MEDICAL, HEALTH & BEAUTY

VIP CLARKSVILLE MAGAZINE 2022

WHERE WE HIGHLIGHT LOCAL PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE INDUSTRY WHO ARE MAKING A DAILY IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY

Compassionate Care in Pediatric Dentistry

HOW DR. KENNEDY BRINGS A UNIQUE APPROACH TO PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY IN CLARKSVILLE

Born and raised in Clarksville, Dr. Kevin Kennedy Jr. is a third-generation local, small business owner in our community and has practiced pediatric dentistry in Clarksville for nine years. As a pediatric dentist, Dr. Kennedy specializes in the oral health and facial development of children and teens. This focus on pediatric patients helps him have a unique understanding of how children in today’s families can have the best dental experience as they navigate childhood and adolescence.

This was the profound advice given to me by an esteemed professor in residency and the words have always resonated to me. It seems counterintuitive but his point was to never focus too much on the teeth without considering how it may affect the child. Our practice has the blessing of being able to interact with thousands of children per year and each child comes to us with unique needs and stories. We try to approach every clinical decision considering the needs of the child and the family while maintaining the highest quality to the standard of care. Surprisingly, sometimes the needs of an individual tooth or dental issue are not the same as the needs for the child. This may present as unique situations for children who are very anxious, are expecting an upcoming PCS due to military orders, have special health care needs, or simply might be ready to lose a baby tooth relatively soon. These unique needs help us shape our treatment and preventive approach for the child and the family to best serve them the best we can. One of the greatest skills a pediatric dentist has involves advising when the best time dental treatment is recommended, what treatment should be performed, and how the treatment should be accomplished. Parents might be surprised to know the same dental issue could receive varying recommendations for how the teeth should be treated, even between licensed dental professionals. Performing dental treatment on children too soon or too late, using less effective or outdated materials, and neglecting the child’s overall experience can lead to a lot of frustration, anxiety, increased costs, and unfortunately repeated or more invasive procedures later. We use a combination of preventive materials including dental sealants when appropriate to help reduce the risk of decay in the future. In the event a child does develop decay, instead of a cookie cutter approach, we make every effort to choose the best material that will benefit the child the most. Sometimes that means using a material that allows us to

“Remember, every tooth is connected to a child.”

operate more quickly for a child who is fearful and anxious. Sometimes that means choosing the most durable material for a child who needs to keep that baby tooth for another 7-8 years. We consider it a blessing to be able to serve the families in the Clarksville area. One of our practice core values is compassionate care. We incorporate compassion into our practice by sharing the dental experience with our families to ensure that the care delivered is the very best we can offer and that we consider what it’s like as a family to receive the care we offer. Of course this helps when many of us are currently parenting through the same challenges as our parents. Compassion also includes never guilt-shaming parents whose children are experiencing oral health challenges or decay but simply striving to offer easy and practical solutions whenever possible.

Clinical Excellence Compassionate Care Unconditional Integrity Radical Kindness Uncompromising Cleanliness Cost Consciousness Community Commitment