GET THEM ENROLLED WITH A DENTIST
General dentistry is free at Tooth Fairy Dental for children at high school until the day they turn 18, so take advantage of this. There are a few things that are not free such as orthodontics or cosmetic dentistry but you will be made well aware of this to avoid any surprises.
Enrol and book an appointment online for your child or by ringing us. If they have filled out a form with the dental nurse saying which dentist they want to see when they transition from intermediate to high school, it is worth ringing to check they are registered. In the past, the occasional form has not been passed onto us. We then give the child a recall one year after they were last seen by the dental nurse.
An important note – if your child is seen by the dental bus or clinic at the high school, he or she is not able to see us for one year after that. That means if they have fillings to be done and the bus moves to the next school, it is the parents’ responsibility to get them to the bus and have these fillings completed. The Tooth Fairy Dental does not move so it is easy to get any treatment completed. As dentists, we are able to do a wider range of work which sometimes the dental therapist at school is not able or qualified to do.
Fees can be charged if the child does not attend an appointment. Please ensure they keep their appointment or ring us the day before to cancel it.
LUNCH BOXES AND SNACKS
Only provide water as a drink during the day. Fizzy, energy drinks, juices and electrolyte drinks are destroying teeth. Children do not need these drinks. Water is free and awesome! There might be some initial complaints but make it a rule.
BRUSHING AND FLOSSING
Brushing should be done morning and night using a Fluoride toothpaste. Also, try and encourage flossing daily. Initially, children will not see the value of this but setting a reminder in their phones will make it become a habit. Apparently it take 21 days to form a habit. Stick at it, they will thank you when they are adults. We see so many young adults who wished they had looked after their teeth as children.