audit_keyword: childrens dentist hillsboro
Children’s Dentist in Hillsboro — Gentle Care from Age 1 Through 17
If you are looking for a children’s dentist in Hillsboro who will move at your child’s pace and not rush a nervous kid through an appointment, East Wind Dental Care is built for that. Call (503) 614-0198 to schedule a first visit. Dr. Derek Youngblood leads our family and pediatric care — he has spent his career working gently with kids — and we welcome children from age 1 through 17, including kids on the autism spectrum and kids with sensory sensitivities.
First Visit for Your Child
Calm, no-pressure, parent-in-the-room. Call (503) 614-0198 to schedule your child’s first visit.
- Procedure: Pediatric Dental Examination, Cleaning, and Preventive Care (ages 1–17)
- Provider: Dr. Merat Ostovar, DMD, FAGD — Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry; pediatric care delivered in collaboration with Dr. Derek Youngblood, DMD
- Location: East Wind Dental Care, 7546 NE Shaleen St, Hillsboro, OR 97124
- Phone: (503) 614-0198
- Office Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 8am–5pm | Tue 7am–6pm | Thu 7am–5pm | Sat 7am–12pm | Sun Closed
- Ages Served: 1 through 17 — first visit recommended by age 1 or within 6 months of first tooth eruption (AAPD guidelines)
- Services Offered: Gentle exams, professional cleanings, fluoride varnish, dental sealants, tooth-colored fillings, stainless steel crowns, pulpotomies (baby root canals), space maintainers, custom sports mouthguards
- Cost: Cleaning + exam + fluoride $150–$300 | Dental sealants $35–$60 per tooth | Fillings $150–$300 | Sports mouthguards $150–$300
- Insurance Accepted: Most PPO plans (Delta Dental, MODA, Cigna, Aetna, MetLife, Guardian) — preventive care typically covered at 100% for children
- Oregon Health Plan (OHP): Accepted for children — covers cleanings, exams, fluoride, sealants, fillings, crowns, pulpotomies, and extractions at 100%
- VIP Membership for Kids: $199/year per child — includes two cleanings, two exams, all routine X-rays, fluoride, and 15% off all other treatment
- Approach: Tell-show-do method, parent-in-the-room welcome, no pressure, no force, nitrous oxide available for anxious children
- Preventive Focus: Sealants on permanent molars (ages 6–7 and 11–13), fluoride varnish at every cleaning, age-appropriate brushing instruction, dietary counseling
- Candidacy: All children ages 1–17, including kids with sensory sensitivities, autism spectrum disorder, dental anxiety, or previous negative dental experiences
- Next Step: Call (503) 614-0198 to schedule your child’s first visit — calm, gentle, no-pressure care in Hillsboro, OR
- Reviewed by: Dr. Merat Ostovar, DMD, FAGD — last medically reviewed 2026-05-10
How a Child’s Dental Visit Works — Step by Step
1. Friendly Welcome and Anxiety-Free Introduction: When your child arrives, our team greets them by name and lets them explore the dental chair at their own pace. For toddlers (ages 1–3), we often begin with a “knee-to-knee” exam where your child sits facing you on your lap and leans back toward Dr. Youngblood for a brief look at their teeth — you hold their hands throughout. For older children (ages 3+), we let them sit in the chair, ride it up and down, count their teeth in the mirror, and meet each tool by a friendly name. You are welcome to stay in the room and hold your child’s hand for the entire visit.
2. Gentle Examination and Cleaning: Using a tell-show-do technique, the team explains what they are going to do in age-appropriate language, demonstrates on a model or their own finger, and then proceeds slowly. The hygienist performs a gentle cleaning with flavored polish (bubblegum, strawberry, or mint). For children under 3, the “cleaning” is often a soft toothbrush and fluoride varnish. For older children, it includes scaling and polishing. We stop if a child is having a hard day and try again at the next visit — building trust is more important than rushing through a procedure.
