Reviewed by Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach, FL
Children’s dentistry in Pompano Beach at South Florida Smile Spa is family dentistry done at a child’s pace: short, calm visits, a hygienist who explains every instrument before it goes in the mouth, and a dentist who would rather prevent a cavity than fill one. Dr. Berger sees children alongside their parents, which means the whole family’s records are in one place and a nervous eight-year-old can watch Mom have her cleaning first. This page covers what a child’s visit looks like, the preventive care that actually keeps kids out of the drill chair, how we handle anxious children, and the questions parents ask most.
Quick answer
Children’s dentistry is routine, preventive and restorative dental care adapted to a growing mouth: exams and cleanings every six months, fluoride varnish, sealants on the permanent molars as they erupt around ages six and twelve, X-rays only when needed, fillings for cavities that do develop, custom sports mouthguards, and monitoring of how the adult teeth and bite are coming in so orthodontic problems are caught early. At South Florida Smile Spa in Pompano Beach, Dr. Berger treats children and parents in the same office, keeps first visits short and pressure-free, and uses tell-show-do and nitrous oxide where needed so that a child’s first experiences of the dentist are good ones.
The Visit
What a child’s visit looks like
The goal of the first few visits is a child who walks in without dread. Everything else follows from that.
- Tell, show, do. The hygienist names each instrument, shows it on a finger or a stuffed animal, and only then uses it. The “tickle brush” and “Mr. Thirsty” get introduced before anything goes near a tooth.
- A ride in the chair and a count of the teeth. For toddlers that may be the whole first visit, sometimes on a parent’s lap. There is no rule that something must be done.
- Cleaning and fluoride. Plaque is polished off, the teeth are flossed, and fluoride varnish is painted on, which takes seconds and tastes like fruit.
- The exam. Dr. Berger checks every tooth for decay, looks at how the bite and jaws are developing, checks the gums and soft tissues, and talks to you about habits like thumb-sucking, pacifiers, snacking and mouth-breathing.
- X-rays when they are needed. Usually from around age five or six, when the back teeth touch and cavities can hide between them, and then every one to two years depending on risk. Our digital sensors use a very small dose.
- A prize and a plan. A trip to the treasure chest, and for the parent a clear note of what, if anything, needs doing and when to come back.
Children’s dental care by age
| Age | What is happening | What we do | What parents do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth to 3 | Baby teeth erupt from about 6 months; all 20 in by age 3 | First visit by the first birthday: a lap exam, fluoride varnish, and advice on bottles, feeding and brushing | Wipe gums, then brush with a smear of fluoride toothpaste; no bottles in bed |
| 3 to 6 | Full set of baby teeth; first adult molars arrive around 6 | Cleanings and fluoride every six months; first X-rays when back teeth touch; sealants on the first molars as soon as they are through | Brush for them or with them, pea-sized paste, start flossing when teeth touch; limit juice and snacks |
| 6 to 12 | Baby teeth fall out and adult teeth replace them; jaws grow fast | Sealants, fluoride, cavity checks between teeth, an orthodontic look at age 7, mouthguards for sports | Supervise brushing until about 8; watch for crowding, thumb habits and mouth-breathing |
| 12 to 18 | Second molars around 12; wisdom teeth form; braces years | Sealants on second molars, fluoride, wisdom-tooth monitoring, extra care around braces, oral cancer screening from the teens | Sports drinks and energy drinks are the main cavity cause at this age; keep the retainer in |
Prevention
The four things that keep kids cavity-free
- Fluoride. Varnish at every visit, fluoride toothpaste at home from the first tooth, and a check on whether your household water is fluoridated; many South Florida families are on well water or filtered water that is not.
- Sealants. A thin resin coating flowed into the grooves of the permanent molars, where most childhood cavities start. Painless, no numbing, five minutes a tooth, and it lasts for years.
- Diet, especially frequency. How often a child sips or snacks matters more than how much. Juice boxes, gummy snacks, crackers and sports drinks between meals are the usual culprits; water between meals is the fix.
- Supervised brushing. Children lack the dexterity to brush well until about age eight. Brush after them, two minutes, twice a day, and floss once the teeth touch. Our dental hygiene page has the technique.
Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood, and nearly all of it is preventable with these four habits plus two visits a year.
When a child does get a cavity
Baby teeth get filled. They hold the space for the adult teeth, they are needed for chewing and speech, and an untreated cavity in a baby tooth becomes an abscess that can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Small cavities are filled with tooth-colored composite in one short visit, with numbing gel before the injection so the child rarely feels it. Very early decay can sometimes be arrested without drilling using silver diamine fluoride, which stains the spot dark but stops it, a good option for a very young or very anxious child. A baby tooth lost too early is held open with a small space maintainer so the adult tooth has room to come in. Dr. Berger explains each option, and the choice is made with you, not for you.
Anxious children, and children with special needs
Most dental fear in adults started in a childhood chair, which is why we treat a child’s first visits as the most important ones. Nothing is forced; a visit that ends with a child sitting in the chair and having their teeth counted is a successful visit. For treatment, tell-show-do, distraction and plenty of praise handle most children. For those who need more, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is safe for children, takes the edge off within minutes, and wears off before they leave the chair. Children with sensory or developmental differences are scheduled at quiet times, with longer appointments and a consistent team, and parents are welcome chairside. If a child needs extensive work that cannot be done comfortably here, we refer to a pediatric dentist with hospital privileges rather than push through. Dr. Berger’s guide to sedation dentistry explains the options for older teens and adults.
