It’s all in the name: Happy Kids Dental

PAEDIATRIC DENTISTS IN LONDON: HAPPY KIDS DENTAL

Happy Kids Dental is a new, central-London dentist offering the full range of oral care for children. We asked their team what the differences are at a kids-only practice, and what it’s like for the little patients who go there.

Tell us a bit about Happy Kids Dental.

We provide unparalleled oral care, just for children. That means wraparound dentistry from age 0 to 18, and a highly qualified paediatric team who use state-of-the-art treatment technology. But the children are more likely to highlight our amazing play areas—the point of Happy Kids Dental is to make the experience of visiting the dentist super-fun!

What makes Happy Kids Dental unique?

As dentists who are also parents, we think we’ve struck the perfect balance. Parents can have complete confidence that they’re doing what’s right for their children’s health, and children will associate dental visits with fun, positive and memorable experiences that stay with them into adulthood. Our impressive team includes leading paediatric and orthodontic specialists who have undergone years of additional paediatric training. Two of our dentists hold PhDs, and our clinical lead has 17 years’ experience working with special needs and autistic children. Our philosophy—prevent now, don’t treat later—is about developing the right habits from the start. It all adds up to healthy, happy smiles on your children’s faces—surely one of the greatest joys of parenting.

What services does your practice offer?

We offer all treatments that are needed for the provision of paediatric dentistry, from check-ups and hygiene to orthodontics and junior smile correction—so children can stay with us until they’re all grown up. They’ll benefit from the most advanced dental technology too, including painless computer-guided anaesthesia, inhalation sedation (laughing gas), stem-cell collection facilities, and a high-tech dental microscope for treating tiny patients. The whole team is focused on meeting each child’s unique needs in a fun and engaging way.

How is a child-friendly dental practice different from a regular one?

We’re not just child-friendly; we’re a paediatric practice—which means we go way beyond what even child-friendly dentists can provide. Happy Kids Dental feels relaxing and fun from the moment children walk through the door, with jungle-themed, age-zoned waiting areas filled with books and toys, iPads and consoles. Our reception has been designed to include a prize tower, which rewards children with a gift at the end of their appointment. We have a separate play room where children can play while waiting for appointments, and parents can relax with drinks, refreshments and wifi on tap. Our environment doesn’t feel clinical or threatening, and we use child-friendly language to explain every aspect of a patient’s treatment, so no nasty surprises.

How do you handle nervous or reluctant patients?

Our welcoming environment, combined with our extensive training in behavioural management, means we are adept at successfully treating nervous patients—in fact, it’s one of the most rewarding aspects of our practice. We often treat children who previously would not even sit in the treatment chair; at Happy Kids Dental, they come in and play in the waiting area and proceed to the treatment area with no problems, as they don’t sense a threatening environment. One of our recent patients, aged 8, is a great example—having had a distressing experience in hospital at the age of 3, when a needle broke in her arm and was difficult to extract, she refused to go near any kind of medical environment. Her mother called us, explained the situation and we suggested they come in just to take a look round. The child not only played and took pictures with our animal sculptures, but went on to tour the whole practice. She played in the playroom, went into a treatment room, sat in the dental chair and listened to toothbrushing instructions. She is currently undergoing a full course of treatment with us.