We aim to instill healthy habits in your little one.

Children's Dentistry in Cloverdale

Kid at dentist in cloverdale We love taking care of little smiles at our dental practice, and as a family dentist in Cloverdale, WA, we look forward to welcoming your child.

Ideally, you should bring your child in to see us when you notice their first tooth erupting or around their first birthday. Of course, if you have concerns before that, never hesitate to reach out to our team.

When you bring your child to the dentist early, it allows us to monitor their development from the beginning. It also helps prevent dental anxiety in the future.

Conveniently located in Cloverdale, Wright Street Dental Clinic is a leading family dentist for residents in Forrestfield, Belmont, Kewdale, and surrounding suburbs. Our clinic is just a short 10-minute drive from Forrestfield, offering local families easy access to gentle, professional children’s dental care.

Children’s Dentistry: Service Overview

Focus: Gentle preventative care, fissure sealants and early orthodontic evaluations.
First Visit: Recommended when the first tooth erupts or by age one.
Special Interest: Management of dental anxiety through age-appropriate language and a gentle approach.
HBF & CDBS Coverage: We are a preferred provider for HBF, offering competitive rates for families near Forrestfield. We also bulk bill (gap-free) for eligible families under the Medicare Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).
Providers: Care is delivered by local UWA-trained dentists, Dr Raj and Dr Nav.
Patient Support: Custom sports mouthguards and nutritional guidance are available.

How You Can Help Ease Dental Anxiety in Your Child

People of all ages can feel anxious when seeing a doctor or dentist, but it can be especially difficult for young children. Below, we share a few ways you can help ease your child's concerns.

Share Your Experience

Let them know that you appreciate going to the dentist. It's nice to catch up with the friendly dental team.

Keep It Positive

When discussing the dentist, avoid using scary words like 'drill' or 'shot' to describe potential treatments.

Keep Them Confident

Let your child know they have a beautiful smile, and the dentist's goal is to ensure it stays that way.

Specials

Sport Mouthguard Special - 20% Off

Protect your smile on the field, court or during training with a custom-made sports mouthguard.

We are currently offering 20% off single colour, single layer sports mouthguards. This applies to the gap payment for patients with private health insurance, or the total cost for patients without cover.

Mouthguards are available for patients of all ages and usually take 7 to 14 days to make.

At Wright Street Dental Clinic, We Support Anxious Kids

Anxiety is common in children, especially in a medical or dental setting. They aren’t sure what to expect and may not be familiar with a specific doctor, dentist or team.

Fortunately, we have taken a keen interest in helping kids manage anxiety and are happy to see your little one.

Causes of dental anxiety in kids may include:

Unfamiliarity with a particular staff or setting
A rough experience at another dental clinic
New treatments they haven’t had before
Specific noises like drills or machinery
A falsehood told to them by another child

No matter the source of your child’s stress, we are happy to address their anxiety and ensure they enjoy coming to see us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Many parents are simply unaware of the high risk of dental injuries during sports, or assume off-the-shelf store options provide adequate protection. Cost concerns or discomfort also cause children to skip wearing them. Located in Cloverdale, WA, Wright Street Dental Clinic helps families across Perth and surrounding neighbourhoods, including Belmont and Rivervale, safeguard young smiles with proper sports protection.

Types of Mouthguards Compared

Stock Mouthguards: Inexpensive, rigid plastic guards bought from pharmacies or sports stores. They are bulky, fit poorly, interfere with breathing and speech, and offer a false sense of protection.
Boil-and-Bite Mouthguards: Made from thermoplastic that softens in hot water. While cheap, they easily deform, offer limited impact absorption, can impair breathing, and may even present an airway hazard during high impacts.
Custom-Fitted Mouthguards: Individually crafted from precise impressions using shock-absorbing dental materials. They fit your child's mouth perfectly, ensuring maximum impact protection and total comfort without affecting breathing or speaking.

The Custom Advantage

Our doctors, Dr Navangi Fernando and Dr Rajinda Pathirana, along with our experienced dental team, utilize modern dental technology to deliver high-quality care tailored to active growing kids. Investing in a custom-fitted guard prevents costly, painful dental emergencies down the road.

