All pediatric recommendations indicate seeing a pediatric dentist by the age of one or within 6 months of eruption of first baby teeth to build a dental home for the little ones and get multidisciplinary guidance from us.

At the first dental visit, we will do a comprehensive dental exam of teeth and gums.
The dentist will record a thorough medical and dental history. Parents should be prepared to review the prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal period of their child's development
We will discuss normal mouth and teeth growth and development.
We will demonstrate brushing techniques and flossing.
We will discuss cavities at this initial visit and how to prevent that.
We will discuss healthy diets and answer all parents’ questions.

The oral examination at this early age is usually accomplished with the parent present in the office. It is most often only a visual exam. The child patient may be sitting in the parent's lap with the head in the dentist's lap (knee-to-knee position).

For older children, the dentist may want to take X-rays. X-rays show decay between the teeth that does not appear on the clinical examination. They will also show if teeth are coming in the way they should be.

We have trained certified pediatric dentists who have studied extra years to learn behaviour management techniques to work with your child at his/her tolerance. Our staff are trained to work with your child's unique needs to build a positive experience.
The size of our tools, equipment and pediatric part of the office are designed specifically for kids.
We believe making a connection with your child and building their trust are the keys to guide them through their appointment. Children in our office have the opportunity to select their favourite flavour of toothpaste from our menu, choose a toothbrush and will be able to watch their show on the overhead television while we are working in their mouth. Following each appointment, they can choose stickers from our sticker wall. Parents tell us that their children are always very excited to come back, because they look forward to receiving a token for our prize machine and looking at the fish in the tank.

Baby teeth are very important.
Some parents may say that in our younger years we didn't do anything to fix baby teeth, and we grew up fine.
Our answer is that cavities are formed by different reasons. Diet, bacteria, good oral hygiene and genetics are some of the contributing factors that cause cavities. If left untreated, cavities can lead to pain, swelling and infection.

Our lifestyle when we were a kid is totally different than our children’s lifestyle. Our diet has been changed since our parent’s time. Most of the snacks now are made with refined sugars. Therefore, our kids get cavities faster and easier.
Baby teeth are very important and should be saved if possible until eruption of their adult teeth underneath. Baby teeth are used for chewing, speech, smiling, development of facial muscles and for guiding the eruption of healthy adult teeth underneath by providing space for them.

Young children are not able to clean their own teeth. As a parent, you must do it for them when they are very young and do it with them, as they get older.
When your child can tie his or her own shoes, your child is ready to do a good job brushing. You should check to make sure your child continues to maintain good brushing habits.
You should start cleaning your child's mouth even before your child has teeth. It gets both you and your child into the habit of keeping the mouth clean, and it gives baby teeth a clean place to come into. The goal here is to wipe all parts of the gums and teeth.

Here's how to do it:

• Lay your baby in a comfortable place.
• Make sure you can see into your baby's mouth.
• Use a soft baby brush or wrap your finger in a clean, damp washcloth. Then, brush or wipe your baby's gums and teeth.
• Do not use toothpaste until your child has teeth.

How to Brush

Hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the teeth. Point the bristles to where the gums and teeth meet.

Use gentle circles. Do not scrub. Clean every surface of every tooth. For the front teeth, use the "toe" or front part of the brush. Be gentle as you can hurt the gums by brushing too hard.

Toothbrushes and Toothpaste

The best kind of brush is soft, with rounded bristles. It should also be the right size for your child's mouth. You will need to buy a new toothbrush at about every 3 or 4 months.

Children can be hard on toothbrushes. If the bristles get bent or worn down, they will not do a good job, and may hurt your child's gums.

Make sure the toothpaste has fluoride. Check the box or tube for the symbol of the Canadian Dental Association. This symbol means the toothpaste has fluoride. Use only a bit of toothpaste, about the size of a pea, and make sure your child spits it out.

As excessive swallowing of toothpaste by young children may result in dental fluorosis, children under 6 years of age should be supervised during brushing and only use a small amount (e.g. pea-sized portion) of toothpaste.

Children under three years of age should have their teeth brushed by an adult using only a small amount of toothpaste.

How to Floss by floss sticks

Wipe the tooth from bottom to top 2 or 3 times or until it is squeaky clean with floss sticks.
Be sure you floss both sides of each tooth, and don't forget the backs of the last molars.
Remember to wipe the floss as you move from tooth to tooth.

Pediatric dentists recommend to start using small amount of fluoride toothpaste at the age of two or when they are able to spit. Unless your child is at high risk for cavities, in which case, we may advise brushing with a fluoridated toothpaste sooner.

It is normal for babies to suck because it helps them relax. By the time your child is two or three years of age, he or she has less need to suck. If your child still likes to suck, a soother is better than sucking a thumb because you can control when and how your child uses a soother. You can't control a thumb going into the mouth.

Never put sugar, honey or corn syrup on a soother. They can cause cavities. It's best to get your child to stop sucking before permanent teeth come in, at about age five. If a child keeps sucking a soother or thumb after the permanent teeth have come in, it could cause problems with how the jaw and teeth grow.

Absolutely. Parents should not worry or be afraid of bringing their kids with special needs to us. We understand and are trained to treat children at their level of cooperation. We understand that each child is unique, and each child has a different level of tolerance. We will always work with you and your children at their level.

We offer a variety of possible approaches and encourage you to select the best approach that is the right choice for any specific health and behavioural needs of your child.

Yes, parents can choose to stay in the room with their children or relax in our comfortable spa area. You are also welcomed to sit in the dental chair with your child until he/she is comfortable enough to sit alone.

No, in fact most of our patients find us on their own and then stick with us. Most of all, we are a one-stop dental shop. We have specialists in Sleep dentistry, Orthodontics and all aspects of pediatric dentistry for your children.

We reserve a block of time for each child, especially if they need a sedation for their work to be done. We kindly ask for at least 48 hours notice to make any changes to an appointment, so that we may provide care for another child who is waiting to be seen at that block of time.

Country kids Dental Cambridge also offers direct insurance billing electronically to your insurance company and dental financing through PayBright.
We are pleased to offer dental financing through our partner, PayBright (formerly HealthSmart Financial Services). This partnership allows us to offer affordable dental financing to our patients.
If you do not have private dental insurance coverage through your place of work, then here are four reasons to consider PayBright dental financing, which will help offset the cost of dental treatments:

1. Easy Application Process
2. Quick Approval
3. No Waiting Period
4. Low Dental Insurance Rates

Easy to Apply
Compared to other insurance or payment plans you may have signed up for in the past, PayBright dental financing makes it easy to apply online for dental health coverage. Apply at your leisure at any time. Simply fill out basic personal and employment information and submit the form online and we take care of the rest.

Instant Online or In-Clinic Approval
With PayBright dental financing through Country kids Dental Cambridge there is no waiting to find out if you are approved or not. Your dental insurance application is assessed immediately, and PayBright Financial Services offers instant approval both online and through the in-clinic dental financing application.

No Waiting Period – Begin Dental Treatment Today
Unlike other dental insurance plans, once you choose your payment plan through PayBright dental financing and you are approved, you can start your dental treatment the very same day; there’s no need to wait.

Book an appointment today and ask us about affordable dental insurance coverage through PayBright. Visit the PayBright FAQ page to learn more about this service.