American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Launches New Site for Parents and Caregivers: MyChildrensTeeth.Org

New Site to Address Pressing Questions on Children's Oral Health

CHICAGO, May 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --  The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the recognized leader in children's oral health, announced today the launch of its new consumer-based website, http://www.mychildrensteeth.org. A comprehensive resource for parents and caregivers, MyChildrensTeeth.org gathers together all of the AAPD's articles and information that are useful to the general public in one convenient place.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100222/AAPDLOGO)

Some of parents' most frequently asked questions of pediatric dentists are answered on the site, such as:

• When should I take my child to the dentist for the first check-up?
• What should I use to clean my baby's teeth?
• Are baby teeth really that important to my child?
• How do dental sealants work?
• How safe are dental X-rays?

The AAPD launched the new site in order to meet the growing need for high quality, evidence-based dental information that gives the most up-to-date information on children's oral health directly to consumers. AAPD CEO Dr. John S. Rutkauskas said, "One of the primary challenges in dentistry is keeping parents fully informed on good oral health practices, so they can lay down a foundation of oral health that their children can follow all their lives.

"This new site will inform parents and caregivers and empower them to start making informed choices for their children as soon as possible, all driven by the best dental science and practices available."

The site provides access to the AAPD's full line of brochures, covering issues like fluoride, diet and snacking, dental care for infants, toddlers and teens, as well as the importance of regular dental visits. A section on recent pediatric dentistry items in the news, where AAPD members provide important tips and information and address current news stories dealing with children's dental health, is also available.

The same Find a Pediatric Dentist tool that has connected patients and pediatric dentists since the launch of the original AAPD website in 2002 is also available on MyChildrensTeeth.org.

"The Find a Pediatric Dentist tool is consistently one of the most used and most useful features the AAPD provides," Rutkauskas said. "Adding it to this site just makes sense: we can connect parents with the best information and then immediately to our member providers. If you know your ZIP code, you're just a click away from knowing a pediatric dentist in your area that can treat your child. It really is that easy."

The AAPD launched MyChildrensTeeth.org in conjunction with a website for Pediatric Dentistry Today magazine (http://www.pediatricdentistrytoday.org), and a full redesign of its main site at http://www.aapd.org.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) is the recognized authority on children's oral health.  As advocates for children's oral health, the AAPD promotes evidence-based policies and clinical guidelines; educates and informs policymakers, parents and guardians, and other health care professionals; fosters research; and provides continuing professional education for pediatric dentists and general dentists who treat children.  Founded in 1947, the AAPD is a not-for-profit professional membership association representing the specialty of pediatric dentistry. Its 8,400 members provide primary care and comprehensive dental specialty treatments for infants, children, adolescents and individuals with special health care needs. For further information, please visit the AAPD website at http://www.aapd.org or the AAPD's consumer website at http://www.mychildrensteeth.org.

SOURCE American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry