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How To Transition Pediatric Patients To Adult Treatment

How To Transition Pediatric Patients To Adult Treatment
by Marvin H. Berman, DDS

Life is full of transitions, from birth to school to a family and a career, followed by retirement. I’ve seen all of these chapters in my own life. But dentists also need to know how to help the families they treat make the change from the pediatric world to general dentistry as seamlessly as possible.

In many ways, the situation resembles the pediatrician-child relationship. The triggers for the change are multifactorial. Simply reaching a certain age isn’t the determining factor. For example, a girl’s first visit to an obstetrician-gynecologist may be a signal that she has outgrown the youthful atmosphere of the pediatrics office she enjoyed when she was younger.

In dentistry, the separation may be keyed by the completion of orthodontic treatment, the extraction of third molars, or graduating high school. Many children often are reluctant to leave the comfort level they may have with the dentist who has treated them since they were babies, and they might not leave, as long as all parties are satisfied and treatment isn’t compromised. Personally, I would refer an 18-year-old who needed a permanent crown to an adult dentist who would then assume responsibility for the child’s dental well being from that point forward.

In the case of children with special needs and their parents, leaving the nurturing atmosphere of a pediatric dental office may introduce unnecessary trauma into their lives, so they may choose to maintain the relationship with the practice they consider their dental home. Our practice accommodates these patients into middle age and beyond.

Read full article on Dentistry Today.