Sydney Smile Centre provides children’s dentistry on Maroubra Road, minutes from Maroubra Junction and Heffron Park. Dr Ana Maria Garcia sees children for check-ups, cleans, fillings and sport mouthguards, and speaks Spanish. Eligible children aged 0 to 17 may be able to use Medicare CDBS benefits. To book a family appointment, call us on 02 9349 2387.

Taking a child to the dentist for the first time is one of those parenting jobs that is easy to postpone. Nothing hurts, they seem fine, and the appointment slips down the list. The trouble is that the visits that go best are the ones that happen before anything is wrong, because the child gets to meet a dentist while there is nothing to fix.

When should a child first see a dentist?

Australian guidance is to book the first dental visit around the child’s first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth appearing, whichever comes first. Parents are often surprised by how early that is. The point of that first appointment is not a full examination in the adult sense. It is a short, gentle look at the mouth, a conversation with you about feeding, bottles, dummies and cleaning, and a chance for your child to sit in the chair with nothing uncomfortable happening.

If your child is already three, five or nine and has never been, that is not a problem and it is not a lecture waiting to happen. Book the appointment. Starting late is far better than not starting.

What actually happens at a child’s check-up

For younger children the appointment is deliberately unhurried. We count the teeth, check how they are coming through and how the bite is developing, look for early signs of decay, and often let the child hold the mirror or the suction so the equipment stops being mysterious. Many toddlers sit on a parent’s lap for the first visit, and that is completely fine.

As children get older the visit expands to include a clean, fluoride application where appropriate, and a discussion about brushing technique that is aimed at them rather than at you. X-rays are not routine for every child at every visit. They are taken when there is a specific reason, such as checking between teeth that are touching or reviewing how adult teeth are developing.

Medicare CDBS: eligibility and what it covers

The Child Dental Benefits Schedule is a Medicare scheme that provides a capped benefit for basic dental services for eligible children aged 0 to 17. Eligibility is not automatic for every child. A child generally needs to be eligible for Medicare and to receive, or have a parent or carer receiving, a qualifying government payment such as Family Tax Benefit Part A for at least part of the calendar year.

• Typically covered: examinations, X-rays, cleans, fluoride applications, fissure sealants, fillings, root canals and extractions.
• Not covered: orthodontic treatment, cosmetic dental work, and any services provided in a hospital setting.
• Capped and time-limited: the benefit is a set amount available over two consecutive calendar years, and any unused balance does not carry forward indefinitely.

You can check your child’s eligibility and remaining balance through your Medicare online account via myGov, by calling Medicare, or by asking us to check it for you before treatment. We will always confirm what the benefit covers for your child’s specific treatment plan and explain any remaining gap before we proceed, rather than after. Costs vary depending on your child’s individual needs, so see our fees page or book a consultation for an exact quote.

Why baby teeth matter more than parents expect

The most common thing we hear is that baby teeth are going to fall out anyway. They are, but not for years, and what happens in the meantime matters. Baby teeth hold space for the adult teeth arriving behind them. If one is lost early to decay, neighbouring teeth can drift into the gap and the adult tooth may end up crowded or blocked out, which is a much bigger problem to solve later.

Decay in baby teeth also causes real pain, disturbed sleep and missed school, and an infection in a baby tooth can affect the developing adult tooth underneath it. Baby teeth are temporary, but the consequences of losing them early are not.

Habits that hold, age by age

• Before the first tooth: wipe the gums with a clean damp cloth, and avoid putting a baby to bed with a bottle of milk or juice.
• First tooth to age three: brush twice daily with a small soft brush and water, or low-fluoride toothpaste from around 18 months on professional advice.
• Ages three to six: a pea-sized amount of children’s fluoride toothpaste, spat out not rinsed. Children of this age cannot brush effectively alone, so a parent should do it or finish the job.
• Ages six to eight: adult molars arrive at the back without any baby tooth falling out first, so they are easy to miss. These are the teeth that most often benefit from fissure sealants.
• Teenagers: the risk shifts to sports drinks, energy drinks and slipping routines. Flossing becomes genuinely important once the back teeth are touching.

Mouthguards for local sport

Plenty of Maroubra families spend their weekends at Heffron Park, and football, rugby, hockey and basketball all carry a real risk of dental injury. A knocked-out or broken front tooth in a child is a lifelong repair cycle, not a one-off fix, which makes a mouthguard one of the better-value protective items a parent can buy.

Boil-and-bite guards from a sports store are better than nothing, but they are usually bulky, make speaking and breathing harder, and get left in the bag. A custom-fitted mouthguard is made from a mould of your child’s teeth, so it stays in place and is far more likely to actually be worn. Growing children need theirs remade periodically as new teeth come through, so a check before each season is sensible. Bring it along to the routine check-up and we can assess the fit.

If your child is anxious

Dental anxiety in children is common and is often learned rather than experienced. Children pick up a surprising amount from how the adults around them talk about the dentist. A few things genuinely help: book a morning appointment when your child is rested, avoid reassurance words like “it will not hurt” because they introduce the idea of hurt, and let us explain what will happen in our own words rather than previewing it at home.

Dr Ana Maria Garcia provides children’s dentistry and takes an unhurried approach with nervous children, showing each instrument before it is used. She also speaks Spanish, which some local families find makes the appointment considerably easier for both parent and child. If your child has had a difficult experience elsewhere, tell us when you book so we can allow extra time.

At what age should my child start using fluoride toothpaste?

Children generally start low-fluoride children’s toothpaste from around 18 months of age, using a smear until age three and a pea-sized amount after that. Before 18 months, brushing with water and a soft brush is usually enough. Fluoride advice can vary with your child’s individual decay risk, so ask us at the check-up.

Does my child need dental X-rays?

Not routinely. X-rays are taken for a specific clinical reason, such as checking between teeth that are in contact, investigating a suspected problem, or reviewing how adult teeth are developing. We use modern low-dose digital imaging and will always explain why an X-ray is being recommended before taking one.

How do I check whether my child qualifies for Medicare CDBS?

Check your Medicare online account through myGov, or call Medicare directly, to see whether your child is eligible and what balance remains. You can also ask our reception team to check on your behalf before treatment. Eligibility depends on Medicare enrolment and qualifying family payments, so it is worth confirming each calendar year.

Does my child need a mouthguard for school and club sport?

A mouthguard is strongly recommended for any contact or collision sport, and many clubs require one. Custom-fitted guards are made from a mould of your child’s teeth and are more comfortable and better retained than over-the-counter versions, which matters because a guard only protects when it is actually worn. Growing mouths need them remade periodically.

How do I book, and what are your opening hours?

Call Sydney Smile Centre on 02 9349 2387 or use our online appointment request. We are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm, and the Saturday morning session suits families who would rather not take children out of school. New and emergency patients are welcome.

How easy is it to get there from Maroubra with children?

We are at Shop 1, 16 Maroubra Road, on the Maroubra and Pagewood border, a few minutes from Maroubra Junction and close to Heffron Park. There is free parking available via Glanfield Street, so you can park nearby rather than circling the Junction with kids in the car. The Anzac Parade bus routes also run close by.