Natural Smiles Dentistry
Pediatric Dentist in Chandler, AZ
Gentle first visits from age 1 · Dr. Suneeta Annamareddy
Kid-friendly cleanings, sealants, fluoride, and anxious-kid-friendly visits with nitrous oxide on hand. Every major PPO accepted at our 10450 E Riggs Rd office. Saturday mornings book the fastest — call 1–2 weeks ahead if that's your only window.
$89 New Patient Special · Exam · X-Rays · Cleaning · Plan ↓
310 Google reviews from Chandler families
First-tooth visits through teen Invisalign
Available in-office for anxious kids
Pediatric slots before the work week
What makes a kid's visit work
Pediatric dental care in a general practice — done the right way
Not every kid needs a board-certified pediatric specialist — most Chandler kids do beautifully in a general practice that takes the time to do pediatric visits right. The wrong dentist for a young child isn't usually about the technical work; it's about the pace. We move slow, narrate every step, and treat the chair like a conversation, not a procedure.
Slow, narrated first visits
Every kid's first visit starts with a chair tour, a look at the water sprayer and the suction, and a "show me your big-kid teeth" exam — no instruments in the first 60 seconds. Parents stay in the room. The point of visit one is teeth, but the goal of visit one is that the child wants to come back.
Nitrous oxide for anxious kids
About 1 in 5 kids needs more than calm-voice support to get through a cleaning. Nitrous ("laughing gas") delivers a mild relaxation that wears off within minutes — kids walk out the same as they walked in. We use it for cleanings, sealants, and minor fillings when the child is too tense for chair-side coaching to land. Anything beyond that, we coordinate with a pediatric sedation specialist nearby.
AI-assisted X-rays catch small cavities early
Pediatric cavities don't always look like cavities — some show up as a faint shadow between two baby molars that's easy to miss on a quick read. Our X-rays are reviewed by AI in addition to the dentist, so a 1mm interproximal lesion at age 6 doesn't become a crown at age 9. More on how that works →
Pediatric visits by age
What a pediatric visit actually looks like
Pediatric dentistry isn't one workflow — it's four. What happens at 18 months is nothing like what happens at 8, which is nothing like what happens at 14. Here's what to expect at each stage, so you can prep your child (and yourself) for what's actually going to happen in the chair.
First-tooth visits
Knee-to-knee exam on a parent's lap. About 60 seconds of looking, a quick toothbrush polish, fluoride varnish swiped on. No X-rays unless something specific looks off. The whole appointment is usually 15–20 minutes, mostly conversation about brushing technique, bottle/sippy-cup habits, and what to watch for as more teeth come in.
Cleanings and first X-rays
Full cleaning in the chair, two bitewing X-rays once the molars touch (usually around age 5), fluoride varnish. Sealants go on the permanent 6-year molars as soon as they're fully erupted. This is the visit where most parents first hear the words "thumb-sucking" and "tongue thrust" — both worth addressing now, not at age 10. If a thumb habit has already moved the front teeth, we can walk you through correcting it.
Mixed-dentition planning
The mouth is half baby teeth, half permanent — and this is where small interventions prevent big ortho bills later. We track spacing, monitor permanent canines coming in, watch for crowding, and refer to an orthodontist if early intervention will save your child two years of braces in high school. Sealants on the 12-year molars when they come in.
Teen visits & Invisalign
Teen dentistry is mostly preventive maintenance plus orthodontic options. Most CUSD teens are candidates for Invisalign Teen — clear aligners that fix what braces would, without the high-school-photo problem. We screen wisdom teeth panoramic X-rays around age 16. See our teen Invisalign guide for cost, timeline, and what teachers don't tell you.
Everything kids' teeth need, in one Chandler office
Complete pediatric dental services in Chandler
As a full-service children's dentist in Chandler, we handle the whole range of kids' dental care in-house — from a first cleaning to a crown on a broken baby molar — so most families never need a second referral. Here's what we do for kids, and roughly when each comes up.
Sealants & fluoride
BPA-free sealants on the permanent 6- and 12-year molars cut cavities in those teeth by about 80%. Fluoride varnish twice a year adds another layer — especially useful through Chandler's dry-mouth summer.
Tooth-colored fillings
When a cavity does form, we use tooth-colored composite fillings — no silver amalgam. Kids' fillings are quick, and nitrous is on hand if your child is tense about the chair.
Baby-tooth crowns
For a baby molar too broken down for a filling, a crown saves the tooth until it falls out naturally. We offer both stainless-steel and tooth-colored zirconia crowns for kids, so back teeth stay functional and front ones still look natural.
