Get expert preventive dentistry in Laguna Niguel for all ages at Kidz Modern Dentistry. We help keep teeth healthy with professional cleanings, sealants, and dedicated education to prevent cavities and maintain healthy smiles. Visit us or book online today!
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90% less radiation than traditional X-rays for your child's safety
Safe nitrous oxide and sedation options for anxious children.
Specialized care for children with autism, ADHD, and other needs
Reserved emergency slots available every day for urgent care. We speak Spanish and Farsi.
Preventive dentistry is the practice of caring for your child’s teeth and gums before problems have a chance to develop. Rather than waiting until a cavity needs filling or a tooth starts hurting, it focuses on regular checkups, protective treatments like fluoride and sealants, and daily habits at home that keep small issues from becoming bigger ones.
At Kidz Modern Dentistry in Laguna Niguel, Dr. Lida Pishbin and Dr. Solmaz Shir provide preventive care for children from their first tooth through the teen years. Every visit includes time with parents to explain what the dentist found and build a prevention plan that fits your child.
Real families sharing their experiences with our pediatric dental care.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of children have had cavities in their baby or permanent teeth by age 9. Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic conditions in school-age children, and it is also largely preventable with consistent care.
Many parents wonder whether baby teeth really need professional attention, since they eventually fall out. They do. Baby teeth hold space for the permanent teeth, support speech development, and let children chew comfortably. Problems in baby teeth can also affect the permanent teeth developing beneath them, which is why the first visit is recommended by age 1.
For families coming from communities like Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, or Laguna Hills, all appointments take place at the Laguna Niguel office on La Paz Road.
The cleaning removes plaque and hardened tartar from the teeth, especially along the gumline, where even careful brushing at home cannot reach once tartar has formed. The teeth are then polished to remove surface stains and leave the enamel smooth.
During the exam, the dentist checks:
When the dentist needs to see between the teeth or below the gumline, digital x-rays are taken based on your child’s individual risk, not on a fixed routine.
The visit ends with a conversation with you about brushing, flossing, and diet, based on what the dentist just saw in your child’s mouth rather than general advice.
Professional visits matter, but what happens at home between them shapes your child’s oral health just as much. The routines children learn early often carry into adulthood, and children who see their parents brushing and flossing are more likely to do the same.
How often sugar reaches the teeth matters as much as how much. Sipping juice, sports drinks, or flavored milk throughout the day keeps the mouth in a constant acid state, so water is the best drink between meals.
Daily habits that make the biggest difference include:
Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, using a smear the size of a grain of rice under age 3 and a pea-sized amount from ages 3 to 6
Helping and supervising brushing until around age 6
Flossing once a day as soon as two teeth touch
Choosing water between meals and limiting sticky, sugary snacks
Keeping the tone around brushing relaxed and positive
If thumb sucking or pacifier use continues past the age when it usually stops, oral habit counseling can help before it affects how the teeth and jaw develop.
Slots for emergency dental visits available today. Don't let your child's dental pain wait. Call or text us now!
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that strengthens tooth enamel and makes it more resistant to the acid bacteria produce after eating. The American Dental Association recognizes fluoride as safe and effective for preventing decay. It helps repair enamel in the earliest stages of a cavity, before a hole forms.
In the office, fluoride varnish is painted onto the teeth in a concentration higher than toothpaste, and it sets within seconds. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends fluoride varnish for all infants and children starting when the first baby teeth come in. How often your child receives it depends on their cavity risk and other fluoride sources.
For small cavities that have already started, silver diamine fluoride can help stop decay without drilling.
Dental sealants are thin, protective coatings painted onto the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. The deep grooves on molars easily trap food and bacteria, which makes them a common spot for cavities even in children who brush well. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, sealants keep food and plaque out of these grooves.
Sealants are most often placed when the first permanent molars come in, around ages 6 to 7, and again when the second molars arrive, around ages 11 to 13. The tooth is cleaned and dried, the sealant is painted into the grooves, and a curing light hardens it in seconds. There is no drilling and no numbing.
