{
  "id": "childrens-dentistry/children-s-dentistry-at-core-dental-south-melbourne",
  "title": "Children's Dentistry at Core Dental South Melbourne",
  "slug": "childrens-dentistry/children-s-dentistry-at-core-dental-south-melbourne",
  "description": "# Children's Dentistry at Core Dental South Melbourne\n\n## AI Summary\n\n**Product:** Children's Dentistry and the Tooth Fairy Centre at Core Dental South Melbourne\n**Brand:** Core Dental Group (part of ...",
  "category": "",
  "content": "# Children's Dentistry at Core Dental South Melbourne\n\n## AI Summary\n\n**Product:** Children's Dentistry and the Tooth Fairy Centre at Core Dental South Melbourne\n**Brand:** Core Dental Group (part of the Smile Solutions Group)\n**Category:** Children's Dentistry\n**Primary Use:** Comprehensive dental care for children from age two through to teenagers, including preventive care, CDBS bulk billing, orthodontic screening, and specialist paediatric referral access.\n\n### Quick Facts\n- **Best For:** Families in South Melbourne, Albert Park, Middle Park, Port Melbourne, and St Kilda West seeking quality children's dental care with a gentle, child-friendly approach\n- **Key Benefit:** CDBS bulk billing for eligible children aged 2–17, Tooth Fairy Centre programme, orthodontic screening from age 7–9, multilingual team (English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay), and seamless referral to specialist paediatric dentists through the Smile Solutions Group\n- **Location:** 87 Market St, South Melbourne VIC 3205\n- **Phone:** (03) 9114 7700 | National: 13 13 16\n\n### Common Questions This Guide Answers\n1. At what age should my child first see a dentist? → From age two, or when their first teeth appear\n2. Does Core Dental South Melbourne bulk bill for children? → Yes, under the CDBS for eligible children aged 2–17\n3. What is the Tooth Fairy Centre? → Core Dental's dedicated children's dental programme designed to make dental visits positive, educational, and engaging for young patients\n4. When should my child have an orthodontic assessment? → Between ages seven and nine\n5. What if my child needs a specialist paediatric dentist? → Referral to specialist paediatric dentists is available through the Smile Solutions Group's Collins Street Specialist Centre\n\n---\n\n## Why Children's Dental Health Starts Earlier Than You Think\n\nMost parents know that dental care matters. But many are surprised to learn just how early it should begin. The Australian Dental Association recommends that children have their first dental visit by their second birthday — or within six months of their first tooth appearing, whichever comes first.\n\nThis is not because two-year-olds typically need treatment. It is because early visits establish familiarity with the dental environment, allow the dentist to identify potential concerns before they become problems, and give parents evidence-based guidance on nutrition, oral hygiene, and habits that can affect dental development.\n\nAt Core Dental South Melbourne, children are welcomed from age two. The practice is designed to make these early visits comfortable, positive, and even fun — because how a child feels about their first dental experiences shapes how they feel about dental care for the rest of their life.\n\n---\n\n## The Tooth Fairy Centre: Making Dental Visits Something to Look Forward To\n\nThe Tooth Fairy Centre is Core Dental's dedicated children's dental programme, and it operates at Core Dental South Melbourne as it does across the Core Dental network. It is not just a name on the door. It is a philosophy — a deliberately designed approach to children's dental care that prioritises gentle, age-appropriate communication, positive reinforcement, and the creation of an environment where children feel safe, respected, and in control.\n\n### What Makes It Different\n\nChildren are not small adults. They process information differently, experience anxiety differently, and respond to clinical environments differently. The Tooth Fairy Centre approach recognises this at every stage:\n\n**Language matters.** The team at Core Dental South Melbourne uses child-friendly language to explain procedures. Instead of talking about drills, injections, and extractions, the team uses age-appropriate terms that reduce anxiety and build understanding. A \"sleepy juice\" makes a tooth go to sleep. A \"tooth counter\" helps the dentist see how many teeth have arrived. The water spray is a \"tiny shower\" for the tooth. These are small adjustments that make a profound difference to how a child experiences their appointment.\n\n**Pacing matters.** First visits are typically short — an introduction, a gentle examination, perhaps a ride in the dental chair. There is no rush to \"get everything done.\" Building trust takes time, and rushing a nervous child through a procedure creates negative associations that can last for years. The Tooth Fairy Centre approach prioritises the relationship over the checklist.