Choosing the right dentist for your child is an important decision. You want someone who is specially educated to care for pediatric patients and only offers procedures that they have been trained to perform. Learn more about why you can trust Dr. Aaron Forrester, his qualifications, and why he is the best dental provider in central Arkansas to care for your children.
General vs. Pediatric Dentistry
When it comes to pediatric dentistry, parents are faced with a lot of choices. General dentists, who are trained to care for adults, often see children as well. A general dentist isn’t necessarily unqualified to see pediatric dental patients, but they aren’t trained in the specifics of childhood dentistry like a certified pediatric dentist is. Did you know? A pediatric dentist attends 2-3 years more training than a general dentist to learn specifically about kids’ oral health.
Dr. Forrester is a Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist. After graduating from the University of Central Arkansas and the LSU School of Dentistry, he went on to complete his studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
Trained and Certified in Special Procedures
Some dentists (both pediatric and general) may offer procedures or promote new fancy equipment for treatments in which they were not formally trained. One common example is a procedure called a frenectomy.
This treatment is used to correct a tongue or lip tie – most often occurring in babies or young children – where a piece of skin restricts the movement of the tongue or lips and can affect breastfeeding, eating, or even speaking. The restricting skin is severed during the procedure, usually by a scalpel or a laser. This now allows the child to move their tongue and/or lips properly.
Dentists or doctors may offer this service without having been trained in the intricacies of the procedure. Dr. Forrester is the only board-certified pediatric dentist in Central Arkansas that is currently performing frenectomies. And to take it a step even further, he is the only local dentist who is certified by the Tongue-Tied Academy.
This certification is just one part of Dr. Forrester’s commitment to understanding the needs of his patients. He wants to make sure that he is utilizing the most up-to-date technology and knowledge. By completing training through the Tongue-Tied Academy, our pediatric dentist can better understand both circumstances that lead to and the procedure itself.
Choose Carefully
When deciding who to trust with the care of your child’s oral health, be sure you have the whole picture. Ask a lot of questions about certifications and training. Unfortunately, the equipment can be bought by providers who haven’t completed the specialized training to perform these complex procedures. Dr. Forrester and our team will always be upfront and forthcoming with information about our training and ability to care for your children. Contact us today to join the Groovy Smiles family.