The dental professionals at Zoo Crew Pediatric Dentistry make your child’s oral health their
focus. We strive to make your child feel comfortable visiting our dental office to instill positive
dental habits that will last a lifetime.
Dr. Kirk Larson’s decision to become a dentist resulted from wonderful childhood experiences he had seeing his dentist. Dr. Larson completed his dental training in southern California, moved east, spending a few years practicing dentistry on kids and adults. Soon thereafter, he decided to continue his training and enhance his knowledge of pediatric dentistry. Dr. Larson completed a two-year pediatric dental residency specializing in the care of children and those with special needs. During his senior year, he served as chief dental resident at the University of Louisville and Kosair Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Larson strives to keep each of his patients’ appointments fun and relaxed. Knowing that not all kids respond in the same way to treatment, Dr. Larson is committed to work with you and to find what works best for your child. When Dr. Larson is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and four children. The Larsons enjoy playing sports and other family activities, both social and church related.
What is a general dentist? A general dentist earns either a DDS or DMD degree before becoming licensed to practice. This education includes learning about a wide array of oral health diagnoses and treatments for both children and adults.
Are you the parent of an infant or toddler, wondering how to protect your child’s beautiful smile? That little smile will grow and develop over the coming years, but it will always be unique to your child. Zoo Crew Pediatric Dentistry is here to partner with you to ensure good oral health today and in the years to come. Our children’s dentists offer gentle infant and toddler dentistry, as well as training to help parents take excellent care of those little smiles between dental appointments.
Ultimately, we want to help your child avoid dental problems like tooth decay, gum disease, bad oral habits, and dental injuries. Teaching parents, caregivers, and our patients how to practice good prevention at home is part of our job – that is also why it is our mission to create healthy habits that last a lifetime!
When your child needs dental care in Hermitage & Mt. Juliet, make sure to visit the pediatric dentist at Zoo Crew Pediatric Dentistry. Pediatric dentists complete general dentistry education, then continue to study dentistry specifically suited to children and their unique oral health issues. A general dentist who sees children may be called a children’s dentist, but not a pediatric dentist because pediatric dentistry requires specialist training and certification.
Accidents happen when we least expect them. In the event of a dental emergency, how do you know when to contact Zoo Crew Pediatric Dentistry and when do you contact the emergency room? As your trusted children’s dental team in Hermitage & Mt. Juliet, we want to give you the knowledge necessary to know how to quickly respond in the event of a dental emergency.
Every six months, kids over the age of three to five need a professional dental cleaning. These preventive dental care appointments allow us to remove tartar that isn’t washed away during daily brushing and flossing. Regular dental cleanings help deter cavities and gum disease. We’ll also evaluate your child’s gums and track changes over time.
Research tells us that oral health and overall health are intertwined. It makes perfect sense when considering that everything in the mouth has direct access to internal organs and systems. Both the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children have a dental exam and cleaning every six months. We’re here to provide comprehensive dental exams and thorough dental cleanings so that your kiddos can enjoy great oral health, great overall health, and a beautiful smile.
If your child needs a tooth extraction, don’t worry. Extractions do not have to be traumatic. Parents should keep a positive outlook and use uplifting, encouraging speech when discussing dental visits and procedures with a child. The team at Zoo Crew Pediatric Dentistry works diligently to create a wonderful Kidsperience for every child, regardless of their diagnosis and treatment plan. We also use anesthetics and, when warranted, sedation, to maximize the comfort of our young patients.
As a parent, you want to make sure your children have good nutrition, proper exercise, and excellent overall health. You may have heard that the mouth is a portal to the body, and this is true. What’s in the mouth will enter the body, so daily oral hygiene is important for removing bad bacteria and plaque. When a tooth develops a toothache or cavity, it’s important to bring your kiddo in so that the dentist can determine the cause of the issue. We provide gentle dentistry, so if your little one or teen needs dental fillings, rest assured that we’ll make the Kidsperience comfortable, rewarding, and positive.
Your child’s oral health will benefit greatly from fluoride, delivered through tap water, healthy foods, and professional application in our Hermitage & Mt. Juliet office. We partner with parents in preventive dentistry, offering advice, tips, and strategies to deter tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health problems. It would thrill our hearts as much as yours if your kiddo never had a cavity!