Preferred Pediatric Dentist in Decatur, IL

Dr. Bret Jerger DDS and his team at Jerger Pediatric Dentistry love treating children, and we welcome new patients all the time.

Choosing a children's dentist a big decision, and all of us at Jerger Pediatric Dentistry in the  know this is not something to be taken lightly. We prioritize your child's individual needs in order to provide the best children's dental care at our Decatur dentist office.

We offer state-of-the-art technology and specialized pediatric dental knowledge in a family-friendly environment. We are the only pediatric dentist office in Macon County, and we are located in the heart of Decatur, IL with close proximity to Mount Zion, Forsyth, Chatham, Lincoln, Arthur, Taylorville, and other central Illinois communities.

We invite you to schedule an appointment today for your child (or children) with our dentist office in Decatur. Contact us at (217) 875-3080, or you can schedule appointments online.

Meanwhile, click through our frequently asked questions below to learn more about pediatric dentistry.

• At what age should my child first see the dentist?
• Why should my child see a pediatric dentist?
• How can you help my child feel comfortable during dental appointments?
• Why Jerger Pediatric Dentistry for my child?

At what age should my child first see the dentist?

Dr. Bret recommends bringing your child to our Decatur, IL dentist office as soon as their first tooth erupts, which generally occurs prior to the first birthday. If your child hasn’t erupted a tooth by their first birthday, please bring your child in for an evaluation.

Your child's first dentist visit gives Dr. Bret the opportunity to evaluate your child’s oral health to make sure their teeth will erupt correctly.

The first visit is generally short and relaxed, and meant to give you and your child a chance to get to know our dentist office and staff. The visit is always filled with plenty of fun to get your child comfortable with the new dental surroundings.

We make sure never to rush so that your child doesn’t feel stressed or anxious about visiting the dentist. Children are not born with a natural fear of the dentist, and Dr. Bret and our entire team believe that it is important to show children that a trip to the dentist in Decatur, IL can be both educational and fun. The earlier we see your child, the better chance we have of teaching proper dental hygiene skills that he or she can take into adulthood.

This is also a great time for you to ask questions or present any concerns that you may have.

Why should my child see a pediatric dentist?

While a family dentist can treat everyone from childhood on up, pediatric dentists choose to only work with children. This means that they have extra experience and skills that allow them to offer effective and child-friendly dental treatment.

Pediatric dentists are specialists with at least two years of additional training and residency experience in pediatric dentistry. Their extra training focuses solely on the best treatment options and services for little teeth and mouths, from infancy to early adulthood. They are the pediatricians of dentists.

Pediatric dentistry in Decatur, IL is all about children. Unlike general dental practices, pediatric dentists cater specifically to infants, children, and teens.

How can you help my child feel comfortable during dental appointments?

Your child's comfort is our top priority at Jerger Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Bret has completed additional years of extensive training to become a pediatric dentist, and he and his team strive to make every visit your son or daughter has at our office fun and upbeat. Our entire team loves kids and specializes in working with them, and our goal is that they look forward to their dental appointments.

We use a method called "tell, show, do" when we're introducing a new procedure to your child. First, we will tell them about their dental procedure and explain what we're going to do. Next, we show them the instruments we are going to use. Finally, we perform the procedure when they feel comfortable. This method helps your son or daughter feel at ease in the dental chair and allows them to feel in control of their procedure.

Our staff utilizes kid-friendly verbiage when we discuss treatment procedures with your child, so we don't scare him or her. If your child has a difficult time feeling comfortable at our dentist office, there is an option for hospital sedation dentistry in Decatur, IL. For more information on hospital sedation, feel free to contact our 62526 dentist office at (217) 875-3080.

When your child is with our top pediatric dentist in Decatur, he or she is treated like family.

Why Jerger Pediatric Dentistry for my child?

Aside from having over 50 years of combined experience in our Decatur, IL dental office, we love what we do, and it shows.

We know that when kids are happy and laughing, they aren’t worrying, so we keep it light and fun. You never know when a Nerf war is going to break out in our dental office!

For added motivation and excitement, children can earn the chance to have their name in the paper with each cavity-free check-up.

Plus, we do a candy buy-back program after Halloween. We buy back up to 5 pounds of candy per child and then send it to the troops serving overseas.

The children love to feel that they are helping men and women who are far from home.

Finally, we simply love children in our Decatur, IL dentist office, and they love it here, too! Contact Jerger Pediatric Dentistry today to schedule your child's next dentist appointment.