What parent doesn’t long for a dentist his child looks forward to visiting with excitement and eagerness? Dr. Eric Armakan of Dentistry for Children Potomac may offer the answer to your child’s dentophobia. Dr. Eric is a board-certified pediatric dentist whose office resembles a fun playroom. His practice offers TVs where young patients can watch movies, colorful stuffed animals swinging from ropes (kids can take one home), two friendly office dogs greeting patients, and walls covered in chalkboard where kids can draw. Dentistry for Children prides itself on being a kid-focused, personalized practice.
Dentistry for Children opened five years ago and offers routine dental care for children from infancy through their teenage years, including cleanings, fillings, crowns, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and restorative dentistry. Dr. Eric and his team work with
parents to teach healthy oral hygiene habits to their children. In addition, Dr. Eric’s office offers prompt emergency dental care in the event of an accident with a gentle and sympathetic approach.
The Dentistry for Children Potomac team is trained to accommodate and manage the dental care of children with various developmental, medical, and behavioral conditions. For instance, some patients require more than a local anesthetic, laughing
gas, or IV sedation for their treatment. The office then works with an anesthesiologist in an outpatient surgery center where the child can be safely treated.
Dr. Eric is expert-trained in the identification and treatment of oral restrictions (tongue ties, lip ties, airway issues). He understands the significance and impact of impaired tongue mobility and has lectured to other professionals on the topic over the years.
Numerous pediatric care providers including lactation consultants, speech therapists, and feeding therapists often refer patients to Dr. Eric. If deemed necessary, Dr. Eric can perform a frenectomy to support the patient’s needs.
Dr. Eric treats patients from newborns through adults for oral restrictions. Dr. Eric’s office has connections with Shady Grove Hospital, Children’s National Hospital, and Innova Fairfax Hospital and many pediatricians will confer with him, often sending him
newborns straight out of the hospital, if the infant’s medical caregivers feel the baby’s feeding or sleep concerns are due to a tongue or lip tie problem.
Adjacent to Dentistry for Children is Specialists in Orthodontics, a practice which started in 2020, the same time Dr. Eric opened his office. Dr. Eric’s team observes the need for orthodontic treatments for their six- or seven-year-old patients, and they can offer
guidance as to whether a child needs an orthodontic treatment right away or possibly in the future.
With the convenience of his patients always paramount, several of Dr. Eric’s front-desk staff are cross-trained to deal with both the dental and orthodontic practices. “Because we have so many patients that are mutual, our staff are able to navigate all things
financial, cleaning, and scheduling, so our visitors can do both, get their cleaning done the same day they have a visit with the orthodontist.”
“We want to make going to the dentist fun, that’s our goal,” says Dr. Eric. And from the looks of many of the regular patients in his office, they succeed.