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Keiki
Why See a Pediatric Dentist?
Pediatric dentists specialize in caring for tiny teeth, just as a Pediatric doctor specializes in children's health. In addition to more training, our Pediatric dentists are known for building fun, exciting appointments that children want to come back to. Pediatric dentists are also excellent in communicating with children and can explain preventative care in simple and clear terms.
Did You Know...
Most children lose their first around the age of 6.
Your Child's First Visit
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that children see a Pediatric Dentist before their first birthday or when their first teeth come in. Dental problems can begin early and we know children need healthy teeth to speak and chew food! Please schedule with any pediatric dentist near you.
Meet You and Your Child
The first step is to meet you and your child! We'll ask a couple of basic questions regarding your child's oral health and answer any questions you may have. You're welcome to accompany your child throughout their appointment.
Exam and Cleaning
Depending how old your child is, exams usually involve looking around the gums, teeth, jaws, and bite for healthy growth and development. Your child's visit also includes a gentle cleaning to remove plaque, tartar, and stains.
Schedule Your Next Appointment
If your child's teeth are healthy, you'll schedule another visit in six months. If something was found, your dentist will provide recommendations and help you schedule a follow-up appointment.
Have Questions? We Have Answers!
I'm pregnant. Should I see the dentist?
Regular checkups and healthy dental habits can help prevent conditions from developing or worsening. Although not all mothers experience these, some experience pregnancy gingivitis, an inflammation of your gums caused by hormonal changes. Your gums may become sensitive or bleed, developing into a more severe form of gum disease.
Pregnant moms are also at an increased risk of tooth decay and cavities. Morning sickness can expose your teeth to increased acids, which can eat away at your enamel. Please tell us if your pregnant when you check-in.
How do I take care of newborn gums?
When your newborn first flashes that gummy smile, that's a sign that it's time for you to begin their dental health journey. Because newborns don't have oral bacteria, your primary focus at this stage is to prevent their mouths from full colonization. That means not sharing any utensils and avoiding cross-usage.
Aside from preventive measures, parents can also start their kids on their oral hygiene routine by cleaning gums with a soft cloth and water. That way, even if their babies contract oral bacteria, this doesn't mean instant colonization.
When do all the baby teeth come in?
During the first few years of your child’s life, all 20 baby teeth will push through the gums, and most children will have their full set of these teeth in place by age three. A baby’s front four teeth usually erupt or push through the gums at about six months of age. As their teeth erupt, some babies may become fussy, sleepless and irritable, lose their appetite, or drool more than usual.
Can my kid brush their own teeth?
Children typically don't develop the skills to brush effectively until they are 7 years old or until they can sweep a floor without missing any spots. Continue helping your child brush their teeth helps them practice!
Why visit the dentist when my child has never had cavities?
Regular dental visits help your child stay cavity-free. Teeth cleanings remove debris that build upon the teeth, irritate the gums and cause decay. Hygiene instructions improve your child’s brushing and flossing, leading to cleaner teeth and healthier gums.
My kid still sucks their thumb. Does it matter?
If your child is 5 and over, sucking their thumb can pose problems with the proper growth of the mouth and teeth. The pressure can lead to crooked front teeth, resulting in dental problems such as overbite, along with general bite and spacing problems.
Patient Reviews
It was only my second visit. But the staff, assistants and doctors have been nothing short of amazing. Unfortunately during my last visit my usual dentist was out and I was told I'd be checked out after my cleaning by another dr. for this visit. I'm sure they were short and overwhelmed as I know this office services a lot of individuals and families, but I was left unattended in my room for 40 minutes. I get nauseated when laying down for too long and I became sick not being able to sit up as I was left lying down in the chair. I forced myself up and moved the equipment off my lap to sit up after about 15 minutes. I didn't mind and continued waiting for my dental assistant to come back in. Unfortunately I had to leave to collect my kids from school and did not complete my appointment. But when I notified the front desk of this, she was very apologetic and understood. I will continue seeing, I love the office and understand things happen but wanted to make the office aware of my experience to avoid this from happening in the future.
Broken my front tooth filling off, they were able to squeeze me in same day even tho I had all 3 kids and they did perfection!! Mahalo nui loa
Everything about this office is professional , considerate , kind, friendly and helpful.I love the front desk girls, they are patient and friendly . All the dentist here are amazing and great with kids!There’s always a gift for kids , you can also pick up free tooth brushes from them every 6 months as long as your a patient ! They send out many reminder text & make sure you confirm appt a day before so there’s no way you can forget. I love this place !!
Dr. Lee and his staff are awesome! They do their job right and in a timely manner. They also let you ACCOMPANY your kids if you want to.
By far the BEST DENTAL EXPERIENCE MY OHANA EVER ENCOUNTERED!!! My husband will be establishing care with them this Friday, September 24th. A little back story of dental history for me: I’ve been traumatized my whole life by many dentists. I’ve waited YEARS before seeing another dentist because of really bad experiences BUT i am overly satisfied with the dentist here at Hawaii Family Dental in Mililani Town Center: Dr. Alexander Hall (dentist), he is AWESOME. From my tooth extraction to my tooth fillings, he was FAST & it was PAINLESS! I was in and out within 20 minutes from my extraction which heeled PERFECTLY. Dr. Daniel Shin (orthodontist), we’re currently working together to get my DREAM SMILE! He asked what I wanted to change about my smile & my response was EVERYTHING…he told me exactly what he would recommend but let me tell you, it’s VERY minimal 🙂 what I thought would be expensive & take FOREVER to fix, turned out to be an 18 month process & not as expressive as other dentists quoted me! When I say A LOT of dentists are in it for the money, he’s definitely not one for them. Also, my children (8, 2 & 1 years old) sees Dr. Joshua Westphal (pediatric dentist), he is THE BOMB, hands down!!! My children only seen 1 dentist before him (they were good too), but my children felt so comfortable with Dr. Westphal, that never happens (a new face usually scares my kids). Lastly, THE STAFF…front to back, every respectful, knowledgeable & so friendly. Make you feel like family rather than a patient, you hardly get that anywhere else now days. MAHALO HFDS Mililani for the BEST experience.
