What to Expect for your
First Visit
To make every visit awesome, the best thing you can do is keep a positive attitude about the dentist. Let’s keep it fun and worry-free! We’re super excited to welcome new friends to Clinch River Pediatric Dentistry. Our team is here to make sure your visits are fun and exciting.
1
New Patient Paperwork
Click here to download the new patient forms. Please fill these out and bring them completed to the first appointment
2
Radiographs / X-rays (if deemed necessary)
If necessary, we’ll take some X-rays to get a closer look at your teeth.
3
Teeth Cleaning
For very young patients, this might just be a fun toothbrushing session.
4
Dental Exam
Our dentist will check for cavities, bite problems, eruption issues, or any other concerns.
5
Discussion
We’ll talk about what we found and discuss any treatment options if needed.
6
Fluoride Application
With your parent’s approval, we’ll apply fluoride to help prevent cavities.
7
Pick a Toy
After your great job, choose the perfect toy to take home!
For the first appointment, we like to keep things easy and fun to build trust and help your child get comfy with the office. In rare cases, like trauma, pain, or serious scheduling issues, we might do same-day treatment.
Clinch River Pediatric Dentistry
Patient Forms
Click the links below to download our forms. Please print and fill them out before your appointment, and bring them along with your insurance card. If you can’t print the forms, no worries! Just plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early to complete them in our office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Patient Info
If you don’t see the information you are looking for, please give us a call so we can answer your questions.
When should I bring my child in for their first visit?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends bringing your child in for their first dental visit by their first birthday. Early visits help us catch and treat problems before they start. But don’t worry, we’re happy to see kids of any age! We can chat about diet, hygiene, and home care even before those first teeth pop up, reducing future dental issues.
Why do we care about baby teeth?
Baby teeth might fall out, but they stick around until kids are 10-12 years old. They’re super important for jaw development and guiding permanent teeth into place. Cavities can start as soon as teeth appear (around 5-8 months) and can hurt, affecting your child’s quality of life. Plus, injuries can happen anytime, and having a trusted dentist makes treatment easier and more successful. We keep an eye on your child’s growth and development to catch and address any problems early, helping you plan for future healthcare needs.
Do you accept my insurance?
We want to be your dental home and accept most dental plans, continually adding new ones to serve you better. We’re here to help you maximize your insurance benefits, but because policies vary, we can only estimate coverage. Your estimated portion is due at the time of service. We’ll bill your insurance and allow 45 days for payment. After 60 days, you’re responsible for the balance. Check out our financial section for more details, and feel free to ask our friendly staff any questions!
What products do you recommend?
Dr. Bob® Unflavored Toothpaste
Dr. Bob® toothpaste is a dye free, sodium lauryl sulfate free (the tingly stuff), gluten free toothpaste that is great for patients with sensory concerns. This is a great product for those patients who do not like the “feel” of regular toothpaste. This unflavored toothpaste is made for adults and children of all ages. It does contain fluoride. Fluoride toothpaste offers tarter control, enamel repair, cavity prevention, reduced plaque, and optimal oral health.
Squigle® Toothpaste
Squigle® toothpaste is a wonderful toothpaste for children who are picky or fussy brushers because of flavor or texture. Squigle® is very gentle, safe, has a mild mint flavor, and has no detergent (so it doesn’t foam up). This is Dr. McCall’s go-to product for children with sensory issues as well! It’s a couple dollars more than regular toothpaste, but it’s an awesome product!
Act® Fluoride Rinse
Act® rinse is a fluoride-containing rinse that is an important tool in Dr. McCall’s cavity-fighting arsenal. This is a nice supplement to toothpaste in children who aren’t great at flossing. Even though young children may not be capable of swishing and spitting, parents can dip the toothbrush in the Act and do a quick swipe of the back teeth to let a little fluoride soak in between the teeth where brushing is difficult. The bubblegum flavor is well tolerated by most children as well.
For older kids who want a more adult-appropriate rinse, Crest makes a good product.
Electric Toothbrushes
Dr. McCall is a big fan of electric toothbrushes. Many kids are electronically minded, and he finds that compliance and length of brushing increases with their use. Electric toothbrushes can remove a lot more plaque than traditional brushing, and these are highly recommended for patients with braces, orthodontic spacer appliances, or patients with a high risk of cavities. Dr. McCall has identified two high-quality, affordable products for you to try at home.
Patients 3-7 years old
Patients 8 and older
Lanolin Cream (For Chapped Lips)
Many kids suffer from lip-smacking habits, especially during the colder winter months. Traditional chap stick doesn’t hold up well to the constant licking around these lips, and instead dries out the lips and skin leaving a bright red irritated ring. Lanolin cream is a product used by nursing mothers that works far better to moisturize and protect the lips without drying them out. You can get it at any drug store, or on Amazon.
