Making
little smiles
smile big

30+

Years Serving
York Region

Customized
Treatment Plan

Children With
Special Needs

Welcome to
DFC dentistry

We are a team of pediatric dentists proudly serving the children of York Region for the last 30 years.

Our dental team works out of multiple locations, and we deliver gentle, patient-centered care to infants, children, tweens, and teens. We also care for children with special needs. Working with each child and their parents, our doctors determine the child’s dental concerns, and then develop a customized treatment plan to remedy them.

Why Choose Us

All our doctors are board certified paediatric dentists, trained to treat children in office and at the hospital (Our dentists have privileges at Markham Stouffville Hospital). At DFC Markham, DFC Newmarket, and DFC Stouffville, our kids’ dentists love creating happy and healthy smiles, as well as inspiring kids to enjoy caring for their teeth, and teaching them that a visit to the dentist is a positive outing.

See What Parents Are Saying

Markham Office
4.8
Newmarket Office
4.9
Stouffville Office
4.9

A child’s first dental visit should be enjoyable

Children are not born with a natural fear of the dentist, but they can fear the unknown. Our office makes a special effort to use pleasant, non-frightening, simple words to describe each treatment. We want you and your child to feel at ease from the moment your family arrives at our office.

The Canadian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends:

Kids should visit the dentist by their first birthday. It is important that your child’s newly-erupted teeth (erupting at six to 12 months of age) receive proper dental care and benefit from proper oral hygiene habits right from the beginning.

We Speak
Kids Language

We Know How to
Deal with Fussy
Children

We Make Children
Feel At Ease

Paediatric Dental FAQs

We recommend that you make an appointment to see the dentist as soon as your child gets his or her first tooth. The Canadian Dental Association recommends that a child is seen either by six months after his or her first tooth erupts, or when they turn one – whichever comes first.
All dental specialists (paediatric dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, and others) begin by completing dental school, then continue their education with several years of additional, specialized training. During training in the field of paediatric dentistry, your doctor gained extensive knowledge and experience in treating infants, children, and adolescents. Paediatric dentists enjoy working with children, and bring to each patient our expertise in childhood development and behaviour. Because our office is geared toward young visitors, you’ll find that our staff, as well as our office design, decorations and activities, all work together to provide an especially friendly and comfortable environment for children.
The first visit is usually short and simple. In most cases, we focus on getting to know your child and giving you some basic information about dental care. The doctor will check your child’s teeth for placement and health, and look for any potential problems with the gums and jaw. If necessary, we may do a bit of cleaning. We will also answer any questions you have about how to care for your child’s teeth as they develop, and provide you with materials containing helpful tips that you can refer to at home.
The best preparation for your child’s first visit to our office is maintaining a positive attitude. Children pick up on adults’ apprehensions and if you make negative comments about trips to the dentist, you can be sure that your child will fear an unpleasant experience and act accordingly. Show your child the pictures of the office and staff on the website. Let your child know that it’s important to keep his teeth and gums healthy, and that the doctor will help him do that.
We generally recommend scheduling checkups every six months. Depending on the circumstances of your child’s oral health, we may recommend more frequent visits.
Although they don’t last as long as permanent teeth, your child’s first teeth play an important role in his development. While they’re in place, these primary teeth help your little one speak, smile and chew properly. They also hold space in the jaw for permanent teeth. If a child loses a tooth too early (due to damage or decay) nearby teeth may encroach on that space, which can result in crooked or misplaced permanent teeth. Also, your child’s general health is affected by the oral health of the teeth and gums.
Even before your baby’s first tooth appears, we recommend you clean his or her gums after feedings with a damp, soft washcloth. As soon as the first tooth appears, you can start using a toothbrush. Choose a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small head. You can most likely find a toothbrush designed for infants at your local drugstore.
Once your child has a few teeth, you can start using toothpaste on the brush. Use only a tiny amount for each cleaning, and be sure to choose toothpaste without fluoride for children under two, as too much fluoride can be dangerous for very young children. Always have your child rinse and spit out toothpaste after brushing, to begin a lifelong habit he’ll need when he graduates to fluoride toothpaste. Children naturally want to swallow toothpaste after brushing, and swallowing too much fluoride toothpaste can cause teeth to stain. You should brush your child’s teeth for him until he is ready to take on that responsibility himself, which usually happens by age six or seven.
Certain types of bacteria live in our mouths. When these bacteria come into contact with sugary foods left behind on our teeth after eating, acids are produced. These acids attack the enamel on the exterior of the teeth, eventually eating through the enamel and creating holes in the teeth, which we call cavities.
Be sure that your child brushes their teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Flossing daily is also important, as flossing can reach spots between the teeth that brushing can’t. Check with your paediatric dentist about a fluoride supplement which helps tooth enamel be harder and more resistant to decay. Avoid sugary foods and drinks, limit snacking, and maintain a healthy diet. And finally, make regular appointments so that we can check the health of your child’s teeth and provide professional cleanings.
Sealants cover the pits and fissures in teeth that are difficult to brush and therefore susceptible to decay. We recommend sealants as a safe, simple way to help your child avoid cavities, especially for molars, which are hardest to reach.
We recommend mouthguards for children active in sports. If your little one plays baseball, soccer, or other sports, ask us about having a custom-fitted mouthguard made to protect his or her teeth, lips, cheeks, and gums.
The large majority of children suck their thumbs or fingers as infants, and most grow out of it by the age of four, without causing any permanent damage to their teeth. If you child continues sucking after permanent teeth erupt, or sucks aggressively, let us know and we can check to see if any problems may arise from the habit.
Grinding is a fairly normal habit for a young child. Generally they are not causing harm to their teeth or gums. Most kids outgrow the habit naturally on their own. Often times we don’t need to intervene, if you have more concerns, please feel free to bring it up with your dentist at your child’s visit at DFC Dentistry for Children.
We recommend taking X-rays around the age of two or three. The first set consists of simple pictures of the front upper and lower teeth, which familiarizes your child with the process. Once the baby teeth in back are touching each other we recommend regular (at least annual) X-rays. Permanent teeth start coming in around age six, and X-rays help us make sure your child’s teeth and jaw are healthy and properly aligned. If your child is at a high risk of dental problems, we may suggest having X-rays taken at an earlier age.