With children soon set to return to school, Dr. Cleopatra Thompson says there’s no better time for parents to cross their child’s next dental checkup off their to-do list.
Thompson’s St. Rose practice, Crescent City Dentistry, is offering some special back to school savings at this time of year, which she said can go a long way for each and every child.
“It’s important for parents to bring their children in for their dental screenings prior to returning to school and to make sure any dental issues are addressed before school begins,” Thompson said. “When kids have dental issues, it can impact their ability to concentrate in school, be it from discomfort, wisdom teeth coming in or cavities. If you can take care of it before school, it can be a great benefit to the child.”
CCD is offering a $150 package that includes a cleaning, comprehensive exam and in-house whitening; normally, the same services would run at a cost of roughly $400.
An X-ray is not included with the first examination, but it comes with another for $130, in which a panoramic X-ray allows the doctor to evaluate one’s entire mouth. That comes with a comprehensive examination and cleaning. The panoramic X-ray gives a much more detailed account of a patient’s situation and a clearer picture of what treatments would be best.
“It lets you see where sinuses are, any possible pathologies and where all teeth are placed in the oral cavity,” Thompson said. “It’s more applicable for adults, but also for teens ready to go into their senior year that may, for example, need their wisdom teeth removed.”
Crescent City Dentistry utilizes state of the art equipment that even allows for the opportunity for patients to see what is going on during an examination. Thompson and her staff are able to project images of the patient’s teeth in the form of photographs and X-rays on a screen, allowing the patient to follow along and see what the doctor sees.
She advises that patients make time for at least two regular dental checkups a year, noting that it’s especially imperative in younger patients.
“Their mouths go through so many changes, with new permanent teeth growing in, and there are measures you can take early on to prevent cavities if a child is coming to the dentist routinely,” she said. “Also, sometimes there are issues like crowding or spacing where early intervention can make a big difference.”
She said regular visits are key in allowing patients to avoid dental disease, and with children, it allows a chance to review how a child is maintaining his or her dental care and advise on how it might be more effective.
The practice also has a children’s room where younger patients or non-patients can entertain themselves while they or their parents are waiting to be called.
CCD also makes and customizes mouth guards for children who participate in athletics – she recommends strongly anyone engaged in a contact sport would be best suited to wear one.
“We can customize those to a child’s liking, the color and the look to it. In any type of sport where there is that risk of injury to the face, a mouth guard should be worn.”
Most importantly is the commitment she and her staff make to creating a family-friendly, comfortable environment for their visitors.
“It’s all about you,” Thompson said. “We’ll take care of you, take care of your kids … we want to know what’s going on with you and keep in touch with you. Especially because a lot of people are afraid of seeing a dentist, we want them to feel comfortable. They have our undivided attention when their name is called.”
Accepted insurance carriers with Crescent City Dentistry include: Medicaid – Standard Child Services and Adult – LA Amerihealth Caritas, Amerigroup, Aetna Better Health, United Healthcare and Louisiana Dental Plan (fee schedule). All major PPO plans are accepted.
For more information, visit crescentcitydentistry.com.
Be the first to comment