Baby-tooth root canals
A pulpotomy ("baby root canal") treats a deep cavity that has reached the nerve of a primary tooth without pulling it — holding the space for the permanent tooth underneath. Routine, gentle, and usually done in one visit.
Gentle extractions & space maintainers
When a baby tooth has to come out early, a small space maintainer holds the gap so the permanent tooth has room to erupt — heading off crowding (and braces) down the road.
Tongue-tie & lip-tie (frenectomy)
A tight tongue- or lip-tie can affect nursing in infants and speech or spacing later. We evaluate frenulum ties and perform straightforward frenectomies in our Chandler office, referring complex infant cases to a specialist.
Custom sports mouthguards
A chair-fitted mouthguard protects teeth far better than the boil-and-bite kind through a CUSD sports season. Made in-office in about 20 minutes.
Kids' dental emergencies
Chipped, knocked-out, or aching — we keep same-day slots for children and coach you through the first few minutes by phone. See our emergency pediatric dentist in Chandler page for kids' urgent care, or our general emergency dental page for what counts as urgent.
Not sure whether something needs a visit? Call or text 480-840-1101 and we'll tell you honestly whether it can wait for the next cleaning.
Local notes for Chandler parents
What's different about pediatric care in Chandler
A few Chandler-specific pieces matter for kids' dental health that don't show up in generic pediatric advice you'll read online:
- Chandler tap water is fluoridated at 0.7 ppm — the CDC's optimal level for cavity prevention. Kids drinking primarily tap water typically don't need fluoride supplements; we cover the detail on how Chandler water affects kids' teeth.
- Dry-mouth season runs April–October. Arizona summer kids are at higher cavity risk because they drink less (mouth-breathing in heat, less saliva to neutralize acids). A water bottle on the swim-team bench is a cavity-prevention tool, not just hydration.
- CUSD school physicals don't include dental. Many Chandler parents assume the annual pediatrician check covers the teeth — it doesn't. The pediatric dental year runs separately and most PPO plans cover two cleanings per kid per calendar year, fully.
- Sports-mouthguards through the school's general supplier fit ~70% of kids well; a fitted one from the dentist's chair fits 100% and lasts the season. We make them in-office in about 20 minutes for $40–60.
Where we send kids we can't help
When a general practice isn't the right fit
A small number of kids really do need a board-certified pediatric specialist or a sedation environment beyond what nitrous can do in a general office. We refer when:
- Special-needs care that benefits from a dedicated pediatric team and longer chair time than a general schedule allows.
- Severe early childhood caries in toddlers requiring IV sedation or hospital OR — these go to a pediatric dental specialist.
- Anxious kids who can't tolerate nitrous oxide. East Valley has two pediatric sedation specialists we trust.
- AHCCCS-insured kids. We aren't currently in-network for Medicaid; East Valley Pediatric Dental and AZ Dental Sleep Medicine Center take AHCCCS.
Honest fit beats trying to be everything to every kid. If we're not the right office for your child, we'll tell you on the first visit and hand you the name of a Chandler-area office that is.
For uninsured families
$89 new-patient exam, per child
With insurance, your child's first preventive visit is usually $0 out-of-pocket. Without insurance, the $89 New Patient Special covers a complete first visit so you can see the office, meet Dr. Suneeta Annamareddy, and walk out with a real picture of your child's mouth instead of an "estimate" pending more work.
- Comprehensive oral health exam
- Full digital X-rays, reviewed by both AI and your dentist
- Regular cleaning (for patients with no gum disease)
- Personalized treatment plan with transparent pricing
Bring your child in for:
$89
first-visit pediatric exam
Or ask about the in-house family plan for multi-child households without insurance.
Common questions Chandler parents ask
Pediatric dentistry in Chandler — what parents want to know first
When should my child first see a dentist in Chandler?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends the first visit by age one, or within six months of the first tooth coming in — whichever comes first. In our Chandler office most families bring their first child between 12 months and 3 years for a "knee-to-knee" exam: the child sits on your lap, the dentist looks for about 60 seconds, and the visit is mostly about getting them comfortable with the chair so the real cleaning at age 3 isn't a fight.
How do you handle anxious kids who hate the dentist?
Most childhood dental anxiety is about the unknown, not pain. We start every new pediatric visit with a tour, no instruments, no rush — the chair, the suction, the water sprayer all get a quick "show and tell" first. For kids who need more support we offer nitrous oxide ("laughing gas") in our Chandler office: safe, wears off in minutes, and lets a stressful visit go by without a memory worth dreading the next one. For the rare child who can't tolerate even nitrous, we coordinate with a pediatric sedation specialist in the East Valley.
Do you accept my kids on my dental insurance plan?