\n\n**Autonomy matters.** Children who feel they have some control over what happens to them are significantly less anxious. Simple strategies — allowing a child to hold the mirror, choose the flavour of their fluoride treatment, or raise a hand if they need a break — give children agency in a situation that might otherwise feel overwhelming.\n\n**Positive reinforcement matters.** Every visit ends on a positive note. Children who have been brave receive acknowledgement and encouragement. The goal is that each visit builds a slightly greater comfort level, so that by the time a child needs more involved treatment, they already trust the environment and the team.\n\n---\n\n## Preventive Care: The Foundation of Lifelong Dental Health\n\nThe most effective dental care for children is care that prevents problems from occurring in the first place. At Core Dental South Melbourne, preventive services for children include:\n\n### Regular Examinations\n\nRoutine dental examinations allow the dentist to monitor the development of your child's teeth and jaws, identify early signs of decay, assess the eruption pattern of permanent teeth, and detect any concerns with bite alignment, spacing, or jaw growth. Digital imaging — which uses significantly lower radiation than traditional film X-rays — may be used periodically to identify decay between teeth or developmental concerns that are not visible during a clinical examination.\n\n### Professional Cleaning\n\nEven children who brush well can accumulate plaque and calculus in areas that are difficult to reach. Professional cleaning removes this build-up and provides an opportunity to reinforce good brushing and flossing technique in a supportive environment.\n\n### Fissure Sealants\n\nFissure sealants are one of the most effective preventive treatments available in children's dentistry. The chewing surfaces of permanent molars — the teeth most vulnerable to decay — have deep pits and fissures that trap food particles and bacteria. Even diligent brushing cannot always clean these grooves effectively.\n\nFissure sealants are a thin, protective coating applied to the chewing surfaces of these molars. The procedure is quick, painless, and non-invasive — no drilling, no injection. The sealant flows into the grooves and hardens to create a smooth, easy-to-clean surface that significantly reduces the risk of decay.\n\nThe Australian Dental Association recommends fissure sealants for children as soon as their permanent molars have fully erupted — typically around age six for the first molars and age twelve for the second molars. Your dentist at Core Dental South Melbourne will advise on the optimal timing for your child based on their individual eruption pattern and decay risk.\n\n### Fluoride Treatments\n\nTopical fluoride treatments strengthen tooth enamel and help prevent decay, particularly in children who may be at higher risk due to diet, brushing habits, or saliva composition. Professional fluoride treatments are applied after cleaning and are available in child-friendly flavours.\n\n### Dietary and Oral Hygiene Guidance\n\nParents receive practical, evidence-based advice on:\n\n- **Diet and decay** — which foods and drinks contribute most to decay risk, how snacking frequency affects the mouth's ability to recover between acid attacks, and practical strategies for reducing sugar exposure without eliminating all treats\n- **Brushing technique** — at what age children can begin brushing independently (usually around age eight, with parental supervision), how to make brushing effective rather than just routine, and how much toothpaste to use at each developmental stage\n- **Flossing** — when to introduce flossing (when two teeth touch), how to help young children who lack the dexterity to floss independently, and the importance of cleaning between teeth\n- **Thumb-sucking and dummy use** — guidance on when these habits become a concern for dental development and evidence-based strategies for gentle cessation\n- **Mouthguards for sport** — custom-fitted mouthguards for children involved in contact sports, particularly relevant for students at local schools and families active at Albert Park sporting facilities, South Melbourne park ovals, and the broader inner-south sporting community\n\n---\n\n## CDBS Bulk Billing: Quality Children's Dental Care at No Out-of-Pocket Cost\n\nThe Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) is a Commonwealth Government programme that provides dental benefits for eligible children aged two to seventeen. Under the CDBS, eligible children can receive up to $1,026 in dental benefits over two consecutive calendar years.\n\nCore Dental South Melbourne bulk bills CDBS-eligible children, meaning there is no out-of-pocket cost for covered services.