Is Your Child Afraid of the Dentist?

Let’s face it — the dentist can be a scary experience for anyone. This is particularly true for children, who might have heard unfortunate stories from their friends or had a bad experience in the past at an appointment.

At Children’s Dentistry of Charlottesville, one of our main goals is to make sure that all of the children who visit our practice feel comfortable and develop a positive relationship with their oral health and dentistry as they get older. An effective way to get children to feel better at the dentist and feel less dental anxiety is through positive communication, sedation dentistry and only employing dentists and staff who are experienced working with children.

Our dentists look forward to working with you as a parent or guardian to help your child have a positive experience at the dentist. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

How We Help Ease Dental Anxiety in Children

• Sedation dentistry options 
• Relaxing and calming office 
• Pre and after-care instructions to help your child stay calm
• Positive communication and specialized staff

“I’ve taken my kids here for years. I highly recommend this place. The staff are very friendly and always make you feel welcomed. It’s a relaxing atmosphere. Dr. Joe and his team are the best around in my opinion.”

— Kat

Worried about your child’s oral health? Dealing with a dental emergency?

Our entire team is here to help your child stay healthy and develop a positive relationship with oral health. We can help with anything teeth-related, from regular dental check-ups to emergency dental surgeries. Schedule an appointment online today!

Treating Dental Anxiety at Children’s Dentistry of Charlottesville

Our most frequently recommended sedation dentistry option is general anesthesia. An appointment like this requires a team approach between our dentists and dentist anesthesiologists. With this type of treatment, we will review your child’s health history to determine if your child is a good candidate for in-office general anesthesia. If so, your child would be carefully put completely to sleep to allow one of our dentists to complete all of your child’s dental needs in one appointment. Another option would be conscious sedation dentistry. Again, our doctors will review your child’s health history to determine if they are a candidate for conscious sedation. Taken orally at your child’s appointment, this is a great option that will calm your child’s nerves but will still allow them to interact with their dentist while feeling relaxed enough to have reduced anxiety during their appointment. 

After completing your child’s treatment with sedation or anesthesia, your child will be very drowsy or even fall into a light sleep. They may even remain drowsy for a couple of hours after treatment. We will keep your child at the office for some time after their appointment to assure that they are alert and responsive and able to protect their own airway.

Our team is trained in this form of sedation dentistry and general anesthesia and will be there the whole time to support your child and answer any of your questions.

Learn More

Other sedation dentistry options

We Accept Most Insurance & Medicaid

We believe every child should have access to the best dental care possible. We proudly accept Medicaid and many other insurance plans, including those from:

• Anthem
• Metlife
• Guardian
• United Concordia
• Delta Dental
• Cigna

Meet Our Doctors & Staff

Our dentists are compassionate, caring, gentle, empathetic, and sensitive to the needs of every child.

Call (434) 817-1817 to Schedule An Appointment For Your Child

Dental Anxiety FAQs

Is sedation dentistry for children safe?

It absolutely is! Our Charlottesville dental anxiety dentists complete extensive training that allows them to safely administer conscious sedation in our office. Just like any medical or dental procedure, there are risks associated with treatment. Our doctors and staff will review these with you and discuss the associated risks and benefits to help you make an informed decision for your child.

Will my child always need sedation dentistry?

Depending on your child’s medical and dental needs, sedation dentistry might be required for some or all of your child’s appointments through age 10.

Unless medically necessary, we generally recommend that by the age of 10, most children undergo dental exams and minor procedures without the use of sedation dentistry for children. Still, we always want to help your child get the care they need. If your child (no matter their age) needs sedation to help them tolerate the dental treatment they need, we can help.

What do I need to do before and after my child’s appointment?

Your child’s dentist will provide a full list of pre-operative and post-care-operative instructions, which include:

• Discuss your child’s full medical history with the dentist prior to their sedation appointment
• Bringing a list of any medications your child is taking (prescription and non-prescription)
• Notify us of any acute change in your child’s health (such as developing a cold or flu)
• Avoiding food and drink before and immediately after your child’s appointment
• Wearing comfortable, loose-fitting clothing to assist in the application of patient monitors
• Watching for nausea, extreme drowsiness or other side effects after your child’s treatment

Call (434) 817-1817 to Schedule An Appointment For Your Child