Child Dental Care in South Perth

Looking for a dentist your child will feel at ease with? Mends Street Dental provides warm, experienced children’s dental care from our long-established practice at 27 Mends Street, South Perth just across the Swan River from the Perth CBD helping families build healthy dental habits from the very first visit. South Perth skews a little older than the national picture: children aged 0–14 make up roughly 14% of residents, slightly below the national average, and the median age sits around 40*. In other words, this isn’t a suburb defined by large numbers of young families so what matters most here isn’t volume but continuity and experience. For the families across South Perth and Kensington who do bring their children to us, that’s exactly what our team is built around: patient, familiar care that grows with your child.

What does children’s dental care involve?

Children’s dental care focuses on looking after infants, children and teenagers as their teeth develop, with an emphasis on general and preventive dentistry regular monitoring, cavity prevention, fluoride application, fissure sealants and gentle support for children who feel anxious about visiting the dentist. It also includes keeping an eye on gum health and jaw development as your child grows, so that anything needing attention can be picked up early.

At Mends Street Dental, children can be seen by dentists with a specific interest in this area including Dr Sophia Hawes (DMD, UWA), who was awarded the Alistair Devlin ANZSPD Paediatric Dentistry Prize, and Dr Robyn Whitelaw (BDS Hons, Glasgow) alongside our oral health therapist, Kinga Haynes, who handles check-ups, cleans, fluoride and oral health education. The aim is a friendly, unhurried environment that helps children build positive habits early.

This early groundwork matters more than many parents realise. A child’s first few dental visits often shape how they feel about oral health care well into adulthood, which is why our approach centres on patience, clear explanation and a calm environment from the very first check-up.

Our children’s dental services in South Perth

Preventive care — routine check-ups, professional cleans and fluoride to help keep your child’s teeth and gums healthy

Dental anxiety management — gentle, unhurried techniques to help nervous children settle — an area of particular interest for Dr Robyn Whitelaw

Fissure sealants and mouthguards — protective coatings to reduce cavity risk on back teeth, and custom mouthguards to help protect teeth during sport

Fillings, X-rays and oral health education — age-appropriate restorative care and practical guidance for children and parents alike

Each of these is delivered with the same underlying goal — helping your child feel safe and supported at every stage. Rather than treating a dental visit as something to get through, we aim to make it something children can approach with curiosity rather than apprehension which, in turn, makes ongoing preventive care easier to maintain as they grow. Many parents find that once their child has a few positive visits behind them, future appointments become easier for everyone.

Why local families choose Mends Street Dental for children’s dentistry

Mends Street Dental is a long-established South Perth practice with a reputation built largely on patient referrals and long-term relationships many families stay with us across generations. We offer comprehensive family dental care under one roof, from a child’s first check-up through to their teenage years and beyond, in a welcoming environment supported by an experienced, multidisciplinary team of dentists, oral health therapists, hygienists and dental nurses.

We also take infection control seriously, maintaining high sterilisation and infection control standards throughout the practice reassuring for parents and children alike.

We know fitting dental visits around school, sport and work isn’t always simple. Our later appointments on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (until 6pm) suit after-school visits, and Saturday morning appointments (8am–1pm) give families another option outside the working week. We’re open Monday to Saturday and closed on Sundays.

Throughout each step, we explain things in language children can understand and, where it helps, show them the tools involved before any treatment begins. This helps reduce uncertainty and gives your child a sense of control, which often makes a real difference to how comfortable they feel.

Helping your child keep a healthy smile

Our team focuses on care that supports comfort and function, with every plan built around your child’s individual stage and needs, and discussed with you in full during the consultation. As children grow into adulthood, the same team can look after a fuller range of treatments under one roof.

We also understand that some children feel nervous about the dentist, and we don’t take that lightly. Our team is experienced in recognising the signs of dental anxiety and adjusting accordingly taking things more slowly, explaining each step in advance, or simply giving a child more time to feel comfortable in the chair. The goal is for every child to leave feeling proud of themselves rather than dreading their next visit.

Frequently Asked Questions