Welcome, Parents!


Looking for the best pediatric dentist for your child? You’ve come to the right place. Rector Family Dental & Orthodontics provides the highest quality care in a fun, friendly setting. And guess what? Many of our patients ask, “When can I come back?” Imagine that! Rector Family Dental & Orthodontics—where healthy comes with a big dose of happy.

Your child’s teeth from birth to adulthood

Your child’s teeth and jaw will undergo many changes from the time they’re born until they reach full maturity as adults. Here’s a look at the stages of dental development.

Infant/toddler:

Babies are born with 20 primary teeth situated just under their gums. These teeth, like adult chompers, vary in shape, size, and location. Their differences all work together for a purpose — to help kids chew comfortably, speak clearly, and smile happily. They also help form and shape the mouth, jaw, and face.

Baby teeth begin to erupt at around 6 months of age and sprout over the next few years until all 20 (10 upper and 10 lower) have made an appearance. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends children start going to the dentist by age 1 or within 6 months of their first tooth.

Young children:

Most often, children will begin to lose their primary teeth around age 6, but it can happen any time between the ages of 4 and 7.

Typically, the first baby teeth to fall out are the two bottom followed by the two top front teeth. These are called the lower and upper central incisors. Usually the lateral incisors, first molars, canines, and second molars follow. Expect your child to lose their baby molars between ages 10 to 12.

Teens:

Adult molars emerge around age 13. By age 21, your adult child should have a full set of 32 permanent teeth. That’s 12 more than they were born with — 6 additional teeth on the upper jaw, and 6 more on the lower jaw. Four of those new choppers are the wisdom teeth, which usually erupt between ages 17 and 21.

Before Your First Visit:

To save you time on your visit, you can view several forms and fill them out in advance. That allows us to get to your child’s dental exam quickly.

We’ve got you covered. We accept most dental insurance. Contact us to schedule an appointment and to ensure that we accept your plan. We can also work with you on making payments to cover your child’s treatment.

We may call or contact you before your scheduled visit for a verbal confirmation or to help you reschedule if needed. To cancel your appointment, please contact or call us within 24 hours.

Our office will make every effort to provide you with the finest care and the most convenient financial options. To accomplish this, we work with you to maximize your dental benefit reimbursement for covered procedures.

If you have any problems or questions, please ask our staff. They are well informed and up-to-date and can be reached by phone at 765-286-4017

Please bring your insurance information with you to your first visit so that we can expedite reimbursement. 

We deliver the finest care at the most reasonable cost to our patients and offer a wide range of payment options. For your convenience, we accept Personal Checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and Care Credit.  Our treatment coordinator will work out a plan suited to your individual needs. 

If you have questions regarding your account, please contact us at 765-286-4017

Your First Visit

FAQ

  • What should I use to clean my baby’s teeth?

    A toothbrush will remove plaque bacteria that can lead to decay. Any soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head, preferably one designed specifically for infants, should be used at least once a day at bedtime.

  • How can I prevent decay caused by nursing?

    Avoid nursing children to sleep or putting anything other than water in their bed-time bottle. Also, learn the proper way to brush and floss your child’s teeth. Take your child to a pediatric dentist regularly to have his/her teeth and gums checked. The first dental visit should be scheduled by your child’s first birthday.

  • When should I take my child to the dentist for the first check-up?

    In order to prevent dental problems, your child should see a pediatric dentist when the first tooth appears, or no later than his/her first birthday.

  • Are baby teeth really that important to my child?

    Primary, or “baby,” teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to erupt.

  • How often does my child need to see the pediatric dentist?

    A check-up every six months is recommended in order prevent cavities and other dental problems. However, your pediatric dentist can tell you when and how often your child should visit based on their personal oral health.

  • What should I do if my child has a toothache?

    First, rinse the irritated area with warm salt water and place a cold compress on the face if it is swollen. Give the child acetaminophen for any pain, rather than placing aspirin on the teeth or gums. Finally, see a dentist as soon as possible.

  • I want to video-record the procedure. May I?

    To comply with Federal HIPAA regulations, we do not allow the use of cell phones or recording devices in the clinical area of our offices.

  • How long is a typical visit?

    A dental cleaning typically takes about 30 minutes, but may be longer or shorter based on the patient's age, behavior, and hygiene. Appliances such as braces can also lengthen the amount of time for the appointment. Other types of appointments may be longer or shorter, depending on what treatment is being completed. We work on kid time and never want to rush a patient into compliance.

  • Can I get a medical note for my child’s absence from school?

    Yes, we are happy to provide a school note for the day a patient is seen in our office. Procedures completed in our offices generally do not require extended absences from school.

How Can We Help?