Every child gets special treatment every visit as we promote prevention, deliver compassionate care, and build lifelong healthy habits
Be With Your Child
Parents are welcome and encouraged to join their child during treatment if they would like to.
Only In Emergencies
Dr. Matt will only use a papoose wrap with consent of the parent and in true dental emergencies such as extraction/s of infected teeth where the child needs to remain absolutely still.
Pediatric Dental Treatments
We focus on education, prevention, and essential pediatric dental solutions.
Infant & Toddler Exams (0-3 Years)
Children should visit the dentist within 6 months of the eruption of their first tooth or by their 1st birthday. Infants and toddlers are seen in a knee-to-knee position where the child remains safely on their parent’s lap and is laid-back into Dr. Matt’s lap for the duration of the exam. The cleaning and fluoride application are performed in this position as well. Once the exam is completed, Dr. Matt will review his findings with the parents as well as provide an educational foundation for basic oral hygiene instructions (toothbrushing and flossing tips), dietary recommendations, and other key concepts for ensuring your child has the best chance possible of never getting a cavity or gum disease. If you are a parent of an infant or toddler, be prepared to learn at your child’s dental visit because Dr. Matt believes parental education is one of the most important factors in ensuring children have healthy mouths and smiles as he firmly believes parents are their children’s best dentist!
Children Exams (4 and up)
Regular visits include X-rays, cleaning, an exam, oral hygiene instructions, and fluoride application. Parents are encouraged to be present during the exam as Dr. Matt will review his findings with you as well as recommendations for improving your child’s oral health.
Healthy Smile Habits
As your child grows, we focus on prevention and education to ensure their smile remains healthy. Our goal is to help children learn and develop consistent oral hygiene habits.
Prophylaxis (Teeth Cleaning)
During their regular six-month appointment, your child will experience a gentle and thorough cleaning to help prevent cavities and promote overall oral health.
Tooth Colored Fillings
When necessary, we use composite fillings with a tooth-colored resin to fill in cavities. As a result, fillings blend in naturally.
Dental Sealants
A plastic coating can be professionally applied to prevent cavities by sealing the grooves in the chewing surfaces. These grooves are where 9 out of 10 of our cavities occur. Dental sealants are easy to apply and can provide years of protection.
Dental Crowns
While Dr. Matt offers steel crowns and traditional white crowns, when possible, he delivers Zirconia crowns for a healthy, aesthetically pleasing, and metal-free alternative to traditional stainless-steel crowns. Zirconia is a biocompatible material that is extremely durable and was developed for use in pediatric patients.
Silver Diamine Fluoride
FDA approved and recommended by the World Health Organization, we use silver diamine fluoride (SDF) to aid in the management and prevention of oral health issues. The silver component of SDF acts by killing the cavity-causing-bacteria upon contact and the fluoride component works to harden and fortify the remaining tooth structure.
Dental Emergencies
If you are unsure if the pain your child is experiencing requires immediate attention, please call us.
Tooth Extractions
When a tooth has decay, disease, trauma, or may impede normal oral development, we remove the tooth.
Space Maintenance
When space is left behind by a lost baby tooth, we utilize a customized space maintainer to ensure your child’s permanent teeth have adequate room to create a healthy smile.
Desensitization Visit
When applicable, we encourage the family to attend a desensitization appointment as a “meet and greet” consultation to allow the child to experience the dentist in a non-threatening first meeting and prepare for their upcoming dental appointment. There is a fee for this visit.
Nitrous Oxide
Children who have mild behavioral and cooperation concerns, we can use Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to help with reducing the gag reflex and level of anxiety.
Dental Treatment at the Hospital
When necessary, Dr. Matt treats complex dental issues including full mouth rehabilitation at Kona Community Hospital with a medical team using general anesthesia.
Digital X-rays
No more painful bitewings. Digital x-rays are painless and provide crystal clear images without chemicals or increased radiation exposure.
“amazing with kids”
Amazing staff and environment overall! Dr. Matt is amazing with kids and very thorough on explaining how to keep our little babies teeth healthy and what to look out for! Appreciate you guys so much!
We can’t wait to meet you
Call (808) 698-0380 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.