On May 20, 2003, Dr. Mikael Kautsky, a dentist in downtown Olympia, changed his practice to better serve South Sound families. His office at 1100 Eastside Street now provides on-site, supervised childcare. The Smile Club is a small, secure, section of the waiting room. It is designed to be an interesting and safe place for children to wait while their caregivers are getting treatment. A staff member will be present at all times to supervise the children and ensure their safety.
The Smile Club is equipped with: a TV that will play children's videos, a selection of toys and books that will rotate periodically, and an arts and crafts area. The goal is to engage the children and make the time spent in the waiting area entertaining and fun.
Dental education information will be offered, but it is not the focus of The Smile Club. Dr. Kautsky explains, "As a father of three, I realize how difficult it is these days for families to find childcare they can trust. We notice that caregivers often neglect their own dental health because they don't feel comfortable leaving children alone in the waiting room. By providing a safe place for children to wait that is interesting and fun, we hope to encourage caregivers to get the dental care they need, as well as attract more families to our growing practice."
Dr. Kautsky, who opened his practice in August of 2001, has a lot of experience treating children. He worked for three years as the Director of the Community Care Clinic at St. Peter Hospital. The Community Care Clinic served mainly families with young children. When he made his decision to enter private practice Dr. Kautsky designed his practice around family friendly dental care. He also offers nitrous oxide sedation to help children relax during treatment.
The Smile Club is available by appointment only and is limited by the number of hours staff is available to supervise children. Parents taking advantage of this free service must agree not to leave the building while using The Smile Club.
The Smile Club is equipped with: a TV that will play children's videos, a selection of toys and books that will rotate periodically, and an arts and crafts area. The goal is to engage the children and make the time spent in the waiting area entertaining and fun.
Dental education information will be offered, but it is not the focus of The Smile Club. Dr. Kautsky explains, "As a father of three, I realize how difficult it is these days for families to find childcare they can trust. We notice that caregivers often neglect their own dental health because they don't feel comfortable leaving children alone in the waiting room. By providing a safe place for children to wait that is interesting and fun, we hope to encourage caregivers to get the dental care they need, as well as attract more families to our growing practice."
Dr. Kautsky, who opened his practice in August of 2001, has a lot of experience treating children. He worked for three years as the Director of the Community Care Clinic at St. Peter Hospital. The Community Care Clinic served mainly families with young children. When he made his decision to enter private practice Dr. Kautsky designed his practice around family friendly dental care. He also offers nitrous oxide sedation to help children relax during treatment.
The Smile Club is available by appointment only and is limited by the number of hours staff is available to supervise children. Parents taking advantage of this free service must agree not to leave the building while using The Smile Club.
