min. read
The Pediatric Dental Medicine program at Texas Children’s North Austin is the only hospital-based pediatric dental clinic in Austin exclusively dedicated to providing comprehensive dental care for patients with complex medical conditions. Our team of specialized pediatric dentists and medical professionals work collaboratively to ensure safe, compassionate, and individually tailored dental treatments for your child. As part of the Division of Plastic and Craniofacial surgery, we specialize in working with children with cleft lip/palate and other craniofacial conditions.
- Our pediatric dental clinic is located within Texas Children's Hospital North Austin Campus. This allows us to talk and collaborate with your child’s other medical specialists for complete care. Our “One Team” approach makes sure that every dental procedure your child has will always consider their complete medical history and current health status to create the safest experience.
- Research has shown that children with special health care needs such as craniofacial conditions are more likely to get dental decay (“cavities”) and gum disease. Our specialized dental team will work with you to prevent these problems from happening to your child. We will discuss your child’s teeth cleaning at home, specific diet changes and the challenges posed by your child’s specific medical condition. We know that children with special health care needs encounter many challenges, and we are here to help you and your family.
- Patients must have one or more significant medical conditions that make standard dental care not possible or challenging
- Examples of conditions we see in North Austin are craniofacial anomalies and/or cleft lip/palate, genetic disorders, developmental disabilities, severe cardiac conditions, hematological disorders and other immunocompromised states
- Patients who typically require multidisciplinary medical management in a hospital
- Patients must be 12 and under and be referred by a primary care provider, pediatric subspecialist, pediatric dentist or hospital medical team member.
- Comprehensive medical or dental records and current treatment plans are required for initial consultation.
- All referrals will be reviewed by our pediatric dentist to determine if the patient qualifies for care in our dental clinic.
- The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a child’s first dental visit be scheduled when the first tooth erupts but no later than age one.
- A list of your child’s medical conditions, medications (name, dose and instructions) and a list of the medical specialists your child sees
- Contact Information and dates about your child’s previous dental visits
- Your child’s x-rays and/or referral form if you have them. If not, we can arrange for them to be sent to us by your dentist
- Any medical equipment your child needs when outside the home
- A favorite toy, stuffed animal, or devices like an digital tablet or phone to keep your child busy while they wait
- Our highly trained board-certified pediatric dentist will spend time getting to know your child. They will review past medical conditions and past dental history to determine the best way to approach dental care for your child.
- We follow the “show-tell-do technique” so your child will know what to expect during the entire visit. We will involve you as the parent or caregiver to decide on the best way to do the dental examination.
- We will try our best to get dental x-rays and perform a cleaning but will not force any type of treatment on your child. Some children will require that their dental care take place under sedation in our special procedure rooms.
- We will review your child’s dental treatment needs based on their overall health at the time of the visit. We take the time to answer all your questions and will teach you ways to care for your child’s teeth at home.
- We offer comprehensive dental care including dental cleanings, x-rays, fillings, crowns and extractions based on your child’s individual needs.
- We can offer dental treatment with nitrous oxide, (laughing gas) to help relax your child during his or her dental visit.
- Many of our patients require general anesthesia in our world-class special procedure rooms due to the complexity of their medical conditions.
Your child should be seen by a pediatric dentist every 6 months to evaluate not only your child’s teeth, but your child’s jaw development and health of his or her gums.
76091
Conditions
article