A family dentist serves patients of most ages, addressing their different oral health needs as they grow older. Patients can keep seeing the same family dentist or the same group of family dentists for decades. Family dentist practices function as primary care dentists and treat family members such as parents, children, and grandparents.
Family dentist services are available at Oak Tree Dental in Poway and the surrounding area. Our professionals perform many treatments in-house, and our office can be a centralized solution for your family's dentistry needs. You may even be able to schedule appointments for multiple family members at the same time or back-to-back. Call our office today at (858) 748-2101 to make an appointment.
The philosophy of family dentistry
Family dentists work with both children and adults to care for these patients as they grow and change. These dentists emphasize patient involvement by providing accessible, continuous, patient-centered, and comprehensive care. The hallmarks of many family dentistry practices include services that benefit patients at all stages of life, such as:
- Accessibility for children, senior citizens, and other age groups
- Appointment availability the same day or in a few days, especially for emergencies or urgent care needs
- Dentists who are easy to talk to
- Dentists who focus on prevention and treatment
- Multiple appointments at the same time or close together
- Multiple dentists representing general dentistry and, sometimes, various specialties
- Possible flexible payment options
“Family dentists work with both children and adults to care for these patients as they grow and change.”
Areas of dental expertise
All dentists have the same fundamental education and training, including an undergraduate degree and four years of dental school, during which they earn a doctorate. The American Dental Association describes dental fields and the additional education and training required for each:
- Pediatric Dentistry: A pediatric dentist has two or three years of additional training. Although family dentists can also perform treatments, a pediatric dentist focuses on working with children only, which can be beneficial if children are anxious about seeing a dentist. This type of practice works with patients from infancy through age 18.
- Endodontics: An endodontist is a dentist whose focus is treating gum disease; a practitioner can also perform root canals. Two or three years of additional education is necessary for this discipline. Typically, older children and adults see endodontists.
- Oral surgery: A surgeon can take between four and eight additional years of training. This area of expertise focuses on repairing injuries and treating diseases of the mouth, gums, and jawline area. If a patient breaks a tooth or needs grafting to repair eroded gums, this is the specialist to see.
- Orthodontics: This is the dentist that teens dread seeing, although braces are not nearly as daunting today as for previous generations. Orthodontists train for an additional two to three years and use braces of all types to correct misaligned teeth. Teens and adults are the general age groups that seek orthodontic help.
- Periodontics: This discipline requires an extra three years of education. Patients with gum disease may be advised to see a periodontist, who also treats diseases in the jaw bone. Typically, patients are older teens and adults.
- Prosthodontics: A prosthodontist specializes in restoring missing teeth through the use of bridges, dentures, and implants. This focus requires practitioners to have an additional three years of training. Prosthodontists typically work with older adult patients.
“All dentists have the same fundamental education and training, including an undergraduate degree and four years of dental school, during which they earn a doctorate.”
Age groups treated by family dentistry
Parents and caregivers are busy, and family dentists make their lives easier. For example, parents can schedule appointments for their children simultaneously at the same dental office. Similarly, parents can seek out a practice that offers general dentistry in addition to certain services such as orthodontics for a child who needs braces. Since family dentists can treat patients of all ages, some family dental practices take care of most or all of a family's dental needs under one roof for decades.
“Parents and caregivers are busy, and family dentists make their lives easier.”
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A family dentist can practice alone, but some partner with other dentists. Whatever the case, a family dentist treats various needs. Patients often turn to their family dental practice for checkups, cleanings, cavity prevention and treatment, tooth decay deterrence, and gum disease prevention. Some practices may even provide orthodontic services, cosmetic dentistry, pediatric dentistry, and other types of specialized dentistry. When necessary, family dentists refer patients to specialized dentists for other types of treatment.
“Patients often turn to their family dental practice for checkups, cleanings, cavity prevention and treatment, tooth decay deterrence, and gum disease prevention.”
