What to Expect at Your First Dental Visit

On your first visit to our office our staff will be cleaning your child’s teeth, teaching you and your child proper dental hygiene techniques, and taking digital x-rays when indicated. Dr Rabitz will then perform a complete head and neck exam and discuss any dental treatment that is needed and how to prevent dental disease in the future.

Dr. Rabitz welcomes parents to be present in the back office for treatment.

Health History Form | Patient Satisfaction Survey

Office Policies

Scheduling: Appointments are scheduled Monday through Thursday from 7:45am-4:15pm. The office is closed for lunch from 12pm-1pm. We will do our best to accommodate your child’s school schedule; however, as afternoon appointments fill quickly, your child may need to miss part of a school day in order to be seen in a timely manner. Dental appointments are considered an excused absence by California State Law. Our office will be happy to provide you with a signed verification of your child's visit if necessary.

Confirming appointments and cancellation: As a courtesy, our staff will call to confirm your child’s appointment the day before. If we leave a message, we may attempt a second phone call later that day in order to make sure you are aware of the appointment. In order to ensure that all of our patients receive the care they need as promptly as possible, our office requires 48 hours notice in the event you need to cancel your appointment. We will always be sensitive to your situation. However, cancellations after 48 hours may result in a cancellation fee.

Payment/Insurance: Before beginning any treatment we will inform you of the costs. If you are unable to pay in full at that time we will make financial arrangements with you. If you have dental insurance, please fill out your portion of the insurance form and bring it with you to your first appointment. Reimbursement from your insurance company is not guaranteed. Payment for services provided is ultimately your responsibility. Our office offers any of the following arrangements for payment:

Cash in full at first appointment (with 5% discount)
Statement, with 30 day account, payable by the 10th of the following month
60 day account, 1/3 due on 1st appointment, 1/3 due in 30 days, 1/3 due in 60 days
Visa or MasterCard ( no 5% discount)
Insurance (Patient’s portion is due at 1st appointment

In an Emergency: In the event of an after hours or weekend emergency please call our regular office number (408) 265-5880 to be connected with our page operator. Dr. Rabitz or another local Pediatric Dentist in his call group will then be paged and will return your phone call as quickly as possible.

Quick tips for certain dental emergencies include:

Toothache- Clean and floss the area around the sore tooth. Rinse the mouth with warm salt water. If the face is swollen apply a cold pack. Take Tylenol or Ibuprofen as directed for pain and call Dr. Rabitz as soon as possible.

Broken or knocked out permanent tooth- Find the tooth or broken tooth fragments. If the entire tooth is knocked out, rinse the tooth gently without scrubbing, then attempt to reinsert it in the socket. If unable to reinsert the tooth, keep the tooth moist in a cup containing milk or water. Immediate dental attention is necessary.

Bleeding after a baby tooth falls out- Fold and pack a clean gauze and place over bleeding area. Have the child bite the gauze for 15 minutes. If bleeding persists call Dr. Rabitz

Office Contests

No Cavity Bike Contest- After every 6 month check-up, if you have no cavities, you will be able to put your name in Molly the Molar. Once a year one name is drawn and the winner receives a bicycle!

Floss Bets- If you are 8 ½ years or older, you can enter this contest. You sign a contract promising to brush morning and night and floss every night for 3 months. Winners receive a silver dollar!

No Cavity T-shirt- If you have 4 perfect no cavity check-ups in a row, you automatically win a T-shirt!

Good Brushing-No Plaque Contest- 8 ½ years and older. At every check-up we will have you brush and then place red drops in your mouth to see if you missed any areas. If we think your brushing is perfect, you can enter the “Good Brushing” contest. Every three months a name is drawn and the winner receives a prize!

Post-Operative Care

Care after local anesthesia- The cheeks, tongue and gums may be numb or have a tingling sensation for several hours after local anesthesia. Often, children do not understand the effects of local anesthesia, and may chew, suck, or play with the numb area. Doing so can cause irritation, or in severe cases bleeding and swelling. Please monitor your child until the numb sensation wears off, usually by 2 hours after the procedure. As swallowing may also be impaired while the mouth is numb, please keep your child on a liquid or soft diet for several hours after the procedure.

