Choosing a family dentist at Lake Forest Smiles means prioritizing the well-being of every member of your household, conveniently, under one roof. Our family dentistry services ensure caring dental care for all ages, from their very first baby tooth eruption to age-related restorative care, emphasizing preventive measures against oral diseases.
We’re not just focused on fixing dental issues; we’re here to help your family prevent them. With flexible scheduling (yes, even for multiple family members on the same day), fun education visits for kids, and a long-term commitment to your family’s oral health, Lake Forest Smiles is your trusted home for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
With the convenience of scheduling appointments for your entire family on the same day, good oral care is hassle-free, saving you time and effort. Call now to schedule an appointment.
Why Choose a Family Dentist?
Consistency Builds Confidence
The value of seeing one dental team for the entire family can’t be overstated. From toddlers to teens, adults to aging parents, having a unified care approach ensures:
- Complete dental history tracking
- Personalized preventive care across generations
- Less dental anxiety, especially for kids who see parents getting care too
- Streamlined appointment scheduling
- Stronger, trust-based relationships with your care team
You shouldn’t have to bounce between pediatric dentists, general dentists, and specialists just to get the right care. We’ve created a practice where your child can grow up feeling confident at the dentist, and you can feel reassured knowing their care is coordinated seamlessly with yours.
Personalized Family Care from Lake Forest Smiles
Our family-oriented approach includes oral hygiene education for children, making each visit a positive experience. Follow the American Dental Association’s recommendation and schedule checkups and dental cleanings every six months for optimal oral health.
We prioritize preventive care, fostering healthy oral habits from a young age to protect against common issues. Beyond treating cavities, our focus is on comprehensive dental care, promoting overall health and wellness.
With flexible payment options and a commitment to creating confident, pain-free, and happy smiles, Lake Forest Smiles stands as the premier choice for family dentistry in the North Shore area.
Building Positive Habits Early
Did you know your child’s first dental visit should happen by age 1, or within 6 months of their first tooth eruption? Early visits create positive associations and catch small issues before they grow.
At Lake Forest Smiles, we love working with kids and teaching them how to care for their teeth in a fun, fear-free way. During each visit, we take time to:
- Teach brushing and flossing techniques that they can do at home
- Talk about cavity-causing habits in age-appropriate ways
- Build familiarity with the dental setting and our team
- Reinforce that going to the dentist is safe and even fun!
Between visits, we partner with parents to reinforce healthy home care habits. Consistent routines, reduced sugar intake, and encouraging kids to follow healthy habits such as drinking water instead of juice all play major roles in preventing decay.
Teenagers And Oral Wellness
As your child becomes a teen, new challenges arise:
- Braces or clear aligners
- Sports-related dental risks
- Increased sugar and caffeine intake
- Greater independence in hygiene routines
Our team works closely with teens to help them stay motivated and informed about their oral health. We also offer custom sports guards, monitor for signs of teeth grinding (common during times of stress), and provide fluoride or MI paste for added protection while they have orthodontic treatment.
Adults: Maintaining a Healthy Smile Amid a Busy Life
We know adults are busy juggling work, families, and endless to-do lists. That’s why we focus on convenient, personalized care that supports long-term health and prevents expensive problems down the road.
We help adults tackle issues like:
- Gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis)
- Tooth Sensitivity
- Bruxism (teeth grinding)
- Early wear-and-tear
- Cosmetic concerns like discoloration or crowding
For many parents, keeping up with their kids’ care takes priority, but your oral health matters too. Let us take care of your whole family, including you.
Senior Dental Care
As we age, our dental needs evolve. Seniors often face challenges such as:
- Dry mouth from medications
- Tooth wear or erosion
- Gum recession
- Mobility or dexterity issues that affect brushing and flossing
- Restorative needs like dentures or crowns
We provide gentle, respectful care tailored to older adults, preserving function, improving comfort, and maintaining dignity. Our family dentists understand how systemic health conditions like diabetes or heart disease intersect with oral health, and we work closely with you to manage both.
What to Expect at Family Appointments
Our family appointments are efficient, kid-friendly, and thorough. Services typically include:
- Digital oral health scans with iTero for precise tracking
- Professional cleanings to remove plaque and tartar
- Cavity detection and treatment
- Oral cancer screenings with advanced tools like VELscope
- Age-appropriate fluoride treatments or MI Paste
- Sealants for cavity-prone molars (especially in children)
- Sports mouthguards for athletic patients
And if someone in your household is nervous? We specialize in gentle techniques and a calm, reassuring environment that puts everyone at ease. We even offer sedation dentistry.
Dental Cleanings
The best defense is a good offense, which is why regular checkups and cleanings are vital to your family’s oral health and hygiene. Our dental cleanings, performed by experienced and courteous dental hygienists, are preventive measures that remove tartar, plaque, and surface stains. This not only freshens your breath, but it also reduces the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
Digital Oral Wellness Scan
Using state-of-the-art technology like our iTero Digital Scanner, we offer proactive care for your oral health and overall well-being. This device helps us personalize your family’s dental care by creating 3D models, which are compared over time to track any changes in oral health, like shifting teeth or other less obvious dental issues.
Why Digital Scans Matter for Your Family
Track Changes Over Time
See how teeth shift or how enamel wears down between visits.
Improve Early Detection:
Spot minor issues before they become major problems.
