I have heard some gruesome stories about dental issues with children coming from Eastern European orphanages. I am not claiming these are common experiences. At one orphanage children were forced to watch another child have a tooth removed. This was to teach them to brush their teeth. At least one child found the experience traumatic to watch because of the blood and crying.

When this child was adopted she was out-of-her-mind terrified of dentists. And the child had cavities.

Can you image a worst combination? A child just adopted and needs medical care. She is petrified by the idea of visiting a dentist. And she isn’t attached to her new parents.

Solution? Oral surgery...... Knock the kid out so that the multiple cavities can be dealt with at once.

But then the adoptive family has to fight with the insurance company. The insurance company TOTALLY doesn’t understand. Fortunately the mother knew how to appeal the insurance's denial. And the child was able to get oral surgery.




When my darling came home from Ukraine she was 3.5 years old. She had many issues to deal with; attachment, crossed eyes, over stimulation, re-immunization, developmental delay. Dental care was low on my to-do list.

But I did get around to it. I have used the same dentist for over 10 years. So I called and discussed it with Dr T and his staff. We agreed that Natasha would come in and watch me get my teeth cleaned.

Then 1 week later Natasha would get her teeth cleaned. This would be a very gentle cleaning. Natasha would be allowed to look and touch things. The goal was to made it a stress free experience.

Dr T is very child friendly. He gives stickers and a little sack of goodies; new toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss. And he takes a picture of the child and puts it on the wall. His walls are covered from floor to ceiling with children's photos.


Natasha was nervous but loved getting her teeth cleaned.

Fast forward in time... She is now 9 years old. She consistently gets her teeth cleaned by the same person for the last 5 years. Natasha is so relaxed when she gets her teeth cleaned that she almost falls asleep.