Looking for a great pediatric dentist? Like most parents, I am particular about which doctors I choose for my children. I look for ones that listen, don’t rush through exams, have good communication skills, are sympathetic and understanding, and of course, ones that do an excellent job taking care of my kids. I’ve been looking for a new pediatric dentist and decided to try Cherry Orchard Pediatric Dentistry, headed up by Dr. Lisa Cherry, DDS, who has been practicing for 20 years.
She and her whole staff have been amazing from setting up the appointment, reminders, payment plans, and then all the work done at the actual appointments. I went there with high expectations and have been so pleased with our experience and am happy to tell you all about it.
About Cherry Orchard Dentistry
Cherry Orchard Dentistry only opened in late 2021 but Dr. Lisa Cherry, DDS, has been in practice for 20 years, the bulk of that time working with kids. It’s obvious this is her passion.
The office was designed and built with kids and their families in mind. The reception area is spacious and beautiful, complete with a locally-designed mural of downtown Greenville and lots of cute animals, bright flowers, and fun colors. The door to the operations area looks like it’s out of the book, The Hobbit, which I just love because that book is awesome.
The first thing I noticed after heading through the hobbit door was three workstations set up in a large bay. I thought this was awesome for a few reasons. One was because I could sit and watch both my kids at the same time and be there for them in case they needed some mom love. The second reason was that they could both be worked on simultaneously, thus saving me time. The x-ray room is adjacent to this large bay for easy access and televisions are set up above each chair to keep the kids entertained during their cleanings.
There are several other private rooms at the office, each decorated with art from patients and Dr. Cherry’s own kids. These are where the state-of-the-art Solea lasers are used. More on that in a bit.
Dr. Lisa Cherry
You know how you just know you like someone five minutes after meeting them? That’s Dr. Lisa Cherry.
I liked her from the moment we met. She’s not just a fun and interesting person to chat with but she was also so, so good with my daughters. Her easy-going nature appealed to them immediately, especially my oldest who she coaxed to get a tooth out on her own while we were at our first appointment. I was thinking she would extract it herself but nope, she encouraged my daughter to do it herself and helped her along the way. I was thrilled because this tooth has needed to come out for awhile and well, I hadn’t taken my kids to the dentist in an amount of time that I’d rather not tell all of you. But Dr. Cherry and her staff were totally unfazed and just did their jobs and made my kids (and myself) feel comfortable and happy.
All the staff, from the receptionist to the office coordinator to the dental hygienists, were just spectacular. They explained what was going on, answered all my questions, and didn’t rush through any part of our time there.
When we had to come back for further work on one of my daughters, Dr. Cherry explained what would happen and was encouraging to both my daughter and I. Honestly, I was more nervous than my daughter but Dr. Cherry helped make me comfortable and assured.
Dr. Cherry’s goal is to provide a dental care experience that makes the child not only comfortable at the dentist’s office but happy to come back. She doesn’t want them to be afraid. She wants them to be excited to come back; instilling a good experience with a dentist early on in their lives. She achieved that with both my children. They left with smiles on their faces and said they both loved Dr. Cherry and the hygienists that took care of them. Even when my daughter had to go back for further dental work, she wasn’t scared or apprehensive. That’s a big win in my book and a sign that the dentist is doing something right.
Preventative Care
What most of us parents need for our kids at the dentist is preventative care twice a year. This includes a cleaning, x-rays, fluoride treatment if the parent desires, and the option of sealants.
Kids come in and get their x-rays taken and then and are seated in the comfy chairs in the bay or a private room, are given sunglasses, and a choice of movie or show to watch. The dental hygienists do the cleaning and Dr. Cherry comes in to read the x-rays and take a look at the gums and teeth. If there is anything further to be done, she will discuss options with the parents. If not, and the child is cavity-free, they can put their name on the big Cavity Free Tree behind the bay, yay! Kids get their choice of a prize (because kids love prizes) and walk out with a little goody bag of a toothbrush and toothpaste.
The Solea Laser
One of the really neat services Cherry Orchard offers is the Solea laser dentistry. This kind of laser is done with no anethesia, drill, needles, or noise. It’s virtually painless and gets kids back to normal activities the same day. Dr. Cherry used the Solea laser for work that my daughter needed done. I couldn’t believe how fast it was and that my daughter was in no pain. I kept asking her how she was feeling afterwards and looked at me like I was an alien because she felt fine. Such a game-changer in the dentistry industry but most especially for kids and their parents as it’s so hard to see your child in pain!
The Solea laser is used to fix tongue ties, tooth extractions, and other soft tissue work.
Emergency Work
Cherry Orchard also offers help in emergencies like severe toothaches, facial swelling, gum swelling, a cut lip/cheek or tongue, and dental trauma like having a tooth knocked out.
Dr. Cherry has two children of her own so she understands that you need immediate help during an emergency and the office is here to handle those.
Sedation Services
Cherry Orchard understands that some kids need extra relaxation or sedation when undergoing more extensive dental work. They use two methods here: Nitrous Oxide and IV Sedation.
The Nitrous Oxide is breathed through the nose during the dental procedure and just helps to relax the child and increases their level of pain tolerance. Before this is done, Dr. Cherry sends the child home with a similar nose mask that will be used during the procedure so the child can practice breathing through their nose at home. My daughter had to use this and got lots of practice in before her dental work was done and she did great. It was a painless experience for her and she was back to normal pretty much by the time we left the office.
For kids who may be too young to understand how to use the nose mask and Nitrous Oxide or who have more severe anxiety, Cherry Orchard offers IV Sedation with the assistance of a pediatric anesthesiologist.
And they know a million things can go wrong when it comes to your child’s teeth so they also offer an array of restorative care as well. This includes everything from composite restorations to stainless steel crowns to space maintenance and extractions. Their hope is to use preventative care to avoid these issues but when they happen, Cherry Orchard can help fix them.
Special Needs Dentistry
Cherry Orchard Pediatric Dentistry is an inclusive environment and strives to offer care to anyone who needs it. They understand that children with special needs may have to do things a bit differently and are more than happy to accommodate these families.
Typically, the first visit will just be a meet and greet with a tour around the office. Parents and children can meet Dr. Cherry and her staff and see what the office is like during a less busy and quieter time. The second visit can be scheduled however long out that the child is comfortable with and can be a repeat of the first visit or something else that helps both child and doctor take the next step.
These visits can be repeated for however long it takes to establish trust between the parents, child, and doctor. It’s truly a team effort and something that Cherry Orchard dentistry looks forward to doing with special needs families.
Payment Plans
Cherry Orchard Pediatric Dentistry recognizes not every family has dental insurance and offers three options for self-pay: Cash, Credit or Financing.
Honest Mom Review
I had put off looking for a new dentist for awhile and was nervous about choosing one. I didn’t know if I would stick with Dr. Cherry when I walked in – I was planning to just do a cleaning for my kids and see how it went. Honestly, this was the easiest decision to make once I met Dr. Cherry and her staff and saw how attentive they were to my children, how kind and considerate they were to me as a parent, and how they listened and communicated with me.
Dental care is important and I am so happy to have found Dr. Lisa Cherry and her staff. It’s one less thing I have to worry about figuring out as I navigate parenthood!
Cherry Orchard Pediatric Dentistry | 101 Halton Road Suite B, Greenville | 864.663.3337