The goal of a child’s first dental visits is bigger than clean teeth. It is a kid who grows up thinking the dentist is no big deal. At New Street Dental in Bethlehem, Dr. Gene Tunney cares for children as part of a true family practice: kids, parents, and grandparents in the same office, often on the same day. No hand-offs to strangers, no starting over with a new practice when your child outgrows a pediatric office. Just one dental home from the first baby tooth on.
Call (610) 867-7112 to book your child’s visit, and tell us if you would like to book the whole family together; we will do our best to coordinate it.
When Should a Child First See the Dentist?
Earlier than most parents guess: by their first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth appearing, whichever comes first. That is the professional guidance, and it is not about drilling anything. Early visits let us check that teeth are coming in normally, catch early decay (yes, baby teeth get cavities, and they matter), and give you practical answers about teething, bottles, pacifiers, and thumb-sucking.
Just as important, early visits teach your child that the dental chair is a normal, boring place. A two-year-old who has “been going forever” becomes a six-year-old who hops into the chair without a second thought.
What Your Child’s Visit Looks Like
We keep kids’ appointments simple, unhurried, and honestly kind of fun:
- We show before we do. Dr. Tunney and our hygienists explain every tool in kid terms, let your child look and touch, and narrate as they go. No surprises is the rule.
- Parents stay in the room. You are welcome chairside, especially for young children and first visits.
- Small wins get celebrated. First visit, first clean checkup, a wiggly tooth handled bravely: we make a moment of it. Positive visits now are what lifelong dental health is built on.
- Nervous kids get extra patience. Some children need a slow lap around the office first, or a visit that is just a chair ride and a mirror count. That is fine. We move at your child’s pace, and pushy is not in our vocabulary.
Dental Care for Every Age and Stage
Babies and toddlers (0 to 3). Quick, gentle exams; guidance on teething, bottle habits, and first brushing. Mostly, we are building comfort.
Little kids (3 to 6). Regular cleanings and exams, cavity checks as baby molars come in, fluoride treatments to strengthen young enamel, and coaching so brushing at home actually happens.
Big kids (6 to 12). The mixed-teeth years. We watch how adult teeth are arriving, protect brand-new molars with dental sealants, and treat any cavities with tooth-colored fillings that match.
Teens. Cleanings and exams around busy schedules, wisdom-teeth monitoring with digital X-rays, and custom sports mouthguards for athletes. And when they turn 18, nothing changes; they are already home.
Prevention Is the Whole Game
Almost everything expensive in dentistry is preventable in childhood. Our kids’ visits lean hard on:
- Cleanings and exams every six months, catching problems while they are small and painless
- Fluoride treatments that harden enamel against cavities
- Dental sealants, a thin protective coating brushed onto the grooves of new molars, where most childhood cavities start
- Instant, very low radiation digital X-rays (our Nomad 2 Pro unit) only when needed, showing us what is happening between teeth and below the gums
- Real-life coaching on brushing, flossing, snacks, and juice, aimed at your actual kitchen, not a pamphlet
Parents get straight answers too: what to do about thumb-sucking, whether that gray tooth after a playground fall needs attention (call us), and when orthodontic questions are worth asking.
If Your Child Has a Dental Emergency
Kids fall, bikes tip, and baseballs find faces. If your child knocks out, breaks, or badly loosens a tooth, or has swelling or serious tooth pain, call us at (610) 867-7112 right away. We hold same-day emergency appointments, and our emergency page has step-by-step first aid for the moments before you reach us. One rule worth memorizing now: a knocked-out baby tooth does NOT get pushed back in (it can damage the adult tooth underneath), but a knocked-out permanent tooth should be kept moist and seen immediately.
Costs, Insurance, and Zero Surprise Bills
Children’s preventive care (exams, cleanings, fluoride, sealants) is the best-covered category in almost every dental plan, frequently at or near 100%. We accept most major plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Dental, Cigna, Concordia, Delta Dental, Guardian, and MetLife, and you get a written same-day insurance estimate before any treatment beyond the routine, so there is never a surprise bill. No insurance? Third-party financing is available, and honestly, kids’ preventive visits are the most affordable dentistry there is; keeping them regular is what prevents the expensive stuff.
A Family Dentist, Honestly Described
Dr. Tunney is a family dentist, not a pediatric specialist, and we say that plainly because honesty is the house style. What he offers is extensive experience with children, a genuinely gentle manner that parents specifically mention in reviews, and one enormous practical advantage: your whole family in one office, with records, scheduling, and trust in one place. For children with complex special healthcare needs or those needing sedation dentistry, a pediatric specialist can be the right call, and if that is your child, we will say so and point you well.
We welcome families from Bethlehem, Bethlehem Township, Fountain Hill, Freemansburg, Hellertown, Catasauqua, Center Valley, Nazareth, and Allentown at 920 N New Street in the heart of Bethlehem.