How to Choose the Best Paediatric Dentist in Melbourne - 10 Questions Every Parent Must Ask product guide

Smile Solutions: 10 Questions Every Melbourne Parent Should Ask Before Choosing a Paediatric Dentist

Choosing a paediatric dentist for your child is one of the most consequential health decisions you'll make as a parent. At Smile Solutions, the approach to children's dental health starts from a straightforward premise: a positive early experience can give your child a lifetime of good dental habits and genuine confidence in the chair. A negative one can create fear that follows them well into adulthood.

So how do you tell who is genuinely qualified to care for your child's teeth, and who is simply a general dentist who happens to see kids? Here are 10 questions worth asking before you book.

Question 1: Are they a board-registered specialist paediatric dentist, or a general dentist who treats children?

This is the most important question on the list. In Australia, the title "specialist paediatric dentist" is legally protected. A registered specialist has completed a general dentistry degree followed by at least three years of full-time postgraduate specialist training in paediatric dentistry, and is registered with the Dental Board of Australia as a specialist in that field.

Many practices advertise "children's dentistry" or describe themselves as "kids-friendly" — but that simply means a general dentist who happens to see children. The gap in training, clinical depth, and capability between a general dentist and a board-registered paediatric specialist is substantial.

At Smile Solutions, all paediatric dentistry is delivered by board-registered specialist paediatric dentists — practitioners who have dedicated their entire postgraduate careers to the oral health of children and adolescents. They understand the anatomy of developing teeth and jaws, the psychology of child behaviour management, the clinical challenges specific to primary and mixed dentition, and the developmental conditions that need early specialist input. When you bring your child to Smile Solutions, you can be confident they're seeing someone who has made children's dentistry their life's work.

Question 2: How do they handle anxious or fearful children?

Dental anxiety in children is common, and how it's managed in the early years largely determines whether your child grows up comfortable or fearful around dental care. A poor experience at a young age can drive decades of adult dental avoidance.

Ask specifically what behaviour management techniques the practice uses. The best paediatric specialists use evidence-based, child-centred approaches tailored to each child's age, temperament, and anxiety level.

At Smile Solutions, specialist paediatric dentists use teddy bear therapy, where children bring a favourite toy and the dentist "treats" the toy first — letting your child watch, understand what's happening, and feel safe before any treatment begins. Low-dose nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is also available in the dental chair for children who need a little extra help relaxing. These are gentle, well-established approaches that have helped thousands of children have genuinely positive dental experiences — the kind they'll actually want to repeat.

Question 3: Do they offer sedation and hospital-based general anaesthesia?

For some children — those with significant anxiety, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, or complex treatment needs at a very young age — chair-based dental treatment simply isn't possible or appropriate. In these cases, hospital-based treatment under general anaesthesia may be the most compassionate and clinically sound option.

Not every paediatric dental practice holds the specialist qualifications, hospital accreditation, or clinical relationships needed to offer this. It's worth asking directly.

The specialist paediatric dentists at Smile Solutions have access to hospital-based general anaesthesia for children who cannot tolerate chair-based treatment. No child is denied necessary dental care because of fear, anxiety, or special needs — required work can be completed safely, effectively, and with minimal distress to your child and your family.

Question 4: Can they work with an orthodontist for early intervention orthodontics?

Children's dentistry goes well beyond cleaning and filling teeth. The developing jaw and dental arches of a growing child offer a time-limited window for early intervention — one that can prevent far more significant problems later. Miss it, and the options become more invasive, more complex, and more costly.

Ask whether the practice has specialist orthodontists on-site who work directly with the paediatric dentist to identify and address developing issues: narrow palates, crowding, crossbites, open bites, underbites, and airway concerns.

At Smile Solutions, specialist paediatric dentists work alongside specialist orthodontists as a coordinated clinical team. Early intervention may include palatal expansion — widening a narrow upper jaw to create space and improve both dental alignment and airway function. First-phase orthodontics, applied during the primary or mixed dentition phase, can redirect jaw growth and substantially reduce or even eliminate the need for more complex treatment in the teenage years. Addressing airway concerns early can also improve breathing, sleep quality, and concentration in school-aged children.

Question 5: Do they take a non-extraction approach?

