If your child is heading off to UT Austin for college, one thing you don’t want to have to worry about is their dental needs. While your child is becoming an adult, you still might want to encourage them to continue taking their oral health seriously. Here are four things parents of kids going away to college at UT can do to facilitate continued dental care.
1. Discuss Lifestyle Choices
While your child might be experimenting with their newfound freedom in college, the last thing you want is to for their oral health to suffer. Be sure to talk with your child about the dangers of smoking and drinking, and relate this back to their smile. They might not realize that new lifestyle choices could affect their oral health as well.
2. Dental-Related Care Packages
As your child settles in at UT, they will most likely welcome care packages from home. Be sure to throw in a few dental-related items, such as on-the-go flossers and replacement toothbrushes. Don’t worry about going overboard – they can share these with their dorm-mates as well.
3. Sourcing Local Dentists
While your child might be able to fit in a visit to the dentist when they are home on break, it might also help to have a dentist they can visit near the UT campus. This is a good appointment to set up right away on behalf of your child in the Austin area. In case your child has a dental emergency down the line, they will have a local dentist they can visit. Our comprehensive dental office handles routine appointments, emergencies, cleanings, restorative care, and everything in-between. If you would like to set up an appointment for your college student, call our office today!
4. Double Checking Travel Insurance
If your child will be going abroad or will be away from UT for a semester, make sure to check their travel insurance and see what will be covered when it comes to dental needs. This can help you rest easy if there are any emergencies while away from campus and abroad.
Sending off your child to college is a milestone to celebrate and you should be proud of your UT student. While you might want to give your child the space to grow and learn on their own in college, some help along the way when it comes to dental care for college kids will foster good habits through adulthood.
Preventive care is so important at this age, so if you have any questions about cleanings or scheduling appointments for check-ups, call Paradigm Dental Austin TX!