our patients

from diapers to diplomas

...you're on the right track to a healthy smile

Smile Station Pediatric Dentistry provides gentle, personalized care and service for your child from infancy to their teenage years. We love helping families develop good dental health from a young age to get them on track for a lifetime of healthy smiles. We utilize a "tell, show, do" technique which involves explaining to the child what will be done, demonstrating it to them (on the hand for example), and then actually performing the treatment. Not only does this help keep your child engaged, but it also prevents your child from getting surprised or scared from the any of the procedures being performed.

infants

It's never too soon to care for your infant's dental health. At birth, babies already have teeth in their jaws. Around 4 to 6 months, their teeth will begin showing through their gums and by 3 years most children will have a full set of 20 primary teeth. Tooth decay is most prevalent in young children. Some tips to avoid tooth decay include:

Using only milk or breast milk or water in bottles. Avoid filling bottles with fruit juices or soft drinks.
Do not dip pacifiers in honey, sugar or other sweeteners. Only use clean pacifiers.
Clean your baby's gums and teeth after every feeding with moist gauze pad or a washcloth.
Until they are 3 years, gently brush their teeth twice a day with a child sized toothbrush and a very small amount of fluoride toothpaste (size of a single rice).
The American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry all recommend that your child should see one of our board certified pediatric dentists when their first tooth appears, usually between 6-12 months of age, and no later than his/her first birthday.

toddlers - preschool

Getting your child used to good oral hygiene at the earliest age is critical to maintaining a lifelong oral health. Here are a few tips:

As soon as the first tooth comes into place, start brushing your child’s teeth with a toothbrush designed for children.
For children 3 to 6-years-old, brush their teeth gently twice every day (morning and night) with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste and make sure they spit out the toothpaste.
Flossing can be started once teeth start touching each other. Ask your Smile Station dentist on techniques and schedule.
Sippy cups can help kids go from a bottle to a glass, but don't let them drink from it all day long and try to avoid sugary drinks as much as possible. Overuse of a sippy cup can lead to tooth decay on the back of the front teeth if the drinks are often sugary.
Eliminate pacifiers by age 2 or 3. While there are good reasons to let your child use a pacifier, long term use may affect how their teeth line up and possibly change the shape of the mouth. Talk to your dentist if your child is still using using a pacifier after age 3.

children - preteens

Maintaining consistency is key to your child staying on track for a healthy smile. Stand firm on brushing, flossing and rinsing. Here are a few tips:

Children may require additional coaxing from parents to start brushing on their own. Be patient and encouraging but enforce consistency.
For evening brushing, have your children brush before it's too late in the night. Overly tired children may not cooperate as willingly or be as thorough with their hygiene practices.
Let your child pick their own flavors of toothpaste from options you approve.
Motivate your child with stickers or brush calendar available from Smile Station. Bring in a filled calendar for a extra prize from your dentist.

teens - young adults

With all the distractions of teenage life (social, academic, work, sports) young adults may develop poor oral hygiene. Encouraging your teen to maintain good oral hygiene throughout their young adult stage will also help them maintain these good lifelong habits. Here are a few tips:

Be a good example for them. When your teens see you maintaining good oral hygiene as an adult they are more likely to accept that it's a lifelong commitment to health.
It is critical for your teens to understand the potential consequences of not maintaining oral hygiene. Bad breath, tooth decay, and even general health problems like heart disease. are possible adverse effects of poor oral hygiene.
Keep their toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss readily available and stocked. If they are using electrical brushes, have extra heads ready to replace worn ones every six months.

special needs children

Our experienced team of board-certified pediatric dentists completed advanced training to offer dentistry for special needs patients. Providing high quality dental care for children with certain physical, developmental, emotional, cognitive or medical conditions requires special considerations. Our team is prepared to make any accommodations necessary so both you and your child can have a pleasant and relaxing visit. We will take the time to listen and get to know each individual patient and work hand-in-hand with parents to offer compassionate, comprehensive dental care.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

My children had their very first visits to the dentist today! I definitely recommend this place to anyone. EVERYONE was super nice in there. I am so so happy I chose this place! I loved how sweet their dental hygienist was with my children! ...We had Dr. Snyder and she was very sweet and everyone was so caring! I will definitely let people know about Smile Station Pediatric Dentistry.
Mary E
Facebook / Reviews
★★★★★
I was really worried when I had to let my kids go in on their own because of the times we are in, but they called me mid-appointment to let me know my kiddos were doing great, then when they were finished they walked them out the door. This was the best my youngest child has EVER done at the dentist. Thank you for being wonderful and taking such great care of my kids and their teeth!
Kelli Z
Google / Reviews
★★★★★
My son has severe anxiety and ADHD. Today he had 2 cavities filled and I was prepared for the worst. It was AMAZING! The team worked quickly and made sure my son was comfortable the entire time. We drive quite a way to see them and it’s 100% worth it!
April N
Facebook / Reviews
★★★★★
Our three kiddos started going here last year. Our middle child has anxiety with dentists and the doctors and nurses at Smile Station have helped him immensely! There were no tears this time. Our 18 month old just had her first appointment too and they were amazing with her!
Team B
Google / Reviews
★★★★★
All 3 of my children see Dr. Matt.
My oldest has down syndrome and Dr. Matt is always so patient and caring. Today my one year old had a great first visit.
Lori M
Facebook / Reviews
★★★★★
All 5 of my kids are patients are Smile Station. Every visit is completed quickly and everyone there is so kind to all of us! Two of my daughters have had to go in for specific procedures (one a filling and the other got a crown). The team there was so good to my girls, making sure they were comfortable and calm. I highly recommend Smile Station to everyone I know. They're the best!
Abby B
Google / Reviews
★★★★★