Why Us – Child Smile

We get it, children can be scared of the Dentist

Our Values and Approach

LESS IS
MORE

LESS IS MORE

We believe in less-invasive scientific principles, without compromising on excellent and effective clinical treatment.

We try best to avoid dental extractions, and prefer to always retain natural teeth.

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

The age-old adage of prevention is better than cure holds true.

This applies to the prevention of dental decay, gum disease, and teeth and jaw alignment issues in growing children and adolescents.

REASSURANCE AND GUIDANCE

Gentle yet unwavering reassurance and guidance is essential to reduce anxiety and dental fear.

Children all require healthy boundaries to thrive, be it at home, in the classroom or in the dental clinic.

INCLUSIVITY
AND SAFETY

INCLUSIVITY AND SAFETY

We welcome and celebrate everyone from all walks of life – be it age, race, neurodivergence, ability or beliefs.

When you come to us, you and your child’s physical and psychological safety and well-being is of utmost importance.

Does this sound like your child?
If so, we can help!

0 - 2 years
Aisyah is the joy of her first-time parents. They have seen on parent groups how Early Childhood Caries can cause widespread cavities in children as young as 2, and want to prevent this from happening. They know that establishing a dental home for their infant is critical in building a life-long foundation of good oral care habits.

3 - 4 years
Brandon is now a toddler with a personality, which sometimes is a source of frustration. His parents have noticed his front teeth sticking out more and more from continued use of his pacifier, and this unfortunately led to them being chipped badly in a fall. They dread bringing him to his first dental checkup because they know he will refuse to cooperate.

5 - 6 years
Zahir hates brushing his teeth, and loves chocolates. His parents have noticed black cavities in his back teeth, with food constantly getting stuck between them. One night, he complained of extreme pain in his tooth, and his gum swelled up suddenly. He was unable to eat, cried constantly, and even developed a high fever.

7 - 8 years
Despite knowing that she shouldn’t, Eloise has been unable to stop thumb sucking, especially whilst falling asleep. The act brings her so much comfort especially after a long and tiring day at school. Her parents are even more concerned, as they can see that this is causing her to develop an open bite. They have tried everything to lovingly help her stop, but to no avail.

9 - 10 years
Ziyi’s mother is dentally aware due to the wealth of online knowledge available. She has been waiting for the right time to intervene with her daughter’s developing underbite. She knows that early treatment while her child is still growing is generally simpler, and can affect the way her jaws grow to correct the issue and prevent it from progressing to the point she may require surgery when older.

11 - 12 years
Darren is entering the crucial years of his late childhood. When he was younger, he was diagnosed with Autism, and he was placed in early intervention programmes to enable him to cope with studies and friends in a mainstream school. His remaining baby teeth are shaky and painful, and he is unable to brush well. His parents fear that this will distract him from his performance during the important PSLE Exams in primary 6.

13 - 14 years
Nabila is in Secondary 1. She is excited because she can now get her crooked teeth straightened. She knows about braces, which are cool, but she has friends who are doing Invisalign, which is mad lit. She is however, also aware that some friends had to have teeth extracted in order for them to be straightened, and she is dreading this possibility. She wants to know if there is any other way.

15 - 16 years
Ethan is a competitive swimmer at school and trains daily. He is now taller than his father. He eats like there is no tomorrow, and always prefers energy drinks to water as it meets his requirements. When he sees the dentist there are always fillings to be done, and his teeth often feel sensitive to cold or hot liquids. He does not like their brownish appearance.

17 - 18 years
Sheena is on the cusp of her bright future. Her teeth are now immaculate as she has seen her dentist ever since childhood, and she knows how to care for them the rest of her life. One day, she feels a throbbing pain in her lower jaw, all the way to the back. This worsens until she cannot bite properly, and she is filled with anxiety as she suspects they are her wisdom teeth.

What is a Kid's Dental Specialist?

A child’s sense of place in the world constantly develops. During growth, there is a complex interplay between identity, boundaries and fear. Aside from the familiarity and safety of their home and the classroom, a dental clinic is a new, potentially scary environment. What happens on their first visit can affect their psychology in the long-term. Baby teeth are not just small adult teeth; while all dentists can treat children, a paediatric or kids dental specialist spends years focusing on the difference between children, adolescent and adult dental treatment.

A dental specialist is a dentist who has first completed their basic dental degree (often 4 to 5 years) from a recognised university accredited by the Singapore Dental Council.

After working for a period of time, they choose to apply for further studies and training to obtain a Master’s degree in a chosen Speciality (often 2 to 3 years). The specialist training equips the dentist with deeper knowledge and skills in a certain aspect of Dentistry, be it in Paediatrics, Oral surgery or Orthodontics. Very often, the dentist then chooses to restrict themselves to practice only their field of speciality.

Here at Child Smile, our specialist dentists thus exclusively treat growing children. Our paediatric dentists are further accredited with the private hospitals in Singapore (general dentists do not have this accreditation) to use their surgical theatres and work with their medical specialist colleagues in complimentary fields such as Paediatrics, ENT and Endocrinology.