Advantages of “Family Dental Appointments”
On occasion we get a hurried mother or father, getting in a quick routine dental appointment with their children, before or after work. These lucky parents are able to get in and out without much fuss and back home or to work with little time missed from their day.
However, most of the time we have a parent bringing in one child for his cleaning while tending to another child in our waiting room, and then that same parent has to show up later that month for the second kid’s appointment and repeat the process all over again. And, unfortunately, this tired mom or dad just skips their own appointment because they have already been to the dentist twice and they can’t find someone to watch the kids for an hour, and the whole thing is just too much trouble. We want you to know we understand!
We are a “family practice” and that means that for all of our patients with families, we recommend “family appointments”—it just makes the whole process better for everyone. Two adults and a few kids at the dentist office at once may feel like a big production—but it’s not as bad as it sounds. If we know we have a family of 5 coming in, we can plan accordingly, and work simultaneously. Kids can play in the waiting room, and the parents can take turns getting their teeth cleaned or getting x-rays. Often times this creates a much less stressful situation for everyone—and much faster too. We can often take two patients at once if the time is booked, and the environment allows the parents to both get their own proper check-up in as well!
We welcome patients of all ages, so these family appointments could be with a grandparent or family friend too. Sometimes we have parents with a child make appointments with a friend—or another parent with a child. The kids play together and the adults are able to manage watching the children. It all works out and everyone leaves our office with a clean smile.
Please do not be afraid to ask the receptionist what creative solutions can be made for your family when you make your appointment. Our priority is your oral health and as working parents ourselves—we understand it can be difficult to block out an hour for each family member—let alone yourself. Don’t worry, we have seen it all! And remember we are here for you – just give us a call today.
