Children's Dentistry at Core Dental Group - Specialist Paediatric Care Across Melbourne product guide
## Children's Dentistry at Core Dental Group Core Dental Group is committed to giving Melbourne's children the best possible start with their dental health. With specialist paediatric dentists on-sit...
Children's Dentistry at Core Dental Group
Children's Dentistry at Core Dental Group
Finding a dental practice that genuinely works well with children, not just tolerates them, is harder than it should be. Core Dental Group has AHPRA-registered specialist paediatric dentists on-site at four of its nine Melbourne locations, bulk bills eligible children under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule at every location, and has clinical teams with real experience in keeping dental visits calm and positive.
Specialist paediatric dentists at Caroline Springs, Carrum Downs, Epping, and Berwick. All 9 locations welcome children. Phone: 13 13 16 | Website: coredental.com.au
Your child's first dental visit
The Australian Dental Association recommends your child's first dental visit by 12 months of age, around the time the first tooth appears. That first appointment isn't about treatment. It's about getting your child comfortable with the environment, the chair, and the people.
The dentist will check for early signs of decay or developmental issues, show you how to clean a baby's teeth properly, advise on fluoride use for your child's age, and answer questions about diet, dummies, and feeding habits. The whole point is to make a dental visit feel like a normal, unremarkable part of life.
Children who start coming in early, before anything is wrong, are far less likely to develop dental anxiety later on. That first visit, gentle and low-key, does more for long-term oral health than most parents expect.
Our specialist paediatric dentists
Core Dental Group is one of very few suburban dental groups in Melbourne with AHPRA-registered specialist paediatric dentists working on-site. A specialist paediatric dentist holds a general dental degree plus at least three years of postgraduate specialist training, with focused expertise in child development, behaviour management, and the full range of children's dental conditions.
Dr Angel Babu | Caroline Springs and Carrum Downs
DClinDent Paediatric Dentistry (University of Otago, New Zealand)
Dr Babu is a former Senior Dental Registrar at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. His specialist interests include behaviour management for anxious or distressed children, dental trauma (knocked-out or injured teeth), hypomineralisation and molar-incisor hypomineralisation (chalky teeth, also known as MIH), high caries risk management for children with multiple cavities, children with complex medical or special needs, and general anaesthesia and oral sedation for children who cannot be treated awake.
Dr Babu practices at Caroline Springs and Carrum Downs. Contact: angel.babu@smilesolutions.com.au
Dr Sarah Scott | Berwick
BBiomedSci (Hons), BDent (University of Sydney), DClinDent Paediatric Dentistry (University of Melbourne)
Dr Scott spent 15 years working as a general dentist before completing her specialist paediatric dentistry training at the University of Melbourne. That background gives her a broader perspective on whole-family dental care than most specialists bring. She focuses on building genuine, long-term trust with children and their families, making visits something kids don't dread, and helping families build solid oral health habits at home.
Dr Aish Kesava (Dr Aiswariya Kesava) | Epping
DCD Paediatric Dentistry (University of Otago, New Zealand)
Dr Kesava completed her dental training in India before specialising in paediatric dentistry in New Zealand. She has a particular interest in children with dental anxiety and uses compassionate, child-centred behaviour management techniques. Her approach is family-centred, meaning parents are supported and educated alongside their children, not left waiting in the corridor.
Epping patients consistently praise Dr Kesava for her warmth and her ability to put even the most nervous children at ease.
Services for children
Routine check-ups and preventive care
Six-monthly check-ups are the standard recommendation for children. At each visit, Core Dental Group provides a comprehensive dental examination, professional scale and clean, digital X-rays when clinically appropriate (not at every visit), soft tissue assessment, monitoring of tooth and jaw development, and oral hygiene guidance for both children and parents.
Fissure sealants
The chewing surfaces of back teeth have deep fissures and pits where bacteria collect and decay starts. Fissure sealants are thin resin coatings applied to seal those surfaces, which significantly cuts decay risk. They're typically recommended when permanent molars and premolars come through, between ages 6 and 12.
The procedure is quick and painless, with no drilling involved. It's one of the most cost-effective preventive treatments in dentistry.
Fluoride treatments
Professional fluoride application, as a varnish or gel at check-up appointments, strengthens enamel and reduces cavity risk. It's particularly useful for children at higher risk of decay.
