The preschool "passage". An overview of dental health.
Children undergo major transformations between birth and approximately 5 years of age. The most common examples are personality development and the potential explosiveness of the course of the disease caries. Each demands recognition, assessment of degree of difficulty, and an adaptation by the dentist. Starting dental care for children early is based on the anticipated time children can develop disease, the fact that most dental disease is preventable, and the desire to gain the trust of the child by first, minimizing the need for invasive procedures. Dental trends set in the preschool period tend to carry for many years. The dentist's assessment of the degree of difficulty is the first key in successful care for each child. The general dentist and pediatric dentist both play important and complementary roles in the care of children. There are differences in the practice habits between the two. Self assessment of skills for common situations leads to improved care. Because children don't vote, a responsibility falls on the health care provider to advocate for children in the political and professional arenas.
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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Johnsen
D002652:Child Behavior; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000639:trends*; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry