What is pediatric dentistry?

What is a pediatric dentist? A pediatric dentist, like Dr. Yury Slepak, an American Board Certified Pediatric dentist with Brooklyn Pediatric Dentistry, is a dentist who specializes in oral health for children from infancy to their teen years. From the eruption of an infant’s first tooth at around 6 months old to the day he or she graduates from high school, pediatric dentists insure your child has exceptional oral health, which will have an impact on his or her overall health for the rest of his or her life.

What treatment options do pediatric dentists provide? A pediatric dentist will do a number of things for your child, beginning with the eruption of the first tooth.

A pediatric dentist will:
• Perform infant oral exams, which include a risk assessment for caries in the mother and the child. Caries is a disease which causes crumbling of the tooth or bone, and is more common than asthma.
• Provide preventive dental care, including cleaning and fluoride treatments.
• Offer counseling regarding pacifier use or thumb sucking.
• Utilize early orthodontics to correct problems in your child’s bite.
• Fill cavities or repair of tooth defects.
• Manage gum disease.
• Care for dental injuries.

What training does a pediatric dentist have? A pediatric dentist completes four years of dental school, plus an additional two years of a residency, specializing in dentistry for all ages of children, including children with special needs.

When it is time for your child’s first dental check-up, you can feel confident that Dr. Slepak at the Brooklyn Pediatric Dentistry will provide him or her with the best possible care, creating a healthy habit that will ensure a positive future.