Board Certified Pediatric Dental Specialist in Yuba City, CA

Dentist Office Kids

This app from Beansprites puts kids on the other side of the dentists’ chair. It is a simple, interactive way to familiarize children with dental procedures and tools. After selecting a patient, they can clean or extract teeth with the free version. For a few dollars more, users can upgrade this app and gain access to additional procedures and challenges.

Other versions are available, including Dentist Office Kids 2, which includes more colorful graphics and an array of tools, and Dentist Office Princess. Nurse’s Office and Doctor’s Office apps further educate children about medical procedures.

Cost: Free/$4.99 in-app upgrade

Devices: Android, iOS, Nook, Kindle

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Chomper Chums

Targeted to ages 4 to 11, Chomper Chums helps teach children proper oral hygiene and encourage them to practice it using three friendly characters—a horse, a lion and an alligator. After creating a profile by selecting a Chomper Chum character and naming him or her, users begin to practice brushing, flossing and rinsing. The app tracks these behaviors and wards coins and Super Smile Award points, which may be used to buy food and drinks for the Chomper Chums. Each oral hygiene practice is timed and animated as it guides children through each procedure. They can follow the toothbrush as it brushes each quadrant of the mouth for the recommended time, the floss as it gets between each tooth, and the water as it swishes around in each side of the mouth.

Cost: Free

Devices: Android, iOS

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Monster Mouth DDS

Monster Mouth may be a less realistic simulation of a trip to the dentist, but it’s definitely more fun. Kids—and adults—select from nine ghastly creatures with differing oral ailments—all free to access. Each patient requires special care. For instance Dracula needs breath spray to protect him from garlic odors and the Loch Ness Monster keeps getting covered in water. Users can X-ray to find dental problems hidden behind plaque-filled teeth that need to be brushed and treated. Of course, it may be wise to explain that the dentist does not use a bomb to remove teeth and that extractions do not have eyes. Monster Mouth DDS is a colorful, fanciful and even educational app that will keep kids engaged and entertained. Modes can be set to hard or easy.

Cost: Free

Devices: Android, iOS

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Tiny Dentist

This low-cost, hands-on app allows kids to perform dental procedures including fillings, X-rays, tooth whitening, extractions, tackling bad breath, brushing and more on fun cartoon characters. Parents appreciate that it is simple but the design is vivid enough to capture their little ones’ attention. Recommended for kids age 3 and older.

Cost: $1.99

Devices: iOS

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Kids’ Dental Health Lite/Kids Dental Health

Kids’ Dental Health is app that’s also an interactive book. Readers choose a character and can read that character’s story on their own or opt to have the story read to them. It’s colorfully illustrated and does a good job teaching kids about the hows and whys behind brushing, flossing, healthy eating and visiting the dentist in an understandable way. The lite version includes only the story, while the full version allows access to four educational games.

Cost: Free/$19.99

Devices: iOS

* Prices and device availability are subject to change.