At Porter Dental, we are proud to be recognized for providing high-standard, compassionate dental care. Patient safety is the cornerstone of delivering care of this quality. Here are just a few ways we make sure your children; family and you stay safe when visiting our office.

Infection Control

We are dedicated to helping all team members maintain the safest environment in our dental offices. Every team member is encouraged to identify and report anything that might result in harm to patients or coworkers, as well as to speak up and share any concerns.

Sterilization

We have complete control over who handles our instruments and how they’re sterilized. Along with the proper sterilization of instruments and materials. Sterilizer monitoring is an essential part of Porter Dental’s in-office infection control program.

Regulatory Accreditation

We oversee efforts to maintain the highest standards of quality and safety, in
keeping with guidelines set forth by agencies that regulate and accredit dental offices. Our team works closely with these agencies to keep abreast of newly established protocols to improve dental health outcomes in our offices.

Generally, children should visit the dentist by their first birthday or when their first tooth comes in. To make sure your child develops healthy dental habits, seeing the dentist early and regularly will really help. Your dentist can teach your child proper dental care, helping them prevent tooth decay and live a lifetime of happy, healthy smiles.

Tips to help with your child’s first dentist appointment:

Prepare your child

You can get your child used to a dentist check-up at home before ever scheduling their first appointment. You can do this early for babies by wiping their gums with a soft cloth after meals or gently brushing their tooth with a soft toothbrush. Doing this before their first appointment will get them used to having someone exam inside their mouth. If your child is older, give them a general idea of what to expect and explain why going to the dentist is important.

Prepare yourself

Be ready to answer general health questions about your child and bring your photo ID and any insurance cards you might need. If you have questions for the dentist, feel free to ask.

Remember, everyone should have regular check-ups with the dentist no matter what their age. By bringing your child in for their first dental appointment, you’re already making sure that they are learning good oral hygiene habits early.

Simple stories you can read with your child to help prepare for their dental visit

I’m going to the orthodontist today.  We’re going to check to see if I need braces.

When I get to the orthodontist’s office, we check-in at the front counter.  Here I should use my inside voice so my mom can finish my paperwork.

The office has activity sheets that I can do while I wait to be called back.  I’ll read and learn cool facts about animals and solve some fun puzzles.

When it’s our turn to be seen, the orthodontist might want to take pictures of my teeth.  They use this big machine that looks like it came from a submarine.  It’s really cool looking and can show the orthodontist inside my teeth!  They say we need the pictures because they will show if I should get braces or not.

After talking to my mom, the orthodontist thinks I should get braces.  So, they start getting my teeth ready for the brackets that I’ll need.  Once my teeth are ready, they use a special glue to stick the brackets to my teeth.

After I have all the brackets I need, the orthodontist puts a wire through them, it goes around my mouth.  This is going to help my teeth move in the right direction and make them straight.

Once the wire is in place, the orthodontist tells me how to take care of my teeth and my new braces.  They say I might need a different toothbrush to clean my teeth and around my brackets properly.  I need to pay attention to removing food from around my brackets and in between the wire and my teeth so I don’t get cavities.

Now I have my new braces and pretty soon I’ll have a straighter smile.  The best part is I can customize my braces with different colored bands!

Regular dental check-ups and cleanings are important for both children and adults.They help to keep your teeth and gums healthy. You should schedule a regular dental visit at least every 6 months or as recommended by your dentist.

During your cleaning, your dentist or dental hygienist will usually follow these steps:

• First, your dental professional will examine your teeth and check for any possible issues like plaque or cavities
• Next, your dental professional will floss in between your teeth and use special tools to scrape off any tartar (hardened, built up plaque) around all your teeth
• Then, they will use special toothpaste to clean and polish your teeth
• Your dentist may decide to take x-rays to make sure that everything is normal in your mouth
• Finally, you usually get a fluoride treatment to help protect your teeth

Professional dental cleanings are an important part of good oral health. If you have questions about your cleaning, be sure to ask your dentist or dental hygienist.

Simple stories you can read with your child to help prepare for their dental visit

My dental hygienist taught me how to brush my teeth today!  I thought there were a lot of steps but, after they showed me, it was easy.

First, my hygienist told me that brushing the right way takes time.  They told me that most dentist say it should take at least 2 minutes to brush all my teeth.  My parents set a timer for me to make sure I know how long to brush.  I also learned that you should brush your teeth two times a day.  One time in the morning and one time before bed.

The first step is putting toothpaste on my toothbrush.  Not too much!  I like the mint flavor the best.

Then I had to hold my toothbrush at a 45-degree angle aMDinst my gums.  My dental hygienist had to show me what this felt like and showed me in a mirror too.

Next, you should brush your teeth slowly, in small circles on the front and back of your teeth.  Don’t forget the top of your teeth too.  That’s the part that you use to chew your food.

Be sure to brush every tooth, every time and all around.  As much as you can.  You don’t want to leave any suMDr bugs behind.

After your done brushing your teeth, be sure to brush your tongue and top of your mouth too.

Now you have a clean smile!