Children's dentistry at Lambton Dental
Children’s dental visits are about building trust as much as brushing teeth. At Lambton Dental in West Toronto we welcome children from age 3 upwards for gentle exams, cleanings, cavity care and coaching for both the child and the parent — always at the child’s pace, in a warm and calm environment.
What does a children's dental visit involve?
A children’s dental visit at Lambton Dental is designed around what the child is ready for, not what the schedule can push through. For a first visit at age three, the dentist and assistant show the tools, count the teeth, and — when the child is comfortable — clean the teeth with a soft polishing cup. Older children have a full exam, cleaning, digital X-rays as needed, fluoride application and simple coaching on brushing and flossing at home.
If a cavity or a bite concern is found, the dentist explains what it means to both the parent and the child in plain language, and provides a written plan before any treatment is booked. Common treatments include tooth-coloured composite fillings, protective sealants for the biting surfaces of molars, and gentle stainless-steel or ceramic crowns when a baby tooth needs full coverage.
When to book a children's dental visit
A children’s appointment is the right choice when:
- Your child is around three years old and ready for a first proper cleaning and exam.
- It has been six months to a year since your child’s last cleaning, whether or not the previous visit was here.
- You’ve noticed white or brown spots on a tooth, sensitivity to cold, food catching or a chipped edge.
- Your child has fallen and hit a tooth, and you’d like the dentist to check for damage even if the tooth still looks intact.
- You’d like advice on thumb-sucking, pacifier use, night-time bottle feeding or the transition from sippy cup to open cup.
If your child is younger than three and you’d like a first look at the emerging teeth, please see first-visit and infant exam. For general adult and family care under one roof, our family dentistry page explains how we schedule the whole family together.
What to expect at a children's visit
Warm welcome
The team greets you and your child at reception, offers a chance to sit together in the waiting area and lets your child bring a favourite toy or book back to the operatory.
Show-and-tell
The dentist and assistant introduce the mirror, the water spray and the polishing cup, and let your child touch or hold them. Younger children often sit on a parent's lap for this part.
Cleaning and exam
When your child is ready, the hygienist gently cleans and polishes the teeth and the dentist checks each tooth, the bite and the gums. Digital X-rays are only taken if the dentist needs to see between teeth or below the gumline.
Prevention
Fluoride varnish is applied to strengthen the enamel where useful, and sealants may be recommended for newly erupted permanent molars.
Coaching
The dentist and hygienist show the parent and child a brushing and flossing technique that suits their age, and give simple diet advice to help protect the teeth between visits.
Plan and next steps
If anything needs follow-up, the dentist explains it clearly, provides a written plan and books the next recall — most children come back every six months.
For children who are anxious about dentistry, nitrous oxide is available in coordination with the parent; the dentist reviews health history first. See our sedation options page for more.
Building lifelong dental habits after the visit
Most of what protects a child’s teeth happens at home between visits. The dentist and hygienist send you home with a brushing routine that suits your child’s age — including how much toothpaste to use, when to start flossing, and how to make the bedtime routine easier for both the parent and the child. Simple diet notes help too, especially around sticky snacks and sugary drinks that tend to sit on the teeth.
Regular recall visits every six months let the dentist watch how baby teeth are being replaced by permanent teeth, catch small cavities early, and pick up on bite or spacing patterns that may benefit from early orthodontic assessment. If we see something worth watching, we tell you and we watch it together — nothing is done without your understanding.
Cost, insurance, and CDCP / IFHP coverage
The cost of a children’s visit depends on the age of the child, whether X-rays are needed and whether any treatment is recommended. The dentist provides a written estimate before any treatment is booked, and no work is started without your understanding of what it involves.
Most Canadian dental insurance plans cover children’s preventive services fully or with a small co-payment, and we direct-bill wherever your plan allows. Lambton Dental is also a provider for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) and the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP); both programs cover eligible children and we confirm your family’s coverage before the visit.
For families without insurance, our payment options page explains billing openly.
For larger treatment plans, monthly payment plans through a third-party financing partner are available on approved credit — ask at your consultation or see our payment options.
Why families choose Lambton Dental for their children
- The dentist and hygienist move at your child's pace and describe what they are doing in words a child can understand.
- Parents are always welcome to stay in the operatory during a children's visit.
- We coach the whole family on home care — brushing, flossing, diet — so what happens at home supports what happens at the visit.
- We direct-bill CDCP, IFHP and major insurance carriers wherever your plan allows.
- Evening and weekend appointments make it easy to fit visits around school.
- Our team serves patients in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Related services
Frequently asked questions about children's dentistry
At what age should my child have a first proper dental visit?
Canadian dental guidance suggests a first look at the teeth by about the first birthday, and a full cleaning and exam by around age three. If your child is under three and you would like a gentle first look, our first-visit and infant exam page describes what that involves. From age three onward, most children benefit from a full cleaning and exam every six months.
Will my child need X-rays at every visit?
No. Digital X-rays are only taken when the dentist needs to see between teeth or below the gumline. In young children with widely spaced baby teeth, X-rays are often not needed at all. When they are taken, digital sensors use a very low dose and a protective lead apron is always used.
What happens if my child is afraid of the dentist?
We slow down, spend more time on show-and-tell, and give your child small choices to keep them in control of the visit. Most children settle after one or two friendly visits. For children with strong dental anxiety, nitrous oxide sedation is available in coordination with the parent after the dentist reviews health history.
Do you place fillings on baby teeth?
Yes, when a baby tooth has a cavity that is likely to cause pain or infection before the tooth naturally falls out. Baby teeth hold space for permanent teeth and losing them early can lead to spacing problems, so treating a cavity is often the right call. The dentist reviews the options with you and provides a written plan.
Are sealants a good idea for my child?
For most children, yes. A dental sealant is a thin protective coating that flows into the deep grooves on the biting surfaces of permanent molars, where cavities most often begin. Sealants are quick, comfortable and covered by many insurance plans. The dentist will recommend them if your child’s molars have deep grooves.
How can I help my child brush better at home?
For young children, brush along with them so they see how it is done, and continue helping with brushing until they can tie their own shoelaces. Use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste from about age three. The hygienist demonstrates the technique that suits your child’s age at each visit.
Do you accept CDCP for children?
Yes. Lambton Dental is a provider for the Canadian Dental Care Plan and welcomes eligible children under CDCP. We confirm your child’s coverage before the visit and explain any co-payment openly, and we submit claims electronically so paperwork stays simple for the family.
Book a children's dental visit
Book online or call (416) 666-3700 to arrange a children’s visit. The team will greet your child gently, work at their pace and provide a written plan before any treatment is booked.
CDCP welcome
We welcome patients covered under the Canadian Dental Care Plan and can help you understand what's covered.
Learn about CDCP →IFHP welcome
We are registered to treat patients under the Interim Federal Health Program and bill Medavie Blue Cross directly.
Learn about IFHP →Direct billing
We bill all major Canadian dental insurance carriers directly, so you pay only what your plan does not cover.
How direct billing works →