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Child Dentistry

It is recommended that your child go to his or her first child dentistry visit around age three. This first visit to the dentist takes only a small amount of time and it involves little (if any) treatment.

Dr. Frey - Family Dentist - Santa Rosa, CA

We may suggest that you hold your child on your lap in the dental chair while we perform the examination. You could also be requested to wait in the waiting area for part of your child's visit so Dr. Frey can build a professional relationship with her or him.

We will perform an exam on your child's gums and teeth with great care not to hurt him or her. X-rays could also be performed to uncover any decay and to discover how your child's permanent teeth are forming down in the gum area. We might need to clean the teeth and do an application of topical fluoride to the teeth to protect them from decay. You also will be asked if your child is getting enough fluoride on a regular basis at home. We will also go over the proper way for you to take care of your son's or daughter's teeth.

Mark S. Frey, DDS - Santa Rosa cosmetic dentist

Want to learn more about pediatric dentistry and how to prepare for your child's first dental visits? Click here.

Helpful Tips for Your Child's First Visit

"What do I need to explain to my son or daughter about this first visit to the dentist?" Parents often ask us this question. We recommend that you offer a similar explanation to your child to that of going to the shoe store or hairstylist for the first time. You may just be pleasantly surprised at your child's reaction to this first dental visit.

  • 1. Make a special trip to the office to give your child a preview before the day of the appointment.
  • 2. Read stories to your child about visiting the dentist.
  • 3. Tell your child what will happen at the dentist before attending the first dentist.
  • 4. Talk about your own experiences with the dentist in a pleasant way.
  • 5. Remember that Dr. Frey will examine the child's mouth, gums, and teeth. He will explain problematic behaviors for the teeth such as thumb sucking. Dr. Frey will also evaluate your child's need for fluoride. He will show you how to clean your child's gums and teeth properly.
  • 6. At the end of the appointment, Dr. Frey will recommend a specific schedule for dental visits on a routine basis.

What is Preventative Care?

Children and tooth decay do not go hand in hand as they once did. Our office highly focuses on preventative care for your child's teeth. We apply the latest sealant on your child's teeth to prevent cavities. A dental sealant is 'space-age' plastic and it is bonded onto the chewing surfaces of your child's back teeth, as these are at higher risk of decaying than the front teeth are. This is an important step in starting your child on the right path to ideal oral care for his or her mouth, gums, and teeth.

Prevention of Cavities

a child visiting the dentistCavities often occur because improper brushing and a high amount of sugar intake. The correct brushing methods and limiting the amount of sugar will help to prevent some of the cavities. When your child needs to chew his or her food for a long period of time, the longer the food residue is in contact with the teeth. This increase the risk of cavities.

Each time anyone consumes food, it causes an acid reaction to happen in the mouth as bacteria starts to digest any sugars. It takes about 20 minutes for this reaction to subside. This acid reaction could harm the structure of the teeth and lead to cavities eventually.

The consistency of the saliva a person has does make a difference. When the saliva is thin, it breaks down more quickly and rinses the food faster from the teeth. A diet high is sugars and carbohydrates creates thicker saliva in a person's mouth and produces more acid-producing bacteria to form to cause cavities.

Cavity-Prevention Tips

  • 1. Limit the number of snacks and meals throughout the day.
  • 2. Encourage frequent flossing, brushing and rinsing.
  • 3. Have your child drink more non-sugary drinks than sugary ones.
  • 4. Limit the amount of sticky foods that your child eats.
  • 5. Make special treats just another part of a meal.
  • 6. Serve your child only nutritious snacks.

The first teeth to form in a baby's mouth are the front two bottom teeth. This will happen at around 6 to 8 months of age. The next teeth to appear are the 4 front upper teeth. Then the other teeth show up through the skin periodically. These typically show up in pairs on one side or other of the mouth. This stops around age of 2 1/2 years old.

You child will most likely have all of his or her teeth by around this age. The first of the permanent teeth come in at around 5 to 6 years of age. Most of the permanent teeth replace the baby teeth. However, some do not. Do not be alarmed if some of the teeth come in early or late compared to this time frame, as this could vary from child to child.