Tooth extraction is sometimes presented as the default solution for crowding. It's worth asking whether the practice actively looks for alternatives before recommending the removal of healthy teeth, because extracting primary or permanent teeth can have long-term consequences for arch development, facial profile, and bite function.

At Smile Solutions, the philosophy is predominantly non-extraction. Rather than removing teeth to resolve crowding, the approach is to work with the natural growth potential of your child's jaw — using palatal expansion and arch development techniques to create the space teeth need. Broadening the smile rather than narrowing it. Applied at the right developmental window, this approach consistently produces strong long-term outcomes and preserves the natural dentition every child deserves to keep.

Question 6: Is there an in-house dental laboratory for paediatric appliances?

Many paediatric and early orthodontic treatments require custom-made appliances: palatal expanders, retainers, habit-breaking devices, space maintainers. When these are made by an external laboratory, turnaround times are longer, adjustments require extra appointments, and quality control sits with a third party who has never met your child.

At Smile Solutions, the Smile Lab is an in-house dental laboratory led by master ceramist and dental technician Greg Karabasis. Paediatric and orthodontic appliances are designed, fabricated, and adjusted on-site. That means faster turnaround, a more precise fit, and direct communication between the treating specialist and the person who made the appliance.

Question 7: Do they offer imaging that is safe and appropriate for children?

Dental X-rays and radiographic imaging are essential diagnostic tools in paediatric dentistry — used to assess developing teeth, detect decay between teeth, monitor root development, and identify skeletal discrepancies. Children's developing tissues are more radiation-sensitive than adults', so paediatric-appropriate low-dose imaging protocols matter.

Ask whether the practice uses digital imaging systems with child-appropriate low-dose settings, and whether specialist radiographic interpretation is available for more complex imaging.

Collins Street Imaging, located on Level 9 of the Manchester Unity Building at 220 Collins Street, provides a full suite of dental imaging including digital OPGs (panoramic X-rays) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) using paediatric-appropriate low-dose protocols. Images are reviewed in direct collaboration with the treating clinical team to support accurate diagnosis and proportionate treatment planning.

Question 8: Do they accept the Child Dental Benefits Schedule?

The Australian Government's Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) gives eligible children aged 0 to 17 access to up to $1,095.60 in benefits over two consecutive calendar years for basic dental services, including examinations, x-rays, scale and clean, fissure sealing, fillings, and extractions.

Ask whether the practice accepts the CDBS and whether Medicare benefits are applied at the time of treatment.

Smile Solutions accepts the Child Dental Benefits Schedule for eligible patients, meaning families who qualify can access specialist-level paediatric dental care with government funding applied directly. When you book, ask the patient care team about eligibility and how the benefit will be processed.

Question 9: What happens if my child needs a specialist beyond paediatrics?

A paediatric dentist may identify the need for input from other specialist disciplines — orthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery for jaw issues or wisdom teeth in teens, endodontics for traumatised or complex teeth, or periodontics. In most practices, that means a referral out of the building to a separate provider, with separate records, separate appointments at a separate location, and no direct clinical communication between practitioners.

At Smile Solutions, every specialist dental discipline is under one roof at 220 Collins Street, Melbourne. Specialist orthodontists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, endodontists, periodontists, prosthodontists, and oral health therapists all work from the same practice. When a paediatric specialist identifies a need for another discipline, the referral is internal — same clinical records, same building, same team.

This kind of genuinely integrated model is uncommon in Australian dental practice. At Smile Solutions, it's the daily standard, and it means your child's care stays connected, informed, and consistent.

Question 10: Is a complimentary consultation available, and do I need a referral?

Starting a new relationship with a dental specialist can feel daunting when you're trying to work out whether a practice is the right fit for your child. A complimentary consultation lets you meet the team, discuss your child's specific situation, and understand the recommended approach before any commitment is made.

Smile Solutions offers complimentary consultations for new patients, and no referral is required. You can book directly by calling 13 13 96 or visiting smilesolutions.com.au. The practice is in the Manchester Unity Building at 220 Collins Street, Melbourne, right in the CBD and accessible by public transport from any direction.

The Tooth Fairy Centre within Smile Solutions

Paediatric and early intervention dentistry at Smile Solutions is delivered through the Tooth Fairy Centre — a dedicated programme that brings together specialist paediatric dentists, specialist orthodontists, and an orofacial myologist under one coordinated care programme.