3. Fluoride Varnish and Sealant Evaluation: At the end of every cleaning, we brush a thin layer of fluoride varnish onto your child’s teeth — it takes about one minute, is completely painless, and strengthens enamel against cavities. For children ages 6–7 (first permanent molars erupting) and 11–13 (second permanent molars), Dr. Youngblood evaluates whether dental sealants are appropriate. Sealants are a thin plastic coating applied to the deep grooves of chewing surfaces — they take about five minutes per tooth, require no numbing, and reduce cavity risk by 50–80%. Most insurance plans cover sealants at 100% for children under 14.
4. Parent Education and Next Visit Planning: Before you leave, Dr. Youngblood reviews age-appropriate brushing technique, dietary habits that affect dental health (sippy cup use, frequent snacking, sugary drinks), and answers all parent questions. For most children, we recommend a six-month recall interval. Kids with higher cavity risk often benefit from three- to four-month visits during the cavity-prone years between ages 7–10. Starting around age 7, we also discuss whether orthodontic screening is appropriate per American Association of Orthodontists recommendations.
When Should My Child See a Dentist for the First Time?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a child’s first dental visit by age 1, or within six months of the first tooth appearing — whichever comes first. That visit is short and mostly about parent education. We are not doing X-rays or scaling on a one-year-old. We are looking in their mouth, talking to you about brushing and bottle habits, applying fluoride varnish if appropriate, and making the chair feel like a normal place.
Most parents tell us they wish they had brought their child in earlier. The first visit at age 1-2 is much easier than the first visit at age 4-5, when the child has had time to develop fears about doctors and dentists. Build the habit early.
What Happens at My Child’s First Visit?
For toddlers (ages 1-3), the first visit is often a “knee-to-knee” exam — your child sits facing you on your lap, leans back so their head rests in Dr. Youngblood’s lap, and we look at the teeth together with you holding their hands. It takes about five minutes. We brush a thin layer of fluoride varnish on the teeth and you are done.
For ages 3-6, we move to the dental chair. We let your child sit in the chair, ride it up and down, count their teeth in the mirror, and meet the tools (which we call funny names like “Mr. Thirsty” for the suction). If they will tolerate it, we do a gentle cleaning and fluoride. If they have a hard day, we stop and try again next visit. Nobody gets forced.
For ages 6+, visits look closer to adult cleanings — hygienist scaling, X-rays as needed (typically bitewings every 12-24 months for kids depending on cavity risk), exam by Dr. Youngblood, fluoride and sealants when appropriate.
How Do You Handle Kids Who Are Scared or Crying?
We slow down. The most important thing in pediatric dentistry is that your child does not develop a lasting fear of the dental office. If we have to choose between completing the cleaning today and keeping your child willing to come back, we will keep them willing to come back every time.
Our approach:
- Tell-show-do. We tell your child what we are going to do (in kid-friendly language), show them on a model or their own finger, then do it.
- Parent in the room. You are welcome to stay in the chair area for any visit at any age. Many parents hold their child’s hand throughout.
- Slow building. A scared 3-year-old might just sit in the chair the first visit, get a “ride” the second visit, count teeth the third visit, and finally accept a cleaning the fourth visit. That is fine. They leave thinking the dentist is okay.
- No bribery, no scolding. We do not promise prizes for “being good,” and we never shame a child for crying or pulling away. We just keep showing up calmly.
- Nitrous oxide when needed. For more substantial work (a filling on an anxious child, for example), we have nitrous (laughing gas) available. We do not push it as a default — most kids do fine without it.