We accept every major PPO in Arizona — Delta Dental, Cigna, Aetna, MetLife, United Concordia, BCBS, Ameritas, Guardian, Principal. Most pediatric preventive care (exam + X-rays + cleaning + fluoride) is covered 100% twice a year on these plans. AHCCCS-only families: we're not currently in-network for Medicaid; East Valley Pediatric Dental and AZ Dental Sleep Medicine Center take AHCCCS and we're happy to refer.
Are sealants and fluoride safe — and does my child really need them?
Yes, both are safe at the doses we use, and yes, the data on cavity prevention is strong: a thin BPA-free resin sealant over the chewing surface of permanent molars cuts cavities in those teeth by 80% over four years (CDC). Topical fluoride varnish twice a year cuts cavities about 33% in primary teeth. Chandler tap water is fluoridated at 0.7 ppm (the CDC's optimal level), so kids drinking mostly tap don't need fluoride supplements — only the in-office varnish.
What does a first pediatric visit actually cost?
With insurance, the first preventive visit (exam + X-rays + cleaning + fluoride) is usually $0 out-of-pocket — pediatric preventive care is a fully covered benefit on nearly every PPO plan. Without insurance, our new patient exam + X-rays special is $89 per child; ask about the in-house family plan if more than one child needs ongoing care without insurance, since it discounts most preventive and restorative work and there's no annual maximum to hit.
Do you see kids for dental emergencies — a chipped or knocked-out tooth?
Yes — we keep same-day emergency slots for children at our Chandler office. A knocked-out permanent tooth is a true emergency: call 480-840-1101 right away, keep the tooth in milk (not water), and we'll coach you through it on the phone while you drive in. Chipped baby teeth are rarely urgent but worth a same-day look; a chipped permanent tooth we can usually bond back the same visit. For anxious kids we book the emergency visit first thing so it's over before the worry builds.
My child still sucks their thumb — will it move their teeth?
Thumb-sucking past about age 4–5, once the permanent teeth start coming in, can push the top front teeth forward ("buck teeth") and open a bite gap. Caught early, most of it self-corrects once the habit stops, and we can help with gentle habit-appliance options in our Chandler office; if the teeth have already shifted, clear-aligner correction later is straightforward. We'd rather address a thumb or finger habit at the age 4–7 visit than see it become an orthodontic problem at 10.
Book your child's first visit
A Chandler pediatric visit, the unhurried way
Saturday and after-school slots book the fastest. Call or text and we'll find a time that doesn't pull your child out of class — or stack siblings into one visit so you're not making two trips.
Serving Chandler dentist patients across Sun Lakes, Ocotillo, Chandler Heights, Gilbert, and Tempe — pediatric visits, first cleanings, and family appointments at 10450 E Riggs Rd, Suite 118.
One office, every service
Other care you might be exploring
Most of our patients stay with us for life because we handle everything in-house — cleanings, emergencies, Invisalign, implants, cosmetic work, and sedation. No referrals out, no new chart every time.
Family dentistry
Family cleanings, checkups & same-day emergencies
Kids through grandparents in one appointment block. Evening and Saturday hours.
Sun Lakes 55+
Implants, dentures & sedation for the 55+ community
Unhurried visits, Medicare-supplemental plans welcome, snowbird scheduling.
Dental implants
Single-tooth to All-on-4 implants
Planned, placed, and restored under one roof. Free 3D cone-beam scan.
Invisalign
Clear-aligner orthodontics for teens and adults
Free digital smile preview. Most cases finish in 12–18 months.
Dental emergencies
Same-day relief for pain, breaks, knocked-out teeth
We hold emergency slots every day for patients and neighbors.
Cosmetic dentistry
Veneers, whitening, bonding & smile makeovers
Digital preview before you commit — see the result, then decide.
Teeth whitening
Professional in-office & take-home whitening
Several shades brighter in one visit. Dental-grade peroxide, custom-fit trays — safe on enamel.
Same-day crowns
CEREC crowns designed, milled & placed in one visit
No temporary, no second numbing — a finished ceramic crown in about two hours.
Kids' dental emergencies
Same-day emergency care for kids' teeth
Knocked-out, chipped, or aching — same-day pediatric slots and phone triage before the fear builds.
Porcelain veneers
Porcelain & composite veneers, previewed before you commit
See your new smile on screen first. Honest per-tooth pricing, natural-looking result.
All-on-4 full arch
Full-arch implants — leave with fixed teeth the same day
Four angled implants, one fixed bridge. Free 3D CBCT scan and written all-in pricing.
Smile makeovers
Whitening, veneers & bonding sequenced into one plan
Free iTero 3D preview before any work. Per-procedure pricing in writing — no upsells.