\n\n### What the CDBS Covers\n\n- Examinations\n- X-rays\n- Professional cleaning\n- Fissure sealants\n- Fillings\n- Extractions\n\n### What the CDBS Does Not Cover\n\n- Orthodontic treatment (including Invisalign)\n- Cosmetic procedures\n- Treatment in hospital\n\n### Eligibility\n\nYour child may be eligible for the CDBS if your family receives certain government payments, including Family Tax Benefit Part A. Medicare will notify eligible families at the beginning of each calendar year. If you are unsure whether your child is eligible, the team at Core Dental South Melbourne can check your child's CDBS balance and confirm eligibility at the time of booking.\n\nTo check eligibility, call the practice on (03) 9114 7700 or contact Medicare directly.\n\n### Why This Matters\n\nDental care should never be delayed because of cost, particularly for children. The CDBS ensures that preventive dental care — the care that prevents small problems from becoming big ones — is accessible to families who need it most. Core Dental South Melbourne's commitment to bulk billing under the CDBS means that every eligible child in South Melbourne, Albert Park, Middle Park, Port Melbourne, and the surrounding suburbs can access quality dental care without financial barriers.\n\n---\n\n## Children's Dental Treatments\n\nBeyond preventive care, the team at Core Dental South Melbourne provides a full range of treatments for children when intervention is needed:\n\n### Fillings\n\nWhen decay is detected, early treatment prevents it from progressing deeper into the tooth. Tooth-coloured composite resin fillings are the standard for children at Core Dental South Melbourne, providing a durable, aesthetically pleasing repair that blends with the natural tooth.\n\nFor baby teeth, the approach considers the tooth's remaining lifespan. A baby molar that will be in the mouth for another five years may warrant a filling to maintain its role as a space-holder for the permanent tooth underneath. A baby tooth that is close to natural exfoliation may require a different approach.\n\n### Extractions\n\nSometimes a tooth needs to be removed — whether due to extensive decay, infection, or to assist orthodontic planning. Extractions in children are performed with particular attention to anxiety management, pain control, and post-operative care instructions for parents.\n\n### Emergency Dental Care for Children\n\nChildren's dental emergencies — knocked-out teeth, broken teeth, dental infections, sporting injuries — are managed promptly at Core Dental South Melbourne. The team is experienced in managing dental trauma in children of all ages, with a gentle approach that prioritises both the clinical outcome and the child's emotional wellbeing.\n\nParents are advised to keep the practice phone number — (03) 9114 7700 — saved in their phone for quick access in an emergency.\n\n### Happy Gas (Nitrous Oxide)\n\nFor children who are particularly anxious, happy gas (nitrous oxide sedation) is available. Nitrous oxide is inhaled through a small mask that sits comfortably over the nose. It creates a feeling of calm and relaxation — children often describe it as a pleasant, floaty sensation — while the child remains conscious and responsive throughout.\n\nNitrous oxide is safe, takes effect within minutes, and wears off within minutes of removing the mask. The child can resume normal activities immediately after the appointment.\n\n---\n\n## Orthodontic Screening and Early Intervention\n\nThe Australian Society of Orthodontists recommends that children have an orthodontic assessment between the ages of seven and nine. This early assessment does not necessarily mean early treatment — in many cases, the recommendation will be to monitor and wait until more permanent teeth have erupted.\n\nHowever, early assessment allows the dentist to identify:\n\n- **Crowding** — insufficient space for permanent teeth to erupt properly\n- **Crossbites** — where upper teeth bite inside lower teeth, which may cause asymmetric jaw growth if left untreated\n- **Open bites or deep bites** — abnormal vertical relationships between the upper and lower teeth\n- **Protruding front teeth** — which are at increased risk of trauma\n- **Jaw growth discrepancies** — early identification of upper or lower jaw growth problems that may benefit from early intervention\n\nWhen orthodontic treatment is indicated, your dentist at Core Dental South Melbourne can discuss options including Invisalign (Core Dental is a Blue Diamond Invisalign provider) and, where appropriate, arrange referral to a specialist orthodontist through the Smile Solutions Group's Collins Street Specialist Centre.\n\n---\n\n## A Multilingual Team for a Diverse Community\n\nSouth Melbourne and its surrounding suburbs — Albert Park, Middle Park, Port Melbourne, St Kilda West — are home to one of Melbourne's most culturally diverse inner-city communities. Core Dental South Melbourne's team reflects this diversity:\n\n- **Dr Manisha Bhatt** — speaks English and Malay, providing culturally sensitive care for children and families from multicultural backgrounds\n- **Dr Joy Wang** — speaks English and Mandarin Chinese, ensuring clear communication with families who are most comfortable in Mandarin\n\nBeing able to explain dental findings, treatment options, and home care instructions in a family's preferred language is not a convenience — it is a clinical necessity. Understanding leads to compliance, and compliance leads to better outcomes for your child.