INFOCUS

BALLOONS, DENTISTRY

AND JUST PLAIN FUN

WRITTEN BY PAMELA SPRADLIN MAHAJAN / PHOTOS BY JAMI BOWMAN

At LeBlanc & Associates Dentistry for Children, founded and owned by Dr. Michael LeBlanc, high quality pediatric dental care and a positive experience are the primary focus. The practice began with these goals in mind and has continued to grow and serve the community since. In dental school, Dr. LeBlanc was amazed by the candor and resilience of children, leading him to a career in pediatric dentistry. From the beginning, he knew it was important to make sure all aspects of the practice were geared toward creating a positive dental experience for kids. That focus has been manifested over the years at LeBlanc and Associates Dentistry for Children in the form of excellent dental care, open communication, and positive reinforcement through prizes and rewards for the patients. Dr. LeBlanc has created a great team of colleagues, all board-certified pediatric dentists, who are like-minded in these goals. Rebecca Ferns, DDS, Emily Meyer, DDS, Casey Rhoads, DDS, and their colleagues provide comprehensive dental care for children ages 0-18, including those with special needs. The doctors are board certified and trained in a variety of techniques to help children feel at ease. “We provide specialized care that is more focused toward children,” Dr. Ferns says. “Everything’s just catered toward the kids.” As pediatric dentists, they received special training in developmental psychology, allowing them to make the children in their care as comfortable as possible. The dental hygienists also receive special training in how to put children at ease. From the design of the offices to the tone of voice used by the staff and doctors, everything is geared toward the comfort of their young patients. “All of my three kids run toward the dentist office,” says one parent. “They love the atmosphere and getting a balloon at the end of it. Wonderful staff—the doctor explains everything. My daughter, five at the time, had a cavity filled and she didn’t even blink. She really wanted that balloon. This place is the best!”

In addition to fun features such as movies, each child receives a balloon, ice cream, and a goodie bag of toothbrushes and toothpaste after their visit. Regarding the ice cream, Dr. Ferns laughs, “It keeps them coming back—it keeps the parents coming back sometimes too.”

Though the field of pediatric dentistry comes with its rewards and challenges, one of the biggest rewards is seeing children who were once frightened of going to the dentist start to look forward to their visit. Dr. Rhoads recalls the joy of seeing children who were at first fearful happily give her a high five several months later. “It’s really cool to see their transition just by being in a place where they feel comfortable and not scared,” Dr. Rhoads says. Dr. Meyer shares the same feeling. “Some parents will tell us, ‘Oh, they’re so excited, they’ve been waiting weeks for this appointment,’” she says. “That’s nice to hear and nice to know that you’re creating that positive association.’” A primary focus of the doctors is making the experience as positive as possible for both the child and their parents. Dr. Meyer says, “Every child is different in what they require to feel comfortable. We custom-tailor that for each child based on our experience and what the child needs.”

In the field of pediatric dentistry, there are a lot of different options for treatment, Dr. Rhoads explains. They talk with parents about how there isn’t only one treatment option. They explain the parent’s other options, the risks and benefits, and how the parent should feel comfortable, whatever they’re choosing for their child. The LeBlanc & Associates team strives to ensure parents have a solid grasp of the treatment options so they can make the most informed decision.

In addition to Dr. LeBlanc, Dr. Ferns, Dr. Meyer, and Dr. Rhoads, the practice includes Dr. Brent Church, Dr. Kyle Pederson, and Dr. Mary Le. The practice has four locations with offices in Kansas City, Olathe, Overland Park, and Prairie Village. Each doctor practices at every location, depending on their daily schedule and the particular needs of their patients. The doctors and staff are also involved with several charities, including TeamSmile, Mission of Mercy, and various breast cancer walks.

Beyond the thorough dental care they provide, the dentists at LeBlanc & Associates say working with kids is just plain fun. Children often don’t have the same negative associations with the dentist that adults do, so they’re more open. Plus, the doctors are able to form wonderful bonds with their patients. Dr. Ferns has a young patient who loves to guess her nail polish color before every visit. “She always gets excited. I have to hold my hands behind my back and she’ll guess what color it is,” she says. It is this joy and personal attention the team aims to share with every patient. “Pediatric dentistry is a special subset in dentistry where we get to have fun, and hopefully the kids feel that,” Dr. Rhoads adds.

“One of the biggest rewards is seeing children who were once frightened of going to the dentist start to look forward to their visit.”

Pictured from L to R:

Dr. Rebecca Ferns, Dr. Michael LeBlanc, Dr. Casey Rhoads, Dr. Emily Meyer

LeBlanc & Associates Dentistry for Children • kidsmilekc.com Kansas City Office / 8919 Parallel Pkwy., Suite 460, Kansas City, KS • 913.299.3300 Olathe / 15151 South Blackbob Rd., Olathe, KS • 913.764.5600 Overland Park / 14420 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS • 913.387.3500 Prairie Village / 8226 Mission Rd., Prairie Village, KS • 913.378.9610 SIMPLYkc Special: Mention this article when booking your new patient appointment and you will receive a free electric spin brush.