Pediatric Dentist vs. Family Dentist: Which Is Right for Your Child?

If you are choosing a dentist for your child in Baton Rouge, you will run into two kinds of offices: pediatric dentists, who see only children, and family dentists, who see patients of every age. Both can care for your child’s teeth. The right pick depends on your child, your schedule and your coverage. Here is how to think it through.

What a Pediatric Dentist Does

A pediatric dentist limits the practice to infants, children and teenagers. Exams, scheduling and the way the team talks to patients are all geared toward young people, and that focus is the main reason some families choose one.

The tradeoff follows from the same fact. Because the practice sees only kids, parents and siblings need a different office, and your child will eventually have to move to a dentist who treats adults.

What a Family Dentist Offers

A family dentist treats patients of every age, from a child’s first dental visit through adulthood and into the senior years. The practical advantage is continuity. You can book back-to-back appointments, one office keeps records and insurance for everyone, and your child never has to switch dentists as a teenager. The teen years bring wisdom teeth, mouthguards and braces questions, and Dr. Brett is Invisalign-certified.

Generations of local families have trusted Rabel Family Dentistry since 1961. Our doctors are general dentists who treat patients of every age. Dr. Brett Rabel has practiced since earning his DDS from the LSU School of Dentistry in 1991. Dr. Mike Rabel has provided dental care to students at the Louisiana School for the Deaf and Visually Impaired and averages 50 hours of continuing education a year beyond the state minimum. Both hold conscious sedation permits through the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry and are members of the Courtesy Staff at Lane Memorial Hospital. Sedation is available for children and adults, including patients with anxiety or special needs.

How to Decide Between the Two

Start with a few plain questions:

▸ Do you want one office for the whole family? A family dentist lets you book parents and kids back to back.

▸ Do you want one dentist from the first visit through the teen years and into adulthood? That is what a family dentist offers.

▸ Do you want a dentist who sees only children? Then a pediatric dentist is the match.

▸ Is your child nervous? Ask every office how it handles fear. At ours, the team explains each step before it happens, and sedation is available for children.

▸ Does your child have medical or special needs? Call before you book and tell us about them, so we can talk it through with you.

Neither choice is permanent. Families can switch later if their needs change.

Choosing a Children’s Dentist in Baton Rouge

Location and cost matter as much as credentials. Our office at 3114 Groom Road in Baker serves families from north Baton Rouge, Zachary and Central. We participate in Medicaid, LaCHIP and the Head Start program, and we open at 7:30 AM on weekdays and 8:00 AM on Saturdays, so a checkup does not have to cost a school day. Phones are monitored 24/7 if a problem comes up overnight. Before your child’s visit, we verify coverage and give you a written estimate before any work starts, so nobody finds out the cost while already in the chair. To see what an appointment looks like here, visit our children’s dentistry page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pediatric and Family Dentists

Schedule Your Child’s Dental Visit in Baton Rouge

Not sure which fits your child? Call (225) 775-0160 and tell us your child’s age and any dental fears, and we will talk it through. Same-day appointments are available.