Specialist Dental Services

Paediatric Dentist

Paediatric dentists are specialists who look after the dental health of children, from infancy through to the teenage years.

It's important to take care of your oral health from any early age to prevent future problems occurring. Kids dentists guide children’s dental growth and development and help avoid future dental problems.

What is a Paediatric Dentist?

A paediatric dentist is a dental specialist focused on the oral health of children from infancy through adolescence. They provide preventive care to help control dental health early, often starting as young as 6 months old, to ensure a healthy future smile.

Trained in childhood development and behaviour, paediatric dentists make a child’s first dental visit positive and comfortable. Paediatric dentists continue their education with an additional two to three years or more of training, including anaesthesia, pharmacology and child physiology, which allows them to provide the most up-to-date and thorough treatment, for a wide variety of children's dental problems.

Difference between a dentist and a paediatric dentist

Dentistry for kids has been around for hundreds of years. It is an extremely important part of dentistry as it sets children up for good oral health from an early age.

The difference between a paediatric dentist and a general dentist is a general dentist will treat patients of all ages with routine dental care. Paediatric dentists are trained to treat children with anxiety, disabilities and other special needs. They are also trained to use oral and general anaesthesia for children. They will provide an individualised treatment tailored specifically for each child

Many people choose to get their children started with a kids dentist from a young age to make sure their dental health is taken care of early and help prevent future issues.

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Need to know

Appointments

  • Regular appointments at least once each year
  • Appointments may be needed more frequently depending on the treatment needed for each child

How long it takes

  • Annual appointments will usually take around 30 minutes to 60 minutes
  • For appointments involving treatment, the appointment time may be slightly longer

You may be asked about

  • Your dental history and medical history
  • Your oral health care routine at home

Before your appointment

  • No special preparation needed

After your appointment

  • You will be able to carry on as normal unless undergoing complex treatment and your paediatric dentist advises otherwise

Quick tip

It's so important to take care of your oral health from a young age. We recommend visiting a paediatric dentist as young as 6 months old, or as soon as the first teeth appear.

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Have questions?

In New Zealand, children who meet the eligibility criteria for publicly funded health are entitled to free basic oral health services from birth until their 18th birthday. Some treatments will also be funded. This doesn't include orthodontic treatment such as braces. If you are unsure if a specific treatment is covered for your child, talk to your dentist.

Learn more about free teen dental. 

Paediatric dentists are specifically trained in working with children and taking care of their oral health. It's important to take your child to a paediatric dentist early. It's beneficial for a child’s future oral health and can help detect and prevent future issues from occurring.

Children should visit the dentist by their first birthday or after their first tooth appears which could be as early as six months old. Early visits help monitor dental development, prevent problems, and teach good oral habits from the start.

Children who visit a paediatric dentist often switch to a regular dentist at the age of 18. This is the age publicly funded healthcare stops in New Zealand. However, some people will change to a different dentist earlier, however.