Why a Pediatric Dentist?

Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric dentists are the pediatricians of dentistry. Just as a pediatrician develops special talents, skills and knowledge for working with children, a pediatric dentist is able to more effectively care for the dental needs of young people. Modern dentistry is not scary, but a visit to the dentist can still be an intimidating thing for little ones. There are so many unique things that happen at a pediatric dental office to help make your child’s experience a great one!

Why We Have Pediatric Dentists

Children’s mouths change so quickly—babies start teething around 6 months old, and continue to lose and gain new teeth all the way through their teenage years. So many things happen developmentally during this time, and pediatric dentists are specifically taught to know what is best at each stage of this process. Dr. Bryan Savage, Dr. Ines Quintanilla, Dr. LaShica Young, or Dr. Katie Suslik will complete a detailed exam of your child’s oral health, and based on his or her specific situation, will make recommendations for the best care in the future.

Pediatric Training

Pediatric dentists have a lot of training! In addition to a bachelor’s degree and a dental degree, pediatric dentists complete a two-year residency program that includes specialty classes and on-the-job treatment of children with various dental needs. Dr. Bryan Savage and Dr. Ines Quintanilla both completed their pediatric dental residency through the Baylor College of Dentistry, including daily patient care at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Dr. LaShica Young completed her pediatric dental residency at Lutheran Medical Center in Bangor, Maine.

Pediatric dentists also receive advanced credentialing to provide specialized treatment. These include the use of conscious sedation and general anesthesia. All of our doctors are credentialed at Children’s Hospital Colorado to provide care for your child under general anesthesia, and we also work with Carepoint Anesthesia to provide in office options for general anesthesia.

Pediatric Board Certified

Our pediatric dentists are board certified. Dr. Bryan Savage and Dr. LaShica Young are proud to say that they are board-certified with the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Ines Quintanilla is currently board-eligible. This rigorous certification process “provides assurance to the public that a pediatric dentist has successfully completed accredited training and a voluntary examination process designed to continually validate the knowledge, skills, and experience requisite to the delivery of quality patient care.”

Learn more about pediatric dentists at the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.