​As Commonwealth Pediatric Dentistry continues to grow, we’re excited to announce our new practice in South Richmond, which is conveniently located in the Stratford Hills area on Forest Hill Avenue. Please let us know if you have any questions about our new location and please stay tuned for more details.
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Location details
7032 Forest Hill Ave.
Richmond, VA 23225
phone: 804-621-8299
fax: 804-932-0009

Sometimes it’s a small victory just to get your kids to bed at night. We get it.

Maybe they’re sleeping in their Halloween costume (again). Maybe they didn’t brush their teeth. But that can wait until tomorrow, right?

​Establishing a regular dental hygiene routine isn’t just important for your children’s oral health today, but it also builds lifelong healthy habits. Sure, we’re all going to miss or forget sometimes, but we owe it to our kids to try our best.

Here are some of the tips I typically share with parents about helping their kids establish a regular rhythm of proper dental hygiene:
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• Brush twice a day. Once after breakfast and once before bed. It’s important not to eat or drink anything after the night-time brushing to allow the fluoride to set on the teeth while sleeping.
• Brush for two minutes. It may sound like a long time, but it’s important. Here is a trick: brush your teeth alongside your kids so you’re in this all together. (Plus, you’ll probably find you’re brushing longer and more regularly, too.)
• Choose a soft brush and don’t brush too hard. As for the toothpaste, ask the pediatric dentist if your child should be using one with fluoride. It can fluctuate depending on your child.
  
  

It’s tough in the beginning. But know that the more you get your children to keep their healthy brushing routine, the easier it will become. And if you’re at your wit’s end, try this: go to the drugstore and let your kid pick out their favorite character toothbrush, whether it’s a Ninja Turtle or a Minnie Mouse. Now that’s something they can look forward to.

We know that folks get nervous before their first dental appointment – kids and parents.

We totally get it. You’re meeting someone new in a strange office and you’re unsure what to expect. We recently wrote about everything you can expect during your first visit, just to help put our new patients at ease a bit. But we wanted to take it a bit further and explain everything we do to make kids feel comfortable and gain their trust – and even get children excited about visiting the dentist!
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• We explain things to them in a kid-friendly way so they can understand and not be scared. Words are pretty powerful, and dental jargon can be scarier than a drill for some kiddos.
• We have TVs on the ceiling at each practice. Sometimes kids just want to blur out the dental exam and focus on something else. That’s fine! Some kid-friendly TV always does the trick.
• We give kids a token for our toy machine. And trust me…they ALWAYS remember to get their token.
  
  

The dental hygiene habits kids form today will lay the foundation for their oral health for the rest of their lives. By getting to know our patients, and making them look forward to visiting us, we’re helping them to build a healthy relationship with the dentist for years to come.

Don’t be surprised if your kids leave their first dental appointment here asking, “When can I go back!?”

I have kids. And I wouldn’t have become a pediatric dentist if I didn’t enjoy working with kids as much as I do. As much as the goal here is to ensure optimal oral health, my team and I understand the importance of making your children feel safe and comfortable – and even have fun! By building rapport with you and your kids, we lay a great foundation for providing the best possible care and treatment.
Here is a look at what you and your children can expect from my team and I during the first visit:

What we’ll do:
• We’ll review your child’s medical history and take X-rays if needed.
• We’ll perform your kid’s first dental cleaning, including a careful examination of the teeth and gums as well as a fluoride application. (You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy this is these days.)
• If your child experiences any anxiety — which is totally normal — we may ask you, the parent, to lay down on the dental chair with your child. Alternatively, we can also try the “knee-to-knee” technique during which the parent and doctor sit facing each other, and your child lies back on the doctor’s lap. Both of these methods allow the patient to have the comfort of their parent during their dental exam.
• We’ll answer all your questions about your child’s dental health, oral hygiene habits and dietary recommendations.
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How you can help the first visit go smoothly:
• Print out, complete and bring the required paperwork to your first visit.
• Bring your dental insurance information.
• Please us know ahead of time if there are any special health concerns.

​Expect your child to have fun! We have TVs at each dental chair and prizes to share with your kid. Plus, our new Midlothian location has a lobby arcade! So what are you waiting for?