Parent Bite
Plan Back-to-School Dental Appointments in Advance!
Between family gatherings, camping trips, road trips, and checking off other summer bucket list items, many parents and caregivers will find themselves in a last-minute rush to schedule a routine dental visit before the school year starts.
A back-to-school check-up can be key to fighting cavities (dental decay), one of the most common chronic diseases among school-aged children. According to the
CDC, 20% of children between ages 5-11 have at least 1 cavity. Not only can cavities can be painful, they can have a negative impact on school performance and overall quality of life. A check-up before the school year starts is also a great time to re-set healthy oral health habits that may have stopped during the busy summer months.
Dental offices are always busy during this time of year. To plan ahead, get to know your child’s school district calendar to find days that may be appropriate for an appointment (school closure, planned early release). Some dental offices may have copies of district calendars on hand to help parents with scheduling, so be sure to ask when making an appointment.
For more helpful tips, visit the American Pediatric Dentists’
mychildrensteeth.org.