Care after extractions- See above for care after local anesthesia. In addition, please follow these instructions:

Do not rinse the mouth for several hours,
Do not spit excessively,
Do not drink through a straw,
Avoid strenuous exercise or physical activity for several hours after the extraction.

These actions could potentially disrupt the blood clot which prevents further bleeding and protects the area. Take Children’s Tylenol or Children’s Motrin as directed for pain.

Care of sealants- Your child should avoid chewing ice or eating hard or very chewy candy which can damage the sealant. Regular dental appointments are recommended in order for your child's dentist to be certain the sealants remain in place. Sealants guard the top surface of the tooth however the sides and areas in between the teeth are still vulnerable to decay. Sealants do not take the place of proper brushing and flossing!

Sedation

Nitrous Oxide

Many children are given nitrous oxide and oxygen to help them relax them for their dental treatment. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recognizes the use of nitrous as a very safe, effective practice. The gas is inhaled through a mask immediately prior to dental treatment, and then is quickly eliminated from the body after by breathing normally. Nitrous is non-addictive, and your child will remain fully conscious through the procedure. If it is decided that nitrous would be beneficial for your child, please inform us of the following prior to treatment:

Any medical conditions
Any medications your child is currently taking
If your child has a respiratory condition impairing his or her ability to breathe through the nose.

Conscious Sedation

If your child is unable to tolerate dental treatment because they are very young, are apprehensive or have special needs, Dr. Rabitz may recommend the use of conscious sedation. A liquid (oral) sedative will be given to your child to drink and your child will become drowsy. Your child will remain conscious through the procedure. There are different medications which can be used, and Dr. Rabitz will choose the medication best suited for your child considering their health history and dental needs. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have concerning the specific medication we plan to give to your child.

In Office General Anesthesia

If your child is unable to tolerate conscious sedation, or has extensive dental treatment needs, Dr. Rabitz may recommend In Office General Anesthesia. A Pediatric Anesthesiologist is present to administer general anesthesia and monitor your child in our office. These highly-trained physicians provide anesthesia to infants and children everyday at Children's Hospital Oakland and the offices of twenty pediatric dentists. All have subspecialty (fellowship) training in pediatric anesthesia and are board-certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology.

Outpatient General Anesthesia

If your child has a medical condition or special needs and requires extensive dental treatment, Dr. Rabitz may recommend performing treatment in the hospital setting. A Pediatric Anesthesiologist is present to administer general anesthesia and monitor your child. In the hospital setting there is greater capacity for patient monitoring and access to medical specialists in the event of a medical emergency. Your child will be monitored for a short time after the procedure, and will be able to go home that same day. Dr. Rabitz has hospital privileges at Community Hospital of Los Gatos and Kaiser Santa Clara.

Pre and Post Op Instructions for your Conscious Sedation/In Office General Anesthesia/Hospital General Anesthesia appointment:

The night before your appointment-

Please make sure your child does not eat anything for at least 8 hours prior to the appointment. We usually recommend no food after 10pm the night before.

The day of your appointment-

Please notify us of any change in your child’s health and/or medical condition. If your child is ill, contact us as soon as possible to determine if it may be necessary to postpone the appointment.
Inform us of all medications your child is currently taking.
Dress your child in loose fitting, comfortable clothing.
Make sure your child uses the bathroom prior to the appointment and/or wears a diaper if needed.
A parent must remain present at the office for the complete procedure

After the sedation appointment:

Your child will be drowsy for several hours and will need to be monitored very closely.
If your child wants to sleep, place them on their side and check on them frequently.
Encourage your child to drink liquids in order to prevent dehydration. At first it is best to give your child sips of clear liquids. The first meal should be light and easily digestible.
As a local anesthetic will also be used, make sure your child does not bite or chew their lip or cheek while these areas are numb.
Post treatment instructions will be given after your appointment.

Please call our office with any questions.