What's the Difference Between a General Dentist, Family Dentist, and Pediatric Dentist in Glenview, IL? Key Takeaways

Choosing the right kind of dentist for your family can feel confusing. You might see practices around Glenview marketing themselves as a "general dentist," a "family dentist Glenview IL," or a "pediatric dentist," and wonder whether those are three different things or the same thing wearing different hats. The short version: a general dentist and a family dentist hold the same credential. A pediatric dentist holds a different credential entirely. This article explains what each title actually means, when each one fits your family's situation, and how to pick a provider for both your kids and yourself.

What is a general dentist, and what does one do?

A general dentist holds a DDS or DMD degree from a four-year dental school. General dentists are trained to treat patients of any age for preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dental care.

A general dentist is the dental equivalent of your family doctor. After earning a bachelor's degree, the dentist completes four years at an accredited dental school, then passes the National Board Dental Examination and a state licensure exam. In Illinois, that license is issued through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The DDS and DMD degrees are equivalent.

The day-to-day work of a general dentist covers a wide range: cleanings and exams, fillings, crowns, bridges, root canals, gum disease treatment, tooth extractions, dental implants, cosmetic work like veneers and whitening, and emergency care. Many general dentists also offer clear aligner orthodontics. At Nolan & Freund Dental Professionals in Glenview, Dr. Mike Nolan and Dr. Chad Freund practice general dentistry and offer this full range of services, listed on their family and preventive dentistry page.

When a case is unusually complex, such as a difficult surgical wisdom tooth extraction or a complicated orthodontic correction, a general dentist may refer you to a specialist for that one procedure. The general dentist still remains your main dental home for routine and preventive care across years and decades.

What is a family dentist, and how is it different from a general dentist?

A family dentist is a general dentist who treats patients of every age, from babies through grandparents. The credential is identical to a general dentist's. Family dentistry is a marketing description, not a recognized dental specialty.

This is the section many parents in Glenview find genuinely confusing, and it deserves a straight answer. The American Dental Association formally recognizes 12 dental specialties through its National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards. Family dentistry is not one of them. Pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, periodontics, and endodontics are. You can see the full list on the ADA's recognized dental specialties page.

So when a Glenview practice calls itself a "family dentist," what does that actually mean? It typically means three things. First, the dentists are licensed general dentists. Second, the practice has chosen to welcome patients of all ages, including young children. Third, the office often coordinates appointments so several family members can be seen in the same visit, which can be a real time-saver for busy households.

A family dental practice is generally set up with the assumption that the same dentist will follow a child from their first dental visit through high school, into college, and into adulthood. That continuity is one of the practical advantages families look for. At Nolan & Freund Dental Professionals, the practice has served generations of Glenview households for over 60 years, and parents who first visited as kids now bring their own children to the same dentists. Their children's dentistry page describes the services offered for younger patients.

The honest distinction here: "family dentist" tells you about a practice's patient mix and philosophy, not about additional clinical training.

What is a pediatric dentist, and how do they train?

A pediatric dentist completes at least two extra years of residency training after dental school, focused exclusively on infants, children, adolescents, and patients with special needs. Pediatric dentistry is one of 12 ADA-recognized dental specialties.

Pediatric dentists go further than general dental school. After completing the standard four years of dental school, a future pediatric dentist enters a two-year residency program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, this two-year residency covers advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures, child psychology, behavior management, oral pathology, child-related pharmacology, child development, oral and facial trauma, care for patients with special needs, conscious sedation, and general anesthesia.

Per the ADA, pediatric dentistry is an age-defined specialty focused on preventive and therapeutic oral health care for infants, children, adolescents, and patients with special health care needs. The extra training matters most for very young children who need behavior guidance, children with sensory or developmental conditions, children who need sedation or anesthesia for involved treatment, and children with rare orofacial or jaw development issues.

Pediatric dental offices are typically designed around child-friendly environments, smaller equipment, and staff trained in working with young children. Some pediatric practices treat patients only up to age 12, others up to age 18, and some accept patients with special needs into adulthood. Illinois has multiple CODA-accredited pediatric dentistry residency programs, including Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and the University of Illinois Chicago, per the AAPD's national directory.

Family dentist vs. pediatric dentist: which one is right for your child?

For most healthy children, a family dentist who treats kids provides routine care equivalent to a pediatric dentist's. Pediatric specialists are better for very young children needing sedation, kids with special health care needs, or complex cases.

This is a parenting question rather than a medical one, and a practical side-by-side helps. The table below summarizes the day-to-day differences between a family dentist and a pediatric dentist.

