CARBONDALE, IL (WSIL) � The next school year is quickly approaching and parents are already making plans.
Children need supplies, but they also must be up-to-date on their medical needs.
“I wanted to serve the area that I grew up in,� said the owner of Little Egypt Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Travis Cripps.
Cripps opened his practice a year ago and his passion for working with kids shows in the work he and his staff do every day.
"There aren't a lot of pediatric dentists here,� said Cripps. “There are a lot of barriers to getting care and also affordable care in southern Illinois so this is kind of our way to try and give back to those kids that otherwise don’t have a dental home.�
Knowing that Cripps and his staff are hosting a free Dental Day for children 12 and under.
"It's an event that's really dedicated to those kids that don't have access to dental care in southern Illinois,� Cripps said.
For Herrin Resident Casey Holderfield, this is the second time she's brought her daughter Lydian to see Dr. Travis and as Lydian is about to enter the first grade, her mom says why it’s important for her to see the dentist at an early age.
"I know just from my experience I've had a lot of anxiety from going to the dentist so the earlier you can start kids the better,� said Holderfield.
And Cripps says it's important for kids to get that familiarity with a dentist as soon as they can.
"We want to establish that rapport with the kiddo which is going to lead to a lifetime of feeling comfortable at the dentist,� said Cripps.
As far as Holderfield’s daughter is concerned, she already enjoys seeing Dr. Travis and his staff even with this being just her second visit.
"They're really good at not pushing her to try new things,� Holderfield said. “It's been really good because it's been baby steps and she allowed them to clean her teeth today which was the first time they didn't let them do it."
Cripps says setting good habits when it comes to taking care of your child's teeth is important and he recommends having your child see a dentist sometime after their first birthday.
"When you start young, it does a couple of positive things for us. it allows us to start with very simple care which then introduces the dental environment and it also starts to build that trust with the provider."
To get more information about the Free Dental Day, .
