John B. Heilman, D.D.S. - Pediatric Dentistry, Douglasville

Appointments / Finances / Child Management Procedures
Do I Stay with My Child During the Visit? / Toothprints / Sedation

Appointments

We see our patients by appointment only and your child's time is exclusively reserved. Therefore, we must charge you for missed appointments if you do not give us 24 hours advance notice. Regretfully, if your child fails his/her appointment time, it prevents another child from being seen, who may have a severe dental problem. The charge for the first broken appointment is $30.00. Repeated failures will place your child on inactive status requiring a deposit fee or a stand-by appointment basis.
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Finances

Dental insurance is filed by our office, but please be aware that you are the one charged for our service and all costs not paid for by the insurance company.

There will be a charge for more than one Insurance form and for itemized statements for accidents, accountants, income tax, etc.

We accept cash, check and bank cards. Payment is due at the time of treatment. Financing is available through CareCredit, (3rd party financing).
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Child Management Procedures

Child management procedures are not included in regular dental fees. A fee is charged if your child's treatment requires behavior management with oral sedation, given at home or at the office, which is not uncommon for children age six and under with serious dental problems.
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Do I Stay with My Child During the First Visit?

Parents are allowed to accompany their pre-school age children to the treatment room if necessary for their initial dental visit. However, during treatment, only the patient (child) is permitted in the treatment room. Upon request, we will let you know how well your child is doing and will inform you of any treatment changes that occur.
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Toothprints Dental I.D. - "Just in Case"

As a parent, one of your greatest fears is that your child might get lost, or worse, be abducted. If such a situation were to occur, your prompt response - with photographs and other concrete means for tracking your child and making identification - is paramount. A pediatric dentist developed Toothprints® bite impressions as a way of safeguarding his own child and other young patients.

Toothprints® is a patented, arch-shaped thermo- plastic wafer. When your child bites into the softened wafer, it records individual tooth characteristics, tooth position within the arch and the upper to lower jaw relationship - all important information for identification. You'll then write your child's name on the zippered plastic bag provided and keep it at home in a safe place.

Like fingerprints, dental imprints are unique to every person, so bite impressions can serve as an accurate method of identification. Dental restorations and X-rays have historically been the primary basis for dental identification. Toothprints® is important now because the successful fight against tooth decay has left many children with no cavities and, thus, no dental records. An unrinsed Toothprints® also captures saliva, which is a powerful source of our scent, making Toothprints® effective for scent-dog tracking. Toothprints® is simple and easy to take, and once taken, you'll keep the records for immediate access.
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Sedation
INSTRUCTIONS TO PARENTS OF PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WHO ARE TO RECEIVE SEDATION FOR DENTAL TREATMENT

GENERAL: It is important for your child's safety that you follow these instructions, carefully. Failure to follow these instructions could result in serious complications or even death.

CHANGE IN HEALTH: Please notify us of any change in your child's health. DO NOT bring your child in for treatment with a fever, ear infection, or cold. If your child becomes ill, please call the clinic immediately and reschedule the appointment. A 24-hour notice will allow us to schedule another child in need of treatment.

EATING AND DRINKING: To avoid vomiting during treatment with sedation, DO NOT allow your child to eat or drink prior to the appointment. The following dietary schedule MUST be followed:

1. NO milk or solid food after midnight prior to the scheduled procedure.
This means NO BREAKFAST.

2. Clear liquids ONLY (water, apple juice, Gatorade):
    up to 4 hrs. prior to the procedure (children less than 3 years old)
    up to 6 hrs. prior to the procedure (children 3-6 years old)
    up to 8 hrs. prior to the procedure (children older than 6 years old)

MEDICATIONS: Give your child only those medications that he/she takes routinely such as seizure medications, antibiotics, or other medications prescribed by your child's physician. DO NOT give any other medications before or after treatment without checking with our office.