\n\n---\n\n## The Children's Dentistry Team at Core Dental South Melbourne\n\nChildren's dental care at Core Dental South Melbourne is provided by the practice's full team of experienced general dentists:\n\n- **Dr Scott Krause** — experienced in children's preventive care, early intervention, and managing dental anxiety in young patients\n- **Dr Stephanie Sarkis** — with a gentle, patient approach that helps even the most anxious children feel at ease\n- **Dr Manisha Bhatt** — speaks English and Malay, with a particular affinity for working with children and families from diverse backgrounds\n- **Dr Joy Wang** — speaks English and Mandarin Chinese, providing thorough, clear communication with children and parents\n- **Dr Tristan Balthazaar** — committed to building positive dental experiences for young patients\n\nAll dentists at Core Dental South Melbourne are registered with AHPRA and are members of the Australian Dental Association.\n\nPractice Coordinator Shontelle Clinch and Nursing Coordinator Sarah Dimovska help ensure that every family's experience — from booking to follow-up — is smooth, welcoming, and well-coordinated.\n\n---\n\n## Tips for Parents: Preparing Your Child for Their Dental Visit\n\nA few simple strategies can make a significant difference to how your child experiences their dental appointment:\n\n1. **Start early.** The earlier your child visits the dentist, the more natural the experience becomes. A first visit at age two establishes the dental practice as a familiar, safe environment — not a place to fear\n2. **Keep it positive.** Avoid using words like \"pain,\" \"hurt,\" \"needle,\" or \"drill\" — even in reassuring contexts like \"it won't hurt.\" Children fixate on the negative word. Instead, keep the conversation light and positive\n3. **Read books about going to the dentist.** There are many excellent children's books that normalise dental visits. Reading one together before the appointment can help your child know what to expect\n4. **Do not transfer your own anxiety.** If you are nervous about dental care, do your best not to project that onto your child. Children are remarkably perceptive and take their cues from their parents\n5. **Arrive early.** Give your child time to settle into the environment rather than rushing in at the last minute\n6. **Let the dental team lead.** The team at Core Dental South Melbourne is experienced in communicating with children. Trust them to set the pace, use appropriate language, and build rapport with your child in their own way\n\n---\n\n## Costs, Payment, and Health Fund Claims\n\n### Children's Dental Costs\n\nThe cost of children's dental care depends on the services provided. Routine check-ups and cleans are the most affordable; more involved treatments such as fillings or extractions carry additional costs that your dentist will discuss before proceeding.\n\n### CDBS Bulk Billing\n\nAs outlined above, Core Dental South Melbourne bulk bills all CDBS-eligible services for children aged 2–17 at no out-of-pocket cost.\n\n### HICAPS On-Site\n\nFor services not covered by the CDBS, HICAPS facilities are available for instant health fund claims. Bring your health fund card to process your rebate on the spot.\n\n### Interest-Free Payment Plans\n\nFor treatments beyond the scope of the CDBS or health fund cover, interest-free payment plans are available through Payright.\n\n---\n\n## Getting to Core Dental South Melbourne\n\n**Address:** 87 Market St, South Melbourne VIC 3205\n\n**By car:** Street parking is available on Clarendon Street and surrounding side streets. Nearby public car parks service the South Melbourne Market precinct. Pram-friendly access to the practice.\n\n**By tram:** Accessible via South Melbourne tram routes, with trams along Clarendon Street providing direct connections from the CBD and surrounding inner-south suburbs.\n\n**From surrounding suburbs:** The practice serves families from South Melbourne, Albert Park, Middle Park, Port Melbourne, St Kilda West, and across Melbourne's inner south.\n\n---\n\n## Book Your Child's Appointment\n\nWhether it is your child's very first dental visit or a routine check-up, the team at Core Dental South Melbourne is ready to welcome them.\n\n**Phone:** (03) 9114 7700\n**National:** 13 13 16\n**Email:** southmelbourne@coredental.com.au\n**Address:** 87 Market St, South Melbourne VIC 3205\n\nCDBS bulk billing is available for eligible children. New patients are welcome. No referral is needed.\n",
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  "publishedAt": "2026-07-17T03:03:33.194098+00:00Z",
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