Top 5 Topics:

- Sedation Keys for Pediatric Patients & Parents: Nitrous, IV, and GA Explained

- The Hidden Language of Pediatric Dentistry

- The Trust Factor: Winning Parents Trust Of Their Kids

- Lessons from Bad Online Reviews & Threats in the Operatory

Quotes & Wisdom:

“The biggest strength of any human being is emotional regulation.”

“Make it about the child.”

“If I try the procedure today any further, I may traumatize your child. I might injure your child, and I might do inadequate work, and we don’t want that.”

“Lay out the roadmap at the consult so nothing is a surprise.”

“Words like ‘needle’ or ‘hurt’ don’t belong in a pediatric operatory.”

“Invite a second opinion when there’s disagreement.”

“A moving, uncooperative child with sharp instruments is also unsafe.”

Questions:

05:32 — What are the biggest differences between U.S. and Canadian dentistry (training, terminology, numbering systems)?

05:32 — How are pediatric teeth numbered in your system—letters vs. quadrants—and how does that map to adult numbering?

08:20 — For GPs, what are the first pediatric skills to master (SSCs, pulpotomies, behavior management, minimally invasive care)?

11:09 — Should parents stay in the room during treatment, and how do you set expectations around that?

17:18 — What exact boundaries/scripts do you give parents (language to avoid like “needle”/“hurt,” where to stand, when to help)?

18:30 — When a child is unsafe/uncooperative but a parent pushes to continue, what do you say and do in the moment?

20:46 — How do you handle pushback and nasty online reviews while keeping trust and professionalism?

23:02 — When office sedation won’t work, when/how do you refer to the hospital—and how do you explain the wait and risks?

24:05 — What “roadmap” do you present at consult (LA → nitrous → oral/IV → GA) so parents aren’t surprised later?

Now available on:

- Dr. Gallagher’s Podcast & YouTube Channel

- Dose of Dental Podcast #180

- 9.2025