- Tooth-colored fillings ($150-$300 per tooth) — composite resin for small to moderate cavities
- Stainless steel crowns ($300-$500 per tooth) — for baby molars with extensive decay; the silver “Hall crown” is what kids and parents see most often
- Pulpotomy (baby root canal) — when decay reaches the nerve of a baby tooth that needs to last several more years
- Extraction with space maintainer — when a baby tooth has to come out early, a small appliance holds the space for the permanent tooth coming in
- Hillsboro and the NE Cornell Road corridor
- Orenco Station and the MAX Blue Line area
- Tanasbourne and the Streets of Tanasbourne
- Aloha and the TV Highway corridor
- Beaverton and Cedar Hills
- Rock Creek and AmberGlen
- South Hillsboro and Reed’s Crossing
- Cornelius and Forest Grove
- Hillsboro School District and Beaverton School District households
- Intel families at Ronler Acres and Jones Farm
- Family Dentistry — Family-focused dental care
- Dental Exams — Children’s exam appointments
- Teeth Cleaning — Cleaning visits for kids
- Dental Sealants — Sealants for cavity prevention
- Fluoride Treatment — Fluoride for strong enamel
- Invisalign for Teens — Teen Invisalign clear aligners
- Is Fluoride Treatment Safe for Kids? — Evidence-based answers on fluoride safety, dosing, and long-term benefits for children’s teeth
- Dental Sealants for Kids: What Parents Need to Know — How sealants work, when to get them, cost, and whether they’re worth it
- Your Child's First Dental Visit: What to Expect — Age-by-age guide to preparing your child for their first appointment
- What to Expect at Your First Dental Visit — Step-by-step walkthrough of a new patient pediatric exam
- Family Dentistry in Hillsboro: Complete Guide — How to coordinate dental care for kids and parents in one visit
“What I tell parents at the first visit is that the goal is not to find a problem on day one. It is to make sure your child grows up thinking the dentist is just a normal part of life — not something to dread. If we earn that in the first three or four visits, every visit after that gets easier.” — Dr. Derek Youngblood, DMD
What Preventive Treatments Work Best for Kids?
The two highest-impact prevention tools for children are dental sealants and fluoride.
Sealants are a thin plastic coating bonded into the deep grooves of the chewing surfaces of permanent molars. The first permanent molars come in around age 6, and the second set around age 12 — sealants on both sets are one of the most cost-effective treatments in dentistry. Cost: $35-$60 per tooth. Most insurance plans cover sealants 100% for kids under age 14. The sealant takes about 5 minutes per tooth and is completely painless.
Fluoride varnish is brushed onto the teeth at the end of every cleaning. It strengthens enamel and reverses early decay before it becomes a cavity. Cost: $30-$60 per visit, often included in the cleaning fee for children. Painless and takes a minute.
Combined, sealants plus regular fluoride reduce cavities in kids by 50-80% in the back molars where most childhood cavities form. This is the most cost-effective spending you can do on your child’s mouth.
Do You Treat Cavities in Baby Teeth?
Yes — and yes, baby teeth need treating. The argument that “they are going to fall out anyway” misses two things: untreated decay in a baby tooth can cause infection that damages the developing permanent tooth underneath, and it can cause real pain and abscess that affects eating and sleeping. Baby molars do not fall out until age 10-12, which is a long time to live with a cavity.
Common pediatric restorative treatments at our office:
Dr. Youngblood walks you through every option before treatment, including the cost and the alternatives.
What About Sports Mouthguards for School Athletes?
We make custom-fit athletic mouthguards for kids in football, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, wrestling, hockey, baseball, and any other contact sport. Custom mouthguards fit better, protect more reliably, and stay in the mouth better than the boil-and-bite version from the sporting goods store — which most kids end up chewing on or losing in their gym bag.
Cost: $150-$300 per guard. The process is one 20-minute scan visit, and the guard is ready about a week later. We can do team colors. For most middle school and high school athletes, a custom guard is the difference between a chipped tooth and a knocked-out tooth in a collision.
Are Early Orthodontic Evaluations Worth It?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an evaluation by age 7 — not because most 7-year-olds need braces, but because that is when permanent molars and incisors have come in and we can see whether the bite is developing properly. Most evaluations result in “we will watch and wait.” But about 10-15% of kids benefit from “Phase I” early orthodontic treatment — palate expansion, partial braces, or appliances that guide jaw growth — that makes their teenage orthodontic phase shorter and simpler.
Dr. Youngblood does the initial screening at routine cleanings starting around age 7 and refers to a local orthodontist when intervention is warranted. We do not push unnecessary referrals.
