Dr. John Liu likes to see his patients by their first birthday. Liu is a pediatric dentist, who has been selected to receive the 2013 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s Pediatric Dentist of the Year Award, at a celebration May 26 in Orlando, Fla.

Liu graduated from dental school in 1986, but continued his education for two additional years in pediatric dental training. He said having children as patients requires behavior management skills to deal with the kids, and to have the ability to connect with children on all different levels. His youngest patients have been infants.

Some babies are born with one or two teeth, he said, which can cause problems for nursing mothers, but also for the newborn because the teeth are not strong and don’t have a strong root level. So, the teeth have to come out.

He said it’s important to establish good relationships with children and their parents.

“It starts with the moms and dads,” Liu said. “They must have good oral hygiene.”

Liu has no hard and fast rule as to when his patients should move on to adult oral care, but he said when they graduate from high school it’s time, although he’s had a patient who stayed on until he was a junior at UW.

“Usually they beg and beg to stay, even though it’s time to move on,” he said laughing.

Liu was the president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in 2010-2011. He is particularly proud of his work with the Ad Council, which produces public service campaigns for non-profit organizations and government agencies on issues such as improving preventive health. Liu helped shape an oral health campaign called 2min2x.org, which encourages kids to brush twice a day for two minutes. There will be public service announcements in addition to the web site.

Liu said the campaign cost $3.5 million. The American Dental Association, The Dental Trade Alliance and the American Academy of periodontology each contributed $1 million, with the other $500,000 coming from the AAPD. However, he said additional support is coming in so he and the other members of AAPD might not have to come up with the $500,000.

Liu said he has two children of his own, ages 10 and 12. Laughing, Liu said his partner takes care of their teeth so dad doesn’t have to do it.