Baby teeth have more than one duty. They hold the space that the permanent teeth need, along with being important for speech, appearance, biting, and chewing. This is why it is crucial that your child have ideal child dentistry hygiene and a healthy daily diet.

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Jeff L.
Jeff L.
18:30 26 Jan 23
Excellent dentist, very professional and friendly team! Thank you!
Nicholas L.
Nicholas L.
02:20 13 Jan 23
Great experience and friendly staff highly recommend for dental care.
Bonnie B.
Bonnie B.
23:54 16 Nov 22
I've been going to Dr. Frey for over 18 years. My dental care has been excellent.
Jann A.
Jann A.
17:33 21 Apr 22
Dr. Frey has been my dentist for years. He replaced eight of my front upper teeth with beautiful crowns! He is a committed professional that will honestly advise you on procedures you need, or more unusual, the procedures you don't or can delay. His staff is knowledgeable and friendly!
Dahye J.
Dahye J.
17:19 22 Sep 21
Fran S.
Fran S.
00:10 21 Sep 21
Warm reception from entry door through the whole office. Polite, pofessionals. Have been taken care of my dental care for a lot of years. Highly recommend them.
Clay S.
Clay S.
03:15 16 Sep 21
Pleasant, courteous, efficient Dentist and other staff.
Larry U.
Larry U.
21:59 17 Aug 21
makes going to dentist fun
Laura O.
Laura O.
02:31 13 Aug 21
PAUL B.
PAUL B.
01:20 06 May 21
My first dentures officially started today with castings. I anticipated it being uncomfortable and it was but this process was painless. Next stop the model.
Bette Rice V.
Bette Rice V.
22:14 02 Nov 20
I’ve been a patient of Dr. Mark Frey for many, many years and have had lots of basic dentistry as well as restorative and cosmetic dental work completed. He has walked me through each procedure, included me in the planning and provided painless treatment to give me teeth that make me proud to smile! Years ago when I was looking for a dentist (mine had retired) a good friend , who was a very committed periodontal hygienist, recommended him. I have never been disappointed. He stays current regarding the most current and effective dental treatment plans. His entire staff is amazing.....Angel, office manager; Bonnie, his right hand assistant; Aimee, his fabulous hygienist. I have total faith in this dental practice and would feel confident recommending them to anyone!
Lynn C.
Lynn C.
22:58 05 Oct 20
I felt very safe going back to see Dr. Frey at long last. And I really needed the visit as I knew I needed more than a cleaning appointment! They are wearing so much PPE that I am surprised that they can work efficiently, and there was air flowing through the room as well, and lots of hand sanitizer everywhere. And of course, they are very nice and friendly people and Dr. Frey is a great dentist!
Nancy N.
Nancy N.
22:40 24 Sep 20
I feel so comfortable because they are so caring and professional.
Cameron T.
Cameron T.
16:46 10 Aug 20
Amazing, love the place and the people.
Vince G.
Vince G.
21:19 09 Jul 20
Dr Frey does fantastic work and never tries to sell you services you don't need. 100% on the level. The hygienists are fantastic as well. I have some super sensitive spots on my teeth and a low threshold for pain and, despite that, Corrine always gets me through the cleaning with no stress. Angel at the front desk demonstrates great attention to detail in keeping your procedures on track and your billing straight. Even though I visited today, during the time of coronavirus, I felt safe due to their safety procedures.
Chelsey D.
Chelsey D.
22:39 27 Jun 20
Lindsey H.
Lindsey H.
00:49 18 Dec 18
I love this office. Dr. Frey is by far the best dentist I have ever seen. He is so gental, competent, and he makes you feel at ease. The office staff are all very friendly and wonderful, too! I have received great care from them. My temporary crown fell off and they squeezed me in and fixed it the very next day! I drive for three hours just to come to this office. I highly recommend them if you are looking for a great dentist.
K O.
K O.
23:58 24 Nov 18
