Every August the Countryside Mall parking lot fills with families buying shoes and backpacks, and every September our phones fill with parents who realized the dental checkup never made it onto the list. If you live in the Countryside neighborhoods of north Clearwater, the 33759 and 33761 zips, around the mall, the country club, or out toward Safety Harbor, our office at 1651 Rainbow Dr is one straight run down Sunset Point Rd, about 10 to 15 minutes away. This guide covers the three things we are asked about most at back-to-school time: checkups, sealants, and sports mouthguards, plus how to get the whole family seen in one trip. The easiest way to start is to book a $99 new patient visit for anyone in the household who has not been here before.
Why a Checkup Before the School Year
Summer is hard on teeth: more snacks, more sports drinks, looser routines. A checkup and cleaning before school starts catches small cavities while they are still small and means you are not pulling a child out of class in October for a toothache that could have been a quick filling in August. We recommend most patients, kids included, visit every six months; late summer and winter break works well for many Countryside families.
A child's visit here is paced for a child. Dr. Cannady examines the teeth, gums, and bite and tracks how the adult teeth are coming in. Our hygienist cleans gently, applies fluoride to strengthen developing enamel, and coaches on brushing in terms kids actually follow. Nervous kids, and nervous parents, are common and welcome; visits move at your child's pace. If you have a toddler who has never been seen, the guideline is by the first birthday or within six months of the first tooth; our post on when a child should first see a dentist explains what that short first visit looks like.
Sealants: Who Needs Them and When
Most childhood cavities start in the deep grooves on the chewing surfaces of the back molars, where a toothbrush bristle physically cannot reach. A sealant is a thin coating painted into those grooves that blocks food and bacteria from settling in. The timing is tied to tooth eruption: the first adult molars arrive around age 6, and the second set around age 12, so those are the two windows when we typically recommend sealing them. Application takes a few minutes per tooth, involves no drilling or numbing, and is checked at every checkup afterward. It is one of the quietest, highest-value things we do in children's dentistry.
Sports Mouthguards That Actually Stay In
If your child plays soccer, football, hockey, lacrosse, basketball, or does gymnastics, a mouthguard belongs on the back-to-school list next to the cleats. The boil-and-bite guards from the sporting goods store are better than nothing, but they are bulky, they make it hard to talk and breathe, and kids spit them out between plays, which is exactly when a stray elbow lands. A custom-fitted mouthguard is made from an impression of your child's teeth, so it is thinner, stays put, and gets worn. It also protects orthodontic work if your teen is in braces or aligners. Ask about one at the checkup.
Orthodontic Checks Happen Here Too
You do not need a separate orthodontist appointment to find out whether your child will need braces. Dr. Cannady does an orthodontic evaluation by age 7 as part of routine checkups and keeps monitoring as the adult teeth come in. When the time is right, Invisalign for teens is handled in this same office, with compliance indicators so parents can see the aligners are actually being worn. Our article on Invisalign for teens covers what Clearwater parents ask most.
One Trip for the Whole Family
The reason Countryside families choose a family dentist over a pediatric-only office is logistics. Dr. Cannady sees kids from the first visit through the teen years, plus parents and grandparents, and he is the only dentist here, so your child sees the same face every time. We book back-to-back block appointments so a family of four can be examined and cleaned in a single trip down Sunset Point Rd instead of four separate afternoons. Morning appointments tend to work better for young children, and we can usually line up siblings consecutively.
We are honest about scope, too. Dr. Cannady is a general dentist who cares for children as part of complete family care; if a child ever needs highly specialized pediatric treatment, we coordinate a referral to a trusted specialist.
Directions and Paying for It
From the Countryside Mall area at US 19 and SR 580, head south on US 19 and west on Sunset Point Rd; our office sits just off Sunset Point in north Clearwater, with free parking at the door. From the Countryside Country Club and Landmark Dr neighborhoods it is often closer to 10 minutes. Our Countryside patient page has more on what we offer north-side neighbors. We file claims for all PPO dental plans and give you a written price before any treatment, and families without dental insurance can ask about enrolling household members in the Healthy Patient Membership Plan, which covers two cleanings, two exams, annual X-rays, and an emergency exam per member for $420 a year, plus 10% off any treatment. The 30-second request form on the $99 new patient page gets the first appointment on the calendar before the school year gets away from you.
Back-to-School Dental Questions from Countryside Parents
How far is Cannady Dental from Countryside Mall?
About 10 to 15 minutes. From US 19 and SR 580, head south on US 19 and west on Sunset Point Rd; our office at 1651 Rainbow Dr sits just off Sunset Point in north Clearwater, with free parking.
At what age do kids get dental sealants?
Typically around age 6, when the first adult molars arrive, and again around age 12 for the second molars. Sealants are painted into the grooves of the chewing surface in a few minutes with no drilling or numbing.
Are custom sports mouthguards worth it compared to boil-and-bite?
A custom guard is made from an impression of your child's teeth, so it is thinner, stays in place, and actually gets worn during play. It also protects braces or aligners. Boil-and-bite guards are bulky and often end up spit out between plays.
Can my kids and I be seen on the same day?
Yes. We book back-to-back block appointments so kids, parents, and grandparents are seen in one trip, and Dr. Cannady is the only dentist here, so everyone sees the same face every visit.
When should my child have an orthodontic evaluation?
By age 7, and we do it as part of routine checkups rather than a separate orthodontist visit. If treatment is needed later, Invisalign for teens is handled in the same office.
Do you take dental insurance for kids' checkups?
We file claims for all PPO dental plans and give you a written price before any treatment. Families without insurance can enroll members in the Healthy Patient Membership Plan, $420 per year per member, which covers two cleanings, two exams, annual X-rays, and an emergency exam plus 10% off treatment.
About the Author
Dr. Christopher Cannady is a general dentist and a graduate of the Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine, with more than 500 hours of advanced training in implants, full-mouth rehabilitation, Invisalign, sedation, and occlusion therapy. He is active in the American Dental Association, the Florida Dental Association, and the Academy of General Dentistry, and he personally sees every patient at every visit at Cannady Dental, 1651 Rainbow Dr, Clearwater. Questions? Call or text (727) 441-3523 or send us a message.