Children's dentist in Toowoomba
Gentle, positive dental visits that help kids build healthy habits from their very first check-up — with kids' visits capped at $130, or bulk billed under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule for eligible families.
When should my child first see a dentist?
The Australian Dental Association recommends a first dental visit by the time the first tooth appears or by a child's first birthday — whichever comes first. That first visit is mostly about getting comfortable: a look in the mouth, a chat about feeding, dummies, thumb-sucking and toothpaste, and a chance for your child to sit in the chair, count their teeth and leave thinking the dentist is fun. From then on, we'll recommend a check-up interval that suits your child — usually every six months.
Already past that milestone? That's completely fine. Whatever your child's age and whatever's going on in their mouth, there's no lecture here. We start from today and make a plan.
What a children's check-up includes
Kids' visits are shorter and gentler than adult appointments, and we adapt everything to the child in the chair. A typical visit includes:
Examination
We check every tooth for early decay, look at how the jaws and bite are developing, and keep an eye on how and when the adult teeth are coming through.
Gentle clean & fluoride
A clean and polish with a fluoride treatment to strengthen enamel — explained as "tickling the teeth" for the little ones.
Brushing coaching
We show your child (and you) how to brush and floss properly for their age, using our big tooth model so it sticks.
X-rays when needed
Only when there's a clinical reason — for example, to check between back teeth for hidden decay. Never routinely.
If treatment is needed — a filling, a small extraction for a wobbly baby tooth that won't let go — we explain it to you first, then to your child in language they understand, and we take it at their pace.
If your child's new adult molars have come through chalky, soft or discoloured, that has a page of its own: chalky teeth — what causes it, what can be done at each stage, and the timing that matters if a molar ever can't be saved.
If a whole check-up is too much: our four visits
Not every child can manage a full appointment straight away, and being told to "just try" rarely helps. So we split the whole thing into four short visits and let your child work through them at their own speed.
You book the one that fits your child today. There is no passing or failing, and you can go back a step any time. Every visit is with Amber, our oral health therapist, who has a special interest in preventive care for children — same person, same room, every time.
1. Hello visit
10 minutes · $45, or bulk billed under the CDBS for eligible families.
Walk in, sit in the chair, ride it up and down, look at the light, touch the tools, hear the noises. Nothing goes in the mouth — even if your child seems happy to do more.
2. Counting visit
10 minutes · $45, or bulk billed under the CDBS for eligible families.
A small mirror goes in and we count every tooth out loud, then try the air and water squirter. No cleaning yet.
3. Check and clean visit
30 minutes · $130 capped, or bulk billed under the CDBS for eligible families.
Everything from the counting visit, plus a brush or polish and a fluoride treatment. This is a full check-up and clean.
4. Fixing visit
30–40 minutes depending on what is needed · fee quoted in writing first, or bulk billed under the CDBS for eligible families.
Numbing gel, an injection, and the filling or treatment your child needs.
Most families come about once a month. Some children are ready for a check and clean visit after three goes, some after fifteen — both are completely normal. We repeat a visit until it is boring, because boring is exactly what we are aiming for.
We never do more than the visit you booked. Even if your child is going brilliantly, we stop where we said we would stop and book the next one up. That way the name of the appointment always means what it says.
Which visit should I book?
Answer these about your child on an average day — not their best day.
- Will they walk into the room and sit in the dental chair on their own?
- Will they let someone put a small mirror in their mouth and look all the way round?
- Will they let someone brush or polish their teeth in the chair?
- Have they had an injection at the dentist and coped with it?
Now count how many you answered yes to:
- None — book a Hello visit.
- One — book a Counting visit.
- Two — book a check and clean visit.
- Three or four — book a normal check-up and clean.
If you are unsure, go one lower. No child has ever been upset by an appointment that turned out to be easier than expected. Call us on 07 4635 1444 and we will work it out with you on the phone.
Happy gas: a Hello visit comes first
Happy gas (nitrous oxide) only works if a child can wear a small mask over their nose, breathe through their nose and stay reasonably still. The gas doesn't create those things — it needs them to already be there.
