Frequently Asked Questions

The Academy of Pediatrics recommends the first dental visit by age 1! This early first visit is a very important one. We examine the mouth and teeth to make sure that everything is developing normally and we also teach parents how to care for their babies’ teeth, help with tooth brushing technique, and answer any questions. It also gives our patients and their families a chance to get to know us and become familiar with our clinic.

Parents often worry that their child won't cooperate during their visit. We understand that each child is unique and each child has a different level of tolerance. We will always work with your children at their level. Our goal is to provide the most positive dental experience possible. We strive to nurture a healthy and trusting relationship so that we can guide them though their childhood into adolescence and adulthood with a positive attitude toward the dentist and their oral health.

You can prepare your child by explaining that the visit will start by having one of our friendly Squad members provide a tour around our super fun space. This will allow you and your child to become oriented and familiarized with the clinic. You’ll see the mini jungle gym with a slide, a playhouse (Klubhouse), and iPads. Your child will get to pick his/her favourite flavour of toothpaste from our menu, pick a toothbrush and get to watch his/her favouite Netflix show overhead. Dr Lori will count your child’s teeth and check for sugar bugs. Of course, there will be stickers to choose from and no appointment will be complete without a token and trip to our prize machines!

Definitely! In fact, we encourage it! You are welcome to sit in the chair with your child until he/she is comfortable enough to sit alone. Once your child is calm and relaxed, you can sit back and relax in our Dental Lounge.

We are always happy to see new patients and a referral is not necessary.

Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day. After breakfast and before bed are the ideal times to brush. You should assist your child with brushing until your child can eat with a fork and a knife. We are happy to provide you with some helpful tips!

Before a child can spit (usually at around 2.5-3 years old), plain water and a toothbrush should be sufficient, unless your child is at high risk for cavities in which case we may advise brushing with a fluoridated toothpaste sooner. Once your child can spit, we recommend brushing with a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste.

We like to see most kids every 6 months for a recare visit which includes a check up and a cleaning. If children are at high risk for cavities or tend to accumulate plaque and tartar quickly, we may recommend more frequent visits.

While home and in-office fluoride treatments have been shown in many studies to prevent cavities, we understand and respect that some families may prefer to use fluoride-free products. If you prefer to avoid fluoride during your child’s dental visit, please let us know at the beginning of the appointment.

For kids, one of the main reasons we take x-rays is to look for cavities in between teeth. These are cavities that we can’t detect just by looking in the mouth. Early detection of cavities is important because if they are caught and treated early, the treatment involves a quick and easy procedure. If left undetected and untreated, cavities tend to grow (relatively quickly in baby teeth!) and treatment is generally more involved and more complicated. Teeth can look completely normal and healthy clinically but cavities can be hiding in areas that can only be seen on xrays.

Baby teeth are important teeth! They help with chewing, speech and appropriate spacing of the adult teeth. If a child has a cavity that is left untreated, it will grow and can eventually cause pain, infection, swelling and tooth loss. If a baby tooth is lost early, an appliance called a spacer may be needed to hold the space for the adult tooth to erupt.

During office hours, call the clinic at 416 825-1818 and we will do our best to accommodate you. Outside of clinic hours, you can reach Dr Lori at 416 569 8500. Alternatively, you can take your child to the Dental Emergency Services at Yonge and St Clair 416 485 7121 or go to the Hospital for Sick Children, Emergency Department.

Smile Squad is located at 1440 Bathurst St, on the west side of Bathurst, just south of St Clair. We have entrances from Bathurst and Vaughan Road.

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SmileSquad Leaside is located in the Longos Plaza at 25 Industrial St (just south of Eglinton and Laird), on the second floor, above the Shoppers Drug Mart and PetSmart.

If you are visiting SmileSquad Bathurst and St Clair: There is ample street parking to the west of the building, and underground parking from our entrance off of 21 Vaughan Road, next to Dollarama.

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If you are visiting Smilesquad Leaside: Ample free parking awaits you!

The dental clinic is open from 8:30am-5pm Monday-Thursday and from 8:30am-1:30pm on Fridays.

We will complete and submit all insurance claim forms electronically on your behalf. Payments are made at the end of each appointment, and you will be reimbursed directly by your insurance company, usually within a few days.

We accept Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Interac.

We reserve a block of time for each child. We kindly ask for at least 48 hours notice to make any changes to an appointment so that we may provide care for another child who is waiting to be seen.