Healthy Smiles for the Whole Family in Salt Lake City, UT

Family Dentistry in Holladay, Utah

At Smiles in Holladay, we provide family dentistry for your entire family. Our pediatric and family dentistry is designed to help you and your children feel at home and comfortable at the dentist. We care about establishing a dental home for your child by giving them a head start on healthy dental hygiene habits for life. We can also provide information and answer questions parents might have about their child’s dental health. Our experienced dental team is trained to respond to the special concerns and needs of children.


The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that your child should visit the dentist by his or her 1st birthday.

Infants:

The infant oral health exam at age 1 provides valuable information about caring for your baby’s teeth. This first visit will include a medical and dental history, thorough oral examination, age-appropriate tooth brushing demonstration, prophylaxis (cleaning), and fluoride varnish treatment as indicated. In addition, the doctor will assess the infant’s risk of developing cavities and determine a prevention plan and interval for re-care. As part of the visit, we will provide anticipatory guidance regarding dental and oral development, fluoride status, oral habits (pacifier, thumb, etc), teething, injury prevention, brushing and flossing instruction, and the role of diet (bottle, sippy cups) in keeping teeth healthy.

Toddlers/Preschoolers:

Older children will also have an enjoyable first visit. We will provide a “Tell Show Do” technique to allow your child to learn about, see, touch, and understand every object that he or she will be exposed during this visit. Our team uses age appropriate language to help your child grasp dental concepts. At this visit your child will have an oral exam, prophylaxis (cleaning), fluoride varnish treatment, and dental radiographs (pictures) as indicated. This early dental visit will focus on your child’s unique needs and individualized counseling and discussion will be an integral component of this visit. Topics to be discussed include: brushing, flossing, diet and nutrition, injury prevention, oral habits, and speech/language development.

There are a number of things you, as a parent, can do to help create positive dental experiences:

  • Let your child know the dentist is a friend and is there to help your child take care of his/her teeth.
  • Explain that during the visit the dentist will “brush” and “count” your child’s teeth.
  • Please refrain from using words that may cause unnecessary fear or anxiety. The following words are avoided in our office: “shot,” “needle,” “pull,” “drill,” and “hurt.”
  • We know that all children are not alike. We treat each child as an individual and help to assess their personal needs early on. Our team works hard to help each child develop a good oral hygiene schedule and regimen that can be maintained for a lifetime!
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT