Our Dental Philosophy in El Paso

What Exactly is a Pediatric Dentist?

Pediatric dentists have unique training and expertise in managing dental concerns in infants, children, and teens. After dental school, pediatric dentists go on to complete a two-year residency focused on treating developing smiles. They’re also excellent with patients who have special needs, such as cognitive and developmental disabilities and autism, providing comfortable and safe treatment.

Dr. Bowden’s Philosophy

We believe that visiting the dentist can be a fun and enjoyable experience for children and their families, and we do our utmost to make it just that. Our treatment recommendations come from what we feel is the best decision for their oral and overall health, as well as their smiles, and we treat every child as we would our own. The techniques we use are proven to be effective and safe, leading to excellent outcomes and a positive overall experience.

We use a positive reinforcement reward system and a lot of Tender-Loving-Care to help our patients feel comfortable, welcome, and at-home, and we don’t believe in using any type of negative reinforcement. All of our patients are important to us, and our top priority is always to make sure they have a wonderful dental experience!

Pediatric Dental Office Environment

Because we specialize in providing dentistry for children only, you will find our office is geared toward focusing our entire attention on the child and their positive dental experience. As we all know, the dental experience may cause certain anxieties that, if developed early, may last throughout life. These anxieties can be avoided if the child is introduced to the dental experience in an atmosphere they can relate to; one that is fun and non-threatening.

We provide quality dental care to children in a fun, relaxed atmosphere in order to educate and condition the child to have little or no anxiety when going to the dentist. We have our own "special" language when describing otherwise anxiety-producing procedures, and our entire team is focused on providing a positive, loving environment for your child.

Behavior Management in the Pediatric Patient

The main goal in the treatment of your child is to provide a positive dental experience. Since visiting the dentist can lead to anxiety, you may notice that your child has a reaction to the first time you tell them about their appointment. Children can display anxiety in different ways depending on their age, preconceived ideas, and previous experiences. Once a child becomes apprehensive in the dental setting, it is very difficult to "talk the child out of the anxiety." Reversing a negative dental experience is much more difficult than preventing one.

The use of a mild sedative to relax the child can lower the anxiety level and, therefore, allow them to be more relaxed during the dental procedure. A relaxed child is more apt to listen and understand the explanations of the procedure given by Dr. Bowden and our team. In addition, less anxious children accept the normal activities and noises around the mouth associated with dental procedures.

Tell-Show-Do techniques, explanation and positive reinforcement techniques are all more effective in children if the anxiety level is lowered initially. Therefore, a mild sedative can be a tremendous aid to ensure that a child has a positive experience. A common misconception is that the children are "put to sleep" in the pediatric dental office. Sedative medications are used to help relax the child but at no time is any child "put to sleep." The mild sedative medication merely relaxes the child to lower their anxiety levels.

Sedation techniques and specific medications are chosen after consideration of the child's medical history, age, anxiety level and extent of treatment. Dr. Bowden will recommend a specific technique once he has met the child and made the assessment based on these factors. He will discuss his recommendations with you and answer any questions you may have.

The most common techniques used in children include the use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) alone or in combination with a mild oral sedative medication. Local anesthesia is used to ensure total comfort for the patient. The techniques used by Dr. Bowden have been shown to be extremely safe and effective in the management of the pediatric dental patient. Dr. Bowden will be glad to explain and answer any questions you may have regarding these techniques.

Our Office is a Very Cool Place

Our office is one-of-a-kind, and saying that it’s “kid-friendly” is a big understatement. It has been described by many of our patients as the “Disneyland” of dental offices. The setup and atmosphere of our office will immediately decrease the anxiety of the child. From the moment you walk into the waiting room you will see the difference. Check out some of the unique, cool features that our office has to offer for kids and parents alike!