AW! Therapy dogs make trip to dentist more calming for kids

Amanda Gerla

A lot of people get nervous about going to the dentist. Some are downright afraid of it. And for kids, it can be especially frightening.But a dental practice in Tennessee has found an adorable solution to the problem.”I had a vision of Enchanted Forest for this office because I wanted to take them out of their reality that was causing them to be afraid,” Dr. Marissa Sandidge, dentist and owner of East Nashville Pediatric Dentistry, said.”This dentist is really fun,” Tilden Gilbert, a 5-year-old patient, said. “It’s so kind of magical.”To further that mission of making the dentist more calming for kids — meet Milo, the dentistry’s therapy dog. He comes out by request to sit with the little patients while they have their teeth cleaned.”He’s very calm. So he doesn’t like run around. And he just kind of calms me,” Penelope Nahay, a 9-year-old patient, said. “I love the dog. And it’s so cute. I wanna hold it. he makes me feel warm,” Gilbert said. “Hospitals, I’ve always been really impressed by, in that they have like a child life specialist whose entire job is to make the patient comfortable, happy and give them a positive, positive experience,” Dr. Sandidge said. “Sometimes they utilize a therapy dog and I always thought that’s so genius. And if I can have a child life specialist walking around here, I would, but right now Milo will do the trick.”Watch the video above for more on this story.

A lot of people get nervous about going to the dentist. Some are downright afraid of it. And for kids, it can be especially frightening.

But a dental practice in Tennessee has found an adorable solution to the problem.

“I had a vision of Enchanted Forest for this office because I wanted to take them out of their reality that was causing them to be afraid,” Dr. Marissa Sandidge, dentist and owner of East Nashville Pediatric Dentistry, said.

“This dentist is really fun,” Tilden Gilbert, a 5-year-old patient, said. “It’s so kind of magical.”

To further that mission of making the dentist more calming for kids — meet Milo, the dentistry’s therapy dog. He comes out by request to sit with the little patients while they have their teeth cleaned.

“He’s very calm. So he doesn’t like run around. And he just kind of calms me,” Penelope Nahay, a 9-year-old patient, said.

“I love the dog. And it’s so cute. I wanna hold it. he makes me feel warm,” Gilbert said.

“Hospitals, I’ve always been really impressed by, in that they have like a child life specialist whose entire job is to make the patient comfortable, happy and give them a positive, positive experience,” Dr. Sandidge said. “Sometimes they utilize a therapy dog and I always thought that’s so genius. And if I can have a child life specialist walking around here, I would, but right now Milo will do the trick.”

Watch the video above for more on this story.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/therapy-dogs-dentist-kids/39926239

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