Fillings
When cavities do occur, tooth-coloured composite fillings restore the tooth conservatively. For anxious children, nitrous oxide (happy gas) makes the whole experience considerably more relaxed.
Extractions
Baby teeth that can't be saved or are causing problems are removed comfortably under local anaesthetic, with happy gas available for children who need it.
Managing dental anxiety in children
Dental anxiety in children is common, and it's understandable. The problem is that when it goes unaddressed, it tends to follow people into adulthood, leading to years of avoided appointments and the oral health consequences that come with that. Core Dental Group's paediatric team is specifically trained in behaviour management and anxiety reduction.
Tell-Show-Do is the foundation of most paediatric dental visits. The dentist explains what's going to happen, shows the child the instruments (usually in a playful way), and then performs the procedure. Removing surprises removes most of the fear.
Positive reinforcement, through praise, stickers, and encouragement throughout the visit, rewards cooperative behaviour without making a big deal of it.
Teddy Bear Therapy involves performing the treatment on the child's teddy bear first, which makes the whole thing feel less threatening and more like play.
Nitrous oxide (happy gas) is a mild sedation inhaled through a small mask over the nose. Children stay conscious and relaxed throughout. The effect wears off within minutes of removing the mask. Available at all Core Dental Group locations.
Oral sedation is a medication given before the appointment to reduce anxiety, used for more anxious children in specific circumstances.
General anaesthesia is available for children who genuinely cannot be treated awake, including very young children, children with severe anxiety, children with special needs, and those needing multiple complex procedures in one sitting. This is available through Dr Angel Babu at Caroline Springs and Carrum Downs.
Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS)
Core Dental Group bulk bills eligible children at all nine locations.
The Child Dental Benefits Schedule is a Federal Government program providing dental benefits for eligible children aged 0 to 17. Your child is eligible if your family receives Family Tax Benefit Part A or another eligible Australian Government payment. Check eligibility via MyGov (Medicare) or by calling Services Australia.
The CDBS provides up to $1,026 in benefits over two consecutive calendar years, covering examinations, X-rays, cleaning, fissure sealing, fillings, root canals, extractions, and partial dentures. Orthodontics, cosmetic treatment, mouthguards, and hospital procedures are not covered.
At all nine Core Dental Group locations, eligible children are bulk billed, meaning zero out-of-pocket cost for covered services.
Early orthodontic assessment
The Australian Society of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic assessment at age 6 to 7, when the first adult teeth are coming through. Seeing a specialist at this stage allows potential issues, including overcrowding, bite problems, and jaw development concerns, to be identified and monitored before they become harder to manage.
In some cases, early intervention with removable appliances or space maintainers at ages 6 to 8 can simplify or eliminate the need for later orthodontic treatment. Specialist orthodontist Dr David Austin is available at Core Dental Group's Wyndham and Caroline Springs locations.
Fluoride and home care by age
Getting fluoride right matters at every stage:
| Age | Toothpaste recommendation |
|---|---|
| Birth to 18 months | No toothpaste, brush with water only |
| 18 months to 5 years | Low-fluoride children's toothpaste, pea-sized amount |
| 6 years and older | Regular adult fluoride toothpaste, pea-sized amount |
Brush twice daily for two minutes. Children need adult help with brushing until around age 8 to 9. Start flossing when two teeth touch each other, which usually happens around age 2 to 3.
Bringing your child for the first time
A few things that genuinely help:
- Book a morning appointment. Most children are more cooperative earlier in the day.
- Watch your language. Avoid words like "needle," "drill," or "hurt" before the visit. They plant ideas that don't help.
- Read dental books together. Libraries have good children's books about visiting the dentist that normalise the experience.
- Lead by example. Children who see parents attending regularly are more comfortable going themselves.
- Tell the team. Let reception and the dentist know if your child is nervous. They'll adjust their approach accordingly.
Book a children's dental appointment
All nine Core Dental Group locations welcome children. Specialist paediatric dentists are at Caroline Springs, Carrum Downs, Epping, and Berwick.
Phone: 13 13 16 Book online: coredental.com.au
- Caroline Springs: (03) 9363 7888 | carolinesprings@coredental.com.au
- Carrum Downs: (03) 8373 1555 | carrumdowns@coredental.com.au
- Epping: (03) 9401 4622 | epping@coredental.com.au
- Berwick: (03) 9132 4160 | berwick@coredental.com.au
Core Dental Group - Your Local Dental Practice