Watching the bite: orthodontic checks from age seven
By age seven the first adult molars and front teeth are in, which is enough to see whether the jaws are growing in proportion and whether there will be room for the rest. Crossbites, severe crowding, a jaw that is too far forward or back, and habits like thumb-sucking or mouth-breathing are all easier to correct while a child is growing than after. Dr. Berger checks this at every exam and refers for early orthodontic intervention when it will shorten or prevent braces later. Most children need nothing until their teens, and the check costs nothing extra.
Sports, injuries and emergencies
Every child in organized sports should have a custom mouthguard, remade as the teeth change. If a tooth is knocked out or broken anyway, call us the same day; a permanent tooth put back within an hour can often be saved, and our emergency page explains what to do in the meantime. A toothache that wakes a child at night, a swelling of the face or gum, or a tooth turning dark after a fall are all reasons to be seen promptly rather than at the next scheduled visit.
Cost and insurance
Nearly all dental plans, including Florida Medicaid-managed and marketplace pediatric plans, cover two exams, two cleanings and fluoride a year for children at 100 percent, and most cover sealants on permanent molars. Our team verifies your child’s benefits before the visit and tells you what, if anything, you will owe. Fillings and other treatment are quoted before they are scheduled.
Care in Pompano Beach
Why families choose South Florida Smile Spa for children’s dentistry
- One office for the whole family. Parents and children seen the same day, by the same team, with every record in one place.
- No forced visits. A first visit that ends with a chair ride and a prize is a success; treatment waits until the child is ready.
- Prevention first. Fluoride, sealants and diet coaching at every visit, so most of our kids never need a filling.
- Comfort when it is needed. Numbing gel, nitrous oxide and a patient team, and an honest referral if a child needs more than we can do comfortably.
- Growth watched. Bite and jaw development checked at every exam from age seven, so orthodontic problems are caught early.
Families come to us for children’s dentistry from Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek. If your child has never been to the dentist, or the last visit went badly, call us; we will make the next one go well.
Book your child’s visit
A cleaning, fluoride, sealants if they are due, and a first experience of the dentist that makes the next one easy. Bring a sibling, or book yourself the same morning.
South Florida Smile Spa · Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS · 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 · (954) 785-1100
Frequently Asked Questions
When should my child first see a dentist?
By the first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth, whichever comes first. The first visit is short: a look in the mouth on your lap, fluoride varnish, and advice on bottles, feeding and brushing. Starting early catches problems while they are small and makes the dentist a normal place rather than a scary one.
Do baby teeth really need fillings if they are going to fall out?
Yes. Baby molars are in the mouth until age ten to twelve, they hold the space for the adult teeth, and a cavity left alone becomes an abscess that hurts and can damage the adult tooth forming underneath. Small cavities are filled quickly; very early ones can sometimes be stopped without drilling.
What are dental sealants, and does my child need them?
A thin resin coating painted into the grooves of the permanent molars, where most childhood cavities begin. They reduce decay in those teeth by nearly 80 percent, take a few minutes per tooth with no numbing, and last for years. We recommend them on the first molars around age six and the second molars around twelve.
Is fluoride safe for children?
Yes, in the amounts used in toothpaste, varnish and fluoridated water. Use a smear of fluoride toothpaste from the first tooth and a pea-sized amount from age three, and have your child spit rather than swallow. Fluoride varnish at each visit is one of the most effective cavity preventers there is, particularly for families on well or filtered water.
My child is terrified of the dentist. What do you do?
We slow down. The first visit may be nothing more than a chair ride and counting teeth, with you beside them. Instruments are shown before they are used, nothing is forced, and praise is constant. For treatment, numbing gel and nitrous oxide make most children comfortable. If a child needs more than that, we say so and refer to a pediatric dentist with hospital sedation rather than push through a bad experience.
Is nitrous oxide safe for kids?
Yes. Nitrous oxide is the mildest form of sedation, used for children for decades. It is breathed through a small nose mask, takes effect in minutes, keeps the child awake and responsive, and clears from the body within minutes of stopping, so they can go back to school afterward. It is used only when a child needs it for treatment, not for routine cleanings.
When does my child need to see an orthodontist?
We look at bite and jaw development at every exam and recommend a formal orthodontic evaluation at age seven. Most children need nothing until their teens, but crossbites, severe crowding and jaw-growth problems are easier to correct early, and a short phase of treatment at eight or nine can prevent extractions or surgery later.
Does insurance cover children’s dental visits?
Almost always in full for exams, cleanings and fluoride twice a year, and most plans cover sealants on permanent molars. Pediatric dental coverage is an essential benefit under marketplace plans. We check your child’s benefits before the visit and quote any treatment before it is scheduled.
Do you see children from outside Pompano Beach?
Yes. Families come for children’s dentistry from Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek and across Broward County, often booking parents and children the same morning. The office is at 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach. Call (954) 785-1100 or request an appointment.