By Caitlin Masessa
Can you imagine a world in which your child is begging you to go to the dentist? If you are a client of Carr Pediatric Dentistry in Riverview, this is a reality. Located in the Boyette Executive Center, the offices of Carr Pediatric Dentistry offer a “top-notch” team that are quickly becoming a staple in the community due to their supportive and nurturing approach to providing quality dental care to children and infants. “We have a lot of kids that cry when they are done because they don’t want to leave,” Dr. Natalie Carr-Bustillo said. Originally from Argentina, and after living in East Tennessee for a bit, it was in Apollo Beach where Dr. Carr-Bustillo truly grew up and the Tampa area where she thrived. “[Florida] is just home to me.”
Her love for the Riverview area shines through at Carr Pediatric, where Dr. Carr-Bustillo strives to make the experience for her patients a positive memory. “We have iPads kids can play with, toys, and books to read,” Dr. Carr-Bustillo spoke of her strategy, “We also have stuffed animals with teeth so that they can brush them.”
However, these objects aren’t meant to distract the children from the sounds of dental work, but to make the experience appear less frightening to the eyes of a child. “While we give the parents a tour of the office, we’ll leave the child playing in the open room, watching other cooperative children so they don’t sense the fear,” Dr. Carr-Bustillo stated, “It gives [the child watching] a sense of ‘okay, if these kids can do it, so can I.’”
Although Dr. Carr-Bustillo believes that exposing the child to the sounds of dentistry is an integral part for the young patients, Carr Pediatric strives to promote the education of dental health for both the patients and parents. “I love when parents come in with a list of questions,” Dr. Carr-Bustillo beamed, “While we speak to the parents about the medical history, we focus on educating the kids on good oral hygiene.”
Dr. Carr-Bustillo also believes that the key to the business’ success is an outstanding team. “We have a lot of meetings where we just talk about how we can be better and provide the best service in the industry.”
Carr Pediatric Dentistry is located on 11936 Boyette Rd. in Riverview in the Boyette Executive Center. For more information or to make an appointment, call 672-3368 or visit www.carrdental.com.
