Children's Dentist in Perth

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is a government benefit that offers up to $1,095 for eligible children over two calendar years to cover various dental services. It is intended for families who currently receive other forms of assistance, such as Family Tax Benefit A payments.

If your child qualifies, the CDBS will cover dental services such as dental check-ups, routine teeth cleaning, basic restorative treatment like fillings, and root canal therapy. It excludes orthodontic treatment (braces to fix crooked teeth), hospital-based dental treatments, and cosmetic dental procedures (such as replacing missing teeth).

Not all dentists participate in the CDBS, so it’s important to consult with the dentist before scheduling an appointment.

In general, children should visit the dentist every six months. Regular visits allow the dentist to perform essential dental care, including exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, and X-rays. These visits also give the dentist an opportunity to assess your child’s oral hygiene routine and dietary habits and offer personalised advice if needed.

Even if your child’s routine check-up shows no dental issues, it doesn’t mean they should visit the dentist less often. In fact, these healthy check-ups confirm that regular visits and preventive treatments are effective in maintaining your child’s dental health. Skipping an appointment could mean going an entire year without proper care, increasing the risk of undetected tooth decay or gum disease. Regular check-ups are key to preventing future dental problems.

When children are afraid of the dentist, it can lead to stressful situations that are unpleasant for everyone involved. However, with work and patience, you can make dentist visits more enjoyable.

If your child has a dentist visit coming up, here are some tips to help them overcome their fear of going to the dentist:

• Pay a Visit Before Their Appointment:
  

  Try to visit the dental clinic before your child’s actual appointment so they can become acquainted with it. A lot of the time, when children are exposed to new situations, they feel fearful. Remove that aspect by allowing your child to meet the team and become familiar with the office environment.

• Avoid Using Negative Language:
  

  It’s frightening enough to have dental work done; your child shouldn’t have to worry about possibly frightening things. While you may want to be direct and honest with them, avoid using words like “pain” and “hurt.” Make it clear to your child that the dentist and their team are there to help them get stronger and healthier, not to penalize them for having cavities. Positive reinforcement is considerably more effective than negative reinforcement in motivating your child to take good care of their teeth.

• Practice at Home:
  

  Again, your child’s familiarity with things will provide them with many comforts when they go in for their appointment. You should bring them in before the big day and practice at home so they know what to expect. Place your child on a chair and pretend to be the dentist. Show them how their teeth will be examined using a mirror and your hands or utensils to represent dental tools.

• Don’t Complicate Things:
  

  Transparency is important with children, but explaining too much might confuse them and increase their anxiety. They may have many questions about their impending visit, and it’s an opportunity to answer them all as briefly as possible. However, don’t expect everything to go well or that they won’t have to undergo any processes. While this may alleviate any anxieties before the appointment, it may backfire if they require extensive dental work. As a result, your child may become sceptical of both you and the dentist.

• Bring Them with You to Your Appointments:
  

  You are a big role model for your children, which implies that if their hero can accomplish it, they can too. Please bring your child with you to your next appointment so they can witness what the dentist performs. They notice how polite everyone is and that nothing is frightening at the appointment.

• Don’t Make Reward Promises:
  

  Since we previously stressed positive reinforcement, this approach may appear counter-intuitive. However, providing prizes after the appointment may make your youngster feel more anxious about it. If it’s not such a big deal, why does Mommy need to give me something afterwards? You can arrange to reward them after a good dental check-up, but don’t hint at it ahead of time. You might conduct some research to discover whether the office has any amenities, such as video game systems. That way, you can tell your child ahead of time what to expect during their visit, and they’ll feel better about it.

• Remember to Be Patient and Understanding:
  

  The first visit will always be the most difficult. Put yourself in your child’s shoes: they’re being taken somewhere they’ve probably never been before, and they’re also being examined. Kids will vent their frustrations by throwing tantrums and sobbing, which can put your patience to the test.