Office Visits

We can't wait to welcome you and your little one to our office!

Our practice is committed to providing your children with safe, gentle, high-quality dental care. Whether we’re seeing your child for a Lap Exam, New Patient Exam, Emergency Exam, or Dental Treatment appointment, it is our goal to make you and your child feel comfortable visiting our practice while providing the best care possible.

Lap Exam

(0-3 years)

Children younger than 3 years of age will initially receive a “Lap Exam.” This exam, most appropriate for infants and young toddlers, is completed with a parent or caretaker in our consultation room.  The doctor will address your chief concerns, review a range of age-appropriate dental health topics, and will assess your child’s dental health and development.  This exam is important for growing smiles, as our doctor will review important topics pertaining to your child such as oral hygiene, diet, cavity prevention, fluoride, growth and tooth eruption, etc.  Oral hygiene techniques are demonstrated and, at times, a fluoride application will be completed.

New Patient Exam

(3+ years)

Our New Patient Exam visit is for our older little ones, 3 years and up.  This visit is a comprehensive dental check-up, complete with a dental examination, radiographs when indicated, dental cleaning, and, in most cases, fluoride varnish application. Our doctors will then review their findings and any treatment needs or recommendations, as well as discuss overall dental health topics pertaining to your child.  Any additional treatment required is typically scheduled for a subsequent visit.

Exam Only

Our Exam Only visits are often for patients who have been referred from another provider for a particular need or when there is a specific concern beyond a routine check-up and cleaning visit.  This visit includes an examination only and radiographs when indicated.  Our doctors will then review their findings and any treatment needs or recommendations, as well as discuss overall dental health topics pertaining to your child.  Any additional treatment required is typically scheduled for a subsequent visit.

Emergency Exam

Our Emergency Exam visits are for patients who have an urgent dental issue that needs to be addressed right away. Our office does our best to see emergencies as soon as possible and wants no child in any prolonged discomfort.  This visit includes an examination, radiographs when indicated, and any recommended emergency treatment when necessary.  We will do our best to alleviate your child’s emergency at that same visit, but sometimes a subsequent appointment is necessary.  Emergency exams are problem focused only, and a comprehensive dental evaluation may be required at a later time.

Independent Dental Experience

If your child is at least 3 years of age, we ask that you allow our staff to accompany your child through his or her dental experience.

Both research and years of clinical experience have shown that many children, 3 years of age and older, perform more positively for their dental treatment visits when their parents are not present.  Have you ever unexpectedly been told your child is perfect at school or behaved much better than you expected after childcare drop-off?  The same is often true for dental appointments. Many parents may be surprised to learn that their children are capable of being the best dental patients!  We find we are able to connect more with our patients and build a better rapport as their dental care providers by being able to guide them through their visit without a parent or caretaker alongside them.   We have found repeatedly that most children are able to focus more on their dental visit and receive instructions and tips more fully when they are independently guided by our dental treatment team.  Our entire team is highly trained to provide the best dental experience possible for your child.  

We do welcome parents and caretakers to view our treatment area when requested and are happy to answer any questions.  We will never push your child beyond what he or she allows or tolerates, but most parents are surprised at how often their independent dental visit is a successful one!  It is so rewarding to see those sweet smiles beam with pride after their appointment!

Dental Treatment

Every child’s dental needs are different.  Our doctors will discuss any treatment needs with you as thoroughly as possible and review your child’s treatment options.  Additionally, Drs. Moody and Heim will discuss their treatment methods and what to expect at your child’s treatment appointment.

Will my child require general anesthesia for their dental treatment needs?

Our doctors do not routinely recommend general anesthesia for dental treatment needs.  Drs. Moody and Heim use their advanced clinical behavior guidance techniques to provide most dental restorative treatment in the dental office, rather than utilizing more costly and higher risk methods such as sedation or general anesthesia.  Though general anesthesia can, at times, be the only safe treatment option for some little ones, Drs. Moody and Heim, as parents themselves, wish to avoid its use if possible.  They find that many children are able to tolerate routine dental treatment in the office with the use of their child-friendly chair-side techniques. 

As always, our goal is to provide a successful, positive, and happy dental experience for every child, and we do our best to cater to every child’s individual needs.  Drs. Moody and Heim will of course discuss what treatment method they feel is most appropriate for your child and will review their treatment techniques and recommendations before any treatment is rendered.