Each February, National Children’s Dental Health Month highlights the importance of preventive care from a young age. A child's primary or deciduous teeth may be small, but their impact is enormous. They help children chew food, develop clear speech and guide the growth of permanent teeth. They also play a huge role in a child's self‑confidence.
At the Children’s Hospital Colorado Pediatric Dental Center, CU Anschutz School of Dental Medicine faculty like Paloma Reyes Nguyen, DMD, care for young patients while mentoring students in the Doctor of Dental Surgery Program through a hands‑on pediatric rotation. It’s a partnership that strengthens oral healthcare and education in families and trains future dentists in caring for young patients.
Many parents are surprised to learn how early oral health affects long‑term outcomes. Reyes Nguyen explains to parents that baby teeth act as “space maintainers,” keeping room for adult teeth that will erupt later. “If we lose baby teeth too early, the teeth in the back will shift and block out those adult teeth,” she said. Crowding, misalignment or even extractions can result.
Healthy baby teeth also support growth, development and nutrition. When a child has cavities, eating can be painful. “Patients with cavities may not eat due to pain, but once we treat the teeth that are infected, they can start eating again and their nutrition will improve.”
Colorado’s Cavity Free at Three program gives families a roadmap for prevention beginning in infancy. Before babies even have teeth, parents can wipe their child’s gums, avoid sharing utensils and keep their own mouths healthy. As soon as the first teeth appear, parents should start brushing the child’s teeth twice a day with a small smear of fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice).
One of the most important milestones is the first dental visit. Reyes Nguyen emphasized, “Parents should bring their child to the dentist by age one.” Knee‑to‑knee exams allow caregivers to see what the provider sees, making the visit educational rather than intimidating.
Once toddlers are eating more independently, nutrition plays a key role in preventing cavities. Sweet drinks — even “agua fresca,” which some families may understandably consider plain water — contain sugars that cling to teeth. CU Anschutz Dental students practice motivational interviewing to uncover these details. Instead of yes‑or‑no questions, they ask open‑ended ones: “Tell me what snacks your child has,” which allows for fuller context and more personalized guidance.
Reyes Nguyen encourages parents to focus on changes that are realistic at home, noting that recommendations only work when they truly fit a family’s lifestyle and circumstances.
The pediatric dental center serves a broad mix of patients, including many families with limited resources or complex medical needs. Creating a positive environment is crucial to ongoing care. “We try to stop the cycle of anxiety by creating a welcoming environment. Stickers, small gifts, kind words — it all matters,” Reyes Nguyen said.
Families aren’t the only ones learning. CU Anschutz Dental students spend an intensive, five-week rotation in the Healthy Smiles Clinic at the pediatric dental center, which helps them build confidence quickly. They practice infant exams, communicate with caregivers, develop treatment plans and collaborate with specialists and pediatric residents. They also complete Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA’s), workplace‑based assessments that evaluate communication, clinical skills and decision‑making. A final oral case exam brings it all together.
“It feels high‑stakes to students,” Reyes Nguyen said, “but our goal is growth. If they are not successful, we coach them and they try again.”
Some students enter the rotation feeling nervous, especially if they don’t have much prior experience working with children, including caring for crying babies or those with complex needs. But over time, they gain skill and confidence. The learning curve is steep by design; being in the clinic for concentrated blocks of time helps everything click.
Modern pediatric dentistry looks very different from what many parents remember, and students are learning these updated approaches firsthand.
One favorite tool in the pediatric clinic is Buzzy, a small bee-shaped vibrating device that helps reduce pain during anesthetic injections. Based on the gate control theory of pain, Buzzy “confuses” nerve signals by delivering vibration between the brain and the injection site. Kids love it. “Buzzy helps decrease pain and anxiety. Our patients love it and even request it,” said Reyes Nguyen. Students are trained how to introduce Buzzy in a playful, reassuring way.
Another innovation is Single Tooth Anesthesia (STA), often called the wand. It looks more like a pen than a syringe, making it far less intimidating, and it numbs only the tooth being treated, which reduces fear and pain. Residents use STA daily and students learn when and how to use it.
Students and parents are taught that primary or deciduous teeth matter for growth, nutrition, speech, alignment and self‑confidence, and early dental care matters even more to ensure optimal long-term oral health.
Through its partnership with Children’s Hospital Colorado, the CU Anschutz School of Dental Medicine provides expert care for children while training the next generation of dentists to deliver compassionate, evidence‑based pediatric dentistry.
If you are a parent looking for dental care for your child, learn more about the Healthy Smiles Clinic at the Children’s Hospital Colorado Pediatric Dental Center.