3 Minutes on a Park Bench with Dr. Amybeth Harmon, DDS, of Pediatric Dentistry of Pleasant Hill

Dr. Amybeth Harmon, DDS, talks about the various services Pediatric Dentistry of Pleasant Hill offers and discusses the the top four things readers can do to help protect their children’s teeth

Patch: What is your morning routine?

Dr. Harmon: Getting my four kids ready for school. Huddling with my team to review the needs of our patients coming in that day. And of course, a strong cup of coffee.

Patch: How are you involved in the Pleasant Hill community?

Dr. Harmon: The practice sponsors local athletic teams. We give complimentary dental health education to hundreds of children at their preschools in Pleasant Hill, Lamorinda, Martinez, Concord and Walnut Creek twice a year. We make donations to many local school auctions. We sponsor multiple children through World Vision from all over the world.

Patch: If you had to recommend four books, what would they be and why?

Dr. Harmon: Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.

It is a story about friendship, being humble and the power of a child’s love.

The Day The Crayon’s Quit by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers.

The theme is fairness, equality and inclusion. Such a great example for us all.

The Light We Cannot See by Antony Doerr.

This is about a girl who loses her sight and explores her relationship with her father in Nazi occupied France. It has a sense of humanity, history and relationships. Not a quick read but wonderfully written.

1776 by David McCullough.

About the birth of our nation and the lives of the individuals involved. Inspiring and good history. All of McCullough’s books are good, in my opinion. We learn today’s lessons by studying the past.

Patch: What are the most common issues you see with patients’ teeth?

Dr. Harmon: Cavities are still very common; actually, they remain the number one disease in children. We focus on prevention and good oral hygiene. Dental traumas are also common. We recommend custom fit sports guards for any contact sport.

Patch: What made you want to pursue a career in pediatric dentistry?

Dr. Harmon: My father is a pediatric dentist. He started our practice in 1973, so of course, that had an influence on me. The strongest impact in my career decision was when I was in college. I accompanied my Dad on mission trip to Guatemala to provided dentistry to very needy children. That wonderful experience showed me my calling. I’m very grateful to have had the experience. We have each since done other mission trips to the Dominican Republic.

Patch: What services does your practice offer?

Dr. Harmon: To enter this specialty, one needs to have a love of children. Pediatric dentists have 2 years of additional training after dental school. My residency was at Louisiana State University and Children’s Hospital, New Orleans. We have experience with all normal dental procedures, preventive, extractions, restorative and such, as well as working with special needs children. Our practice offers white zirconium crowns and minor orthodontic procedures such as cross bite correction on young children. This condition is best treated very early. If a child is very young, and unable to cooperate, we offer oral sedation. In select cases, general anesthesia is an option. This service is provided onsite by pediatric anesthesiologist physicians from Children’s Hospital, Oakland.

Patch: You’re not the only person in this business. How do you distinguish yourself from the others?

Dr. Harmon: Most pediatric dentists in our community are striving to help children and those with special needs. We have highly trained staff, who in addition to our pediatric specialists, are truly dedicated to helping children. Most of our staff are very long term, 10 to 20 years or more. Our patients feel comfortable seeing the same kind faces year after year. And the staff loves seeing the children grow. We are even seeing children of former patients. Many kids have a special request for their favorite dentist or Registered Dental Assistant. We do our upmost to be available at prime times to accommodate our patients and their parents. We are open every Saturday, winter and spring breaks and on some holidays, such as President’s Day, Veteran’s Day, Martin Luther King’s Day. Appointments as early as 7:30 a.m. are available.

Patch: What are the top four things readers can do to help protect their children’s teeth?

Dr. Harmon: 1. Brush and Floss, 2. Low sugar diet, 3. Regular dental visits including fluoride treatments and x-rays as needed, 4. Mouth guards during contact sports. An adult should supervise brushing and flossing the child’s teeth until age 9-10. Read labels for amounts of sugar in food and drinks. There are many hidden sugars, so eliminating or reducing sugar helps greatly. Start regular visits to the dentist by age one as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

Patch: How can readers contact you?

Dr. Harmon: By telephone at (925) 947-1188. Online at www.phkidsdentist.com. Or they may request a callback through our website. Please see “New patient appointment request” on the homepage.