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Welcome to Prime Pediatric Dentistry

Why a pediatric dentist?

T he vast majority of general dentists are capable of and comfortable with treating children. Knowing this, you might be wondering why you should then consider working with a pediatric dentist instead of just taking your children to the dentist you use. Allow us to explain.A pediatric dentist is a dentist who is trained specifically to work with children and early adolescents and exclusively treats them at their practice. Their training covers everything needed to make children comfortable at the dentist and empowered in their oral health care, including strategies for working with children with special needs, behavioral concerns, and an intense fear of the dentist. In order to be a true pediatric dentist, the dentist must be a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry with verified credentials and a demonstration of knowledge and skill.

All of this matters because children are not just miniature versions of adults. They have unique perspectives and needs that need to be addressed in a way that is tailored to them. This goes beyond things like a brightly colored environment and screens to watch; it is about delivering the best care in a manner that makes children feel safe and involved in the process. Dr. Conner makes certain all patients enjoy their visits and leave knowing more about how to care for their teeth.

services

Services

    • Cavities in both children and adults are less common now than they were several decades ago. This can be contributed to many factors, including an increased focus on oral hygiene and water fluoridation. However, fewer and fewer people drink tap water now, which means that childhood fluoride treatments are more important than ever. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has noted this increase in childhood cavities, finding that about one-third of children will have a cavity by age five. To keep your child’s teeth healthy, we provide regular fluoride treatments at our standard checkups and encourage a healthy diet and good habits at home.
    • The primary teeth are already partly formed in the gums at the time of birth. However, they usually will not erupt until the child is between the ages of six and twelve months. By the time the child is three, they will have twenty primary teeth. These teeth play important roles in your child’s health and development, facilitating clear speech, healthy eating, and serving as placeholders for the permanent teeth that will eventually take their place. As such, the primary teeth need to be well cared for. Tooth decay can occur in primary teeth just as easily as it can in permanent teeth due to exposure to sugars in formula and drinks. To keep the teeth in the best shape possible, avoid sugary drinks and foods, never give anything but water before bed, and visit us for infant dental exams.
    • For children, personal space is important. While adults enjoy having their bubble of space as well, children are often unable to understand why that bubble needs to be breeched on occasion for things like dental care. To help our patients feel comfortable with treatment, we seek out less invasive methods of traditional forms of treatment, such as digital x-rays. Our x-rays are used to diagnose problems, look at teeth prior to eruption, assess injuries, and more. In addition to being less invasive, digital x-rays also show greater detail, allowing us to detect issues at very early stages of development.
    • Some teeth are more likely to develop cavities than others. One factor that can contribute to making a tooth more susceptible to developing cavities is significant grooves or pits in the teeth. When these are unable to be reached when brushing, plaque can build up and the tooth can begin to decay. When needed, we offer dental sealants: clear coatings that fill in the uneven spots of the teeth to make the surface smoother and easier to clean.
    • Kids are curious, adventurous, and often dealing with motor skills due to their age, growth, and other factors. This makes them at risk of injuries of all kinds, including dental injuries. If your child experiences trauma to a tooth or teeth, call us as soon as possible. We will help you evaluate the situation to determine if they should see us, head to the ER, or if the problem can be cared for at home.
    • Restorative dentistry is focused on bringing damaged teeth back to their original look and function. When cavities are caught early on, we can take care of them without needing restorative care. However, cavities that have progressed often need restorative procedures once the decayed parts of the teeth are removed. Some restorative dentistry services we offer include: • Fillings: Resin is placed into the tooth to plug the cavity and prevent bacteria and infection from getting further inside the tooth. We offer tooth-colored fillings in addition to other materials.
      • Crowns: Caps are placed over the teeth to both hide the damaged tooth and to restore the strength of it.
      • Bridges: Gaps in the teeth are filled with a false tooth that is help in place with a bridge that is anchored by crowns on healthy teeth.
    • Primary teeth are designed for more than facilitating speech and eating; they are also there to serve as placeholders for permanent teeth. However, sometimes a primary tooth is lost too early. When this happens, the other teeth can shift to close the gap. This is problematic as that space is needed for the permanent teeth that will later erupt. To maintain the needed space, we use a space maintainer, or spacer, to ensure the permanent tooth will have the space it needs.
    • For some children, the dentist’s office is a scary place no matter how friendly and knowledgeable the staff are. The fear they feel can be overwhelming. To help them get the care they need despite their fears, we offer laughing gas and sedation. Laughing gas is an option that is both safe and highly temporary as we can eliminate the gas still in your child’s system before they leave the office. For children who need more powerful sedation to get through their procedures, we offer oral sedation and general anesthesia options.
    • If your child plays any type of contact sport, even if the contact is minimal, a mouthguard is needed. While you can purchase these in stores, the best results will come from the best fit. We make custom-fit mouthguards that perfectly fit your child and protect against 75% of dental injuries and reduce the impact of injuries to the brain. Keep your child protecting while keeping them active.

