February is recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA) as National Children’s Dental Health Month, a time dedicated to teaching parents and children the importance of caring for their oral health. To help promote positive oral habits, we connected with Andy Janiga, DMD, who provided answers to some of the most common questions parents and caregivers have about childhood dental health.
Dr. Andy Janiga, DMD
Q: Before we get started, can you tell us about your background in the dentistry field?
A: I graduated with honors in clinical dentistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 2015, then served in the U.S. Army Dental Corps for five years, where I gained valuable clinical experience while helping soldiers, sailors, and airmen.
In 2020, I joined The Center for Dental Excellence, a private practice in Nashua, New Hampshire, that I later purchased in January 2025. Last year, I was recognized as one of the “10 Dentists to Watch” by the Academy of General Dentistry.
Q: Let’s dig into our questions. A recent survey found that most children don’t see a dentist until around age seven, even though the ADA recommends a first visit by age one. Why do you think this is the case?
A: A lot of it comes down to a lack of information; many parents simply don’t know when children should have their first dental appointments. In my practice, we combat this by speaking with parents during their own dental visits and educating them about the importance of bringing their kids in early.
Q: What negative impact can delaying a child’s first dental visit have on their long-term oral health?
A: When a child doesn’t come to see us until age seven or so, we often see devastating tooth decay that’s already developed (childhood caries). By working with kids when they’re much younger, we can examine their teeth shortly after emergence and identify abnormalities or risks for developing decay.
Early intervention also allows us to talk with parents and educate them about proper home care. All of this can help prevent rampant early childhood caries later on. The ideal scenario is for parents to bring their kids in when they’re one year old or when their first tooth comes in, whichever comes first.
Q: How can dentists partner with local schools to provide oral health education to children?
A: I have a four-year-old and a two-year-old, so I have a relationship with my children’s schools, but any dentist can get in touch with a local school and offer to bring materials and/or a presentation to teach kids about taking care of their teeth.
My practice and I start reaching out to schools before February, which is Children’s Dental Health Month, and we set up assemblies or classroom visits. We provide a handout covering the basics of maintaining children’s oral health, including tips on avoiding nighttime feedings and sugary drinks.
We also discuss teething management strategies to help parents keep their children comfortable and provide kids’ toothbrushes and toothpaste to emphasize the importance of caring for young teeth differently than adult teeth for long-term health. The goal is to educate the students directly, while also giving them something they can bring home for their parents to see.
Q: How can you make the dentist’s office more welcoming to kids—and less scary?
A: A dental office can be an intimidating place for a child, so we work to make our lobby a warm environment. We have small chairs designed for kids, as well as children’s books and toys. Our staff has been trained to be kind and gentle during the exam itself and to help patients understand what we are doing. We also have a toy chest the kids can choose from when they’re done with the appointment. This gives the child a reward and helps them feel more comfortable—and even maybe a bit excited—about coming back.
We’ve also partnered with an orthodontist who’s one of our referral sources. They have a hygiene visit program where we sign off on a sheet of paper every time a child visits our office for a cleaning while in active orthodontic treatment. Then the child brings it back to the orthodontist, who gives them some sort of prize for being on top of their oral health during their orthodontic treatment. It’s a cool and motivating way for kids to maintain home care and be diligent about seeing the dentist.
Q: What are some of the most valuable continuing education courses for dentists who want to improve their pediatric care?
A: I’ve benefited a lot from the Spear Education continuing education courses, which cover topics like “Essential Procedures for the Pediatric Patient,” “An Introduction to Pediatric Restorative Dentistry,” “Pediatric Airway Resolution,” and more.
Spear also has interactive workshops, which I believe are invaluable. For example, I took the “Airway Prosthodontics and Sleep Dentistry: Prevention to Control” course online and am going out to Scottsdale in April to do the hands-on session. This topic has been particularly enlightening, seeing how the airway can affect our pediatric patients and their development, and I’m eager to do some in-person work. However dentists get it, I’m a big proponent of continuous learning.
Q: Can you share any emerging trends or techniques in pediatric dentistry that can help make early visits smoother for both the child and the dentist?
A: Preventive dentistry has been taking center stage in the past five years, which is really positive. This includes proactive care, such as using silver diamine fluoride. We’ve used SDF in our office for specific cases, especially for kids who may not be able to tolerate traditional “drill and fill” dentistry, and we’ve seen some good results with that so far. It’s a great way to arrest decay that already might be present, prevent additional decay from developing, and make these visits more enjoyable while also getting our patients healthier.
Q: Any final takeaways for dental offices, particularly when it comes to children’s oral health?
A: If there’s only one message to emphasize, I would reinforce the importance of early dental visits for proper growth, development, and overall oral health. The more that dentists and their team members can encourage parents to bring their children in for early care, the better they’ll be set up for dental and general health throughout their lifetimes.
To learn more or connect with Dr. Janiga, you can find his practice information here, and for details on Spear Education’s continuing education programs, visit here.
