Kids Dentist Near Chino, CA — Where Sedation Is Explained, Not Just Listed
Every children's dental website in Chino lists "sedation dentistry" somewhere on a menu. Almost none of them explain it: which kind is for which child, who administers it, what it costs, whether Medi-Cal pays, and what the day actually looks like for a parent. Since that's the question Chino families most often bring to us, this page answers it fully, then covers everything else.
Kids Dental Castle & Orthodontics is in Pomona, about fifteen minutes up the 71 from central Chino. Dr. Nima Javan sees infants through teens and patients with special healthcare needs, working alongside four board-certified dental anesthesiologists, a board-certified orthodontist, and a board-certified oral surgeon, all on staff. Medi-Cal Dental and PPO plans are accepted. For IEHP Medi-Cal members, dental benefits are provided through Medi-Cal Dental. Uninsured children get a free exam and X-rays; Saturday hours are 8–2. Se habla español.
The Four Ways a Child Gets Through Dental Treatment
There isn't one "sedation." There's a ladder, and most kids never need the top rungs.
1. No medication at all — tell-show-do. For most checkups and many small fillings, the technique is the treatment: show the child the instrument, let them touch it, describe what it’ll feel like, count out loud, stop when they raise a hand. Dr. Javan does this with every child before deciding anything else is needed.
2. Nitrous oxide ("laughing gas"). A small mask over the nose, a few breaths, and the child stays awake but relaxed — floaty, giggly, less bothered by sounds and sensations. It wears off within minutes of removing the mask, your child walks out on their own, and there are no eating restrictions beforehand. This is the right choice for a nervous but cooperative child with one or two things to fix. Details on our nitrous oxide for children page.
3. IV sedation. For a child with several teeth to treat, a strong gag reflex, or anxiety that nitrous can’t reach. Medication through a small IV keeps the child asleep and comfortable while the dentist works, monitored continuously by a dental anesthesiologist. The child needs to fast beforehand (we give exact instructions), and a parent drives them home groggy an hour or so after.
4. General anesthesia. Fully asleep, for extensive treatment — a mouthful of cavities, a toddler with early childhood decay, or a child with special needs for whom any awake treatment would be traumatic. Everything is completed in one visit instead of four or five stressful ones. Same fasting rules, same anesthesiologist monitoring, same-day discharge. More on our IV sedation and general anesthesia page.
Which rung your child needs is decided at a free exam, with you, and the answer is often lower than parents expect.
Who Puts Your Child to Sleep
At Kids Dental Castle, IV sedation and general anesthesia are administered by board-certified dental anesthesiologists who are part of our practice — Dr. Charles Lee, Dr. Albert Kang, Dr. Ji Yoon Choi, and Dr. Andrew Elmasri — in our own office, with dedicated monitoring throughout and a recovery period before you leave. Dr. Javan does the dentistry; the anesthesiologist does nothing but the anesthesia. Having four on staff means a sedation appointment is usually available within a couple of weeks.
What It Costs, and What Medi-Cal Pays
• Exam and X-rays for an uninsured child: free. Every treatment after that gets a written price before we begin.
• Medi-Cal Dental: accepted for children’s dentistry. For IEHP Medi-Cal members, dental benefits are provided through Medi-Cal Dental. Routine and restorative care for children under 21 is covered; sedation and general anesthesia are often covered when medically necessary (age, extent of treatment, special needs), and we confirm coverage before scheduling any sedation visit — never after.
• PPO: in-network with most plans; benefits verified before your visit.
• Paying yourself: CareCredit is accepted, and paying in full in cash earns 5% off.
Medi-Cal patients see the same dentist, the same anesthesiologists, and the same rooms. There is no Medi-Cal side of the office.
The Everyday Dentistry That Prevents All of the Above
Sedation is the safety net. The goal is never needing it, which comes down to boring, regular things:
• Checkups every six months from the first tooth on, with fluoride varnish each time.
• Sealants on the six-year molars as soon as they erupt (around first grade) and the twelve-year molars later. Chewing surfaces of molars are where most childhood cavities start; sealants close the grooves. Covered by Medi-Cal and nearly all PPOs.
• Tooth-colored fillings for small cavities. Crowns for large ones on baby molars, which need to last until around age 12.
• Space maintainers when a baby molar is lost early, so the permanent tooth has room to arrive.
