Growing Smiles Pediatric Dentistry is closing in on its first anniversary in Valparaiso! We thought that since this is fast approaching we’d catch up with Dr. Carisse Corns to see how things have been since opening in late summer of 2014.
Dr. Corns informed us that things are going great. She is seeing repeat patients for their six month checkup and new children are coming to her all the time thanks to referrals from happy parents and their presence on social media.
“We’re getting busier and we’re seeing familiar families and faces which is pretty cool. You can see how the kids have grown and they're excited to see you,” Dr. Corns said. “Children who were fearful at first are more comfortable for their second appointments and that is great.”
Dr. Corns said that her job is very rewarding because she is able to see things happen first-hand at her office.
“I’ve learned a lot about running an office,” Dr. Corns said. “I get to see the growth of my assistants and watch how they interact with the patients.”
Since opening, Growing Smiles has had many changes, one of the more notable ones is that the business is now on staff at Porter Regional Hospital.
“If a patient is medically compromised and we can’t do our work here at the office we can take them to a hospital setting,” Dr. Corns explained. “It’s just another service that we offer and we’re excited to partner with Porter.”
The Valparaiso community has gladly accepted Growing Smiles into the fold. It’s a much needed business with top quality work so it’s only natural that it would happen.
“I think the word is getting out that we’re here,” Dr. Corns said. “From the feedback that we get from our patients, the community seems to like what we’re doing. We’re getting patients from outside of Valpo, too, as we’re really one of few dental offices around.”
As time goes by Dr. Corns and her staff hope to keep growing and helping more kids. One of their goals is to see every child for their first dental visit by age one.
“The hope is that by visiting a dentist by the time the first baby tooth appears, the child is able to begin a lifelong preventive dental care program to minimize tooth decay and cavities,” Dr. Corns said. “We can detect early tooth decay, provide parents with information on proper oral and facial development, determine fluoride needs, and more."
Her philosophy is math based. 1 + 1 = ZERO. ONE dental visit by age ONE can equal ZERO cavities. Dr. Corns and her staff want to educate parents, caregivers, and children on dental care to maintain healthy teeth and smiles. They want to be proactive rather than reactive.
If you are looking for a place to take your child to get dental work done, then you should check out Growing Smiles. A perfect way to do that is to come to their upcoming Summer Bash on June 6. There’s going to be food, games, face painting, and more.
“It’s a great way to meet the families of the Valparaiso community,” Dr. Corns said. “We’re looking forward to it!”