General Questions
Where are you located?
Carolina Children’s Dentistry has two offices to serve serve the dental needs to children in South Carolina. Click a button learn more about our offices and get directions!
How can I make an appointment?
You can request an appointment at Carolina Children’s Dentistry by phone!
Columbia, SC
Sumter, SC
What do we need to bring for our check-up?
Please bring a form of photo identification, your insurance card and any forms we mailed to you in advance. Your child must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. If someone other than the parent or guardian accompanies your child to their appointment, please ensure that you have provided written authorization to our office in advance. We cannot provide treatment without prior written permission.
- Photo ID
- Insurance Card
- Medical Forms
- Parent/Guardian
Billing & Insurance
What types of payment do you accept?
Carolina Children’s Dentistry accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, debit cards, checks and cash. We can also assist you in financing options such as CareCredit.
Do you take my insurance?
Carolina Children’s Dentistry is currently a participating network provider for Delta Dental Premiere, MetLife, and United Concordia/TRICARE active duty. However, as a courtesy to you, we will assist you with filing your insurance once you make your co-payment, which will be determined by your child’s individual dental needs.
Treatment Questions
What if my child is nervous or anxious?
There are several ways to help your child feel more comfortable and confident at Carolina Children’s Dentistry. We utilize many different techniques to assist your child with their dental care, and each one is selected as needed to maximize your child’s experience in the most positive way.
As every child is an individual, we feel that each technique should be chosen with care and respect for the individual circumstance of the child, with attention to past dental history and medical history.
Here are just a few of the techniques we utilize at Carolina Children’s Dentistry:
- Tell-Show-Do: We tell your child what we are going to do, show them how, and then we do it!! Having your child included in the process often reduces their anxieties.
- Nitrous-oxide analgesia: We provide the use of nitrous-oxide (laughing gas) to assist our nervous patients. This technique can not only assist your child in reducing fear, but assists children with active gag reflexes in reducing the occurrence of gagging, thereby giving your child more confidence.
- Oral conscious sedation: We provide oral conscious sedation for our more fearful patients. We give a very specific, calculated dose to each child dependent on their individual needs, medical history, and dental requirements.
- Hospital dentistry: Our team of doctors are certified to perform dental surgery under general anesthesia. Some of our patients’ needs are best met in a hospital setting, where all teeth are restored at one time. We work with anesthesiologists to provide the maximum in comfort, while at the same time giving your child the best in dental care.
Read: More information on Same-Day Surgery.
Let’s not forget to HAVE FUN!
After all, having a great experience is what it’s all about. Whether singing, laughing, or joking with your child, at Carolina Children’s Dentistry, our commitment is not only to your child’s smile, but to the person they are becoming. We look forward to working with you and your children!
Care After Treatment
Please note: if you have questions or you feel you have a dental emergency, please contact us immediately!
What to Expect After Local Anesthetic?
Most dental procedures require local anesthetic. The teeth, tongue, lip and surrounding tissue may be numb or “asleep.”
What to watch for: Most children don’t understand the effects of local anesthesia. Parents need to watch for chewing, sucking, scratching or biting on the cheek and tongue. This could cause minor irritations such as swelling and abrasions to the tissue.
Recommendations: Soft diet until anesthetic has worn off.
How Should I Provide Care After Trauma?
What to watch for: Tooth may turn a grayish color due to trauma to the tooth
Also watch for swelling/bubble above the tooth, this may be a sign of an abscess–please call our office immediately for evaluation.
Recommendations: Maintain soft diet for 2-3 weeks. (Examples: Mashed potatoes, jello, yogurt, pudding, applesauce, grits, etc.) No biting into any hard or crunchy food with front teeth. No drinking through a straw or using sippy cups. Use a regular cup for all ages for the next 2-3 weeks. Also limit spitting and hot and cold food or drinks.
Salt water rinses recommended for at least 3 days. Tylenol or Motrin as needed for discomfort.
How Do I Provide Care After Extractions?
What to watch for: Chewing, sucking, starching or biting on the cheek and tongue. This could cause minor irritations such as swelling and abrasions to the tissue.
Recommendations: Continue to bite on gauze for at least 30 minutes or until bleeding stops. Can also use moist tea bag to help the bleeding to stop. No rinsing, spitting or drinking through a straw for the next 24 hours. Maintain soft diet for a day or two. Tylenol or Motrin as needed for discomfort.
How Do I Provide Care After Sealants?
Recommendations: Patient needs to avoid eating any or all sticky candies such as Gummies, Now & Laters, Laffy Taffy, bubble gum, etc. These will pull the sealant off the tooth and leave it unprotected from tooth decay. You should also avoid chewing on ice or hard candy, as this may chip the sealant. Brush and floss as normal, twice daily. With proper care, sealants should last between three and seven years.
How Do I Provide Care After a Silver Crown?
What to watch for: Chewing, sucking, starching or biting on the cheek and tongue. This could cause minor irritations such as swelling and abrasions to the tissue. Your child may have some soreness around their gums. If your child should complain of the crown feeling “tight”, Tylenol or Motrin should help.
Recommendations: Patient needs to avoid eating any or all sticky candies such as Gummies, Now & Laters, Laffy Taffy, bubble gum, etc. These candies may loosen or pull crown off and may damage it so that it cannot be re-cemented. It is very important to kept area clean. Brush and floss as normal. If crown should come out, place in zip lock bag and call our office for an appointment.
How Do I Provide Care After Space Maintainer Insert Or Hollywood
What to watch for: Allow a period of one week for your child to become accustomed to the newness of the appliance. Watch for your child playing with appliance with their tongue or fingers. If your child should complain of appliance feeling “tight”, Tylenol or Motrin should help.
Recommendations: Avoid eating any or all sticky candies such as Gummies, Now & Laters, bubble gum, etc. These candies may loosen or pull appliance out and may damage it so that it cannot be re-cemented. It is very important to kept area clean. Brush and floss as normal. If appliance should come out, place in zip lock bag and call our office for an appointment.
