not a certified specialist in any branch of dentistry. Where a child needs care beyond general practice, we refer.

A kid-friendly dentist, without the theatre

There is no arcade in the waiting room and no character on the ceiling. What there is: a small team who will learn your child’s name, appointments that are not rushed, and a hygienist, Yenna, who spent three years working with children before joining us.

We see kids of every age at our Hyde Park clinic in London, and we are taking new patients. Families book together, which usually means one trip rather than three.

Cost, insurance and the CDCP

Fees for children’s dental treatment in Ontario follow the provincial fee guide, and what you pay depends on what the visit actually involves. You will know the cost before we start, in writing, and we direct-bill where we can.

Children under eighteen can be covered by the Canadian Dental Care Plan where the family meets the income criteria and does not have access to private dental insurance, even an unused workplace plan. There are four conditions in all, and our CDCP page sets them out. Smilo is a participating provider and bills the plan directly. If you are not sure whether you qualify, ask and we will go through it with you.

Common questions

When should my child first see a dentist?

Earlier than most people assume — generally between one and three. The first visits are deliberately short and low-key, and they are as much about your child learning that the dentist is an ordinary, unfrightening place as they are about their teeth. Starting early is the single best thing you can do to stop dental anxiety forming.

What actually happens at a first visit?

Usually less than parents expect. We count teeth, have a look at how everything is coming through, and let your child sit in the chair and see the tools. If they are happy, we clean. If they are not, we do not force it, and we try again next time. A first visit where nothing happened but your child left cheerful is a successful first visit.

Can I stay in the room with my child?

Yes, always. You are welcome to stay for the whole appointment, and for younger children we often start with them sitting on your lap rather than in the chair. Some older children prefer to go it alone, which is fine too. It is your call and theirs, not a clinic rule.

Do baby teeth really need fillings if they fall out anyway?

Often, yes. Baby teeth hold the space for the adult teeth behind them, and decay in a baby tooth can be painful, can disturb sleep and eating, and can affect the adult tooth forming underneath. That said, it depends on the tooth and how close it is to coming out naturally. We will tell you honestly when something can safely be left and watched.

My child is frightened of the dentist. What can you do?

Mostly we go slowly, explain everything before we do it, and let your child stop at any point. That resolves it more often than people expect. Where more help is needed we offer nitrous oxide, which is laughing gas breathed through a small mask, and it wears off within minutes. We do not provide oral sedation, IV sedation or general anaesthetic, so if your child genuinely needs to be asleep for treatment we will say so and refer you to a practice set up for it.

Do you provide braces for children?

No. We provide ClearCorrect clear aligners, which suit some teenagers, but we do not place fixed braces. We will keep an eye on how your child’s bite and adult teeth are developing during ordinary checkups, and if treatment is needed we will refer you on rather than take it on ourselves.

Is my child covered under the Canadian Dental Care Plan?

Children under eighteen are eligible for the Canadian Dental Care Plan where the family meets the income criteria and does not have access to private dental insurance. There are four conditions in all, and our CDCP page lists them. Smilo is a participating provider, so we can bill the plan directly. If you are unsure whether you qualify, ask us and we will walk you through it.