Better Communication:
Visuals help explain treatment options and make education easier for both kids and parents.
Orthodontic Planning:
Perfect to help plan for orthodontic treatments with no goopy molds, just precise 3D renderings.
Faster Diagnosis:
Catch signs of decay, alignment issues, or bite problems early.
Our digital scanner is an essential part of our proactive family philosophy. We don’t just want to fix problems, we want to catch and prevent them early, especially during key developmental stages in childhood and adolescence.
Digital oral health scans help ensure your family’s care is faster, more accurate, and more comfortable than ever before.
Oral Cancer Checkups
Lake Forest Smiles provides dental regular checkups that go beyond just preventing cavities and ensuring fresh breath. Our six-month checkups include oral cancer screening, providing early detection using advanced technology like VELscope. Our dentists are dedicated to comprehensive oral care for every member of your family.
MI Paste
Safe for all ages, including pregnant or nursing mothers, MI Paste serves as an additional defense against tooth decay, relieving sensitivity, and supporting overall oral health during crucial developmental stages. This topical cream is non-toxic and sugar-free. Apply at home after brushing for a little extra protection for your family’s smiles.
How It Works
After brushing and flossing, MI Paste is applied directly to the teeth with a finger, tray, or toothbrush. It’s tasteless, sugar-free, and completely safe to swallow.
Our family dental team will show you how and when to apply it at home, or we can include MI Paste as part of your in-office treatment.
MI-Paste doesn’t just prevent cavities, it supports stronger, more resilient smiles at every age.
Dental Sealants and Fluoride
Some teeth, especially molars, have deep grooves that can trap food and bacteria, making them more prone to cavities. That’s where dental sealants come in.
Sealants are thin, protective coatings painted onto the chewing surfaces of your back teeth. The process is quick, painless, and highly effective in reducing your risk of decay. Most often these are most helpful for children.
Our non-toxic plastic sealants, applied in minutes after a thorough cleaning, act as a protective barrier against cavity-causing bacteria. While sealants last 3–5 years, promoting good oral hygiene habits ensures prolonged effectiveness. Trust us to safeguard your child’s smile with routine checkups at our Lake Forest family dental office.
Why Sealants Matter
- Cavities most often start in back molars, where toothbrush bristles can’t reach.
- Sealants reduce the risk of decay by up to 80% in molars.
- The application is quick, painless, and completely non-invasive.
- They can be placed as soon as permanent molars erupt, typically around age 6 and again around age 12.
- Effective for 3 to 5 years or longer with good care.
We recommend sealants for most children and teens, and even for some adults who are at high risk of decay or have deep grooves in their molars.
Sealants are one of the simplest ways to help your child avoid fillings and keep their natural teeth strong, well into adulthood. They’re an investment in protection and peace of mind.
Fluoride Treatments
Preventing tooth decay is important, especially for children. According to the CDC, 4 out of 5 children experience tooth decay by age 17. Our family dentists provide gentle and effective fluoride treatments during checkups every six months.
Fluoride treatment is easy; it just gets brushed onto your child’s teeth.
Sports Guards
Athletes of all ages need to protect their teeth, whether your child is actively involved in after-school sports or you’re an adult enjoying recreational competition, our personalized sports guards provide superior protection against dental injuries. With a tailored fit for comfort and effectiveness, our guards shield teeth from chipping, breaking, or being knocked out.
From hockey to football, gymnastics to skateboarding, accidents happen. Our custom-fit sports guards offer far more protection (and comfort!) than store-bought versions.
Our sports guards are:
- Designed to fit each patient’s teeth and bite precisely
- More comfortable to wear, encouraging better compliance
- Durable and resilient for active lifestyles
Don’t wait for a dental injury to occur. Be proactive and ask about guards at your child’s next visit.
Space Maintainers
When children face the premature loss of baby teeth due to decay or injury, we have a solution—space maintainers. These custom-made oral appliances ensure proper tooth alignment by preserving the vacant space until a permanent tooth emerges.
With both fixed and removable options available, our dentists will determine the most suitable space maintainer for your child’s needs. Don’t let routine tooth loss affect your child’s smile; discover the benefits of space maintainers to ensure a lifetime of healthy, beautifully aligned teeth.
Flexible Scheduling and Family-Friendly Hours
We know that getting your entire family to the dentist can feel like a logistical nightmare. That’s why we offer:
- Block scheduling for families
- Evening appointments
- Reminders and support for rescheduling
Whether you need a back-to-school cleaning or want to schedule parent/child visits together, we’re here to make it convenient and stress-free.
At-Home Care Tips from Our Team
The best dental care happens between visits. Here’s what we recommend:
Brush: Brush two times daily for two minutes using fluoride toothpaste.
Floss: Floss once daily. Kids may need help or use flossers.
Drink Water: Drink water frequently, especially after meals.
MI Paste: Use MI Paste at night if advised by your dentist.
Limit Foods: Limit sticky snacks and sugary drinks.
We’re always happy to help you and your children choose the right toothbrushes, toothpaste, flossing aids, and rinses! Just ask at your next visit!
Proactive Care for the Whole Family at Lake Forest Smiles
Early detection and treatment are crucial in minimizing potential dental issues and safeguarding your family’s health. Our comprehensive preventive care program utilizes state-of-the-art technology, ensuring a proactive approach to dental well-being. Call today to schedule cleanings and oral health scans for the whole family.