What fabulous people working with kids. My daughter's anxiety quickly faded with each visit. I appreciate the time and patience Dr. Sieka gave to my daughter to make her feel comfortable. My daughter loved the jokes, and still is laughing about them. Thank you, thank you!
Hawaii Family Dental has taken excellent care of my kids. My youngest (8 years old), recently had to have a lot of work done. Dr. Lee and his Dental Hygienist were amazing. They were so kind and supportive of my daughter, who was very nervous, and worked so quickly and fluidly with each other. It was like watching two people dancing. They got her in and out in under an hour! I highly recommend them.
The dentists and staff are friendly, professional and very personable. I would recommend this dentist for both adults and kids as well, my daughter loves her dentist.
I take all three of my kids here. I love the whole staff, they are so understanding and compassionate towards my children every time. Dr. Keeton is a goof in the best way. My children are always giggling through the whole appointment and they don't have the same fear of dental visits that they used to when going to their previous dentist.
A big shout out and thank you to Dr. Westphal. He is really an amazing Pediatric Dentist for my 3 boys. Ages 5, 7 and 15. Very accommodating and child friendly. My boys feel comfortable with him. I strongly recommend him specially for those family that has kids with autism. And also to his team, I can’t remember all their names but I know Karla is one of them. Thank you all so much. God Bless and take care!
Thumbs up in the sky! Very good customer service. Me and my son was very happy after the check up. I like how they treat people very importantly the kids. They know what they are doing very experienced. Good environment happy smiles!. I look forward for the coming appointment to meet expectations. Job well done Thank you very much! Mahalo!
Love this place. My kids have had a few different dentists here but they have all been great. The dental assistants are always very friendly and handle my young children very well.
We've been patients of Dr. Tom since my oldest,15, has been 2 years old. The staff are always so welcoming and so very helpful. My kids always feel so loved at every visit. They are very patient with them and help them overcome being afraid. Dr. Tom is professional and cares about our kids. He lets us know what needs to be done to help our kids maintain beautiful, healthy teeth. My kids always remember the dentist as the "the ocean" we love the fish decor. I look forward to every visit with Dr. Tom and his wonderful, friendly staff. Thank you Dr. Tom.
Dr Keeton is AMAZING. And that's an understatement.He was on time. And made my child feel so welcomed, gained his trust and now he loves going to the dentist. We joke around that Dr Keeton is Blippi, a favorite kid youtube personality.The moment Dr Keeton's walked in to greet us, his voice, tone, language and mannerisms was so welcoming. He shown genuine interest in the well being of my child, took the time to show him all the dental tools and explain each step of the procedure. It was truly edu-tainment at it's best. It takes a long of skill, empathy, love and compassion for his clients to do what he does. Kudos to him. He's my favorite dentist for all my kids now!
The dentists and team are beyond amazing! They made my kids feel so, so relaxed even though they were undergoing some extractions and other intensive treatments. It was like dinner and a show, the dentists crept su smiling, laughing and most importantly, informed. We learned so much about healthy dental habits that will benefit us for our entire lifetime. While some dental offices in the mainland are like overstuffed jungle gyms, this is Maui and I think it is the perfect island office where you can trust that you will get the most attentive care for your children. Also, they were one of the ONLY offices who would respond in the midst of businesses reopening from COVID and, they accept QUEST! My son’s teeth would have gotten so much worse had that not gotten us in for so many appointments over the past few months and I am just so grateful for Hawaii Family Dental and all they did. Also, the doctors speak Spanish which is an additional bonus. They’re the best!
The staff is real and genuine with aloha they make my kids feel so safe they love going there especially my son who is 5 he loves it.
Dr. Keeton is amazing! He’s so patient and great with kids!! My grandson needed to have a cavity filled on Halloween, and it was the most stress free experience for him and for me! Dr. Keeton even wore a Batman mask just to make it especially fun. I have never met a dentist who worked this well with keiki!! The staff are phenomenal as well. They are kind and go out of their way to give my grandson all kids of goodies whenever he comes. He even got to go trick or treating in the office. They think of everything to make dental work a positive experience for kids. I strongly believe that negative childhood experiences with dentists can deter them from seeking treatment as adults. I don’t have to worry about that at all with Hawaii Family Dental. My grandson is actually excited to go to the dentist!!
I have tried a few different dentists on the Hilo side for my young daughter. I drive over to Kona because Dr. Keeton is truly the best! He is patient and very funny with kids. He takes the time to explain every step of the process to my child in language that helps her to relax and feel comfortable. She had to have some work done that could have been traumatizing, and it was not. I credit Dr. Keeton's skills and kind approach.
Shout out special THANK YOU to Dr.Lee and his awesome HFD teams from the Carlos Family, been with them for a year now and we just love taking our kids there, even our kids gets excited when we go their. Office is VERY clean and kid friendly, would recommend all my families ans friends.
They give the BEST cleanings!! I wish I could come more often then twice a year lol Always feel GREAT after one. Even my kids who have a different dentist can tell the difference. They like Hawaii Family Dental better than any other dentist they've had.