Waterpik® for Braces
For parents who know they will have several years of children in braces ahead of them, a Waterpik® can be cheap insurance to blast out plaque between orthodontic brackets. You can fill the hopper with water, but a mixture of water and Act Fluoride rinse can be a great idea as well.
Reminder-Tasting Nail Polish
Mavala® is a brand of nail polish available on Amazon that is used to remind patients with thumb or finger habits, who are trying to quit. Many of these children suck their fingers at night when they are going to sleep, and the icky bitter taste of Mavala® can help remind them to stop. This doesn’t work for our more “stubborn” patients, as some of them will suck right through it. But it’s a great product to try early on.
TGuard® Thumb Sucking Bracelet
The TGuard® is a great product for older patients who still suck their thumb and are ready to quit, but they need help kicking the habit. Dr. McCall usually recommends the TGuard® for patients who are at least 6 years old, want to quit, and predominately suck their thumb at night while sleeping. This simple plastic “hitch hikers” glove slides over the thumb and snaps in place with a bracelet. The bracelet can only be placed and cut off by the parent, so it gives parents a lot of power to enforce quitting the habit. The product is a little more expensive but can help prevent further bite problems and additional orthodontic treatment in the future.
What to do in case of an
Emergency
If your child experiences a true medical emergency please call 911.
If your child has a dental injury during normal business hours, give us a call at 276-776-1180. While we do our best to be available after hours, we’re not an emergency room and might not always be reachable. If your call isn’t returned and you need immediate help, please visit your nearest emergency room or urgent care. Our after-hours line is for patients of record only.
Dental emergencies are a big part of what we do at Clinch River Pediatric Dentistry. If your child has pain, swelling, trauma, or a broken space maintainer, call us to find out the next steps.
If your child knocks out a PERMANENT tooth:
- Find the tooth and hold it by the crown (the top part), not the root.
- Rinse it briefly without cleaning or handling it too much.
- If possible, reinsert the tooth into the socket and hold it in place with a clean piece of gauze or cloth.
- If you can’t reinsert it, place the tooth in a cup of cold milk or the patient’s own saliva.
- Call us immediately at 276-776-1180. Time is crucial, and this needs to be seen by a dentist right away.
The Nitty Gritty
Insurance & Disclosures
At Clinch River Pediatric Dentistry, we believe your child deserves top-notch dental care, regardless of finances or insurance. We always offer the best options while being mindful of individual budgets.
Insurance and Payment Info:
Before your first visit, we’ll ask for your dental insurance details. We’re in-network with Virginia Medicaid, Delta Dental, Aetna, Guardian, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, and MetLife. Many other plans also pay well for out-of-network dentists. We’ll happily submit claims and help you understand your plan. Any services not covered by insurance are due at the time of service.
If further treatment is needed after the initial visit, we’ll submit the treatment plan to your insurance company to get an estimate of out-of-pocket expenses. This way, there are no surprises, and we’ll collect this amount at the start of the next appointment. If finances become a concern, we often have alternative options to discuss.
We know dental care can be costly and confusing, but it doesn’t have to be! For details on your specific plan, it’s best to contact your insurance provider directly. If you have any questions, give us a call – we’re happy to help!
Disclosure: Our Commitment to a Positive Experience
We all want friends and believe life is too short to spend time with people who make you unhappy. Clinch River Pediatric Dentistry is a great fit for most families, but we understand that our office may not be for everyone. There are many dental providers in Washington County, each with their own unique approach. It’s important for families to find the clinic that best suits their needs, even if that’s not us.
If you’re unhappy with the quality of care, our policies, or anything else about your experience at our office, please let us know. We’re always learning and will do our best to resolve the issue or help you find a clinic that’s a better fit for your family. Likewise, if we feel we’re not the right match for your family, we reserve the right to end our patient-healthcare provider relationship as well.
We’re here to help with any dental treatment issues. When problems come up, we expect to be treated as allies, not adversaries. Everyone has bad days, but we can’t solve problems when we’re being attacked. We’re a family and take great care in protecting our employees.
We’ve never, and will never, dismiss a child from the practice for behavior-related reasons. However, we reserve the right to dismiss parents from the practice for behavior-related reasons. Being verbally abusive, displaying aggressive behavior, threatening bad reviews, hanging up the phone in anger, or just being plain mean will result in dismissal from the practice.
Let’s work together to keep every smile bright and happy!