Okanagan Dental Care For Kids

About

Dentistry for Infants, Children and Teens, as well as young individuals with special needs

Story

Dr. Alan R. Milnes and Dr. Terry Farquhar are certified specialists in Pediatric Dentistry. Children of all ages are our specialty. Our office is located in Orchard Plaza in Suite 101, 1890 Cooper Road, Kelowna, British Columbia. Orchard Park Shopping Mall is directly across Cooper Road from our building.

We strive to provide a receptive and sensitive environment in which we can offer effective, predictable and successful treatment for your child. Our primary goal is to create a positive experience for your child and for you.

We believe that parents are important partners in helping us to provide the best treatment for your children. We strongly encourage you, the parent, to be involved at all stages of your child’s dental treatment.

We invite you to ask questions. The more you know, the better able you will be to decide which treatment is best for you child.

Our office is dedicated to improving and maintaining the oral health of infants, children and adolescents, including those with special needs.

We can provide both primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral health care for infants and children through adolescence. We have advanced education, training and skills to also provide these services to children with special health care or emotional needs.

Mission

We will treat our patients and their parents or caregivers and each other with the utmost respect at all times no matter what the circumstances.

We will be honest with our patients, their parents or caregivers and with each other at all times.

We will strive to hear, always, what our patients and their parents or caregivers tell us. If we do not understand we will seek clarification before proceeding any further.

This practice, at all times, will be a safe and secure environment for children without exception – we will never knowingly put any child at risk of harm or injury.

We will take the time we require to examine each child, diagnose his/her condition and plan their treatment comprehensively.

Standards of Care will never be compromised no matter what the circumstances. If we cannot provide the most appropriate care comfortably or safely we will stop treatment and make alternative arrangements.

Our first priority will be to encourage and develop healthy attitudes and behaviours in our patients and their families toward oral health and prevention of disease.

We will always strive to be on the cutting edge of pediatric dentistry offering evidence-based and scientifically valid treatment choices. All staff will ensure that they are always learning for the benefit of our patients.

We will not commence treatment for any child until the expectations of families and this practice have been addressed and a plan has been mutually developed and agreed to that addresses behaviour, treatment and finances.

Products

Diagnostic Services

Before providing any dental treatment we need to become familiar with your child and your family. This involves:
-taking a detailed medical, dental and family history
-completing a thorough head, neck, and oral examination;
-if necessary, taking radiographs;
-using specialized tests to assess risk for dental diseases.

Expert guidance of behavior

Pediatric dentists have extensive education and training in the psychology of child behaviour. Sensitive and affectionate management of a child’s fear, anxiety or pain is the foundation of our treatment approach. We use consistent yet adaptable methods of behavior guidance that are scientifically proven. We provide desensitization visits for children with special needs. We are especially involved in helping children with autism become cooperative dental patients. We use recognized ABA and RDI principles to help children with autism learn new routines and become accepting of dental office visits.

Preventive dentistry

Healthy smiles-healthy children.
We offer:
-effective toothbrushing and flossing instructions;
-nutritional information about diet and dental diseases;
-dental cleanings (scaling and polishing);
-preventive treatment for oral habits;
-space maintainers;
-fluoride treatments in office and for home;
-dental sealants;
-custom-made athletic mouthguards for active children.

Sedation and Anesthesia

Keeping your child safe and comfortable during their dental treatment is a responsibility which we take very seriously. Children do feel pain. We recommend local anesthesia for all invasive dental procedures.

We are certified and fully qualified to provide:
-nitrous oxide and oxygen inhalational sedation;
-oral sedation;
-intravenous procedural sedation.

Some children may not accept treatment in the office. In these cases, we offer dental treatment under general anesthesia in hospital in Kelowna and Summerland. In fact, Interior Health Authority has partnered exclusively with our office to establish the Interior Health Authority Pediatric Dental Program at Summerland Health Centre. This program operates 4 to 5 days each month and we are able to provide comprehensive dental care to children under general anesthesia.

Reconstructive dentistry

For small cavities in primary or permanent teeth:
-tooth coloured, preventive resin fillings;
-fluoride releasing white fillings;

For badly decayed primary teeth which will not hold a filling:
-stainless steel crowns for back teeth
-tooth-coloured crowns for front teeth.

For badly decayed or damaged permanent teeth:
-gold and/ or ceramic crowns
-ceramic veneers.

Interceptive orthodontic treatment

Pediatric dentists have in depth knowledge of the growth and development of your child’s teeth, mouth and face. We can correct simple abnormalities in tooth and jaw position using:
-removable orthodontic appliances;
-fixed orthodontic appliances;
-functional orthodontic appliances.
Early diagnosis and proper treatment can pay dividends in improved dental health and in avoiding future dental problems.

Root canal treatment/ pulp therapy

Some primary or permanent teeth require treatment of infection inside the tooth or the jaw. This treatment helps to retain the natural tooth which, in the long run, means natural function, natural appearance and less costly treatment over the long term.

Treatment of injuries to the teeth jaws or mouth

Injuries to the mouth and teeth require immediate attention. We can provide emergency care, day or night for oral injuries your child may suffer.

Extraction of impacted and unrepairable teeth

Unfortunately, sometimes teeth must be removed. We can provide this service, when necessary.