Managing Pediatric Patients And Their Parents With Kelley Quolas And Natalie Hayward

THIS EPISODE COUNTS FOR CE! – but read the disclaimers it might not count for your state.

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When you work in a profession where even fully grown adults are apprehensive about attending their own appointments, it can be a daunting task helping young patients feel at ease. Andrew reached out to a couple members of the A Tale of Two Hygienists Facebook group who work in the pediatric side of dentistry to share how they work with the kids at their practices.

Kelley Quolas is a myofunctional therapist and registered dental hygienist based in Phoenix, AZ who got started in dentistry when she was 16 and found herself drawn to working with kids. At dental assistant school she met her friend Natalie Hayward, who found working in a pediatric practice intimidating at first but now “couldn’t dream of going anywhere else.”

In this episode, Kelley and Natalie discuss how to reassure young patients, reveal which shows are big with the kids these days, and explain how to speak to parents who may not be the most cooperative.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Interview starts: 4:13

– What are some telltale signs of nervousness among child patients?

– How dental appointments differ by age group.

– Kelley and Natalie define anticipatory guidance.

– What are the most popular TV shows for kids at the dentist’s office these days?

– Kelley and Natalie discuss their steps for cleaning the teeth of their younger patients.

– The art of bribing kids with popsicles so they’ll stay still enough for you to take their X-ray.

– Their advice to any students listening for dealing with stubborn and unruly parents.

QUOTES:

“They’re a kid. They’re not scary, they’re just a child that needs a little help.”

“Having a television above when they lay down is a great distraction for kids.”