That's why we can't tell you over the phone whether happy gas will suit your child, and why we won't book it as a first appointment. Every child does a Hello visit first, so we can see how they go with the chair and the mask. Ten minutes in the room tells us more than any phone call, and it costs $45 or is bulk billed under the CDBS for eligible families.
Where happy gas is suitable, it's $97 per appointment in addition to the treatment fee. Our dental anxiety page explains how it feels and what to expect.
Putting a mask on a child who isn't ready for it usually makes the next visit harder rather than easier, which is why we do it in this order.
What does a children's dental visit cost in Toowoomba?
Children aged 1–17 have their check-up and clean capped at $130, so you always know the cost before you book. The shorter Hello and Counting visits are $45 each. If your child is eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), their visits are bulk billed with Medicare — no out-of-pocket cost for covered services, up to the scheme's two-year cap. Eligibility depends on your family receiving certain Centrelink payments; call us on 07 4635 1444 with your child's Medicare number and we'll check for you in a minute or two.
Our CDBS bulk billing page covers eligibility, the two-year cap and what happens if the balance runs out, and our plain-English CDBS guide explains how to make the most of it. Full fees are on the pricing guide.
Autistic, ADHD and sensory-sensitive kids
Same four visits, same pace — what changes is everything we put around them. Dimmed lights, no polishing paste, a stop signal your child controls, and the words your child uses rather than ours. Often it simply means more Hello visits before the rest, and that is not a delay — that is the treatment.
Read how we run dental visits for autistic and neurodivergent children, including what to tell us before you arrive.
Nervous kids (and nervous parents)
Children pick up on how we feel. If your child is anxious — or you are, because of your own past experiences — tell us when you book. Our whole practice is built around judgement-free care for anxious patients, and that goes double for kids. There's a lot you can do at home beforehand too: read how to help an anxious child at the dentist for what to say, and what not to say, before the visit.
When we suggest something different
We won't push. If a child isn't ready, we stop and book another visit at the same level for as long as it takes. But building confidence isn't always the right answer, and we'll tell you honestly when we think it isn't.
If your child needs a lot of treatment, having it done under general anaesthetic in one appointment is often kinder than working through many short ones. And if we think a paediatric dentist is the right person, we'll say so and refer you — they have training and facilities we don't. Either way we'll talk it through with you first, so you won't turn up to find the plan has changed without you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stay with my child during the appointment?
Yes — we encourage it, especially for younger children and first visits. Your child can sit on your lap in the chair if that helps. Some older kids do better on their own; we'll follow your lead.
Does my child need a diagnosis to book a Hello visit?
No. The four visits are for any child. If your child finds the dentist hard, you can book a Hello visit without explaining why.
What if my child won't get out of the car?
Then that was the visit. Call us and we'll book the next one. It happens more often than you'd think, and nobody here is surprised by it.
Can I book my child's visit with my own?
Absolutely. Back-to-back family appointments are easy to arrange — just mention it when you book. Many parents book their own check-up and clean at the same time.
Do baby teeth really matter if they fall out anyway?
Yes. Baby teeth hold space for the adult teeth, help with speech and chewing, and decay in them can be painful and spread to the adult teeth developing underneath. Looking after them is worth it.
Is my child eligible for the CDBS?
Eligible children are aged 0–17 and in a family receiving certain government payments, such as Family Tax Benefit Part A. The quickest way to find out is to call us with your child's Medicare number and we'll check on the spot. The full rules are on our CDBS bulk billing page.
What if my child needs more than a check-up?
We'll explain what we've found and your options before anything is done, with a written quote. Simple treatment is usually done here; if a child needs something beyond what we can comfortably provide in the chair, we'll refer you to a paediatric dentist and explain why.
Book your child's visit
Book online or call us on 07 4635 1444 — and if you'd like us to check CDBS eligibility first, just ask. Related pages: CDBS bulk billing · Chalky teeth · Autistic & neurodivergent kids · CDBS guide · Helping an anxious child · Check-up & clean · Pricing guide