Honest answers, written by Dr. Patel and the team. None of the wishy-washy "every child is unique" stuff — we'll tell you what the evidence actually says.
We're in-network with Delta Dental, Cigna, MetLife, BCBS, UnitedHealthcare, and Humana. We accept (out-of-network) most other major plans and will file the claim for you. Call us with the front and back of your insurance card and we'll run a benefits check before your visit — usually within an hour.
We accept Minnesota Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare for kids under 21. There's no copay for covered services. We accept up to 30 new Medicaid families per quarter to keep our schedule sustainable for those families — call us, and we'll let you know if there's an opening.
Our cash prices are listed on the services page. A first visit is $145 cash. Cleanings are $98. Fillings are $210–340 depending on tooth. We also offer a $28/month family membership that covers two annual cleanings, x-rays, and 15% off any restorative work for one child (each additional child $14/mo).
Usually because your benefits maxed out, your deductible wasn't met, or a code wasn't covered the way the front desk thought it would be. Tina (our insurance lead) will walk through the EOB with you line by line — call her directly. We don't believe in surprise billing and will work with you on any genuine error.
The two sedation options we use — nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation — are extensively studied and considered very safe for children when administered by trained pediatric dentists in an office setting. Nitrous is exhaled within minutes; oral sedation is short-acting. We follow the AAPD/AAP joint sedation guidelines, monitor pulse oximetry and heart rate continuously, and have full pediatric emergency equipment and training on hand. That said: most kids don't need sedation. We try without first.
Yes — all three dentists are PALS-certified (Pediatric Advanced Life Support), recertified every two years. All hygienists and assistants are BLS-certified. We do quarterly emergency drills.
For most kids: bite-wing x-rays once a year, panoramic only when there's a specific reason. Our digital sensors deliver about 80% less radiation than traditional film. The dose from a year of bite-wings is roughly equivalent to two days of natural background radiation.
For most kids, yes. Fluoride varnish twice a year is the single most evidence-backed cavity-prevention tool we have. The amount applied to a 4-year-old's teeth is far below any concerning systemic dose. If you'd prefer to opt out, we'll skip it without judgment — just tell us at intake.
The current AAPD guidance: a smear (rice-grain size) of fluoride toothpaste from the eruption of the first tooth, increasing to a pea-size around age 3. The benefit is well established; the risk of fluorosis at this dose is minimal.
Honestly? Yes, for the teeth. Gummies stick in molars for hours. Liquid or chewable-tablet vitamins are kinder. If you're using gummies, please give them at mealtime, not as a between-meal snack, and brush after.
Juice in any form is the #1 cause of cavities we see in kids 1–4. AAP recommends no juice under age 1, very limited (4 oz) under 3. The night-time bottle is the bigger issue — milk pooled in the mouth all night is what creates the catastrophic decay we sometimes see at age 2–3 ("baby bottle tooth decay"). Wean off the night bottle by 12 months when you can.
Usually around 6 months, but anywhere from 4 months to 12 months is normal. The bottom front two come in first, almost always. If your child has no teeth by 14 months, mention it at the visit but it's still usually fine.
By around age 3. The order: bottom centrals → top centrals → top laterals → bottom laterals → first molars → canines → second molars. Don't worry about the order — they sometimes show up out of sequence and it doesn't matter.
The first permanent molars usually erupt behind the baby teeth around age 6, often without anyone noticing. Then bottom centrals fall out and permanent ones come in. Most kids finish this transition between ages 11 and 13.
Common and almost always fine. The new permanent tooth pushes the baby tooth out from behind. If a permanent tooth is visibly coming in behind a stubborn baby tooth ("shark teeth"), give it 6–8 more weeks. If it's still there, we can wiggle it out painlessly.
Two minutes, twice a day. We recommend the parent brushes (or "checks the spots") until age 7 or 8 — kids' fine motor skills aren't there before then, even if they insist they've got it. Use a kid-sized soft-bristle brush.
Yes — once any two teeth are touching. Floss picks are easier. Once a day is fine. The cavities we see most are between molars, exactly where flossing prevents them.
Probably not before age 3. After age 3, prolonged pacifier or thumb sucking can affect the bite. The bite often self-corrects in the first 6 months after stopping. Don't stress; do plan to phase it out by 4.
Two things that actually work: (1) brush together, side by side, in front of a mirror — kids mirror what they see. (2) Let them brush yours first, then you brush theirs. The reciprocity flips the power dynamic. We have a list of dentist-approved brushing-game ideas at intake.
Call us, message us, or write it on the new-patient form. We answer every parent question that comes in — usually within a business day.