We start with what you’ve noticed
A dark spot, a sore tooth, brushing battles at bedtime, or simply turning one. Mention your child’s age and why you’re booking, and we’ll set aside the right amount of time.
Children’s dentist in Mindarie
Children's Dentist in Mindarie
Some parents ring the week the first tooth pokes through. Others realise their four-year-old has never been and feel a bit guilty about it. Both are fine. We suggest a first visit by the first birthday, or when the first tooth appears, and early visits are short: a look at the teeth, a few minutes getting used to the chair, and brushing tips you can use that night. The waiting area has toys and kids’ TV, which helps with the nerves.
From first tooth to teens
What will my child’s visit actually be like?
We see children from their first tooth through to their teens, for check-ups, cleans, fluoride, brushing help and small fillings when they’re needed. Most children come back about every six months, which is often enough for the room and the faces to start feeling familiar.
Your child is in on the conversation
Your dentist or oral health therapist explains what they’re doing in words your child understands, then shows you both how to brush. Fluoride is offered, and we check whether the back teeth would benefit from fissure sealants once they come through.
Bulk billed under CDBS, if eligible
Eligible children are bulk billed under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, within their benefit limit. How to check your child’s balance is in the cost section below.
When you ring
Worth mentioning when you ring
A sentence or two is plenty. It helps us book the right length of visit, with the right person.
Say so, along with their age and anything you’re wondering about teeth, brushing or diet. A first visit is mostly a gentle look and a chat.
Before anything’s done
Will they need a filling at the first visit?
Usually not. Most first visits are about getting to know your child and seeing how their teeth are coming along. If all looks well, it’s a check, perhaps a clean and fluoride, and an SMS or email reminder when the next one’s due in about six months.
Your dentist checks your child’s teeth before suggesting anything. You’ll hear what was found, what can be watched and whether another visit is needed.
Your child’s appointment
The visit, step by step
We start with you and your child, then follow what we find. Each step is explained to your child before it happens, and they’ll learn a simple hand signal that means “stop, please”.
Ringing to book
Mention your child’s age, the reason for the visit, any pain or swelling, their medical history and whether CDBS might apply. If you’re new, come a little early for the forms.
A chat first
Your dentist or oral health therapist asks what you’ve noticed, talks about brushing and snacks, and answers your questions and your child’s. Dr Maddi Sheppard and our oral health therapist Rachael both have a particular interest in children’s dentistry.
A look at the teeth and gums
We check the teeth and gums we can see, and suggest X-rays only if they’re needed. Not every child needs an X-ray, a clean or fluoride on the day.
Before you head home
You’ll hear what needs doing, what can be watched, what to practise at home and what should bring your child back sooner. If treatment is suggested, you’ll know the cost and the other options before you agree.
At home
Brushing, snacks and bedtime bottles
Start brushing as soon as the first tooth appears. Use a smear of fluoride toothpaste until age 3, then a pea-sized amount. Keep helping until your child can do a proper job on their own, and start cleaning between teeth once two of them touch.
Water between meals does a lot of the work. Keep sweet drinks and snacks to mealtimes where you can, and don’t put a baby or child to bed with a bottle of milk, formula, juice or anything sweet.
If your child plays a sport where a knock is likely, read about custom mouthguards and book a fit check before the season starts. After a knock to the mouth, call us promptly. Heavy bleeding, bad swelling, or trouble breathing, speaking or swallowing needs medical help straight away: call 000 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Cost and CDBS
Will CDBS cover my child’s visit?
Eligible children aged 0–17 can get up to $1,158 of basic dental care over two consecutive calendar years (the cap current for 2026). Check your child’s eligibility and balance in your Medicare online account, bring their Medicare card, and mention CDBS when you book. No CDBS? We accept private health fund claims too, and our payment options page sets out other ways to pay.
Book an AppointmentCDBS eligibility and balance
Services Australia’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule page sets out who’s eligible, what’s covered and how the benefit works.
