Now Accepting New Patients
Check-ups, cleanings, sealants, fillings, orthodontics, and more
Student or resident with faculty oversight
Not required
Delta Dental, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, MassHealth, Self-pay
Floor 8
Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Nothing is as beautiful as your child’s healthy smile. With early and regular dental care, you can keep that smile healthy and bright. Our friendly faculty-resident and faculty-student teams provide high-quality oral disease prevention and treatment from birth to adulthood. Expert, affordable care starts with your child’s first appointment.
Expert & Thoughtful Care
Our friendly provider teams take the time to get to know you and your child and to make sure that all your questions and concerns are addressed.
Confidence
Having a healthy smile can boost your child’s confidence. Knowing that they are getting expert care at an affordable price can boost yours.
Affordability
Our fees are often a fraction of the price of private practices. Exact fees are determined at the time of service.
Our Services
- Comprehensive oral evaluation and dental treatment for children
- Teeth cleaning
- Fluoride treatments
- Urgent care (for dental injury, infection, pain)
- Nitrous oxide (laughing gas)
- Sedation (if needed to help children relax)
- General anesthesia (if needed for more extensive dental treatments)
- Sealants and fillings
Access to Top Specialists
Beyond routine care, our dental practice includes specialized dentistry to meet all your child’s oral health needs. Our offerings include expert, affordable orthodontics, habit counseling, soft-tissue condition management, experienced care for special health needs, and more. At Tufts University Dental Care Center, we care for all of you.
We started coming to Tufts Dental when our son was in third grade. He is now a high school senior. We’ve always received exceptional care. Their dedication to pediatric patients has created a friendly and caring environment.
Yearly average over past three years
What to Expect for New Patients
Find out what to expect at your child's pediatric dental appointment and how you can help prepare them for their visit.
A team of providers will care for your child
Tufts University Dental Care Center is a top-rated teaching facility with a team of providers that include students, residents, and faculty. The care of every patient is overseen by an experienced faculty member, and you may see multiple providers throughout your child’s treatment.
Appointments take 60–90 minutes for pediatric patients
Routine pediatric appointments usually take 1–1.5 hours for things like cleanings, fillings, and extractions.
For more complicated procedures (such as root canal treatment or general anesthesia), more time may be needed. Call us before your child’s appointment to find out how long it is expected to take so you can plan accordingly.
Payment is expected at the time of service
Payment or co-payment is expected at the time of service. Please note: Patient co-payment is necessary with all insurances (other than with MassHealth).
Most procedures for children are fully covered by your insurance provider. However, coverage depends on your individual plan. Please review your benefits with your insurance provider. Learn more about insurance and billing.
*We offer financing options through Happen Bank (formerly known as LendingClub).
What to Expect at Baby’s First Dental Appointment
It is very important to protect primary or “baby” teeth. Children with healthy teeth chew food easily, speak clearly, and have a happy smile.
At your infant’s first oral exam (strongly recommended for 6–12 month olds*), we:
- Evaluate your infant’s oral health
- Provide education about cleaning baby teeth and gums
- Discuss the effects of bottle feeding, nursing, and baby food on your infant’s teeth
- Discuss growth and development of a healthy mouth
Starting early and establishing good habits can help prevent tooth decay and other types of oral diseases. Having a comfortable and friendly first visit with our care team can get your child on the path to a lifetime of good oral health.
*To prevent dental problems, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Dental Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that your baby’s first oral exam should be no later than their first birthday.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your child is new to our practice and is coming for routine dental evaluations and cleanings, you do not need a referral.
If you are being sent to our clinic by another dentist, you need a referral. The referral should be sent by email and should state what treatment, along with any recent X-rays to pedofd@tufts.edu.
We accept the following insurances:
- Mass Health
- Delta Dental insurance (with patient co-payment)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Cigna
Most procedures for children are fully covered; however, coverage depends on your individual plan. Learn more about insurance and billing.
We most often care for children as young as 6 months up to age 18 for routine care (e.g., cleanings, fluoride treatment). We also treat children under 6 months, including newborns, with more acute needs, when needed (e.g. tongue ties, neonatal teeth, cleft lip and palate).
When the young adult turns 18, we typically refer that patient to our Comprehensive Care Clinic that sees adult patients for general dentistry. For some patients with special health needs, however, we can continue to treat them in the Pediatric Clinic if they prefer. If you have questions about what happens during the transition from minor to adult age, please talk to your dental provider.
Yes—We welcome patients with special needs.
The Pediatric Dental Clinic provides comprehensive dental care for patients with special health care needs up to the age of 18 years. Tufts Special Care Dental Clinics provide care to adults (older than 18 years) with developmental disabilities who meet certain qualifications. Caregivers should contact their nearest Tufts Special Care Dental Clinic location and speak with our staff to determine eligibility.
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer free care. However, as a teaching facility, we are committed to offering dental care at lower cost than a typical private practice. We offer self-pay options and financing options through Happen Bank (formerly known as LendingClub).
Yes, if you or your family member need assistance in a non-English language, we offer free interpreter services. Some commonly spoken languages are:
- Arabic
- Brazilian Portuguese
- Cambodian
- Cantonese
- European Portuguese
- French
- Haitian Creole
- Korean
- Mandarin
- Pashto
- Russian
- Spanish
- Toishanese
- Vietnamese
Our hours of operation are:
- Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (last appointment is at 4:30 p.m.)
- Friday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (last appointment is at 3 p.m.)
If your child has a dental emergency when our clinic is closed, you can call Tufts Medical Center at 617-636-5114 and ask for “Emergency Dental Care."
For Referring Providers
If you have a patient who needs expert care at a more affordable cost, please consider recommending our clinics. We welcome referrals, but patients are not required to have a referral to be seen in our Pediatric Dentistry Clinic. Please email the referral, along with any recent X-rays, to pedofd@tufts.edu.
Directions and Contact Us
Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
1 Kneeland Street, Floor 8
Boston, MA 021111
Phone: 617-636-6971
Campus Map
Advice from Our Dentists
