For Children Who Are Afraid of the Dentist - For Kids, Naebalsan-dong Every

Naebalsan-dong Pediatric Dental Clinic

I am also a mother of two children. When my first child went to the dentist for the first time, I first faced a feeling of helplessness not as a dentist, but as a “mom.” The dental clinic where I had been working was quite far away, so when my first child was little, we went to a pediatric dental clinic in the neighborhood. Cavities were found, and we were told that several teeth needed to be treated at once, and sedation dentistry was recommended.

Even though I also knew, as a specialist, that the treatment was safe, when I actually faced the situation, my feelings as a mother came first. The idea of giving medicine to a child to put them to sleep felt too heavy and painful. Ironically, right? Even though it is a situation I often encounter professionally, when I was actually in the guardian’s position, I think I felt differently.

In the end, after much thought, I did not choose to treat several teeth all at once under sedation. Instead, I chose to have the treatment done little by little over multiple visits. It took a long time, but the child adapted faster than I expected and kept going well. Watching my child gradually get used to the dentist through that process made me think this: a dentist should not just provide treatment, but also be someone who designs the child’s entire experience.

Children’s Dental Experience

That is why Every Dental Clinic places at its center treatment that helps children adapt through small experiences. The reasons children are afraid of the dentist are actually quite simple, but the fear they feel is often quite large. Unfamiliar equipment, strange sounds, the feeling of something going into the mouth. All of it can feel unfamiliar and threatening. Some children were so scared that they curled up tightly like hedgehogs and cried, and some were so tense that they just froze.

Sometimes, when children come to Every and start worrying and crying even before lying down on the chair, or clamp their mouths shut saying they won’t show me, they look both pitiful and adorable. And sometimes, when too much time passes, I end up breaking into a cold sweat thinking about the next patient’s appointment. To prepare for these situations, when there is a difficult treatment for children, we sometimes adjust the schedule, and I try to persuade and explain as calmly and gently as possible.

At the same time, at Every we try to remove one by one the things that make children uncomfortable. For children who are sensitive to sound, we provide headphones; for children who dislike water pooling in their mouths, we use a rubber dam that blocks off the area around the teeth to help them adapt to an unfamiliar environment. After that, we may also help them relax with laughing gas to reduce tension. With this careful approach, most children eventually begin receiving treatment with calm expressions.

On the other hand, before treatment we always start with everyday conversation like, “Which kindergarten do you go to?”, “Which school do you go to?”, or “Where did you go today?” so they can relax naturally. Even when explaining treatment procedures that may seem scary, we translate them into the child’s language. When I jokingly say things like, “This is a mirror. Let’s look at your face,” “This is air. Ticklish~ Isn’t it tickly?”, or “We’re going to catch a tiny cavity~,” little smiles begin to spread across their faces.

When a child who first worried while crying ends up watching TV, opening their mouth as wide as possible, and lying still as if to say, “This isn’t a big deal,” I often think, “Ah, this treatment will remain a good memory for this child today.”

Care at the Right Time, When It Is Truly Needed

At the same time, since I am also a mother, I always think from the parents’ point of view when children come to Every. I imagine parents must have all kinds of questions about children’s treatment. I also try to explain as thoroughly as possible about sedation dentistry or laughing gas, which often bring up mixed feelings for me; about treatment processes and the materials used, since baby teeth are temporary teeth that will soon fall out when the permanent teeth erupt; and about post-treatment care, among other things.

The pediatric treatment at Every Dental Clinic in Naebalsan-dong is flexibly adjusted to suit each child individually. For baby teeth that will fall out after only a short time, we do not use expensive materials and instead recommend treatment covered by insurance so they can be used before being removed. For teeth that can be aligned neatly with just a little help, we also set the direction in advance without complex orthodontic treatment. In addition, for children with missing teeth, we sometimes use a space maintainer to prevent nearby teeth from tilting and to manage the overall condition.

Because we think that the child will continue to use their teeth, we do not provide unnecessary treatment, but we carefully suggest essential intervention at the right time. Not only baby teeth that need immediate treatment, but also the growth of the dental arch is checked in advance so that we can help create an oral environment in which the child can use healthy permanent teeth when they become an adult.

Efforts by Every for Children Who Are Afraid of the Dentist

The pediatric treatment area at Every Dental Clinic is designed around children, with chairs sized for kids, a TV in front of them, lighting that provides a sense of stability, and even laughing gas. All of these are also tools to help children feel safe. Because I think dental fear may be created more by the hospital environment than by the emotions inside the child, I want them to remember it as a positive experience from the moment they first encounter the dentist until the last memory that remains.

I have felt this both as a mother and as a doctor, so I try to wait more, explain more, and design more for children. I believe that instilling the awareness that the dentist is not a scary place, but a place that takes care of my teeth and me, is the real job I must do.

I want children who leave after treatment to go home feeling a sense of accomplishment, thinking, “I did a really good job with something difficult today.” I hope dental treatment becomes not just a moment of care, but a place where they confirm how much they have grown and gain confidence.

That is why, as both a mother and a dentist, I always try to do my very best so that a child’s day is not filled with anxiety or hardship because of a dental visit, but instead becomes the starting point for healthy habits and confidence. At Every Dental Clinic in Naebalsan-dong, we will open the treatment room door today as well, working to remain “the dentist that leaves good memories,” while understanding both the child’s feelings and the guardian’s worries together!