Pediatric Dentistry

Dental disease is one of the most common reasons why children miss school, yet it is almost entirely preventable. Regular checkups at the dentist are an important part of a child's healthcare routine and can prevent serious concerns later on. The Pediatric Dental Center at Children's Hospital Colorado cares for all of your child's routine and complex dental needs.

About our Dental Center

More than 33,000 infants, children and teens visit the Dental Center each year for routine dental checkups and complex oral treatments. Dentists at Children's Colorado focus on providing care for all kids, including those with special needs, by creating care plans that include special behavioral requirements as needed for each child. Dentists provide care safely, effectively and appropriately to ensure the highest level of quality for every patient.

We happily accept almost all insurance plans including Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus. We also accept uninsured patients. We often work with other surgical services at Children's Colorado to coordinate care and minimize costs to families.

Why choose Children's Colorado for your child's dental care?

There is a difference between general dentists who treat children and pediatric dentistry specialists. The dental experts at Children's Colorado not only dedicate their time exclusively to working with children and teens, we strive to provide the most positive experience possible while at the dentist. All of our pediatric dentistry residents have completed dental school and many are practicing, fully licensed dentists who have chosen to undergo additional training in order to specialize in pediatric care.

Kid-friendly dental care

We understand that kids are not just small adults, and it's important that they have a dental experience designed for kids – one that is not scary and as pain-free as possible. Here's what makes our Dental Center a great choice for your child:

• Our facility was designed to be comfortable for kids with special kid-sized equipment and dentists who know how to communicate with nervous young patients.
• Because we know that kids have short attention spans, our dental staff is efficient at what they do in order to maximize time with each child.
• For more serious dental care, including anesthesia and surgery, you are in good hands with experts skilled in how these procedures can affect smaller bodies.
• Our team includes specially trained healthcare professionals called child life specialists to help children and teens cope with any stress or anxiety that may come with a visit to the dentist.
• We offer specialized care for toddlers, children with baby teeth and kids with special needs in our pediatric dental center, while our Healthy Smiles Clinic provides exclusive treatment for school-aged kids and teens up to 18 years of age.
• Education and prevention are essential to our mission, which is why we help parents and kids establish healthy routines that can prevent the need for future dental work.
• Cavity-Free at Three (CF3) is Children's Colorado's infant oral healthcare program that provides preventative dental care to children under the age of 3. The CF3 program is made possible by a generous grant from Delta Dental Colorado.

Learn more about what to expect and how to prepare your child for a dental visit.

Comprehensive dental services and urgent dental care

To provide the most comprehensive and highest quality care possible, we offer the following services in our dental center:

• Infant oral health exams
• Oral health consultations
• Preventive treatments, including sealants, fluoride varnish applications, and oral hygiene instructions
• Contemporary restorative care options
• Limited oral surgery
• Laser treatments
• Early (phase 1) orthodontics  
• Comprehensive oral rehabilitation under general anesthesia
• Sedation for mildly anxious and fearful children (only available at the Health Pavilion)
• Oral protection for sports (mouth guards)
• Consultation with other medical specialties
• Care for patients with special healthcare needs

Urgent and walk-in dental care

Walk-in and urgent pediatric dental care is available Monday through Friday at various times. Please call 720-777-6788 for details.

Just like going to an emergency room, we will evaluate all patients' urgent needs and see those with the most severe or significant issues first. Only toothaches with swelling and/or bleeding, as well as physical trauma to the teeth and/or face are considered dental emergencies. Any other condition or situation (for example a minor toothache, broken or lost fillings) is not considered an emergency and requires a scheduled appointment.

If your child is experiencing swelling, bleeding, fever, inability to eat or severe pain, the Emergency Department at Children's Colorado is available for after-hours dental emergencies.

Contact us

To contact our dental services at our Health Pavilion or North Campus locations, please call 720-777-6788.

Patient forms

• Download new patient forms in English (.pdf) and Spanish (.pdf)
• Request release of dental records - English (.pdf)
• Request release of dental records - Spanish (.pdf)
• Provider referral form (.pdf)