Clinic Policies

At Little Tooth Buds, we are dedicated to providing a gentle, positive and family centered dental experience for every child who visits us. To help us provide the best care, we ask all families to be aware of the following clinic policies.

1. Appointments & Bookings

• Arriving: We kindly ask families to arrive 10 minutes early for their appointment. This allows time to check in, use the restroom, and let your child get comfortable in our waiting area before their visit begins.

• Cancellations: We understand that life happens! However, if you need to reschedule, please provide at least 24 hours’ notice. This allows us to offer the appointment to another child in need of care.

• Late Cancellations/No-Shows: Repeated missed appointments or late cancellations (less than 24 hours) may result in a non-refundable booking deposit being required to secure future visits.

• Running Late? If you are running late, please call us as soon as possible. We will do our best to accommodate you, but we may need to shorten or reschedule the appointment to avoid rushing your child or delaying the next patient.

2. Fees & Payments

• Payment: Payment is required on the day of your child’s appointment. We accept EFTPOS, Cash, and major health funds via HICAPS.

• Medicare (CDBS): If your child is eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), we can process this on the spot. (We Bulk Bill all eligible CDBS services, meaning no out-of-pocket costs for covered treatments).

3. Parents & Guardians

• Your Role: Children must always be accompanied by a parent or guardian. We view you as a partner in your child's care! We encourage you to support your child during visits, helping us create a calm and reassuring environment.

• Consent: Informed consent must be obtained from the legal guardian prior to commencing any dental treatment. We will always explain the procedure to you (and your child) before we begin.

4. Behaviour & Safety

• Positive Experiences: Our team strives to make every visit positive and gentle. However, if a child becomes highly anxious, distressed, or unable to safely continue, the appointment may be paused or rescheduled.

• Safety First: We will never force a child through treatment. The physical safety and emotional comfort of your child are always our highest priority.

5. Happy Gas (Nitrous Oxide)

• A Helping Hand: Nitrous Oxide Inhalation Sedation (often called "Happy Gas") may be offered to help children feel more relaxed during treatment.

• Assessment: This is not suitable for every child. Our dental practitioners will always assess your child’s medical history and temperament to decide if this is the right option. We are happy to discuss alternative approaches to ensure your child’s needs are met safely.

6. Infection Control

Clean & Safe: Little Tooth Buds maintains the highest standards of infection prevention and sterilisation in accordance with the Australian Dental Association (ADA) and Ahpra guidelines. Our strict hygiene protocols ensure a safe environment for all patients, families, and staff.

7. Our Scope of Care

• General Dentistry for Kids: Little Tooth Buds is a general dental clinic with a specific focus on children's oral health. We provide comprehensive preventative and restorative care designed to help children establish healthy habits early.

• Specialist Referrals: While we handle most dental needs, we recognise that some children require specialised management (due to complex medical history, behaviour, or extensive treatment needs). In these cases, we work collaboratively with Paediatric Dental Specialists to ensure your child receives the best possible outcome. We believe in "shared care" and will guide you through the referral process if it is needed.

8. Privacy & Respect

• Confidentiality: Your family's privacy is paramount. All patient information is treated with strict confidentiality and stored securely. You may request access to your child’s records at any time.

• Kindness Policy: We value open, respectful communication. We promise to treat your family with kindness, and we ask for the same respect towards our team members. We have a zero-tolerance policy for aggressive behaviour.

9. Dental Emergencies

• During Hours: If you have a dental emergency, please contact us immediately. We will provide advice and arrange an urgent appointment to manage the situation.

• After Hours: If urgent care is required outside of our business hours, please seek assistance from your local hospital emergency department or the Queensland Children's Hospital.

10. Changes to Policies

We reserve the right to update these policies as needed. Any changes will be communicated to clients via email or posted on our website.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about our policies, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly reception team.