SMILEFOCUS makes dental visits a breeze for your child with specially designed kids’ waiting rooms, fully equipped with toys, books and video entertainment.

Smilefocus was established in 1997 by Australian dentist Dr Marcus Cooney. He created Smilefocus to replicate the quality of care and service of his Australian dental clinics. The emphasis is always on a friendly welcome, stylish comfort, hygienic cleanliness and the best of modern treatment methods. With a team of highly experienced overseas and locally qualified expatriate and local dentists, Smilefocus offers a full range of dental care for children. Dr Trevor Holcombe MDSc (Paediatric Dentistry)(Queensland) and Dr Leslie Fitz DMD (Philadelphia) (shown below) are both very experienced children’s dentists, both also treating trauma patients as well as children with special needs.

“Children are very special and vulnerable. I’ve always found working with kids to be very rewarding, and working with kids with special needs is especially rewarding. I help children develop healthy, lifelong habits in dental hygiene,” says Dr Trevor, also stressing that it is important for children to learn not to be afraid of dentists.

Dr. Fitz reminds us that your child’s first dental visit should be as early as 12 months. This initial visit is not only to examine the teeth and mouth, but to teach the parents important information about prevention. The parents can be taught proper brushing techniques, dietary advice, bedtime routine with bottle and fluoride supplementation. All these in combination can prevent the devastating condition of Baby Bottle Syndrome. The earlier the child starts to see a dentist, the less chance they have of developing cavities and gum disease.

The emotional and physical stress of studying can cause gum problems and bruxism (teeth grinding) in children. Gums can become red, swollen and tender, and can bleed easily. Some students may even develop severe gingivitis (gum disease). Though a good home dental care routine can alleviate gum problems caused by stress, oral hygiene frequently takes a back seat in the pursuit of academic excellence.

According to Dr Trevor, prolonged teeth grinding can cause cracked tooth syndrome and may lead to long term jaw problems such as temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ). TMJ can cause ear aches without infection, sore jaw muscles especially in the morning – a clicking sound, difficulty when opening or closing the mouth, or locked or stiff jaw when talking, eating or yawning. Regular dental visits will ensure that oral health problems are identified quickly.

FOR MORE INFO, visit www.smilefocus.com.sg or call 6834 0877.

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