Family Dentistry
Family Dentistry
The real value in a family dental practice is the result of their underlying philosophy which informs who they hire, who they treat and how they treat them.
A family dentist’s desire is to provide care to all members of the family, despite their age or circumstances and to continue to see those family members for as long as possible. Meeting that desire requires family dentists to start building relationships with their patients from their first visit, so care is taken to ensure that children and adults all feel comfortable and at ease in the clinical environment.
Dental offices can feel transactional and cold, but we aim to provide a completely different experience. Our décor is chosen to be pleasing to younger audiences, and screens are available for patients who enjoy the distraction. Our team is deliberately selected for both their technical skill and their soft skills – how they work with others, how they interact with children, and how patient and supportive they can be to the families we treat.
Our practice treats many children of all ages as well as those with spectrum disorders, sensory disorders or other special needs. Whether these children are being seen for the first time or the twentieth, they will be greeted with a smile. We encourage parents and caregivers of children to bring a favourite stuffy or pair of headphones to help them feel at home in a new environment. We know that dental appointments for kids can be a source of stress for parents, and kids, alike. Our team will help parents sigh a breath of relief that their special boy or girl is in very capable hands with our team and is going to be just fine. (Don’t worry Mom – we’ve got something in our ‘bag of tricks’ for almost every situation and once we find out what works best for your child it will be noted in their chart and will become routine practice for their visits).
Dentists can offer valuable information about how to make dentist appointments less stressful for the whole family, including how to desensitize gums at home to help sensory disorder patients be more comfortable in the clinic. The value of experience-based expertise cannot be underestimated, and we’ve sure got a lot of it. We regularly make accommodations for patients who require a little extra time to get settled in. This time can be spent touring the clinic, getting introduced to the electric tools and their sounds or chatting with the dentist. Younger patients should be seen early to ensure that their first experience at the dentist isn’t one requiring anesthetic, which can be overwhelming and does not offer effective relationship building. Still, young patients undergoing procedures will be reassured and offered the most gentle care possible – and there will always be a special treat from us to take home.
Book an Appointment
We will schedule your appointment with Axis Dental Clinic as promptly as possible.
Axis Dental Clinic's Process
Our process to ensure that all of your dental needs are properly met and attended to.
1. Consultations
2. Check Up
3. Treatments
4. Completion
Patients with special needs are welcome at our clinic and every effort will be made to minimize the input of noises, lights and smells in the environment which can increase discomfort. Lying back in a dental chair can cause significant anxiety for these patients and as a result it can be difficult to discourage movement. We offer gentle sedation for those children and adults for whom the experience in a dental chair makes it difficult for them to undergo dental procedures. These accommodations may also be used for elderly patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. With gentle sedation, the patient remains conscious and responsive, but they are spared the fight-or-flight response and fear that would otherwise render the procedure difficult to complete.
Your family dentist knows your history and your family’s dental history as well, so you don’t need to spend time repeating yourself to a new dentist at each visit. Your dentist is able to watch for genetic patterns in your family’s oral health and work to prevent its onset or proactively manage its progression.
Unlike a pediatric dentist, you can never ‘outgrow’ a family dentist. The time that you put into developing a trusting relationship with a family practice will be built upon year after year.
Other Benefits
Working with a family dental clinic allows you to make early or late appointments with their extended schedule to limit time away from schooling or employment. Family dentists often offer group appointments to families who want to be seen on the same day. This can be a significant time-saver for busy families and ensures that no one in the family is missed due to scheduling challenges.
If you aren’t sure if a family dental practice is right for you, we encourage you to visit us for a scheduled meet-and-greet where you can see the environment, feel the atmosphere and meet the staff. Let us show you why we should be your family’s dental practice of choice.
If you have questions about this or other services offered by our general dentist, contact our clinic today.
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