I took my son to an appointment today with Dr. Hoffman. We had a great experience from the time we arrived until we departed. The receptionist was very friendly and helpful. The dental assistants were very helpful and polite with my son. The doctor is very kind and patient. They explain everything as we went through the process. We were aware of the cost from the beginning to the end and we're allowed to make decisions about how to handle my child's care and not shocked with additional charges after the fact. My child does not resist going to this office. Great experience.
Dr. Thoms and everyone of his staff members are incredible. I was warmly welcomed and made to feel comfortable and relaxed. Which is saying something as I had not been to the dentist in years due to fear/anxiety. My procedure was clearly explained. The office staff was beyond helpful with payment and insurance. The day of my appt was exactly as planned. We started ahead of schedule! The technicians and assistants were clearly skilled and again, helped ease my nervousness. We finished all work as planned. And then Dr. Thoms sat with me and my husband to discuss “everything.” He is very thorough. And finally one of his staff wheeled me down to the elevator, out across the parking lot, and helped me into my van. Now that is service! Around 8:30 p.m. my cell phone rang and it was Dr. Thoms calling to check up on me. Wow!!!!! This man has all you could want in a dentist—kind, compassionate, thorough, understanding, excellent communicator, and skilled. I cannot come up with the best words to so highly recommend the Dental Anesthesia Center. It was a remarkable, yet simple, but thorough experience for me. If you are putting off going to the dentist and have anxiety or fears please call them. They will gently and competently take care of you. And no, this is not an advertisement/ commercial—I am a real live (satisfied) patient.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful review! We’re honored to hear that you felt welcomed, comfortable, and well cared for throughout your experience. Our team is dedicated to providing compassionate, thorough care—especially for those who may feel anxious about dental visits—so it means a lot to know that came through. We truly appreciate your recommendation and are grateful you chose us for your care.
The practice is top notch. Could not ask for better care.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re grateful for your feedback and are proud to provide high-quality care in a supportive environment.
Great practice and nice people. I've been going there for 25+ years!!!
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind review ! We appreciate that beyond words! It has been our pleasure having you as our patient! We look forward to seeing you at your next dental visit!
Going to the dentist can be a very scary thing. Even for adults, thoughts of going to the dentist can bring on feelings of fear, dread, anxiety, claustrophobia, and more. Taking this into consideration, it goes without saying that going to the dentist can be downright traumatic for children. Children are much more sensitive and prone to anxiety when it comes to being sat down in a chair and having a masked person stick loud tools into their mouth.
For this reason, a trusted pediatric dentist is absolutely essential when it comes to getting dental work done on children. Pediatric dentists need to possess a special list of qualities if they wish to thrive in their position. Let’s take a look at five personality traits your pediatric dentist should have.
A Love for Children
It goes without saying that your pediatric dentist should love children. Children are much different than adults and they require a certain amount of patience and understanding to effectively care for. Anybody who works with children needs to be kind and patient towards them.
Children may be underdeveloped in terms of mental capabilities, but one thing they can sense better than adults is if somebody likes them or not. If your pediatric dentist truly loves children, your child will be able to tell and will feel more comfortable around them.
Knowledgeable
All dentists need to be knowledgeable, however pediatric dentists need to be especially knowledgeable of children’s teeth. There are many different things pediatrics dentists need to look out for like signs of thumb sucking, pacifier use, and teeth grinding.
Kid Friendly Office
Normal dentist offices are boring and they might scare a child. A pediatric dentist needs to have an office that is decorated and colorful to make the children feel much more at home. They should have things like cartoons playing on a TV, toys, and decorations to take the child’s mind off of the dental work.
Educational
Children need to be educated on why it’s important to brush their teeth, how to brush their teeth, and what will happen if they don’t brush their teeth. A good pediatric dentist should be able to communicate all of this to your child in a way that isn’t boring and monotonous.
Authoritative
Although a pediatric dentist needs to be kind, they also need to be able to get children to cooperate. A good dentist will usually be able to get a child to cooperate with them, without having to boss them around or scare them.
A good pediatric dentist needs to have many qualities in order to make children feel safe and secure when they are at the dentist. If you are looking for a St. Louis pediatric dentist you can trust, give The Dental Anesthesia Center a call today at (314) 862-7844.
