General Information

Hours

We are available to treat patients
Monday-Wednesday 8:30a-5:30p
Thursday 9:00a-3:00p

Our office manager and hygienist are available
Monday-Thursday 8:30a-5:30p

We are closed for lunch 12:30-1:30p

Location

25 Evergreen Avenue
Suite No. 1
Mill Valley, Ca 94941
Ample parking in front of entrance

Children

Dr. Broadway recommends children be seen by age two and a half or, if parents have any questions or concerns, even earlier. Education on dental care needs should begin at an early age. We encourage family visits. If you would like your child to observe an appointment, you are welcome to bring them to your own initial visit or to their sibling’s initial visit. Our philosophy encourages a positive environment. We allow children to set the pace at their first visit so they feel positively about their dental care. Our office has several children’s books in the waiting room that discuss all aspects of dental care, such as brushing, visiting the dentist, fillings, pulling teeth, sugar bugs, loosing teeth, and the tooth fairy. We also have special prizes at the end of each visit.

Your child’s first dental visit

If this appointment is your child’s first, please review the informational list, Facts on your child’s teeth, posted below. Please take the time to read over this list and discuss with your child what he or she can expect. In addition, there are several good books at the library and in our waiting room you may consider reading with your child.

Facts on your child’s teeth

• Your child’s first visit should occur by the time they are one and a half years old. If everything looks okay, the child will not need to be examined again until they are two and a half or three and a half years of age.
• Children’s teeth should be cleaned as soon as they erupt using a wet washcloth or a small toothbrush. You may use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste beginning at approximately age two and a half. You may also use a wet washcloth at bath time to clean your infant’s gum pads. Never let your child walk around with a toothbrush in their mouth.
• Always keep an eye on your child’s teeth for changes in color, the eruption of new teeth, and to ensure they stay clean.
• Plaque is a sticky film that grows on teeth and in which bacteria breed. This bacteria may only take 24 hours to mature enough to make acid. Acid causes cavities and makes gums bleed.
• Children cannot adequately brush their own teeth until about eight years of age. They do not have the hand-wrist coordination required to clean all the surfaces of their teeth. After a child has attempted brushing (once every 24 hours), an adult should go over their teeth. Brushing should be done twice per day, and flossing should be done daily.
• Spacing between primary teeth is normal. Where there are no spaces, once-a-day flossing is required. As soon as the second primary molars erupt, the child should get into the habit of having their teeth flossed.
• A child should never, at nap or bedtime, be left in their crib with a bottle. They should not be allowed to walk around with a bottle in their mouth. This practice will cause severe decay of the primary teeth. If the child naps or sleeps with a breast in their mouth, the same decay will occur. However, filling the bottle with water will not harm your child’s teeth.
• Some medications, such as Amoxicillin, may temporarily stain primary teeth. This stain can be easily removed with a light polishing by a dentist. Permanent teeth are darker (more yellow) in color than primary teeth. They are denser and made to last a lifetime.
• Fluoride in the water supply decreases your child’s chances of getting cavities by 60%. Fluoride is entirely safe.
• If a child knocks a tooth completely out of their mouth, gently wipe or rinse it and place it back in the socket. If this occurs within 10 minutes, it is likely the tooth will reimplant. Permanent teeth have a better chance of surviving than “baby teeth.”

Relaxation Techniques

We have nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and relaxation music with headphones to help increase your level of comfort during dental procedures. We can also offer you a warm lavender eye pillow. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help your visit be the best experience you have had in a dental office.

Emergencies

We have 24-hour emergency coverage. If patients need after-hours care, they can call our office, which will direct them to Dr. Broadway’s emergency number or to the number of another dentist who may be covering.