Choosing your children's dentist is an important decision but can also be fun. Walnut Hills Pediatric Dentistry was created to be a fun, friendly, non-threatening environment for your child. Heres just some of the ways weve made our mark
Our Barnyard theme is sure to capture your childs attention. We have a barnyard play area, complete with a silo slide, game room and even 3-dimensional farm animals on the walls. The farm adventure is woven throughout the office so your childs barnyard adventure begins when they walk through the doors until its time to mosey on. We also have flatscreen TV monitors placed above every chair in the treatment areas. The children love watching their favorite shows while receiving their dental treatment. Check out our game room before and after your visits; your child can explore our barnyard play area or test their skills on our Touch 2 Play video game console, complete with over 72 games for every age group!
'Yipee, Im Cavity Free Club'ALL children will receive a gold token to redeem for a prize at the completion of their visit. However, we think children who take extra special care of their teeth should be rewarded. After a 'cavity free' checkup our patients get a coupon to one of several local establishments including:
Dr. Waage does not believe in the one size fits all model of health care. He feels that each child is different, thus the recommendations may be different for each patient, even if they are the same age.
Our office places a high priority on educating our community as well as our patients, and as a result we enjoy participating in dental health education and services in our surrounding communities. Dr. Waage has lots of experience giving fun, interactive and informative presentations to all kinds of groups in all kinds of settings. We are available to speak at schools, churches, community groups, etc. Just give us a call!
Dr. Waage is a Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist, which means hes been through extensive training to be able to provide the very best care for your little ones. A pediatric dentist certified by ABPD is also known as a Diplomate of American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.
Not all pediatric dentists are certified by American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD). The ABPD certifies pediatric dentists based on standards of excellence that lead to high quality oral health care for infants, children, adolescents, and patients with special health care needs. Certification by the ABPD provides assurance to the public that a pediatric dentist has successfully completed accredited training and a voluntary 2-part examination process designed to continually validate the knowledge, skills, and experience requisite to the delivery of quality patient care.
Dr. Waage has handpicked his dental team based on their outstanding credentials as well as their shared enthusiasm for creating a fun environment for children to experience dentistry. Each staff member is passionate about providing a positive dental experience for your child. From the moment your child enters our office, we promote a sense of excitement and exploration. From the layout of the office to the friendly greetings that accompany every contact with one of our staff members, the office is truly designed with kids in mind!
I feel truly blessed to be able to practice childrens dentistry. I am excited to welcome you and your children to Walnut Hills Pediatric Dentistry. As a parent to three small children, I understand how difficult it is to trust someone else with your childs well-being. The doctor and staff at Walnut Hills are committed to a philosophy of compassion, education and communication. Our staff is uniquely prepared to provide dental care in a way that is comfortable, safe and fun for your child. Our goal is to help your children overcome big and small challenges, promote self-confidence and encourage their curiosity and imagination as they navigate these new experiences. We hope that these small victories will last a lifetime! We are committed to starting a positive relationship with our patients that begins the moment they walk through our door. I look forward to hearing about all of their adventures, and listening to the things that makes each one of them unique!
I grew up in West Des Moines, Iowa and attended Valley High School in West Des Moines. I pursued my undergraduate training at the University of Colorado at Boulder. I was accepted into the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and would receive my D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) degree after four years of training. During dental school, I had a knack for treating children and wanted to pursue additional education in that area. I was accepted into the residency program at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. After two years of intensive training, I received my specialty degree in pediatric dentistry. The strong educational background I received has instilled in me a desire for lifelong learning. I believe that research and continuing education is critical for the progression of our field. In 2009, I had my first research manuscript published in the May/June 2009 issue of Journal of Pediatric Dentistry. I was invited to present my research at the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Annual Session in Washington, D.C. We make it a strong priority to stay current with regards to the most effective treatment options available for our patients and their families.
I have been practicing pediatric dentistry and serving the Des Moines area since 2008. During this time I have earned and maintained certifications from various professional organizations in my field including:
Interestingly (or strangely), I knew from a relatively young age that dentistry was the life for me. I was always interested in the smallest of details, and I liked working with my hands, but I think I got my real spark when I received an invitation to be part of a mission trip to South America during my first year of college. A group of dentists and doctors from the community were heading to Venezuela to head-up a week-long healthcare clinic and my dentist at the time suggested I come along and observe. Part of a medical and dental team, I had the unique opportunity to watch and learn from some pretty great people! I would ultimately get to be a part of a similar trip to Costa Rica years later. These trips have had an amazing impact on my life; I would love to participate in these trips on a yearly basis! On the more local level, Ive been involved with the Iowa Mission of Mercy and Give Kids a Smile Day. I enjoy doing classroom presentations for all ages, and speaking at health fairs, church events and community groups about the benefits of good oral health. Long story short (too late), I like to be involved locally and beyond. Let us know of any opportunities that may exist in the community, wed love to be a part!
When Im not taking care of your little ones here at the office, Im home tending to my own 3 children and new boxer puppy, Hardy (AKA Nervous Brown)! Raegan, Presley and Miles keep me going day in and day out. The energy they bring to my life challenges me to be my very best, and allows me to continue to do what I love every day. I am grateful for my Iowa upbringing and am excited to be able to contribute to the surrounding communities of the very town I grew up in. Since those early days, Ive lived all over the map from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Atlantic Coast of Connecticutand a few great places in between. Despite all that adventure, it was a pretty easy decision when it came time to settle down and declare a home. Im just an Iowa Boy at heart and I believe I ultimately just found my way back to the place where I feel most at home! We love being from Iowa, we love the people and the sense of community that just cant be found anywhere else!
I grew up on a dairy farm in Monticello, a small town located in Eastern Iowa. I continued my education after high school at the University of Iowa for four years and furthered my education at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry to receive my D.D.S (Doctor of Dental Surgery). I greatly enjoyed the surgery aspect and pediatric side of dentistry and joined a practice after dental school that mainly treated children. After a couple of years, I knew whole heartedly that I needed to make the final step of becoming a specialist in only treating children and adults with special needs. I ventured on to pediatric residency in Boston at Boston University for two years and the hometown roots brought me back to Iowa. I thoroughly enjoy treating children not only because I truly believe it makes everlasting memories from their early experiences, but also because working on children is just like Forest Gump once said 'It is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get.'
Ironically enough, I knew very early that dentistry was intertwined and a strong passion of mine. My first memory in life was at 3.5 years-old knocking out my two front teeth from a skateboarding accident. Christmas and school pictures for the next few years were unique to say the least without front teeth. I enjoyed working for my dentist in high school and it especially came in handy as knocking out my baby teeth wasn't enough, I had a run in with a baseball during a high school game that knocked out my two front adult teeth. I wasn't a dentist quite yet, but I figured I better just clean them off and put them back in and go see my dentist. A few stitches and surgeries later, everything was as good as new. I can easily relate with kids that come in to the office after an unexpected and unfortunate dental accident.
I have had the pleasure of traveling and being part of a mission trip to El Salvador and giving back to people that are so gracious for everything you bring. Locally, I enjoy giving support to the Iowa Mission of Mercy and presenting dental education to classrooms and health fairs when I have free time that allows. If you have something in mind that you think your local pediatric dentist can help, just give me a shout.