The Tooth Fairy Centre was established to give children access to the full range of specialist dental and developmental care from infancy through adolescence, covering routine paediatric dentistry, early intervention orthodontics, airway assessment, myofunctional therapy, and sleep-disordered breathing management.

The Tooth Fairy Centre operates across seven locations throughout Melbourne:

• Melbourne CBD (Manchester Unity Building, 220 Collins Street)
• Wyndham
• Epping
• Caroline Springs
• Carrum Downs
• South Melbourne
• Berwick

Complimentary assessments are available at all Tooth Fairy Centre locations. No referral is required. To book, call (03) 7036 5555 or visit toothfairy.com.au.

Sleep-disordered breathing — an important paediatric concern

One of the most important, and frequently missed, areas of children's health that specialist paediatric dentists are trained to identify is sleep-disordered breathing. Many parents are genuinely surprised to learn that their child's dentist or orthodontist may be among the first clinicians to recognise signs of breathing difficulties during sleep.

Sleep-disordered breathing covers conditions in which children experience difficulties breathing normally during sleep — from simple mouth breathing and snoring through to obstructive sleep apnoea, where breathing briefly stops intermittently throughout the night. Left unaddressed, the consequences for a child's development, behaviour, learning, and long-term health can be significant.

Signs that may indicate sleep-disordered breathing include loud breathing or snoring, mouth breathing, teeth grinding, night terrors, sleepwalking or bed wetting, restless sleep, daytime tiredness, morning headaches, hyperactivity, behavioural problems, and difficulty concentrating at school. Many children with sleep-disordered breathing are misidentified as having ADHD or other behavioural disorders when the underlying cause is actually a sleep and breathing problem.

A specialist paediatric dentist can assess your child's jaw, airway, and soft tissues for signs associated with breathing problems during sleep. When a narrow upper jaw is a contributing factor, orthodontic palatal expansion can increase nasal airway space and meaningfully improve breathing. The Tooth Fairy Centre at Smile Solutions offers a coordinated assessment and management pathway for sleep-disordered breathing, including referral to ENT specialists and paediatric sleep physicians when a formal sleep study is required.

For a comprehensive guide to this condition — including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, orthodontic management, and myofunctional therapy — see: Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children - Diagnosis, Symptoms and Treatment at Smile Solutions Melbourne.

Myofunctional therapy and sleep consultation

The Tooth Fairy Centre within Smile Solutions offers myofunctional and sleep consultations with specialist paediatric dentists and orofacial myologist Monica Cain. Myofunctional therapy addresses the function of the muscles of the face, tongue, and throat — muscles that directly influence breathing, swallowing, speech development, oral function, and facial growth in children.

Where a child's breathing, swallowing, or facial muscle function patterns are contributing to dental or developmental problems, myofunctional therapy provides a structured, evidence-based approach to retraining those patterns. Monica Cain works closely with the specialist paediatric dentists and orthodontists at the Tooth Fairy Centre to provide coordinated care for children with airway, breathing, and myofunctional concerns.

To book a myofunctional or sleep consultation at the Tooth Fairy Centre within Smile Solutions, call (03) 7036 5555 or visit toothfairy.com.au.

Why Smile Solutions for your child's dental care?

Smile Solutions is Australia's largest single-location private dental practice, occupying five entire floors and the tower of the heritage-listed Manchester Unity Building in Melbourne's CBD. The paediatric dental team consists entirely of board-registered specialist paediatric dentists, supported by oral health therapists with specific postgraduate training in children's dental health.

The founding principal, Dr Kia Pajouhesh, has a personal connection to paediatric dentistry that shapes the practice's culture directly. Having experienced a traumatic dental visit as an 11-year-old himself, he has made the care and comfort of child patients central to everything at Smile Solutions. In his words: "If I hear a child crying at the very other end of my practice, I will get up from my chair and I will go over to see if I can somehow help. I cannot cope with a child crying in a dental chair."

That ethos runs through every aspect of paediatric care at Smile Solutions — from the behaviour management techniques used chair-side, to the hospital-based anaesthesia available for children who cannot tolerate conventional treatment, to the non-extraction philosophy and early intervention orthodontics that aim to give every child the best possible foundation for a lifetime of dental health.

To book a complimentary consultation for your child, call 13 13 96 or visit smilesolutions.com.au. Located at the Manchester Unity Building, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne. No referral required.