Sealants can last several years. The dentist checks them at each visit and can touch them up if needed, and they work alongside fluoride rather than replacing it.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a checkup about every six months for most children. A child at higher risk for cavities may be seen more often, and the dentist will recommend a schedule based on what each exam shows.
Preventive care stays just as important in the teen years. Hormonal changes can make gums more sensitive to plaque, braces create new places for plaque to build up, and diets often shift toward more sugary snacks and drinks. Regular visits catch these changes early.
Teens and younger children who play contact sports also face a higher risk of dental injuries, and custom mouthguards offer much better protection than store-bought ones.
Pediatric Dentist & Practice Owner
Board Certified Pediatric Dentist
Diplomate by American Board of
Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric Dentist & Practice Owner
Board Certified Pediatric Dentist
Diplomate by American Board of
Pediatric Dentistry
Kidz Modern Dentistry works with most major dental insurance plans, and the team verifies your benefits before the appointment so you know what to expect. For families without dental insurance, the KMD Total Care membership plans are available as an alternative. The plan details are listed further down this page. To ask questions about coverage or to schedule your child’s next checkup, contact our Laguna Niguel office by phone or through the online booking form.
Experience total freedom in your child’s dental care. Our membership removes the barriers found in traditional insurance — no caps, no delays, and no denials. Review the benefits and exclusions to see how effortless care can be.
Common questions parents ask, answered by our pediatric dental experts.
Most dental professionals and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend that a child's first visit occur by age one or within six months of the first tooth erupting [2]. Early visits allow the dentist to monitor tooth development and give parents personalized guidance on caring for emerging teeth. Starting early also helps children feel comfortable in the dental setting before any treatment becomes necessary.
For most children, a checkup and cleaning every six months is appropriate. However, some children at higher risk for tooth decay, due to factors like diet, saliva composition, or enamel structure, may benefit from more frequent visits. Your child's dentist will evaluate their individual risk and recommend a schedule that fits their needs.
Modern digital dental X-rays use significantly lower radiation levels than earlier technology, and the exposure is a small fraction of what people encounter from natural background radiation in daily life. The American Dental Association provides guidance recommending that X-rays be taken based on each patient's clinical circumstances rather than on a fixed schedule, which means they are ordered only when the clinical information they provide is likely to influence care decisions [3]. Lead aprons and thyroid collars further minimize exposure during imaging.
Brushing is essential, but it is not sufficient on its own to prevent all cavities. Flossing removes plaque from between teeth where toothbrush bristles cannot reach. Professional cleanings remove calcified deposits that brushing cannot. Fluoride treatments and dental sealants add protective layers that brushing does not provide. Cavity prevention is most effective when it combines daily home care with regular professional services.
A pediatric dentist has completed two to three years of advanced specialty training in children's dental development, behavior management, and the unique oral health needs of infants through adolescents. A family dentist provides care for patients of all ages and may treat children alongside adults. Both types of practice can deliver thorough preventive care. What matters most is that the practice is experienced, child-friendly, and committed to comprehensive preventive services.
No. Dental sealants are applied to the surface of the tooth without removing any tooth structure, and no anesthesia is needed. The process involves cleaning and drying the tooth, applying a mild conditioning material, and then painting on the liquid sealant, which is hardened in seconds with a curing light. Most children find the appointment very comfortable and straightforward.
Dental anxiety is common in children and is best addressed through a combination of gentle communication, a child-friendly office environment, and a gradual familiarization approach. Experienced pediatric dental teams are trained in behavior guidance techniques that make visits comfortable. For children with significant anxiety or specific needs, options like nitrous oxide sedation may be available. Talking positively about dental visits at home, avoiding anxiety-inducing language, and scheduling the appointment for a time when your child is rested and fed can all help set a positive tone.
Longer reads from our pediatric dental team, for parents who want the detail behind the visit.
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Read More: Why Are My Child’s Adult Teeth Coming in Behind the Baby Teeth?Slots for emergency dental visits available today. Don't let your child's dental pain wait. Call or text us now!
We serve families from Southern Orange County, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano and surrounding communities with comprehensive pediatric dental care.
Monday - Thursday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
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