Congrats from Dr. Clark & Pearland Pediatric Dentistry!

Congratulations to our patients from Pearland ISD who were awarded for their artwork submissions in the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Art Exhibit!

Carsen J.
Andrew A.
Gabriella C.
Elena A.
Hailey B.
Bryson O.
Olivia R.
Rachel S.
Josie T.
Katelyn R.
Charles G.
Anica R.
Jase L.
Isbella P.
David J.
Vidya M.
Anne M.
Brianna B.
Jason B.
Riley M.
Surya S.
Abigail O.
Oliver F.
Evan G.
Marissa D.
Hannag L.
Emily D.
Maddie M.
Erin S.
Katelyn M.
Sabrina A.
Taylor L.
Darcy B.

Is sedation dentistry right for your child?

While our experienced and professional team at Pearland Pediatric Dentistry strive to offer a comfortable experience for every patient who walks through our doors, we realize that fear or anxiety while visiting the dentist can affect a lot of kids anyway. For patients who need extra comfort and relaxation during their dental visit, we are pleased to offer sedation dentistry.

Does your child feel nervous or stressed about his or her upcoming dental appointment? Well your little one is not alone. In fact, almost 30 percent of the population experiences “dental phobia” when faced with visiting the dentist!

The reasons for patients’ fear of the dentist can be numerous, but are usually due to a traumatic experience during their childhood. This overwhelming anxiety can cause one to avoid modern dental care, resulting in poor oral hygiene and possible mouth-related issues such as gum disease.

Your child can benefit from sedation dentistry if he or she experiences one or more of the following:

* High fear of dental care
* Past traumatic dental experience
* Fear of needles and shots
* Trouble getting numb
* Fear of being numbed
* Sensitive teeth

We understand the thought of injections can be scary to our patients, so we utilize the Compudent with Wand technology. The Compudent is a computerized machine that distributes the local anesthesia at a slow rate, decreasing the discomfort to the patient. Some patients become very apprehensive even at the sight of needles or a syringe. The Wand, which is the actual handpiece, has a very non-threatening appearance and does not look like a traditional syringe.

If your child suffers from dental phobia, sedation dentistry may be the answer. Please give us a call at our convenient Pearland office for more info about sedation dentistry, and we’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.

Ask Dr. Clark: When should my child visit your office?

Thanks for the question. Oral health is a hugely important part of your child's overall health, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and our staff at Pearland Pediatric Dentistry recommend that your child visits the pediatric dentist by his or her 1st birthday.

If you have any concerns about your child's dental health, please inform Dr. Clark and her team of these concerns. Our team is focused at making you and your child feel welcomed in our office.

Regular recare (checkup) appointments typically take 20 to 40 minutes. Patients are seen by appointment only. We make every effort to be on time for our patients and ask that you extend the same courtesy to us. If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us immediately.

We are excited and look forward to meeting you and your child at their initial appointment. Dr. Clark's goal is to build a relationship with you and your child over the next several years in a comfortable environment that promotes good oral health care.

Hello from Dr. Clark!

Happy Monday!

I hope our patients make and keep New Year's Resolution that will benefit their overall health including taking care of their teeth and gums by brushing at least twice a day and flossing every day! We have great memories of our patients in 2010, especially our Patient Appreciation Party! We look forward to seeing all of our patients in 2011 and we are planning our Patient Appreciation Party for 2011!

Here are a few things that recently happened:

*We now have an intraoral camera that also detects decay so we can show pictures to our patients and their parents.
*I attended the Contemporary Sedation of Children for Dental Practice: Enteral and Parenteral Techniques course hosted by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry this past October.
*Dr. Reddy completed her oral exam and is now board certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.
*We are excited to have Alexandra Oltsik join our clinical team as a registered dental assistant.
*We wish Tina Jernigan (registered dental assistant) the best of luck! She is leaving the office to go back to school full-time to become a history professor! We are going to miss her.

- Dr. Clark

Ask Dr. Clark: When is thumb-sucking a cause for concern?

Lots of you have asked Dr. Pamela Clark and our staff at Pearland Pediatric Dentistry whether it’s healthy for children to suck thumbs and fingers. If you’ve got a thumb-sucker in the house, you are not alone. Research tells us that between 75% and 95% of infants suck their thumbs.

Is this something to worry about? In most cases, no. Sucking is a natural reflex for an infant, and can provide security and contentment as well as relaxation for your little one. It’s a habit that most children grow out of between the ages of 2 and 4.

However, if your child keeps sucking after he’s gotten his permanent teeth, it’s time to take a closer look. If your child sucks his thumb aggressively, putting pressure on the inside of his mouth or his teeth, it could cause problems with tooth alignment and proper mouth growth. If you’re worried, give us a call and we will help assess the situation, and provide tips for how to help your child break the habit.

Happy New Year!