I wrote below review 4 years ago. Last night my front tooth/crown fell out... 20 minutes after leaving a message on Dr Frey's emergency message line, he called me back and made an appt to fix my tooth at 10am today - Saturday - even tho office was closed & staff were enjoying their Thanksgiving weekend. Amazingly speedy service! Thank you once again for being an awesome, caring dentist!_________Awesome dentist & team. It's a comfort to have the assurance of quality, professional, state of the art dental care. I am always given careful, patient service and I can count on attention to detail. On top of this, it's a pleasure to see everyone here for routine visits. Thank you!
Jill M.
Jill M.
22:05 16 Nov 18
My daughter and I just had our first visits and we could not be happier. Everything was explained, the entire office was kind and there was no “upselling”. We were referred by a friend and I’ll be referring people too. Thank you!
Megan F.
Megan F.
17:30 08 Nov 18
5 stars! Great Dentist! My son used to have anxiety but today he was calm and relaxed! We are very happy!
Evan G.
Evan G.
21:08 06 Nov 18
Probably THE most together dental office I have ever visited. Quick, thorough, professional, friendly, really put me at ease. Their work is TOP notch. Two Thumbs up +.
Susie M.
Susie M.
19:09 24 Aug 18
I am serial tooth-grinder, and did a lot of damage. Dr. Frey and his amazing team reconstructed my smile. They have my highest recommendation.
HEIDI B
HEIDI B
04:53 15 May 18
This is a very relaxing atmosphere with excellent dental care. The staff is caring, knowledgeable and fun.
Jenna K.
Jenna K.
04:10 28 Mar 18
Dr Frey and his staff were compassionate and understanding about my dental history, very informative and explained my treatment plan perfectly. I’m excited to be a patient.
Penelope H.
Penelope H.
01:16 09 Mar 18
Radrodro V.
Radrodro V.
01:09 03 Nov 17
Very friendly staff and thank you Dr Frey for taking time to talk and explain things to me.
Kerri G.
Kerri G.
04:14 21 Jun 17
Always friendly and caring staff.
rhona K.
rhona K.
05:53 16 Mar 17
Its a place you always look forward for your next visit. Its that GOOD.
Eric B.
Eric B.
00:36 09 Mar 17
As good as it can be!
Hunter P.
Hunter P.
18:19 19 Jan 17
Donna R.
Donna R.
01:08 10 Nov 16
Dr. Frey, Bonnie and Angel were all wonderful! He is gentle and very competent. Definitely knows what he's doing!
Josephine B.
Josephine B.
22:46 08 Nov 16
Competent, caring, cheerful.
Norm C.
Norm C.
23:34 27 Jul 16
As usual, the doc is the best and so is the staff.However, maybe it's just me but I found it difficult to get to the "Review" portion.
Melba M.
Melba M.
21:20 07 Jun 16
I am hoping you make 5 star tooth repair as i do not know where to get any quality dental work here in sonoma calif.If you can e-mail me before 5 pm today it is tuesday my home number is 869-8095 my name is Melba an emergency
Elizabeth du P.
Elizabeth du P.
00:01 17 Jun 15
My 3- and 4-year-old boys just had their first visit and seemed to enjoy it!! (The prizes at the end were a big deal!) Thank you!!
Mary B.
Mary B.
00:55 14 Oct 14
I've had some terrible experiences at dental offices but I have yet to endure a bad one at Dr. Frey's. He recently fit me into a busy day when I had an emergency and as usual, showed me much compassion and gave me suggestions if the fix didn't work. So far so good. I'm always happy with the professional and pleasant staff, especially Angel and Aimee. I've recommended several people to Dr. Frey and will continue to do so as long as he has a practice.
Vaughn S.
Vaughn S.
11:38 23 Aug 13
Dr. Frey, Angel, Betty and the Whole Staff are great!!
Sophie F.
Sophie F.
06:09 18 Jul 13
Hillary R.
Hillary R.
04:00 12 Jul 13
Anet D.
Anet D.
16:35 02 Nov 12
Thank you, Dr. Frey, for seeing me right away when I broke a crown that was 20 years old and had been put in by a dentist in another city. I really appreciate that you worked through your lunch time to fix it. I value your skill and the way you take care of your patients. Thank you so much.
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