Dental: Dental school clinics?

[Chickadee]

I'm trying to help someone out who has had crappy luck with dentists for her toddler. Said child has a small amount of decay on two top front teeth, down along the bite edge. It appears that it can be repaired with composite at this point. She cannot find anyone in her area of Massachusetts who will do the work without general and without bondage. She is totally down, feels like a monster mom. She has an appt scheduled at Children's Hospital for lack of anything closer and because she feels like she needs to be able to trust anyone planning on sedating her child. The problem is that the appt is not for 7 weeks. In the meantime she is feeling like she needs to crash nightwean in order to preserve the teeth. She really has tried very hard to take care of the teeth and is feeling out of options.

So, has anyone here ever used a dental school clinic before? I know that there are a few in Massachusetts and I'm thinking maybe they would be cutting edge and maybe not as long a wait? Am I wrong? Any advice? I really could use some pointers for my lonely and dejected friend and her beautiful babe.

Thanks

[Parthenia]

Where in Massachusetts?
I actually just took dd to a wonderful pediatric dentist today. She needs fillings for some molars, and they won't be done until January (that was the earliest I could get an appt.) I was not made to feel like a bad mom for my daughter's cavities, and dd and I were both given a very lengthy lesson in brushing and flossing. He spends a lot of time educating and putting kids and parents at ease. I don't think she'll be sedated to the fillins, although she may need one tooth capped. In all honesty, if sedation or GA ensured she would not have any pain or trauma I would do it. I had horrible experiences with a pediatric dentist when I was young, and I don't want dd to go through it.

I live in Western Mass. I have a couple of friends who are dental hygenists who can recommend a good place to go.

[Chickadee]

She is also in Western MA. If you both are in the same area she may have gone to the same dentist and he was having an off day. Were you seen in a group room (i.e. other parents and kids all sitting their while the dentist sees you)? She went to this dentist because he had come recommended but he seemed relatively disinterested, didn't spend any time doing anything other than telling her what was wrong, and basically brushed her off with "this kind of decay only occurs when the baby has a bottle or is breastfed to sleep" when she tried to talk to him further about what was going on. She had a really bad experience with another pediatric dentist (exam didn't even included touching the teeth) in the area, so she is a little freaked out about trying any others blind.

As far as the treatment, she would be very happy to find someone who would do sedation. She hasn't been able to find anyone that will and even the dentist she just saw seemed to think maybe GA was too much for this situation but that that was the only way he would handle it. This is a little one, only 19 months.

Thanks for responding.

[girlzmommy00]

My ex husband goes to a dental school for all of his dental work (he's needed a lot) and was always happy with their work.

[Parthenia]

Originally Posted by Chickadee

She is also in Western MA. If you both are in the same area she may have gone to the same dentist and he was having an off day. Were you seen in a group room (i.e. other parents and kids all sitting their while the dentist sees you)? She went to this dentist because he had come recommended but he seemed relatively disinterested, didn't spend any time doing anything other than telling her what was wrong, and basically brushed her off with "this kind of decay only occurs when the baby has a bottle or is breastfed to sleep" when she tried to talk to him further about what was going on. She had a really bad experience with another pediatric dentist (exam didn't even included touching the teeth) in the area, so she is a little freaked out about trying any others blind.

As far as the treatment, she would be very happy to find someone who would do sedation. She hasn't been able to find anyone that will and even the dentist she just saw seemed to think maybe GA was too much for this situation but that that was the only way he would handle it. This is a little one, only 19 months.

Thanks for responding.

This dentist had a large room with a few chairs but he saw only one patient at a time. My impression was that the extra chairs may have been there for either siblings coming in at the same time (so they aren't separated from parents or each other), or for hygeinist work and simple routine appointments where it wouldn't be traumatic for more than one child getting worked on in the room. The dentist was very
non-judgemental (and I was feeling like the cavities were my fault), very nice to my dd and me. PM me if you'd like the name of this dentist to pass on to your friend. I got a good vibe from the staff and the dentist.
I hope she finds someone good!