Okay, we admit it. Here at nwaMotherlode.com, we’re a tad picky when it comes to websites because we spend so much of our day-to-day work life on the 
Web. When we visit a company’s website, we want it to be REALLY easy to use, fun to look at and also have valuable info to offer in addition to basic info about the company. We, along with thousands of other local moms, rely on websites to get quick info while we’re on our computers, smartphones or tablets.
So we have to give a huge A+ to Smile Shoppe (formerly known as Northwest Arkansas Pediatric Dental Center) because their new online home is beautiful! They really knocked it out of the park by creating a site that’s not only easy to navigate, it’s also FULL of really helpful info that all moms can use to get answers about their kids’ teeth — everything from what drinks to avoid to protect your kids’ teeth to emergency info like what you should do if your child has an accident that knocks out a permanent tooth.
Here’s a list of some of our favorite features:
The Smilestones: The Smilestones area of the website breaks it down into age groups so you can read the topics that are most relevant to your child’s age. For example, for kids in the 6 to 12-year-old age group, there’s info on mouth guards for sports, and in the 3 to 5-year-old age group, you can read about how thumb sucking and pacifiers might affect your child’s teeth. Click here to see more.
The News Links: We’re self-admitted research nerds, so we love it when a company’s website also includes the latest research in their chosen field. In the “News” category of the Smile Shoppe’s site, we found an interesting article about sports and energy drinks. The article says that the high acidity in these types of drinks can erode the glossy outer layer of teeth, and it’s becoming an irreversible problem particularly for adolescents. Click here to see that report.
The Kid Playhouse: We give bonus points to any website that helps keep the kids entertained, so kudos to this one for including free printable coloring and activity sheets plus online games embedded right into the site. It’s a great perk. Click here to see more.
The Staff Info: We like it when a website gives off the same kind of vibe that you find once you walk through a business’ doors. This one helps us get to know the three doctors at the Smile Shoppe as well as the staff. Judging by the photo on the right (inspired 
by the Despicable Me movie), it’s obvious the people at Smile Shoppe know how to have a little fun with kids, even the ones who are nervous about a trip to the dentist’s office.
All the dentists at this clinic — Dr. Jeffrey Rhodes and Dr. Emily Fourmy are board certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.
Congrats to the Smile Shoppe for creating a great website that can also be a helpful resource for local moms! We’re proud to have you as sponsors here at nwaMotherlode.com!