• Pulp therapy ("baby root canal") to save a deeply decayed baby tooth rather than pull it.
Special Needs
Dr. Javan treats patients with special healthcare needs as a routine part of the practice, not an exception: autism, sensory sensitivities, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, feeding tubes, and complex medical histories. The sedation ladder above is what makes that realistic — a child who can’t tolerate an awake cleaning can still have a healthy mouth. Chino Valley Unified families with an IEP that mentions dental accommodations are welcome to send it ahead of the visit. Our special needs dentistry page has more.
Emergencies From Chino
A broken tooth at Ayala Park, a mouth injury at a Don Lugo or Chino High game, a toothache that becomes a swollen face by morning — call 909-741-7052. Calls are answered 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, and same-day emergency slots are held Monday through Saturday. If the swelling is spreading toward the eye or throat, or your child has a fever with it, go to the emergency room first and call us from there.
Call for a Same-Day Appointment
One Building: Dentist, Orthodontist, Oral Surgeon
Here, a children’s dentist, a board-certified orthodontist, and a board-certified oral surgeon work in the same office with shared records and shared insurance verification. The age-7 orthodontic check, the braces or Invisalign years, and the wisdom-teeth conversation at 13–14 all happen without a referral. Pricing for each is on our Chino Invisalign and orthodontics and Chino oral surgery pages.
Meet Dr. Nima Javan
Dr. Javan received his doctorate from the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health and provides preventive, restorative, emergency, and comprehensive dental care for infants, children, teens, and patients with special healthcare needs at Kids Dental Castle & Orthodontics. The full team — including the four dental anesthesiologists — is on our Meet the Doctors page.
Para Familias de Chino
Hablamos español en toda la oficina. Podemos explicar en español las opciones de sedación para su hijo — óxido nitroso, sedación intravenosa o anestesia general — y confirmar qué cubre Medi-Cal antes de programar. Los niños sin seguro reciben examen y radiografías gratis. Sábados de 8 a 2. Llame al 909-741-7052.
Where We Are
Kids Dental Castle & Orthodontics
1532 San Bernardino Ave #A1
Pomona, CA 91767
909-741-7052
Monday–Friday 9–6 · Saturday 8–2
From Chino: the 71 north to the 10, then a short hop east into Pomona — about fifteen minutes from Chino Spectrum, a little longer from The Preserve. Central Avenue or Euclid north also works if the 71 is backed up. We also see children from Chino Hills, Ontario, Montclair, and Eastvale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child have to stop eating before sedation?
For IV sedation and general anesthesia, yes — we'll give you exact times for solids and liquids. For nitrous, no.
Can I stay with my child?
Yes for exams, cleanings, nitrous, and the start of a sedation visit. During IV sedation or general anesthesia you'll wait nearby and be brought back as your child wakes up.
How soon can we get a sedation appointment?
Usually within a couple of weeks, since we have four anesthesiologists on staff.
Does Medi-Cal cover sedation for kids?
Often, when medically necessary. We confirm coverage with Medi-Cal Dental before scheduling, so there's no surprise afterward.
What does a visit cost with no insurance?
The exam and X-rays are free. Treatment is priced in writing before it starts.
When do kids need sealants?
When the six-year molars come in, around first grade, and again for the twelve-year molars. Covered by Medi-Cal and nearly all PPOs.
Why a crown instead of a filling on a baby tooth?
Large fillings in baby molars tend to break; a crown lasts until the tooth falls out naturally around age 12.
How do I know if my child has a cavity?
Early cavities usually have no symptoms. Later signs include white or brown spots on the teeth, sensitivity to sweets or cold, food catching in the same spot, or complaints while chewing. Checkups with X-rays find cavities while they're still small and inexpensive to fix.
¿Hablan español?
Sí. Podemos explicar cada opción de sedación y la cobertura de Medi-Cal en español.
Will nitrous oxide make my child loopy or sick?
Relaxed and a little giggly, usually. It wears off within minutes after the mask comes off, and your child leaves under their own power. No fasting is required for nitrous.
Will my child remember an IV sedation or general anesthesia visit?
Typically not. Most children remember arriving and then waking up in recovery.
How long does dental sedation last in kids?
Nitrous oxide wears off within minutes. After IV sedation or general anesthesia, children are drowsy for several hours, and most are themselves again by the next morning. Plan on a quiet day at home with an adult watching your child.
