There are countless decisions to make as a parent and one you may find that you end up regretting for years – who's going to take care of your child's teeth? Late night after kids to bed, late night parents entering the words “dentist for kids in Yorkton, Saskatoon with great patient reviews” into a search bar is no surprise, is it? The instinct is right – reviews from other parents can give you information about a child that will never be written on a website, such as what he or she did or didn't do in the chair, or whether the staff were patient with a meltdown or frustrated.
It's important to read reviews critically, not just to check out star ratings. The five star rating is not an indicator of a car's quality. What is really useful is finding the specific, consistent facts, such as parents saying that their toddler didn't cry, a nervous seven year old warmed up, or the hygienist didn't confuse a child but explained each step so he was not nervous. Patterns such as this, which appear in numerous reviews, but not just one glowing testimonial feature, are much more likely to be legitimate than a single rating.
In addition to the reviews, it's important to identify the difference between a kid-friendly dentist and a general dentist that refuses to work with kids. Pediatric-trained dentists receive extra years of training dealing with children and their behavior, as well as the developmental stages of children's teeth. That training is evident in subtle ways: the way they speak when giving directions, the amount of time they take to set up an exam for a wiggly five-year-old, how they respond to a child's fear and frustrations.
The surroundings also should be taken into consideration. Children's waiting areas, whether in the form of children's books, toys or a friendly and not clinical and cold atmosphere are often a sign of a practice that has thought very carefully about the entire experience, not just the appointment itself. These little things are often noted in reviews by parents and are worthy of notice.
It's fair to make a few direct inquiries prior to choosing a particular child care provider: How do they typically handle a child's first visit? If a child feels panicky during an appointment, how does their approach differ? Do they have any accommodations for children with sensory sensitivities? The answers coupled with the experiences shared by others can leave you with a true sense of confidence when making the choice.
In the end, patient research is key to finding a dentist for children in Yorkton, SK with excellent reviews from other families: you'll have to read between the lines of what other families have posted, understand what pediatric-specific training entails, and trust your gut feeling after you've collected enough information to feel a strong sense of confidence in the decision.