The table makes the trade-offs clearer. A family dentist's biggest practical advantage is continuity: the same dentist sees your child from the first tooth into adulthood, parents and grandparents see the same dentist on the same day if they want, and you avoid the transition headache of switching providers at age 12 or 18. A pediatric dentist's biggest advantage is depth in child-specific clinical situations. If your toddler has multiple cavities needing treatment under sedation, a pediatric dentist is the right specialist for that case.

For Glenview families, the decision usually comes down to a few factors: your child's age, your child's temperament, whether anyone has special health care needs, and how much you value sibling-and-parent appointment coordination. There is no single right answer for every family.

At what age should my child first see a dentist in Glenview?

The AAPD, ADA, and AAP all recommend a child's first dental visit by their first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth erupting, whichever comes first.

This recommendation surprises many first-time parents. A one-year-old has only a few teeth, and the first visit is mostly about teaching parents how to clean those teeth, checking for early decay or development issues, and starting the child's relationship with a dental office before anything painful is needed. The age-one visit is brief, gentle, and focused on prevention.

Why so early? Tooth decay starts younger than most parents expect. According to the CDC's 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report, about 11% of children aged 2 to 5 already have at least one primary (baby) tooth with untreated decay, and that figure rises to nearly 18% by ages 6 to 8. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research reports that slightly more than half of children aged 6 to 8 have had cavities in their primary teeth at some point. Early visits help catch problems while they are still small and inexpensive to address.

In Glenview and surrounding North Shore communities like Northbrook, Wilmette, and Park Ridge, parents have a choice for that age-one visit. A family or general dentist who welcomes infants is one option. A pediatric dental specialist is another. Either is a clinically reasonable starting point if the dentist is genuinely comfortable with very young children.

When should your child specifically see a pediatric dentist instead?

A pediatric dentist is the better fit for children needing sedation or general anesthesia for involved work, kids with sensory or developmental conditions, children with congenital orofacial issues, or very young patients who need extra behavior management.

A few specific scenarios make the extra training of a pediatric dentist genuinely useful. The first is a young child under age 5 who needs multiple cavities filled, particularly if the work has to be done under sedation or general anesthesia. Pediatric dentists train extensively in those techniques during their two-year residency.

The second is a child with special health care needs. Pediatric dentists complete formal training in working with patients who have developmental disabilities, medical complexity, or behavioral conditions that make standard dental visits hard. A pediatric office is often built around accommodating these patients.

The third is dental trauma in a very young child or a complex orthodontic issue requiring interceptive treatment before age 7. Pediatric dentists handle these regularly and often coordinate with an orthodontist on a treatment plan.

For routine cleanings, fillings on cooperative children, sealants, fluoride treatments, and standard preventive care, a family dentist who is comfortable with kids provides equivalent care to a pediatric dentist.

How do I choose a family dentist in Glenview, IL?

Choose a family dentist Glenview IL practice based on whether they treat all ages including young children, whether the dentists are private practitioners you will see consistently, and whether the office handles your specific needs around anxiety, insurance, and scheduling.

Picking a family dentist involves more than reading reviews. A few questions worth asking any Glenview practice before booking your first appointment:

• What age do you see children from? Some family practices welcome infants at age one. Others prefer to start kids at age 3 or older.
• Will the same dentist see my child every visit, or does the practice rotate associates? Continuity matters more than parents often realize, especially for anxious kids.
• Do you offer sedation options if my child needs more involved work? Practices that offer in-office oral sedation, like Nolan & Freund Dental Professionals' sedation dentistry program, can handle anxious children and adults without referring out.
• How do you handle insurance? Fee-for-service practices file claims for you but may not be contracted with every PPO network. Confirm whether your specific plan reimburses out-of-network and at what percentage.
• Do you treat teenagers in a way that feels age-appropriate? Some parents end up changing dentists at age 12 because their kid feels too old for a pediatric office decorated for toddlers. A family practice handles that transition without forcing you to switch providers.

The team at Nolan & Freund Dental Professionals has been serving Glenview families for over 60 years from their office at 3633 W Lake Avenue. Dr. Mike Nolan and Dr. Chad Freund see patients ranging from young children through retired adults, often in the same family on the same day.

"Most healthy kids without special needs do fine with a family dentist who likes treating children. The bigger question for parents is usually about continuity. Does your child get to know one dentist who follows them from their first visit through high school, or do they restart that relationship every few years? For most Glenview families, having a single practice that sees everyone is what works best long-term."

Dr. Chad Freund, DDS, Nolan & Freund Dental Professionals

Schedule a Family Dental Appointment in Glenview

If you're looking for a family dentist in Glenview, IL who can see your kids, your teens, and the adults in your household in one place, Nolan & Freund Dental Professionals welcomes new patients of every age. Call (847) 724-6222 or schedule online to set up an appointment for your family.