If a dentist has mentioned sleep dentistry or general anesthesia for your child, the first questions are usually practical ones. Where does it happen, who is there, how many visits does it take, and will insurance or Medi-Cal pay for it. This article answers those. It does not replace the evaluation, where the doctor explains everything that is specific to your child.

What sleep dentistry is, in one sentence

All of your child's dental treatment is completed in a single visit while they sleep, at our Visalia center, with a board-certified pediatric dentist doing the work and a board-certified anesthesiologist in the room from start to finish. That is the whole idea: instead of several appointments a child has to sit through awake, one day takes care of everything.

How scheduling works, step by step

  • Step 1: an in-person evaluation at any of our offices. The doctor reviews your child's health history, confirms whether this is the right path, gives you a treatment plan and answers your questions.
  • Step 2: one treatment day is scheduled at the Visalia center. The office explains how to prepare before that day.
  • Step 3: your child goes home the same day, with instructions from the office.

Two visits total, one of them the evaluation. Nothing is scheduled under anesthesia without the evaluation first, and nothing is booked online for this service. It starts with a conversation with the doctor.

Who is in the room, and what board-certified means

Two specialists are with your child during treatment. The pediatric dentist does the dental work. The anesthesiologist is a separate, board-certified professional whose only job that day is your child, from the moment treatment begins until it ends.

  • Dr. Brent Tucker, Clinical Director, is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD).
  • DDS, Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry.
  • Pediatric dentistry residency, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Board-certified is not a marketing phrase. A pediatric dentist is a dentist who completed an additional two to three year residency in pediatric dentistry after dental school. Board-certified means that, on top of that, they passed the national board exams of the specialty. You can verify any dentist's status on the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry website.

Insurance and Medi-Cal

Many plans, including Medi-Cal, cover treatment under general anesthesia when a child needs it. We accept Medi-Cal (its dental program is often called Denti-Cal) and most PPO plans. Before any treatment day is scheduled, the office verifies your coverage and explains what your plan covers, so there are no surprises. If you want the background on how coverage works at our offices, our article on Medi-Cal and insurance explained goes through it.

Families from Fresno, Delano, Porterville or Clovis

You do not need to drive to Visalia for the evaluation. It starts at the office closest to you: Fresno at 452 East Shaw Ave, Delano at 815 Cecil Ave, or Porterville at 1150 W Henderson Ave. Our Clovis office at 200 W Shaw Ave is opening soon, so Clovis families are seen in Fresno for now. The treatment day itself is always at the Visalia center, 1814 N Dinuba Blvd, Visalia, CA 93291, phone (559) 589-8700. That line answers day and night, in English and Spanish.

Who is usually offered this option

  • Very young children with a lot of treatment pending.
  • Children with a lot of anxiety about dental visits.
  • Children with special needs.
  • Families who live far from an office and cannot make several trips.

This is a description of who it is typically offered to, not a checklist. Whether it is right for your child is a decision the doctor makes together with you after seeing your child in person.

Questions worth bringing to the evaluation

  • How long should we plan for on the treatment day, from arrival to going home?
  • Who can come with my child, and can I stay with them?
  • What do I need to bring that day?
  • What does my plan or Medi-Cal cover, and what is verified before we schedule?
  • How do I reach the office afterwards if I have a question?

If you are a dentist referring a patient

Dentists across the Valley refer patients to us for treatment under general anesthesia. There is a Refer a Patient page at kids2dentist.com/referral. After treatment, the patient returns to you for their ongoing care.

Frequently asked questions

Where is it done?

At our Visalia center, 1814 N Dinuba Blvd, Visalia, CA 93291. The evaluation can be done at any of our offices; only the treatment day is in Visalia.

Does insurance or Medi-Cal cover it?

Many plans, including Medi-Cal, cover treatment under general anesthesia when a child needs it. The office verifies your coverage and explains what your plan covers before anything is scheduled.

How do I know if my child is a candidate?

Only the doctor can tell you, after an in-person evaluation. The office can describe who it is usually offered to, but the decision is made by the doctor with your family.

How do I get started?

Book a regular visit at your nearest office, online from that office's page on kids2dentist.com or by phone, and mention that you want to talk about sleep dentistry. The Visalia line, (559) 589-8700, answers day and night and can schedule that first visit.

Do you see families in Spanish?

Yes. Our team works in English and Spanish at every office, and the Visalia line answers in both languages. At the Fresno office the staff also speaks Tagalog, Punjabi and Hmong.

The short version

One evaluation at any office, one treatment day in Visalia with a board-certified pediatric dentist and a board-certified anesthesiologist, home the same day. Coverage is verified before scheduling. Start by booking a regular visit and asking about it.