After we have conducted a thorough assessment of your child’s oral health, we may recommend treatments to correct a problem we have identified or to reduce the likelihood of problems developing in the future.

We will explain what these treatments involve so you can decide what is best for your child.

These treatments can include:
White fillings – to restore teeth with cavities.

Fissure sealants – to protect their teeth against plaque.

Extractions– if a tooth is too badly damaged to save.

Custom fitted mouthguards – to protect their mouths from injuries during sports.

Orthodontics – to straighten crooked teeth or correct bite problems.

We recommend that your child come in for their first Dental visit soon after their first birthday. Although this might seem young, it is an excellent opportunity for your child to get used to our Dental practice. During this appointment, we will check that their first teeth are coming through correctly and advise you about the best way to brush and floss their teeth to keep them as healthy as possible. We can perform an oral health assessment while your child is comfortable sitting on mum or dad’s lap.

Bring Your Child in for a Dental Visit After Their First Birthday

“For a child, their very first visits to the dentist are formative of their attitude towards dentistry for the remainder of their life.”

Much of the first visit is spent giving them a ride in the “big chair,” and counting their teeth. If it is your first time visiting us, we’ll introduce your child to our staff and let them know they can ask questions any time. We will also clean their teeth if they feel comfortable, but it is more important early on to make sure that they feel welcome and at ease. We do this by explaining to them exactly what is happening and what we’re doing during their appointment. We will never move forward with any form of treatment until your child feels completely comfortable. We encourage you to stay with your child during treatments and cleanings since your presence can calm them and help them build a positive relationship with their Dentist for years to come.

Fissure sealants are a thin protective covering of tooth coloured resin applied to the chewing surfaces of your child’s teeth. These sealant fills in the grooves and protects teeth from the acids and bacteria that cause tooth decay. Sealants are a non-invasive treatment and can typically be completed during one short appointment. If your child plays sports, we recommend the custom-made mouth guard for their needs. Protecting your child’s teeth and mouth from injury is important, as around half of Dental emergencies are sports related. It is our goal to build trust with both parents and children, to help make visiting the Dentist a positive experience that could last all through their lives.

Kids can easily pick up on anxiety in their parents, so try to keep it light-hearted yourself to allay their fears. If a child has any concerns, it is important to explain that Dental visits are a regular occurrence for everyone to help keep people healthy. Keep it “matter of fact” without using any negative words such as ‘pain’, ‘drill’ or ‘needle’. Since kids are often exhausted after a busy day at day care, pre-school or school, it is generally best to book a morning appointment.

As your child gets older, some additional services such as fluoride treatment and Dental sealants may be recommended for them.

The fluoride found in drinking water is often not enough to protect your child’s teeth from cavities.

Fluoride treatments give extra protection against tooth decay and can also help remineralise teeth that have already been affected by decay.

Fluoride Treatments Are Easy and Can Be Completed During a Cleaning and Checkup Appointment

My Gentle Dentist Will Teach Your Kids Healthy Teeth Habits for Life
As part of their preventative Dental care plan, we can work with your child as they grow older and begin to brush and floss on their own. We will teach them how to brush and floss properly, helping them to build healthy habits we hope will stay with them for life. Our friendly Dental team can also explain why looking after your teeth and gums is essential, and we can talk to them about the importance of having a healthy diet.

A little hands-on “practical” help can improve your child’s teeth early in their lives.

They will have been told by you and their Dentist that it’s critical to brush twice a day, but they generally need help to get the right technique – usually, children need a parent’s help to brush and floss until they are seven or eight years of age. Teach your child how to brush with a small, circular action while keeping the toothbrush angled at 45 degrees towards the gum line. Also, the child needs to start flossing once the teeth are touching – usually between the ages of two and three. Kids love a good routine so try to have teeth cleaning take place at the same time each day – for example after breakfast, and just before bed. Also ensure your child has a variety of nutritious foods, particularly fruit and vegetables, and mainly drinks tap water, followed by milk. Try to avoid sugary or highly processed foods, and sugary drinks like juice or fizzy soda.

My Gentle Dentist like to see your children every six months, but if we feel your child will benefit from more frequent checks, then we can discuss this with you during their first visit.

Regular checkups help us to keep a close eye on your children’s Dental health which can change quite quickly as they grow and develop.

By monitoring your children regularly, we can pick up on any problems at an early stage, and before they cause any discomfort or pain to your child.

We Care deeply about your child’s Dental health, and regular examinations are a vital part of their preventative Dental plan.

“$1,000 FREE Dental for Kids”
The Child Dental Benefit Schedule (CDBS) was introduced by the government in January 2014. The aim of this benefit schedule is to improve children’s Dental health by providing funds to cover essential Dental services for eligible children aged between two and seventeen years old. The fund covers the cost of essential preventative and restorative treatments up to a value of $1,000 over a two consecutive year period. Any funds remaining at the end of each two-year period will not be carried over.

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule Offers $1,000 FREE Dental for Kids

The services covered by CDBS help prevent any Dental diseases, or wherever possible, will restore teeth that have been damaged due to infection or trauma.

My Gentle Dentist will be able to work with you and your child to devise a suitable preventative Dental treatment plan within the scope of the services covered.

Preventative treatments covered by CDBS include your child’s regular Dental examinations, cleanings and x-rays and fissure sealants. Restorative treatments covered include fillings, root canal treatments and tooth extractions if we are unable to save a tooth. Is your child currently enrolled in this scheme? Contact us to make sure they get the maximum benefits from their funds.

Note: Benefits are not available for orthodontic or cosmetic Dental work.

Contact My Gentle Dentist to Make Sure You Get Maximum Benefit from the CDBS

Children aged between two and seventeen years old are able to be assessed for eligibility at the beginning of each calendar year for the entirety of the coming year. To be eligible, a child must qualify for Medicare, and they must be a part of a family who receives an applicable government payment, for example, the Family Tax Benefit Part A. If you have questions about CDBS, contact us by phone to talk to any of our friendly staff so we can answer all your queries.

The most straightforward way is to access your Medicare account, either online at my.gov.au or you can call the Medicare General Enquiries line on 132 011 or Simply… Call us on 07 3506 1234 with your medicare card details and we will inform you instantly about your eligibility. You can also visit: www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/medicare/child-dental-benefits-schedule

The next step is to contact My Gentle Dentist and let us know your child qualifies. We can then schedule an appointment for your child to discuss suitable treatment options for them, based on their Dental health. We will also discuss any associated costs of these services, and you will need to sign a consent form before we provide any treatment. All Treatment Under CDBS is Bulk Billed So You Will Not Be Out of Pocket