About Us

Dr. Charlton Conner

Dr. Conner is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist who offers compassionate and gentle dental care to infants, children, adolescents, and patients with special needs.

Unknowingly, Dr. Conner found his passion for working with children by serving adults in his General Practice Residency in New York City. After many conversations with his adult patients who had severe dental needs, it became clear that most of the adults with issues suffered a traumatic dental experience as a child. These patients vowed never to go back to the dentist as an adult.  Many of these adults were suffering from significant dental health problems and required incredibly involved dental treatments to be restored to good dental health due to years of neglect. In the midst of these treatments, Dr. Conner had an epiphany that working with children to provide positive and fun experiences would help establish good dental health and create a solid foundation for a lifetime of beautiful smiles. Dr. Conner knew that if good dental health was taught and appreciated early in childhood, it would set children up for a positive outlook on oral health. Most importantly, Dr. Conner knew it would change a child’s life for the better.
 
Dr. Conner pursued the specialty of Pediatric Dentistry while in his General Practice Residency, with a keen eye on the problem he wanted to solve. He took on more hours shadowing in various pediatric dental clinics, volunteering tirelessly at pediatric dental offices in New York City. During his residency, Dr. Conner was handpicked by professors and the program director to continue to specialize in Pediatric Dentistry due to his easy-going personality and the incredible connections he was able to achieve with his pediatric patients.
 
Dr. Conner went on to complete his specialization in pediatric dentistry at Harlem Hospital Center through Columbia University in New York, NY in 2015. Dr. Conner received his Bachelor of Science in Biology with honors from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA in 2008 and his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN in 2012. Dr. Conner completed his general practice residency program at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center through the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in 2013. Dr. Conner is a diplomate of the Board of Pediatric Dentistry, making him a board certified Pediatric Dentist.
 
Dr. Conner is a native of Florence, South Carolina. He attended Montessori School of Florence, All Saints’ Episcopal Day School, and Trinity Collegiate School [now Trinity-Byrnes]. He enjoys classic cars, tennis, ping-pong, bicycling, traveling, and cooking in his free time.

Dr. Matthew Furman – Anesthesiologist

Dr. Furman has long been interested in medicine and anesthesiology, and feels especially privileged to be able to offer his specialized services to such special patients. He finds being able to provide the necessary anesthesia services to children with special dental needs, via the operating room, especially rewarding. He attended medical school at Kansas City University of Physicians and Surgeons and then graduated in 1999. Dr. Furman attended the highly coveted Anesthesiology Residency Program at the University of Texas, San Antonio. Dr. Furman is also certified in pain management services, having received extra training in his Anesthesiology Residency.While Dr. Furman is a new physician to South Carolina, he is not a new physician at all. Dr. Furman is the primary anesthesiologist at Palmetto Surgery Center, and has been since July 11, 2016. Dr. Furman is Board Certified in Anesthesiology from the American Board of Physician Specialties. Dr. Furman is certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Basic Life Support.

Testimonials

Here’s what our patients have to say about us!

Nora L.