Protect Your Child's Smile

Don't compromise your child's dental safety with ill-fitting store-bought options. Call us today at (08) 9479 1970 to schedule an appointment with Wright Street Dental Clinic!

Yes, while crowding is very common in young children, it is important to evaluate it early to protect your child’s future oral health. A child with crowded teeth or jaw problems won't necessarily develop severe issues, but adults with untreated crowding face a much higher risk of tooth decay, gingivitis, gum disease, and TMJ problems compared to those with well-aligned jaws and teeth.

Understanding Early Crowding

Because adult teeth are noticeably larger than baby teeth, natural jaw growth doesn't always provide enough room for them to erupt cleanly. Here is what you should know about childhood crowding:

Persistent Crowding: If you still see crowding around 8 to 9 years old - after all four upper and four lower adult front teeth have erupted; the issue will likely not improve on its own.
Common Alignment Issue: Crowding is the single most common type of malocclusion in both children and adults.
Premature Loss of Baby Teeth: Lack of jaw space can sometimes force a baby tooth out prematurely to make room for incoming adult teeth, creating cascading alignment issues.

Early Evaluation & Modern Technology

Catching jaw and alignment issues early makes guiding proper orthodontic growth much easier. Located in Cloverdale, WA, Wright Street Dental Clinic utilizes modern dental technology to deliver high-quality care to Perth and surrounding neighborhoods, including Belmont and Rivervale.

Dr Navangi Fernando and Dr Rajinda Pathirana, along with our dedicated dental team, can examine your child’s jaw growth, discuss potential space-maintaining or orthodontic solutions, and create a tailored plan for their developing smile.

Schedule Your Child's Evaluation

If you notice crowding or have questions about your child's jaw development, we are here to help. Call us today at (08) 9479 1970 to schedule an appointment with Wright Street Dental Clinic!

There are many reasons for tooth discolouration, and even healthy children can experience spots or stains on newly erupted teeth. Located in Cloverdale, WA, Wright Street Dental Clinic provides gentle, thorough dental evaluations to diagnose the cause of tooth spots and protect your child's growing smile.

Common Causes of Tooth Discolouration

Stains can form on the outside of the tooth or deep within its underlying structure:

Surface Stains: Most stains are on the tooth surface and are caused by a build-up of plaque, usually stemming from incomplete brushing or breathing through the mouth while sleeping. Our dental team can easily clean and polish away these surface-level stains.
Enamel or Dentine Disturbances: Discolouration occurring during early tooth development can leave spots embedded within the enamel (hard outer shell) or the dentine beneath it.
Fluoride Exposure: Consuming excess fluoride while adult teeth are forming can lead to mild fluorosis, which manifests as white or light brown spots.
Health and Medication Factors: Childhood malnutrition, chronic illness, long-term medication use, or radiation therapy can cause spots and may leave teeth appearing malformed, chipped, or brittle.

Diagnosis and Treatment

It is worth noting that back teeth (molars) can also be affected by developmental spots. During your visit, Dr Navangi Fernando and Dr Rajinda Pathirana will ask questions about your child’s health history and carefully examine their teeth. Wright Street Dental Clinic utilizes modern dental technology to deliver high-quality care to Perth and surrounding neighborhoods, including Belmont and Rivervale, allowing us to pinpoint the exact cause and suggest personalized treatment options to improve the appearance and health of your child's teeth.

Get Booked In Today

If you have noticed spots or discolouration on your child's front teeth, we are here to help. Call us today at (08) 9479 1970 to schedule an appointment with our team!

Dental sealants are a highly effective, preventive therapy designed to protect young teeth from decay. The chewing surfaces of baby and adult molars naturally have deep pits and fissures; tiny grooves where food particles and bacteria easily gather. Located in Cloverdale, WA, Wright Street Dental Clinic recommends sealants to seal off these vulnerable areas before cavities can form.

How Dental Sealants Work

A sealant is a liquid coating applied directly to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, which quickly hardens into a durable, protective plastic shield.

Key features and benefits of sealant therapy include:

Completely Painless: Sealant application is non-invasive, requiring no drilling and no local anesthetic.

Effective Decay Barrier: Smooths out deep molar grooves so food and plaque cannot get trapped in hard-to-clean spaces.

