Ever heard of Small Smiles Dentistry?
May 23, 2012
Firstly I want to say that I am speaking from personal experience with a Small Smiles Dental Office. I have had some what irritating and bad experiences with them. My son first went to them when he was three and well I thought nothing of it. We knew he needed his front teeth pulled on top. He had acid reflux as a baby till about two years old and does have a pretty bad gag reflex.
So with that being said puking was his middle name if I brushed his little gums with that blue finger thing, he would puke projectile! He still has some issues with his gagging, he also has a bit of anxiety as well, I wont deny that. However we needed to go in for cleanings that was fine. They told me he needed to come in 1 time a year or less that he should be okay. I asked about the cleanings they said just make sure he brushes. So I did what they said and we went back again later for another issue he was having a tooth that was bothering him.
They said it was two teeth and capped them both with silver, he did gag and puke while there. Then after they said he didn't need to come back at all for cleanings, to just keep him brushing. I called another dentist who pushed us away, saying sedate him, he needs to be put under. I really didn’t think that was the smart thing to do. He has respiratory problems already with asthma. I was referred by this new dentist to another dentist and they said put him under, he needs to be put to sleep. I’m sorry if they can work on other peoples kids to fill a tooth, why on earth was it that horrible for mine. So I called small smiles again because I felt defeated that NO ONE would see him unless sedated or the others I called weren’t accepting new patients.
So after calling Small Smiles again I just didn’t know where else to go, we honestly cannot afford to pay for him being put under, and I’m afraid to! By this time the dentist said it would be easier to just pull it, and when he came out, he looked horrible my poor baby. His face was so red and I said next time my husband or I will be going back there. We attempted to schedule a cleaning and they didn’t seem to have any openings.
I called them again recently because my son is having issues. We take him in and they sit there and put there fingers in his mouth and pull them out fast like they are scared of him, cause he may puke because last time he was there for the same tooth he puked on the woman, she was upset and started complaining my hair, my hair. I told them its been hard just even trying to get him to properly brush. The puke filled with stomach acid isn’t for the teeth at all and will rot them! So she was very childish this time, there is no soothing or trying to make him feel comfortable. So after poking their fingers in and out of his mouth like scaredy cats, they sent in two other women and left.
Then told my husband his tooth needed extracted. It had a abscess on it so we got antibiotics thankfully. The dentist they referred us to was AWESOME!!! Dr Craig Schmidtke, of Metro Oral – Maxillofacial & Facial Cosmetic Surgery. He looked at his mouth and said I can send you next door to Dr. so and so to save the tooth and explained he don’t want to put him under because of his asthma, that he could get his tooth out with no problem if there isn’t any saving it. We called the other doctors next door and another one they referred to but neither were taking new patients.
So I just said its a baby tooth, it will grow in later just take care of it now. So they took him back and boom it didn’t take long at all a little topical numbing and gas they didn’t even give him a shot of numbing, at least he said they didn’t! He said that the guy was really nice and made him feel like he really wouldn’t hurt him. I was so glad and felt so relieved, happy and so grateful he was good to my boy.
What he did explain to me about Small Smiles is that they have no special training to call themselves Pediatric. He said he took special courses to be an Oral Maxillofacial etc to be the specialist he is. He took Psychology classes and everything, that he could do it and boom it would be done, no sedation. I was shocked to hear there is no special training or nothing, they are basic dentists who take a crash course basically in dental. Kinda scary to think they are only taking care of kids, then to think they tell parents no when they ask to go back with their children.
When I was there a 12-14 year old girl asked if her Mother could go back there with her, not thinking they would say no her mom was right behind her, they said NO you don’t need your mom. Told the mother to wait out there and she would be out soon.
HELL NO is what I say! No one tells me that I cannot go back with my child to have a procedure of any kind done!
I don’t recommend this dental company as a good dentist for kids!
They use very tight restraints that strap there arms to their sides, they are being sued for their behavior now by 10 family’s!