Questions answered on this page
Q. What age groups do family dentists treat?
Q. What needs can family dentists treat?
Q. What is the first appointment with a family dentist like?
Q. What are the different areas of dental expertise?
People also ask
Q. Can sealants protect against cavity-forming bacteria?
Q. Why does the dentist use fluoride mouthwash in the cleaning?
Q. What is the difference between a dental checkup and a dental cleaning?
Q. How frequent are dental visits for children?
Q. What are the benefits of dental treatment besides aesthetics?
What to know about the first appointment with a family dentist
A patient's first visit to a family dentist will consist of a thorough physical examination to assess their needs and current dental health. This will involve a dental exam and updated X-rays. X-rays are particularly essential as they can diagnose and evaluate any potential issues that an exam cannot detect. Oak Tree Dental will also perform a thorough dental cleaning as part of the first visit. Then, once completed, our team will discuss any X-ray results and devise a customized treatment plan to meet each patient's unique needs.
“A patient’s first visit to a family dentist will consist of a thorough physical examination to assess their needs and current dental health.”
Frequently asked questions
WebMD recommends children see a family dentist by their first birthday, as it is important that parents learn how to care for an infant's teeth. The first checkup can be pushed to around two years of age if a child is no longer using a bottle and does not eat or drink during the night. After the first visit, six-month dental checkups are recommended.
Patients should have checkups every six months or more often if recommended. Maintaining a regular exam schedule can help a family dentist find developing issues and prevent them from becoming more significant problems that are also more expensive to treat. Routine exams typically begin with teeth cleaning, followed by an inspection from a dentist.
Flossing should be included in everyone's daily tooth-cleaning regimen, along with tooth brushing. Floss can reach areas between teeth and beneath the gums that a toothbrush cannot and remove harmful plaque that can lead to tartar and receding gums. There are a variety of flossing products available, including SUNSTAR'S GUM® Eez-Thru® Floss Threaders, DenTek Comfort Clean® Floss Picks, Oral-B®, and Waterpik® Water Flosser.
According to mouthhealthy.org, it all boils down to individual preference and whether one will use a manual or electric toothbrush more. The agency and family dentist offices recommend that people brush twice each day for two minutes using fluoride toothpaste. Some products that meet ADA standards include Crest® Pro-Health™, Colgate® Total Health™, and Sensodyne® Sensitivity Toothpaste.
It is normal for teeth to develop small cracks and holes on the exterior. A family dentist can apply sealants to prevent cavities from forming in these openings. Adults are also candidates for sealants on teeth that do not have cavities.
Dental terminology
Cosmetic dentistry is generally used to refer to any dental work that improves the appearance (though not necessarily the function) of a person’s teeth, gums and/or bite.
Tooth decay is when the enamel of the tooth begins to decay and cause erosion from plaque and tartar on the teeth.
Dental caries are also known as cavities and result from a lack of proper oral hygiene leaving plaque that forms tiny holes in the teeth.
A dental checkup is an appointment that involves cleaning the teeth, identifying any signs of infection and removing said signs of infection at least once every six months in the office.
A dental filling involves restoring the structure of the tooth by using metal, alloy, porcelain or plastic to fill the tooth.
A dental prophylaxis is a professional and detailed cleaning that involves the removal of plaque, calculus and stains from the teeth.
Dental sealants contain a resinous material that we apply to the chewing surfaces of the posterior teeth to prevent dental caries.
A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity.
Gingivitis is the inflammation of gum tissue that results from plaque, other infections in the mouth and poor oral hygiene.
Preventive dentistry is the dentistry that focuses on maintaining oral health in order to prevent the spread of plaque, the formation of tartar and infections in the mouth.
Learn more about family dentists
Family dentist services save families time and provide high-level continuity of care. Call Oak Tree Dental at 858-748-2101 to schedule an appointment in Poway and discuss your preferences for a family dental practice.
Individual results vary. How long a treatment lasts, and how it looks and feels, depends on each patient.