Proven Safety: Sealants are a trusted, routine dental treatment with a proven track record of protecting children's teeth for decades.

Tailored Protection for Your Child

Whether your child needs sealants depends on the depth of their tooth grooves and their overall risk for decay. Dr Navangi Fernando and Dr Rajinda Pathirana can perform a gentle examination to determine if sealants are right for your child.

Our experienced dental team utilizes modern dental technology to deliver high-quality care to Perth and surrounding neighborhoods, including Belmont and Rivervale. Applying sealants is quick, painless, and provides long-lasting protection for growing smiles.

Protect Your Child's Smile Today

Preventing cavities before they start is the easiest way to ensure long-term oral health. Call us today at (08) 9479 1970 to schedule an appointment with Wright Street Dental Clinic and learn if dental sealants are right for your child!

Children should brush their teeth at least twice a day; once in the morning and once before bed - for two full minutes each time. Combined with a balanced diet, consistent brushing is the most important foundation for a healthy smile. Located in Cloverdale, WA, Wright Street Dental Clinic helps parents build effective, stress-free oral hygiene habits for their children from an early age.

Brushing & Flossing Guidelines

Daily Brushing Routine: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and age-appropriate fluoride toothpaste to gently clean all surfaces of the teeth and gums every morning and night.
Flossing for Children: If your child has visible spaces between their primary teeth, daily flossing is generally not required. However, flossing is recommended if teeth are close together or if a child continues to experience decay between teeth despite good brushing habits.
Growing Into Adulthood: As teens mature into adulthood, flossing becomes increasingly vital. Daily flossing should begin as soon as adjacent teeth touch to prevent gingivitis, gum disease, and bad breath.

Preventive Care with Modern Technology

Our experienced doctors, Dr Navangi Fernando and Dr Rajinda Pathirana, together with our caring dental team, utilize modern dental technology to deliver high-quality care to Perth and surrounding neighborhoods, including Belmont and Rivervale. We closely monitor your child's brushing efficiency during routine check-ups and provide personalized preventive advice tailored to their unique smile.

Keep Your Child's Smile Healthy

Building strong dental habits early sets your child up for a lifetime of happy, healthy smiles. Call us today at (08) 9479 1970 to schedule an appointment with Wright Street Dental Clinic!

How We Approach Dental Anxiety in Kids

Kids Smiling | Children's dentistry in cloverdale Children tend to enjoy visiting our dental clinic and develop close relationships with our team. For kids, coming to their dental appointment in our clinic is like visiting an old friend.

Steps we take to lessen anxiety in kids include:

Talking to them about their upcoming treatment
Answering their questions in age-appropriate language
Letting them see the dental setting, including specific instruments
Encouraging them through team pride in their cavity-free check-ups
Using a gentle hand and learned techniques to keep their dentistry pain-free

Our Team

Meet More of our Staff

Dr Rajinda Pathirana DMD (UWA)

Dr Rajinda Pathirana is a local graduate who earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Western Australia. With experience across both public and private sectors, he brings a well-rounded and compassionate approach …

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Dr Navangi Fernando DMD (UWA)

Dentist

Dr Navangi Fernando is a local having grown up in the Belmont area. She attended St Maria Goretti’s Primary School, Chisholm College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science, Graduate Diploma in Education and Doctor …

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Children’s Dental Care in Cloverdale, WA

Kids Smiling | Childrens Dentist Cloverdale We provide a wide range of dental treatments and services for children, including but not limited to:

Comprehensive Dental Exams
Professional Teeth Cleans
Fissure Sealants
Fluoride Treatments
Dental Fillings
Tooth Extractions (Including Orthodontic Extractions)
Orthodontic Evaluations
Emergency Dentistry
Mouthguards for Sports

We also work with parents and caregivers by providing advice. For example, you may have questions about teething, thumb sucking, or mouth breathing. Perhaps you'd like more information about tooth-healthy nutrition. Fortunately, we are always here for our patients and families.

Additionally, your child’s dentist in Cloverdale shares all exam findings with you and ensures you understand all available treatment options.

Call Us for Children’s Dentistry in Cloverdale, WA

If you’re ready to establish dental care for your child or have questions, we look forward to your call on (08) 9479 1970.