The Children’s Oral Health Task Force has partnered with the Genesee District Dental Society to create a referral guide to assist parents, caregivers, and pediatricians in locating Genesee County Dentists who are accepting infants and toddlers as patients. The list of 43 dentists includes a map to easily locate a practice that is convenient for the family to access. All listed dentists are participants in the Healthy Kids Dental Program. The referral guide also highlights the importance and benefits of dental care for young children.
The American Dental Association and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children visit a dentist when their first tooth appears or by age one for a well-baby dental checkup. In addition to keeping a child cavity free, dental care for children ages 0-5 is important to maintain a child’s ability to speak and chew properly, to prevent infection, to ensure the spacing for permanent teeth, and to establish a dental home for emergencies.
The referral guide is available as a flyer that providers can share with individual families and as a poster that can be displayed in offices and waiting rooms. To receive the referral guide or additional information on the Children’s Oral Health Task Force please contact GFHC Project Manager Lori Kunkel at (810) 232-2228 or gfhc@flint.org.