Every caregiver and parent’s goal is to raise healthy, happy children. But caregivers can’t carry the burden alone, there are simply some needs we can’t fulfill for our children. We should turn to trusted professionals, especially when more acute or prolonged physical or mental health needs arise. And though we might understand this, costs and accessibility may prevent us from accessing them.
But there are affordable choices out there for healthcare, whether pediatric dental care or mental health counseling. At KID Inc., we provide routine and emergency pediatric care at our KID Dental Clinic on our main campus. We also offer a range of therapeutic services for children, caregivers, and families of all varieties. And, as a 501c(3) nonprofit organization, we’re able to provide these services at prices South Florida families can afford.
When you enter our facilities, you’ll find we honor the significance of your choice to seek assistance. You’ll find caring, highly trained staff and a facility free of judgment. We’ll work in the best interest of your child because we care about them as deeply as you do. Please explore our pediatric dental care and mental health services below.
Why Pediatric Dental Care Matters: KID’s Affordable Clinic for Kids
KID Inc.’s mission is to prevent child abuse, preserve the family, and treat children who have been abused or neglected, guided by core values of compassion, family, trust, wisdom, safety, and tenacity. Our compassion and tenacity, in particular, call on us to recognize that children are not indiscernible pieces but whole people. So we recognize that in order to preserve families and treat children, that means treating the whole child—not one aspect of their life.
That’s why in 2010, we unveiled our new affordable dental clinic in partnership with Nova Southeastern University’s College of Dental Medicine. Every child who steps through our doors and sits down for treatment can feel the trust and compassion that NSU’s dental students and faculty provide. Meanwhile, parents see and feel the safety and wisdom these practitioners bring to the appointment. Here are just some of the services this partnership provides:
- We provide preventative pediatric dental care, including education about brushing times and techniques
- NSU faculty and students can provide urgent or emergency pediatric dental care to children who need immediate treatment for chipped teeth, caries, or extractions.
- We can also provide orthodontic care for children in need of braces and spacers at affordable rates.
We recognize that the source of neglect for some children may be a lack of funds, and that well-intentioned caregivers may lack the resources to provide what the child needs. That’s why we don’t just accept most Medicaid plans and private pay, but offer sliding scale and even free services for qualifying children and families. When you need high-quality pediatric dental care at prices you can afford, look no further than KID Inc.’s dental clinic.
Beyond Teeth: How Pediatric Dental Care Impacts Overall Wellbeing
The primary reason we seek dental care for our children is to ensure healthy teeth, gums, and general oral health. Dental health also has important connections to overall physical health, as an essential preventative measure against diseases that can start in our mouths and impact our entire body. But beyond the physical health impacts, oral health has critical repercussions for a child’s overall well-being.
- Communication Skills: Keen attention must be paid to a child’s oral health because they’re simultaneously learning how to listen and pronounce increasingly complex words. In one study, parents believed that a lost tooth caused changes in their child’s ability to pronounce certain words, which was later confirmed by professionals.
- Confidence: Children with poor oral health can experience poor self-esteem as a result. At a time when they’re meeting and interacting with new children and adults, they may avoid smiling or talking out of fear or judgment. This, in turn, can create roadblocks as they seek to form friendships and lasting connections. It can also make it harder for children to advocate for themselves.
- School Challenges: Numerous studies show that poor dental care can result in poorer school performance. Originally, researchers believed that poorer oral health resulted in more absences from school, which in turn led to reduced performance. However, more current research indicates that while poorer oral health makes a child 3 times more likely to miss school due to pain, poorer school performance is associated with poorer dental health regardless of the number of school absences.
What to Expect at KID’s Dental Clinic
When you bring your child into KID’s Dental Clinic for routine pediatric dental care or urgent care, KID and NSU staff will work to make both you and your child comfortable from the first appointment. After checking in and getting a sense of the child’s needs, NSU dental students will begin talking with your child through their first appointment to make them feel safe and secure.
Meanwhile, NSU faculty will supervise and provide additional instruction as needed to ensure a comfortable environment for your child. The students and faculty are pediatric specialists who understand the unique needs and apprehensions children have at the dentist. That’s why at the heart of the first appointment is trust-building
KID Provides Emergency Pediatric Dental Care
The KID Dental Clinic supports various services and specialties, including urgent pediatric dental care. Cracked, chipped, or infected teeth are just some of the conditions that can be painful for children and require immediate services. What makes our clinic unique compared to NSU’s other urgent care clinics is the focus on children. The dental students and faculty here are laser-focused on providing empathetic, responsive care to children and their families.
Supporting Adoptive Families: KID’s Therapy and Resources
One type of family we support is Adoptive Families. These families face unique circumstances and challenges in addition to those felt by other households. Additionally, every adoption story and family is unique, requiring individualized care and support. Our Adoption Support specialists can provide services to adoptive families, children, and caregivers at all stages of the adoption process—before, during, and after.
We also provide space for parent and child support groups to meet and share their experiences. Our therapists have the training and experience required to offer a compassionate ear and thoughtful insights to help adoptive families cope with the traumas and challenges that can accompany the adoption process.
5 Signs Your Child Needs Counseling
Recognizing when mental health care is needed is one of the biggest hurdles that can prevent families and children from receiving the care they need. As children, we’re learning how to identify our emotions, what causes them, and how to communicate these emotions to others. These are challenging skills to learn and not everyone learns them, even as adults. Children may instead resort to other behaviors and words to signal that their emotional needs are not being met. These include:
- Anger: Children may lash out at peers, parents, or caregivers after something doesn’t go their way or for seemingly no reason at all. When this happens consistently, it could be a sign that the child needs more support around an underlying issue.
- Struggles in school: If you notice a decline in academic performance or an increase in disciplinary actions at school, this could be a warning sign of a child in emotional distress. Experiencing complex or unidentified emotions can make it hard to concentrate on schoolwork.
- Low Self-Esteem: If you notice your child’s self-esteem is low or dropping, that can be a sign that they need additional care and support to address the underlying cause.
- Anxiety or Stress: It’s not uncommon for children to experience stress and anxiety related to relationships, school, or other activities. However, persistent or intense stress and anxiety may point to a larger issue.
- Withdrawal: If the child appears to withdraw entirely from social life or struggles to make or maintain friendships, this can be a warning that they’re experiencing emotional distress or a crisis.
Get Your Child the Health Services They Need
Should you notice any of these signs or a combination in your child, don’t hesitate to reach out to KID’s Family Counseling Center. Our experienced, licensed counselors will meet your child where they are to provide the support they need to express their emotions, what’s causing them, and provide solutions to cope with or overcome them. You, or another caregiver, can refer the child to our center to receive the care they need. Likewise, if your child needs routine or urgent pediatric dental care, call KID’s Dental Clinic to schedule an appointment today.