I was genuinely nervous about brining my 2 yr old active boy to his first dentist appointment. I was so impressed how Dr. Conners talked to him like a child, not down to him. He explained each tool and let my son try the tools out on his magic rocks. I was even skeptical that he would respond to him well because my son doesn’t speak many words, although he understands them. My baby boy does not like strangers and is very head strong, yet Dr. Conners won him over. He really took the time to get him comfortable and explain everything. I really loved that, and was really impressed.
Prime Pediatric Dentistry
5
2017-12-08T22:27:36+00:00
I was genuinely nervous about brining my 2 yr old active boy to his first dentist appointment. I was so impressed how Dr. Conners talked to him like a child, not down to him. He explained each tool and let my son try the tools out on his magic rocks. I was even skeptical that he would respond to him well because my son doesn’t speak many words, although he understands them. My baby boy does not like strangers and is very head strong, yet Dr. Conners won him over. He really took the time to get him comfortable and explain everything. I really loved that, and was really impressed.

Anonymous

I was so pleased with the staff and Dr. Conner’s performance. My Grandson was well taken care of by everyone. Stacie did an excellent job of explaining everything. My Grandson has not been in any pain today. Thanks again for the great experience. We will be back!
Prime Pediatric Dentistry
5
2017-12-08T22:28:43+00:00
I was so pleased with the staff and Dr. Conner’s performance. My Grandson was well taken care of by everyone. Stacie did an excellent job of explaining everything. My Grandson has not been in any pain today. Thanks again for the great experience. We will be back!

Mom

Always 100% satisfied with the Dr. and the friendly staff. Very prompt and gets the job done in a timely manner.
Prime Pediatric Dentistry
5
2017-12-08T22:28:59+00:00
Always 100% satisfied with the Dr. and the friendly staff. Very prompt and gets the job done in a timely manner.

Mrs. Brown

It was my first time (at the office) and I really like their office. It’s very professional and I like how the Doctor broke down the services my kids need and the best options for them.
Prime Pediatric Dentistry
5
2017-12-08T22:29:24+00:00
It was my first time (at the office) and I really like their office. It’s very professional and I like how the Doctor broke down the services my kids need and the best options for them.

William S.

Always a great experience!!! My son does not want to go anywhere else!!!
Prime Pediatric Dentistry
5
2017-12-08T22:29:39+00:00
Always a great experience!!! My son does not want to go anywhere else!!!

Don P.

This was Don’s first time to the Dentist. He did such an awesome job. All the staff were super nice, professional and did really well with how they handle and explained everything step by step. I definitely think he will enjoy every visit. I’m happy with my decision to letting my son go here.
Prime Pediatric Dentistry
5
2017-12-08T22:29:55+00:00
This was Don’s first time to the Dentist. He did such an awesome job. All the staff were super nice, professional and did really well with how they handle and explained everything step by step. I definitely think he will enjoy every visit. I’m happy with my decision to letting my son go here.
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Prime Pediatric Dentistry

Your First Visit

      • The first thing to keep in mind is to make sure your anxiety about the visit doesn’t transfer to your child. Because your child has never been to the dentist, they have no reason to anticipate anything unpleasant. As such, most kids will come for their first visit and not be scared at all. The younger your child is, the less likely it is that they will have a negative reaction, so start your dental visits early if possible. If your child is older, talk about what to expect using child-friendly language. We suggest telling them the dentist will count their teeth and tickle them. If your child needs an advanced procedure, such as a tooth drilled or pulled, call us and ask about how you can discuss it with your child.
      • No matter how old your child is, we are happy to treat them. However, we recommend that you schedule your child’s first visit by their first birthday or when their first tooth erupts, whichever is first. We work hard to maintain our schedule as well, never double-booking appointments so you are seen on time and only deviating from our schedule for emergencies. We require a 48-hour notice to reschedule your appointment and if you are more than 10 minutes late, your appointment will be cancelled. If you miss an appointment without giving 48-hours’ notice, you will need to put down a deposit to schedule future appointments, and if you miss two appointments without the proper notice, we will not be able to see you at our practice.

    • For many people, money is the barrier between them and quality dental care. Here at Prime Pediatric Dentistry, we do not want that to be the case. We work to remove the financial barriers that you might face so your child can have the care they need and deserve. We offer payment options that work for various budgets, ensuring you do not need to make tough decisions to give your child the right level of care. Payment is accepted at the time of treatment and some treatments may require an advanced deposit.
    • If you have dental insurance, we are happy to work with your provider. Our goal is to maximize your benefits so you pay little if anything to receive treatment. We will give you an estimate before your visit so you know what to expect and can pay the patient portion at the time of your appointment.

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