Business Details
31 Years
experience
Emergency
services
Your Child's Healthy Smile Starts Here
First Impressions is a specialized pediatric dental and orthodontic practice dedicated to nurturing confident smiles through expert, compassionate care. Since 1995, we have served Wisconsin families with a focus on prevention, education, and innovative treatments tailored to children of all ages and abilities. Our team of board-certified pediatric dentists and orthodontists brings decades of combined experience, advanced training, and a deep understanding of children's unique needs. We prioritize creating a stress-free, child-friendly environment where kids feel empowered and parents feel supported.Our integrated approach combines dental, orthodontic, and oral surgery services under one roof, ensuring seamless care coordination. We specialize in inclusive dentistry for children with special needs, utilizing adaptive techniques and specialized training to provide personalized care. From routine checkups to complex procedures, our mission is to instill lifelong oral health habits while making every visit a positive experience. We emphasize early intervention, preventive care, and community engagement, offering educational programs and sponsorships to support families beyond the clinic walls.
Services
Pediatric Dentistry
Orthodontics
Frenectomy
Oral Surgery
Preventative Care
Restorative Care
Dental Emergencies
Special Needs Dentistry
Invisalign
Braces
Details
- Year established: 1995
Highlights and features
- Specialized pediatric dentists with decades of experience
- Comprehensive dental and orthodontic care under one roof
- Inclusive services for children with special needs
- Child-friendly environment promoting independence and comfort
- Focus on preventive care and early intervention
What people say
Fantastic team
Kids love visiting
Individualized care
Stress-free experience
Special needs expertise
Services
Pediatric Dentistry
Our pediatric dentistry services focus on preventive, restorative, and emergency care for infants to teenagers. We emphasize early dental education, gentle cleanings, and treatments like fillings and crowns. Our child-friendly approach reduces anxiety while ensuring lifelong oral health habits through personalized care tailored to each developmental stage.
Orthodontics
We offer comprehensive orthodontic solutions including traditional braces, Invisalign, and early intervention treatments. Our specialists create customized alignment plans to correct bite issues and straighten teeth. Services include diagnostic 5D scans, treatment for crowding/spacing issues, and ongoing adjustments to guide optimal dental development in children and teens.
Frenectomy
Our laser frenectomy procedure addresses tongue-tie and lip-tie conditions affecting feeding, speech, and dental development. Using advanced technology, we perform quick, minimally invasive corrections with immediate functional improvements. This service benefits infants struggling with breastfeeding and children experiencing speech or dental alignment challenges due to restricted oral tissues.
Oral Surgery
Our oral surgery services include extractions, impaction treatments, and biopsies performed with child-focused sedation options. We address complex cases like bone grafting and fistula closures using advanced imaging techniques. The Wausau location offers same-day consultations and procedures performed by board-certified oral surgeon Dr. Marie Cineus.
Special Needs Dentistry
We provide specialized dental care for children with autism, Down syndrome, and other developmental conditions. Our team has additional training in behavioral adaptation techniques and sensory-friendly environments. Services include customized treatment plans, extended appointments, and collaboration with families to ensure comfortable, accessible oral healthcare experiences for children with unique needs.
People
Dr. Marie Cineus
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Dr. Cineus completed her Oral and Maxillofacial residency at Gundersen Health Systems after graduating from Meharry Medical College. She specializes in bone grafting, extractions, and sedation dentistry at our Wausau location, bringing advanced surgical expertise to Wisconsin families.
Dr. Maggie Chicka
Pediatric Dentist
With extensive experience in pediatric oral care, Dr. Chicka focuses on creating positive dental experiences for young patients. She emphasizes preventive strategies and early intervention to establish lifelong oral health foundations through compassionate, child-centered treatment approaches.
Dr. John Clifford
Orthodontist
Dr. Clifford specializes in pediatric orthodontic treatments including Invisalign and traditional braces. He develops customized alignment plans using advanced diagnostic technology to correct bite issues and create beautiful, functional smiles for growing patients.
Questions
How can I ease my child's dental fears?
We recommend explaining the dentist's role positively, avoiding negative language, using children's books about dentists, and praising bravery during visits.
What special needs dentistry services do you offer?
Our staff has specialized training to care for children with autism, Down syndrome, and other conditions through adaptive techniques and sensory-friendly environments.
When should children have their first dental visit?
We recommend the first visit by age one or within six months of the first tooth erupting to establish preventive care foundations.
Do you handle dental emergencies?
Yes, we provide prompt care for toothaches, injuries, and urgent dental issues with compassionate treatment to quickly relieve discomfort.
What orthodontic options are available?
We offer traditional braces, Invisalign, early intervention treatments, and customized alignment plans using advanced diagnostic technology for optimal results.
