As a hygienist, Steph loves the satisfaction of cleaning a child’s teeth and seeing their happy smile afterward. She’s not only responsible for cleaning their teeth—she also educates the child as she works, ensuring that they are prepared to keep their smile clean at home.
While she loves the satisfaction of a clean smile, Steph’s true passion is the kids themself. Having been at PDAO for nearly two decades, she’s watched several children grow up through the practice. With deep relationships with countless kiddos, Steph is an expert at making children feel comfortable in the dentist’s chair.
As clinical coordinator, Steph helps ensure that our office continues to run smoothly, even when we’re operating on kids’ time. Children can be unpredictable, and when they don’t cooperate, it can cause our appointments to run a few minutes behind schedule, but Steph and our team of hygienists ensure that every child gets the amount of time and attention they need.
They also understand that when working with children, you often have to work quickly. Steph says that a child’s attention span correlates with their age—you can hold a two-year-old’s attention for two minutes, a three-year-old’s for three minutes, and so on. Because of this, our hygienists work quickly and efficiently, ensuring every child is given the care they need when they’re ready to receive it.
When we asked Steph what tips she had for parents, she encouraged parents to make sure their children are brushing and flossing on a regular schedule. She also noted the importance of helping your child brush their teeth. Most young children don’t have the dexterity necessary for brushing well, and they need their parents to help keep their smile healthy. As a rule of thumb, Steph noted that most children are ready to begin brushing their own teeth when they can tie their shoes.
We love having Steph at PDAO, and we can’t imagine our world without her!
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