Your Smile

Our goal is to help you feel comfortable with every oral health decision you make by developing a deep sense of TRUST in our practice — and, by understanding the difference between dental "musts, shoulds, and coulds."

A LIFETIME of sound oral health begins with early preventative care and education. One of the best ways to ensure this is to help your children and teens develop a great relationship with their family dentist. There are basic, obvious lessons to be learned about tooth care. But, don't forget that children and teens are becoming increasingly aware and sensitive about their appearance. The condition of their smile can have a tremendous impact on their developing self image.

As a family dentist, Dr. Stephen Ratcliff knows the attention that is needed to oral health at each stage of life. Family dentistry with Dr. Ratcliff brings together dental expertise with caring and understanding for the individual. You can trust Dr. Ratcliff with all your family dentistry needs and in doing so you will build a strong foundation for lifelong happy and healthy smiles.

• Regular check ups with the family dentist should begin before a child's third birthday.
• Dentists are often the first to see signs of Bulimia. Sometimes a dentist's counsel goes farther than parents' when it comes to subjects like soda pop consumption or tongue piercing.

• Extensive orthodontics are often prevented by an alert family dentist, e.g. space retainers maintain important space in early tooth loss.
• Sealants are a liquid plastic applied to chewing surfaces to prevent decay—especially in hard-to-reach places children neglect.
• Understanding the causes of bad breath ensures lifelong prevention.

• A teen's smile is so important to their self image. Even subtle smile enhancements can make a world of difference.
• Teeth whitening is a safe, affordable boost to socially-conscious teens.
• Studies show that athletes who wear custom mouth guards have 60% fewer injuries to their teeth, lips and gums.

Your healthy smile can last a lifetime

In the Fort Worth and Arlington TX area, contact the expert family dentist, Dr. Stephen Ratcliff, using the form or other contact information at the left. Ask for a family dentistry consultation and learn how Dr. Ratcliff can partner with you for lifelong oral health for your entire family.