Services / Childrens Dentistry
A calm first visit, honest guidance on cavities and sealants, and enough time for your child to feel safe in the chair.
4.9 stars
600+ patient reviews
Same day visits
Emergency care available
20+ years
Serving Elk Grove families
CareCredit
0% interest options
Most of what I need to know about a child’s first visit shows up before the child opens their mouth. I watch how they walk into the room, how they hold your hand, and how long it takes them to look at me. That tells me more than an x-ray does at age two or three.
I am Dr. Theodore Ionescu, a childrens dentist Elk Grove families see at Dentistry by Design on E Stockton Blvd. We see fewer patients per day than most offices, so a first visit does not start with a countdown. Leticia and Sarah, our Registered Dental Assistants, know how to read a nervous child before the chair goes back.
A look, a count, a ride in the chair, and no surprise treatment.
Every instrument named and demonstrated before it is used.
Placed on the molars that arrive at six and twelve, not before.
You hear the plan and the price before anything is scheduled.
By age one, I have a much better chance of catching a problem before it hurts. That is when I ask parents to bring a child in, or within six months of the first tooth. I would rather spend that visit looking than fixing.
Most first visits run thirty to forty minutes. The child sits on your lap if needed. I count teeth, check the gums, and look at how the bite is coming together. We talk about brushing, fluoride, and whatever the child is eating and drinking. That appointment is how I like to begin family dentistry in Elk Grove.
A scared child does not need a lecture. They need a sequence they can predict. I use tell-show-do in that order every time.
I tell the child what I am going to do with words they know. I show the mirror or the toothbrush on their hand first. Only then do I use it in the mouth. If a child needs to stop, we stop. The appointment is not a test of endurance.
I look at the grooves in a six-year molar before I talk about sealants. Deep grooves collect food even when brushing is good. A sealant fills those grooves so plaque does not get a foothold. Timing matters more than the child’s age, but first permanent molars around age six and second molars around age twelve are the usual windows.
Fluoride is the other half. We apply fluoride after cleanings based on cavity risk, not as a one-size routine. Diet is the harder conversation. It is not the total sugar that worries me most; it is how often a child sips juice or eats a pouch across the day. That is why our preventive care visits include the diet conversation.
I treat baby teeth as load-bearing structure. A baby molar holds the space where a permanent tooth is supposed to arrive. If that molar comes out too early, the teeth behind it drift forward.
Early loss can turn a simple orthodontic case into a complicated one. Sometimes I recommend a space maintainer to hold the gap. That is a small appliance, not a punishment.
I bring up thumb sucking and bottle habits because they change the bone, not because I want to judge anyone. Most children stop thumb sucking on their own. I do not intervene before the permanent front teeth start coming in unless the habit is very strong. Bottle use at night is a different problem because it bathes teeth in liquid for hours.
Juice is the same. I would rather a child eat an orange than drink juice. For sports, a custom mouthguard is the only kind I recommend after the adult front teeth arrive. It stays in place and the child can breathe.
I am Dr. Ionescu, and I treat most routine childrens dentistry in our Elk Grove office. I also know when a case is better served by a pediatric specialist. If a child needs sedation beyond what we offer, or if behavior makes the appointment unsafe, I will say so. I tell parents to review the services we offer in this office before assuming a referral is needed.
That referral is not a failure. It is the honest limit of what I can control in this office. If we can treat your child here safely, I will tell you that too.
Most parents stay in the room for the first visit and for every visit after if they want to. Some kids do better with a parent close. Some do better with the parent in the waiting room. I follow the child, not a policy.
We open at 7:30am Monday through Friday, so some families book before school. Erin handles scheduling and financial coordination. She can check insurance before the visit. If you do not have insurance, ask about our dental savings membership club or CareCredit financing. For specifics, the financial information page explains our membership club and payment options.
Usually around the first tooth or first birthday, and mostly a conversation.
Tell-show-do, short appointments, and praise instead of promises.
Fluoride and sealants timed to tooth eruption and risk.
Minimal, explained to the child at their level, parent informed.
Six month checks that get shorter as trust builds.
Dr. Theodore Ionescu has practiced in Elk Grove for more than twenty years and works from the office on E Stockton Blvd. He plans the treatment himself, which means the person who quotes the work is the person in the room when it happens. You can read more about the office and the team or check financing and insurance before you come in.
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When should my child first see a dentist?
I am Dr. Ionescu. Bring your child by the first birthday or within six months of the first tooth. Early visits let me see how the teeth are coming in and catch habits before they become structural problems. Most first visits last thirty to forty minutes and include the parent in the room.
Do you treat toddlers and young children?
Yes. We see toddlers in the office for exams, cleanings, fluoride, and small treatment when the child can tolerate it. If the child needs more behavior support or sedation, I will tell you and refer to a pediatric specialist. We do not push past what the child can handle.
When does my child need sealants?
I recommend sealants based on the grooves in the molars, not age alone. The usual windows are first permanent molars around age six and second molars around age twelve. Deep grooves that trap plaque are the clearest reason. Sealants fill those grooves and make the tooth easier to clean.
What if my child is afraid of the dentist?
We use tell-show-do with every nervous child. I say what will happen, show the tool on a hand, and only then put it in the mouth. We stop when the child needs a break. A first visit is about building a sequence the child can trust.
Can I stay in the room during my child’s visit?
Yes. Most parents stay for the first visit and for every visit after if the child does better that way. Some children focus better with a parent in the waiting room. I follow what helps the child, not a blanket policy.
Do you accept dental insurance or offer payment plans?
We accept most dental insurance and Erin can check your benefits before the visit. For patients without insurance, we have a dental savings membership club. We also offer CareCredit financing. Ask Erin what makes sense for your family.
Call Dentistry by Design at (916) 685-4662. Erin will help you find a morning appointment before school or after drop-off. We hold time so your child is not rushed.