ARRIVAL AT THE OFFICE: A parent or legal guardian must accompany your child for all appointments. DO NOT bring any other children with you to your child's sedation appointment. He/she will require your full attention prior to and following dental treatment. We will monitor heart rate and breathing throughout the appointment, so please dress your child in loose fitting clothing. We will also place a monitor on your child's toe, so please remove any toenail polish prior to the appointment. Please make sure that your child goes to the bathroom immediately prior to arriving at the office. After Dr. Heilman gives your child the sedative medication, you will wait with your child in a quiet area while the medication takes effect. Usually, within 5-15 minutes, your child may become cranky or excited and may not be able to walk correctly. This is normal. DO NOT allow your child to walk or stand unassisted during this time.

DURING TREATMENT: For your child's safety, a special device (papoose board) may be utilized to immobilize your child during treatment. It is a plastic board with cloth and Velcro wraps that will keep your child from unexpectedly tossing or turning during treatment. The papoose board is utilized for your child's protection and safety, not punishment. If you have any concerns with this technique, please discuss it with Dr. Heilman prior to receiving the sedation medication. You MUST remain in the waiting area during treatment, which usually lasts approximately 60 minutes. The medication is only a sedative, and not a general anesthetic. During treatment your child may remain awake and may cry. Try not to worry, as your child will be well taken care of.

AFTER TREATMENT: You and your child will remain in the clinic upon completion of treatment until your child is awake, alert, and can sit up unaided, and move with minimal assistance. Because we use local anesthetic to numb your child's mouth during the procedure, your child may accidentally bite or chew the lips, cheeks, and/or tongue and/or rub and scratch the face after treatment. This is especially true if it is the initial treatment for your child. Please observe your child very carefully. This risk exists for 2-3 hours after treatment. A small amount of bleeding/redness from the gums around the teeth that were fixed or removed is normal and should stop within 24 hours. Your child should experience only minor discomfort, if any. as a result of the dental treatment.

RETURNING HOME: Your child MUST be supervised by a responsible parent or legal guardian. He/she should be closely observed for breathing difficulty and carefully secured in a car seat or by a seat belt during transportation.

ACTIVITIES: DO NOT plan or permit activities for your child after treatment. Allow your child to rest. Closely supervise any activity for the remainder of the day.

DRINKING/EATING FOLLOWING TREATMENT: Be sure that your child starts to drink liquids as soon as you leave the clinic. This will prevent dehydration. We suggest that the first drink following treatment is plain water. Clear liquids such as apple juice or Gatorade are preferable next. Small drinks are better than allowing your child to fill up all at once. Feed your child a normal diet when he/she is ready but wait at least 2 hours until the numbness from the local anesthesia has disappeared.

TEMPERATURE ELEVATION: Your child's temperature may be elevated to 101 degrees F / 38 degrees C for the first 24 hours after treatment. Give Tylenol or Motrin/Advil pain relievers every 3-4 hours and encourage drinking to alleviate this condition.

SEEK ADVICE:

If vomiting persists beyond 4 hours or occurs greater than 3 times.
If the temperature remains elevated beyond 12-24 hours or goes above 101 degrees F /38 degrees C.
If there is any difficulty breathing.
If there is any persistent bleeding.
If any other matter causes concern.

CANCELLATION POLICY: A $75 deposit is required before scheduling the appointment for conscious sedation and will be applied to the sedation appointment. If the appointment is cancelled because the patient has eaten/drank against instructions or you have failed to follow the directions outlined above, the appointment will be rescheduled and the deposit non- refundable. Also. if you cancel without 24 hour notice, fail to show for the appointment, arrive 15 minutes late or if more than 15 minutes is spent re-explaining the procedures to you or another parent, the appointment will be rescheduled and the deposit forfeited. An additional $75 deposit will be required to reschedule. Please address all questions and/or explain the procedure to dad/mom if they were not present at the initial visit BEFORE the day of treatment. This allows the appointment to run smoothly and is in the best interest of your child.

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