The Lume Smiles Podcast

First tooth or first birthday, whichever comes first. That is when Dr. Kendall Bodah recommends a child's first dental visit, and it's usually much earlier than parents expect. If you're past that, come anyway. We start where you are.

In this episode of Lume Smiles, host Dr. Sam Burrow sits down with Dr. Kendall Bodah of Lume Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, who completed specialized pediatric training at the Dental College of Georgia. They walk through the questions parents ask most about those early years.

What you'll hear:

• Why the first visits are mostly about getting to know your family, not finding problems

• A simple way to know how long to keep helping with brushing: until your child can tie their own shoes

• What actually happens at the first appointment, from the office tour to counting teeth

• The words to leave out of the car ride, like "hurt," "shot" and "needle," and what to say instead

• Why some children settle faster when a parent steps out for a few minutes

• Why baby teeth still matter, when some of them stay until age 11 or 12

• How having a pediatric dentist and an orthodontist on one team means a second set of eyes as your child grows

New episodes of Lume Smiles post every Tuesday at 9 am ET. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one.

Thinking about your child's first visit? Here's what to expect: https://lumesmiles.com/pediatric-dentistry/first-visit/

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

00:15 Meet Dr. Kendall Bodah

02:04 When should your child first see a dentist?

03:22 How long should you help your child brush?

04:06 What happens at the first visit

05:35 Words to leave out before a dental visit

07:25 When a parent stepping out helps

08:35 Why baby teeth still matter

10:22 Pediatric dentist and orthodontist, one team

11:34 Why an orthodontist looks early

13:06 Helping a nervous toddler feel at ease

14:36 Closing

#LumeSmiles #PediatricDentistry #FirstDentalVisit #BabyTeeth #ParentingTips

An orthodontic evaluation can reveal concerns beyond crooked teeth. Dr. Sam Burrow and his brother, Dr. Albert Burrow, discuss mouth breathing, snoring, and the clues that can prompt a referral to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist.

Through stories from the practice, they explain how orthodontists and ENTs work together, what parents can bring up during an appointment, and why straight teeth don’t always tell the whole story.

In this episode:

• Mouth breathing, snoring, and daytime tiredness
• Enlarged adenoids and the role of an ENT evaluation
• A young patient’s experience with expansion and ENT treatment
• When to schedule a child’s first orthodontic evaluation
• Growing up in the family practice
• Meet Hugo, Dr. Albert’s office dog

Along the way, the brothers share laughs, childhood memories, and the patient-first approach they learned from their dad, Dr. Jack Burrow.

Learn More And Find Your Location: LumeSmiles.com

Is your child scared of the dentist? Dr. Christina Williams, DDS, joins host Dr. Sam Burrow to share what actually helps, from a child's first visit to the teen years.

Dr. Williams studied psychology before dentistry, and she uses it every day with nervous kids. She explains how "tell, show, do" takes the mystery out of a visit, how a parent's own dental worries can rub off on a child and what to say instead, when it can help for a parent to step out, whether prizes and popsicles really work, and what gets a teenager to cooperate. Her advice for the ride over: keep it positive. "Let's have a good appointment today."

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and meet Dr. Christina Williams

01:08 From college basketball to psychology to dentistry

02:37 Reading a child and making a connection

04:00 When a 5-year-old is crying before you start

04:59 Tell, show, do: how kids learn what to expect

06:15 Why early, regular visits make it easier

06:44 Good intentions that can make kids more anxious

08:04 Should parents stay in the room?

09:22 When a parent stepping out helps

10:10 How watching other kids helps

11:05 Do prizes and popsicles really work?

12:24 What to say in the car on the way to the dentist

13:53 Breaking the family cycle of dental fear

14:33 What hospital training brings to kids' dental care

16:49 Getting teenagers to cooperate

18:46 Got a question for the show?

Dr. Williams practices with Lume Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. She earned her psychology degree at the College of Charleston and her DDS from the UNC Adams School of Dentistry, then completed a General Practice Residency at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center.

The Lume Smiles Podcast: straight answers for families, from first tooth to last retainer check. New episodes every other Tuesday.

Find a Lume office near you: https://www.lumesmiles.com

For education only. Talk with your own dentist or orthodontist about your child's care.