How Much Does Pediatric Dental Care Cost in Hillsboro?
| Service | Typical Cost |
|—|—|
| Cleaning + exam + fluoride (child) | $150-$300 |
| Bitewing X-rays (set of 2-4) | $50-$100 |
| Dental sealant (per tooth) | $35-$60 |
| Tooth-colored filling (composite) | $150-$300 per tooth |
| Stainless steel crown (baby molar) | $300-$500 |
| Pulpotomy (baby root canal) | $150-$300 |
| Extraction (baby tooth) | $100-$200 |
| Space maintainer | $300-$500 |
| Custom sports mouthguard | $150-$300 |
| Nitrous oxide sedation | $75-$150 per visit |
Insurance: We accept most PPO plans — Delta Dental, MODA, Cigna, Aetna, MetLife, Guardian. Most plans cover children’s preventive care (cleanings, exams, fluoride, sealants) at 100% twice per year.
Oregon Health Plan (OHP): We accept OHP for children. OHP covers cleanings, exams, fluoride, sealants, fillings, stainless steel crowns, pulpotomies, and extractions. Call (503) 614-0198 with your OHP plan information and we will verify benefits before the visit.
No insurance? Use our VIP Membership Plan for kids: $199/year per child. Includes two cleanings, two exams, all routine X-rays, fluoride visits, and 15% off all other treatment. No annual maximum, no waiting periods. Every dollar paid in office fees accumulates as 100% credit toward future treatment.
Serving Children Throughout Hillsboro and Beyond
We see kids from across Washington County:
For a fully family-coordinated approach, see our family dentistry page — we can schedule kids and parents in adjacent slots so the whole household is done in one trip.
Ready for Your Child’s First Visit?
Calm, gentle, no judgment. Call (503) 614-0198 to schedule.
What Patients Say
★★★★★
Rated 4.9 / 5 across 300 verified Google reviews — read what Hillsboro patients say about pediatric dentistry.
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Related Services at East Wind Dental Care
From Our Dental Library — Pediatric Dentistry Resources
Looking for more guidance on your child’s dental health? These articles from our Hillsboro dental blog answer the questions parents ask most often:
Areas We Serve
East Wind Dental Care welcomes patients from across Washington County and the west Portland metro area: Hillsboro, Orenco Station, Tanasbourne, Aloha, Beaverton, South Hillsboro, Rock Creek, AmberGlen, Cornelius, Forest Grove, North Plains, and Banks.
Frequently Asked Questions — Children’s Dentist Hillsboro
When should my child have their first dental visit?
By age 1, or within six months of the first tooth appearing — whichever comes first. That’s the AAPD and ADA recommendation. The first visit is short and mostly about parent education: brushing, bottle/sippy habits, fluoride varnish if appropriate, and a knee-to-knee exam in your lap. Pediatric question I hear every week from Hillsboro parents: “Isn’t age 1 too early?” The honest answer — first visits at age 1-2 are easier than first visits at age 4-5, when fears about doctors have set in.
At what age should kids start brushing on their own?
Kids develop the manual dexterity to brush adequately around age 6-8, but most don’t have the patience or motivation until age 9-10. The honest guideline: parents should brush for the child until age 6, then supervise and re-brush after the child until age 8-9, then check in nightly until age 11-12. Cavity rates spike between ages 7-10 specifically because parents step back from supervision before kids are actually ready to do it well.
Are dental sealants safe for children?
Yes — sealants are one of the most-studied preventive treatments in pediatric dentistry. They contain a tiny amount of BPA precursor that’s been the topic of parent questions for years; current ADA and AAPD position is that the BPA exposure from a sealant is far below the FDA safety threshold and lower than what you get from handling a thermal-paper receipt. Sealants reduce cavity risk in permanent molars by 50-80% and cost $35-$60 per tooth (most insurance covers 100% for kids under age 14).
Do baby teeth need fillings or will they fall out?
