A trip to the dentist can be scary, and that’s especially true when you’re a child. From frightening-looking instruments, to strange noises, to the feeling of someone else’s hands in your mouth, going to the dentist is the last thing most kids want to do.

However, when it comes to a child’s overall health, early dental checkups are crucial. The earlier children begin seeing a dentist, the healthier their mouths will stay throughout their lives. Regular dental exams prevent and detect decay, something that can cause pain and other medical concerns down the road. To help ease dental anxiety and lessen patient fears, the team at Coastal Carolina Pediatric Dentistry has recently added a new four-legged member to their staff. Meet KENNEDY…

Working together with the local nonprofit organization paws4people foundation, Coastal Carolina Pediatric Dentistry now offers Animal Assisted Intervention to its patients.

KENNEDY is a highly trained Facility Dog who has been training for her role since she was three days old. She is currently in the process of completing her training with Kayla Black, the dental assistant who spearheaded the process of making KENNEDY a part of the practice.

“I’d heard about Facility Dogs through a friend in the paws4people student program at UNCW, and the more I learned, the more I knew that one of these dogs would be good for so many of our patients who have anxieties or disabilities,” says Black. “I just wanted our community to have an option for their children that were afraid of the dentist, some way we could just make it easier for them. My heart really got set on the idea after I realized how helpful this could be.”

Black brought her idea to the doctors, and they were just as excited as she was to begin the application process. Her journey began a year ago starting with classes, and then followed by paws4people’s selection of KENNEDY as the best fit for the office. The pair then began training together, and at the beginning of the year KENNEDY officially started coming to work with Black.

“She comes with me every morning to clock in, and then she’ll walk around with me as I work, stopping to greet patients as we go,” says Black. “When we have a patient that wants to use her, I’ll introduce her and put a blanket on their lap, and then she jumps up on the blanket and the patient gets their cleaning. The kids like to rub her ears, pet her, or hold her paw like they’re holding hands.”

The weight of KENEDY on a child’s lap provides a deep pressure therapy that helps ease anxiety and stress. KENNEDY’s presence also provides a distraction from the what’s happening.

“Oftentimes at the dentist when we’re fearful, we tend to be very focused on what’s going on in our mouth. So this is a great way to help patients take their minds off what we’re doing and not be as nervous,” says Black.

Throughout her workday, Black makes sure that KENNEDY stops to take a few breaks and have some much-needed decompression time. Since she’s still in training, KENNEDY’s main job right now is working with patients during regular cleanings. Black hopes that she will soon be able and ready to assist during operative work as well, such as when a child is getting a filling or crown. Even though she’s only been in the office for about a month, patient feedback for KENNEDY has been nothing but positive.

“Our patients love her. We’ve had a few specific situations with patients who’ve never gotten in the chair before by themselves and have never had their teeth cleaned, but because of their love for dogs, they get in the chair for KENNEDY. It really is a phenomenal experience,” says Black.

Dr. Adam Weinberg has definitely noticed the benefits that KENNEDY brings to his practice as well. He appreciates that her presence in the office offers him and fellow partners Dr. Julie Dimock and Dr. William Cherry a way to help relax patients and make dental care easier for kids in a less traditional method.

“Having KENNEDY here is just wonderful. It’s neat to watch kids smile when they see her and want to interact with her. A lot of kids come and quickly say hello to me and then say ‘where’s KENNEDY?’ That tells me that her presence is a good distraction for many anxiety-provoking things that kids are typically worried about at the dentist.”

To learn more about KENNEDY’s training and the work that paws4people does, visit https://paws4people.org

To learn more about Coastal Carolina Pediatric Dentistry, visit http://www.ccpedo.com