Health funds and DVA cover
We’re a preferred provider for Bupa Members First, HCF and nib First Choice, and we accept HBF. What you get back depends on your child’s cover and limits. Eligible DVA cardholders are welcome too.
Making the booking
Book online or call (08) 9407 7888. Mention your child’s age, why you’re coming in, any pain or swelling, and whether you’re using CDBS.
Where to find us
We’re at 1/6 Rothesay Heights, Mindarie WA 6030. Doors open at 8am Monday to Saturday, closing at 6pm Monday to Thursday, 5pm on Friday and 1pm on Saturday, so a before-school or Saturday-morning visit is easy to fit in.
Also for families
Other visits your child might need
Worth a read, depending on what comes up:
Questions patients ask
What parents ask us
Straight answers for parents, from first teeth to sports mouthguards. If your child is in pain, has swelling or has had a knock, don’t read on: call (08) 9407 7888.
By their first birthday, or when the first tooth appears, whichever comes first. After that, most children come every six months or so. If you spot pain, swelling or a dark patch, or your child has had a knock, there’s no need to wait for a birthday: call us.
Let us know beforehand what’s worrying them, and whether anything has made the dentist hard in the past. Your dentist will use words your child understands, keep the first visit short if that helps, and stop when they need a break. A favourite toy from home is welcome to come too.
Sources:
Usually not. Most first visits are a chat about your child’s health, a look at the teeth and gums, and tips on brushing and food, with X-rays only if needed. If something does need treating, your dentist explains it first, and you decide together when to do it.
Yes. Early decay often doesn’t hurt, and six-monthly visits catch it while it’s small. A visit is also a good time to ask about thumb-sucking, dummies, snacks, or how the adult teeth are coming through.
Call us promptly with what you’re seeing, whether that’s pain, swelling, fever, a bad taste, a broken tooth or an injury, and when it started, and ask for a same-day assessment. Trouble breathing, speaking or swallowing, or severe swelling around the mouth or neck, needs emergency care: call 000 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Begin when the first tooth arrives, with a small, soft brush and fluoride toothpaste: a smear until age 3, a pea-sized amount after that. Most kids need a hand until they can brush well on their own, and cleaning between teeth starts once two teeth touch. Bring their toothbrush to the next visit and we’ll show you the technique.
Yes, in the right amount for their age: a smear under 3, and a pea-sized blob from 3. At the visit, we can also put fluoride on the teeth and check whether fissure sealants would help protect the back ones. Not every child needs both, so we’ll say what suits yours.
For eligible children aged 0–17, Services Australia says CDBS can cover part or all of basic services such as examinations, X-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals and extractions. Item limits and your child’s remaining balance still apply, so not every service is covered. Ask us what applies before treatment is booked.
When your child is eligible, the service is covered and there’s enough benefit left, we bulk bill it, so there’s nothing to pay. You’d pay something if the service isn’t covered, your child isn’t eligible or the benefit has run out. The cap current for 2026 is $1,158 over two consecutive calendar years. Check the balance before the visit and bring your child’s Medicare card.
Don’t count on it. CDBS covers basic dental services and has its own exclusions and limits. Ask us, and check with Services Australia, before relying on it for a custom sports guard.
Their Medicare card and any CDBS details, their medical history, a note of any medicines or allergies, their current mouthguard if they have one, and your questions. If you’re new to us, come a little early for the forms.
At training and at games, for any sport where a knock could hurt the teeth, mouth or jaw. That’s the Australian Dental Association’s advice. Bring the guard to check-ups so we can see whether it still fits as your child grows, and come in sooner if it’s loose, damaged or uncomfortable.
Treat it as urgent and call us. Hold the tooth by the white part, never the root. If it’s dirty, rinse it briefly in milk, or under cold running water for no more than 10 seconds. Push it gently back into the socket and have your child bite on a clean cloth, or keep it in milk, never water. Get to a dentist straight away, because every minute counts. If you’re not sure it’s an adult tooth, don’t put it back. Call 000 for heavy bleeding or trouble breathing.
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