Yes, baby teeth need fillings when they have decay. Baby molars don’t fall out until age 10-12, so a cavity in a 5-year-old has 5-7 years to cause infection, pain, and damage to the permanent tooth developing underneath. Untreated decay in baby teeth is also a leading cause of school absence. Dr. Youngblood will tell you honestly when treatment is necessary versus when a small white-spot lesion can be remineralized and watched for 6 months. We don’t drill what we don’t have to.
How often should children see the dentist in Oregon?
Every six months for most kids — that’s the AAPD standard. Kids with high cavity risk (frequent snacking, poor brushing, dry mouth from medications, history of multiple cavities) often benefit from 3-4 month intervals, especially during the cavity-prone years between ages 7-10. Kids with zero cavities and excellent home care can sometimes stretch to 9 months, but the 6-month rhythm is what most Oregon pediatric offices recommend and what OHP covers.
What is silver diamine fluoride and is it safe for kids?
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a topical liquid that arrests active cavities by killing bacteria and remineralizing the tooth surface. The honest tradeoff: it works (about 80% of cavities arrest after one application), it’s painless, and it costs $25-$50 per treatment — but it stains the cavity black permanently. For baby molars in the back of a 4-year-old’s mouth where you can’t see them, SDF is an excellent alternative to sedation + drilling. For front teeth where appearance matters, most parents choose conventional treatment instead.
Does the Oregon Health Plan cover children’s dental visits?
Yes. OHP covers children’s dental care comprehensively: exams, cleanings, fluoride, sealants, fillings, stainless steel crowns, pulpotomies (baby root canals), extractions, space maintainers, and emergency visits. We accept OHP at our Hillsboro office. Call (503) 614-0198 with your child’s OHP plan and member ID — our front desk will verify benefits before the visit and tell you upfront if there’s any out-of-pocket. For most OHP-covered kids’ visits, the answer is zero.
Are pediatric dentists better than family dentists for young kids?
For most kids, no — a family dentist with pediatric experience handles routine care just as well. Pediatric specialists (residency-trained in children-only dentistry) are the better call for: medically-complex kids, kids with severe behavioral or sensory needs, kids needing hospital-based sedation, or extensive surgical extractions on multiple baby teeth. At East Wind, Dr. Youngblood handles standard pediatric care — when a case needs specialty referral we coordinate it (we work closely with two pediatric specialists in Beaverton).
How can I prepare my child for their first dental cleaning?
Three things help most. (1) Don’t pre-load anxiety — avoid words like “shot,” “hurt,” “pull,” or “scary.” Use neutral language: “count your teeth,” “check the smile.” (2) Read 1-2 dentist-themed picture books in the week before (the “Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist” or “Dora the Explorer Goes to the Dentist” work well). (3) Let your child come along to your own cleaning if possible — modeling is the strongest preparation. We use tell-show-do at every visit: tell them what’s coming, show them on a model or finger, then do it slowly.
What should I do if my child knocks out a baby tooth?
Do NOT reimplant a knocked-out baby tooth — putting it back in can damage the developing permanent tooth underneath. (For permanent teeth in older kids, reimplant immediately and rush to the dentist within 30 minutes — see our emergency dentist page for the full protocol.) For a knocked-out baby tooth: control bleeding with gauze pressure for 10 minutes, give age-appropriate ibuprofen for pain, and call (503) 614-0198 the next business day to confirm whether a space maintainer is needed.
East Wind Dental Care — Your Hillsboro Children’s Dentist
Office Location: 7546 NE Shaleen St, Hillsboro, OR 97124
Phone: (503) 614-0198
Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 8-5, Tue 7-6, Thu 7-5, Sat by request, Sun closed
Gentle Care for Your Child’s Smile
From first tooth through high school sports. Call (503) 614-0198 to schedule.
Reviewed by Dr. Merat Ostovar, DMD, FAGD | East Wind Dental Care, Hillsboro, OR | Last medically reviewed: 2026-05-05 | Book a consultation
> Dr. Ostovar leads East Wind Dental Care in Hillsboro, which has served the community since 2006. He holds Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD), a credential held by fewer than 7% of general dentists in the U.S.
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