Children are unique and special…they deserve specialized dental care!

Pediatric dentistry is an age–defined specialty that provides both primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral health care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special health care needs.

The pediatric dentist has complete extra 2-3 years of advanced education program beyond dental school training; advanced programs are designed to provide special knowledge and skills. The curriculum of an advanced program provides the dentist with necessary didactic background and clinical experiences to provide comprehensive primary oral health care and the services of specialist.

Pediatric dentistry encompasses a variety of disciplines, techniques, procedures, and skills that share a common basis with other specialties, but are modified and adapted to the unique requirements of infants, children, adolescents, and those with special health care needs. These skills are applied to the needs of children throughout their ever –changing stages of development and to treating conditions and diseases unique to growing individuals.

Not all pediatric dentists are certified by American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD). A Board Certified Pediatric Dentist is also known as a Diplomate of American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

The ABPD certifies pediatric dentists based on standards of excellence that lead to high quality oral health care for infants, children, adolescents, and patients with special health care needs. Certification by the ABPD provides assurance to the public that a pediatric dentist has successfully completed accredited training and a voluntary 2-part examination process designed to continually validate the knowledge, skills, and experience requisite to the delivery of quality pediatric dental care.

Source: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry