How To Create the Best Pediatric Dental Office Around

Every practicing dentist knows that dental anxiety is real. A 2021 study suggests it affects 9% of children and teens in the U.S. We all have our own strategies and favorite methods for helping kids feel at ease in the dental chair.

And it pays to create a pediatric dental office that’s fun for kids. Not only does it reduce anxiety but also makes things easier for parents. It transforms going to the dentist from an event that is boring at best to something they genuinely look forward to.

Let’s explore 5 tips for pediatric dentists that can help you create a fun office.

1. Get everyone involved.

To create a fun pediatric dental office, you need to get buy-in from every single member of your team. Great leadership skills will make this part fairly easy. There needs to be a clear ethos about what you’re trying to achieve. You need to educate your team about how dental anxiety affects children. They need to understand the utmost importance of gaining trust during the first few years of the patient’s life.

The kind of reception your team gives them and the experience that the dentists and assistants create are crucial to that.

When interviewing, consider role-playing certain patient-interaction scenarios. They’ll help you to see how potential team members would deal with challenges that commonly arise. (We’re thinking screaming kids, anxious parents, and moody teens.) Their responses will help you to gauge whether they’re going to be a good fit or not.

With your existing hires, give continuous feedback to help them improve. That includes commendation when they do a great job and hints and tips when things go slightly awry. Remind them that the kids are their priority.

From the moment they walk in, the children need attention. Parents will appreciate this too. But if you ignore the child, they will sense it and become disengaged.

When everyone on the team is on the same page, kids and parents sense it. You’ll provide a seamless experience that’ll keep them coming back and recommending you to their friends.

2. Transform your treatment rooms.

Every pediatric dentist understands the importance of a fun reception room. We’re sure that yours is chock-full of inviting decor and kid-friendly reading material, not to mention a heap of games, toys, and tech.

But what about when they enter the operative rooms? If they’re suddenly taken into a room that’s cold, bright white, and clinical, their anxiety will start to rise.

The treatment rooms should exude calm. Studies have found that blues and pinks are calming. Blue was found to have the biggest impact on stress reduction.

Keep them entertained.

Some procedures take a long time. Kids can become increasingly antsy and fidgety if they don’t have something to focus on. Fixing a TV at a level they can easily see can help.

This is especially successful with younger children. You can make choosing their cartoon part of the experience when they come into the treatment room. Watching their favorite characters will keep them distracted while you get on with their treatment.

Bring parents in.

Some kids may feel more relaxed having their parents in the treatment room with them. It can also help parents to relax, which will help soothe kids too. If you haven’t already got this policy in place, give serious consideration to starting it.

3. Make their dental visit an event.

Throughout the year, you may already incorporate holiday events. But there are so many other opportunities to dress up and generally goof around in a way that kids will love.

Competitions always go well with kids. Why not choose a theme for a week, such as sports or pets? Kids have to come to their appointments in costume. If their parents give permission, you can enter them into a prize draw, and one kid will win costume of the week.

What about a guessing contest? There’s a bag the kids have to pick up and then guess the weight. At the end of the day or week, you announce a winner.

Events don’t have to be complex or costly. It’s also a great way to give away practical prizes, such as a cool electric toothbrush or a back-to-school voucher for a local store.

4. Maximize the impact of your social media presence.

Social media allows you to continue building your reputation as a fun pediatric dentist even when your patients are not at your office. It’s a great way to advertise events that will excite your existing patients and draw new ones in. It also allows you to introduce your team to a broader audience and build familiarity with your existing one.

Take Instagram Reels as one example. We’re not talking about stuffy, formal introduction videos. We’re talking about fun, almost amateurish videos that one of your team members can make to introduce your dental office to kids.

You could select a toy animal as your mascot and imagine the toy’s first visit to the dentist. You can show the toy receiving a warm welcome before interacting with all the cool things to do in the waiting room. Next, you can show them heading into the treatment room.

This is a chance for you as the dentist to show off your skills with kids. Don’t be afraid to goof around a little as you explain how you’re going to fill his or her tooth, for example. 

All of this sends a message to kids and parents alike: There’s nothing to be afraid of. If you come here, you’ll have a blast.

There’s the added bonus of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok posts being extremely shareable. You can post how-tos, tips, and special offers. 

5. Bring orthodontics into your practice.

Do you know what’s seriously fun for parents? Convenience.

Whether they’ve got one kid or seven, they don’t want to have to visit both a regular dentist and an orthodontist. By adding a range of orthodontic services to your dental practice, you can add value to the services you already provide.

Parents will be happy that they don’t need to go elsewhere and get their child comfortable with another dental professional. Orthodontic courses for pediatric dentists allow you to treat most orthodontic issues in-house. You’ll only need to refer complex cases to an orthodontist.

Successful Tips for Pediatric Dentists To Implement Today

These tips for pediatric dentists can help you build strong relationships with both children and parents. The best pediatric dentists understand that every part of the process needs to prioritize children’s comfort. When the whole team is on message, children feel excited rather than daunted by the thought of going to the dentist.

Orthodontic training for pediatric dentists can add a revenue stream to your business and bolster your reputation, helping you reach a wider audience. Why not reach out to us today to see how orthodontic courses for pediatric dentists can benefit you?