Happy Tooth Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric care on Millcreek's east bench, with a clinical eye on airway, breathing and sleep.
Smyleee Rating
Very Good
About Happy Tooth Pediatric Dentistry
Most children's dentistry is about cavities and cooperation. Happy Tooth adds a third axis: Dr. Kara Hanks, DMD, whose stated clinical interest is airway, breathing and sleep — how a child's palate width and jaw development affect whether they breathe easily at night. That is not a lens every children's office applies, and it is the main reason a family would pass a closer practice to get here. The office works from 2453 East 3300 South in Millcreek, on the east bench a short drive below the mouth of Millcreek Canyon, in a building deliberately designed not to read as a clinic; Dr. Hanks has described taking cues from children's museums, on the premise that a first dental experience sets the tone for every appointment after it.
The under-threes are the hardest appointment in dentistry to do well, and very little of what makes one work is clinical. Timing beats technique: a visit scheduled against a nap, or late in a long day, goes badly regardless of who is holding the mirror. So does the preview at home, since children read a parent's own dread accurately and words like hurt, shot and drill plant a fear that was not there. The examination itself is brief and largely visual, done with your child lying back across your knees rather than alone in a chair, and the findings that matter at that age are unglamorous: chalky white lines along the gumline of the upper front teeth, which are the reversible first stage of early childhood decay, how the jaws meet, and whether the tongue lifts and the lips seal at rest. Radiographs are taken when something warrants one, not by default.
Scheduling here rewards planning ahead. The office runs mornings-heavy — Monday 8:00 to 3:00, Wednesday closing at 1:00, Friday at noon, with Tuesday and Thursday the longest at 4:00 — so the late-afternoon slots that suit school-age kids are genuinely scarce. Payment is flexible: cash, most insurance plans including Medicaid, and an in-house membership plan for families without coverage.
One honest limit: an airway-focused exam is a screening, not a diagnosis. If snoring, restless sleep, chronic mouth breathing or a narrow palate turn up, the appropriate next step is usually a sleep study or an ENT opinion, and any expansion or myofunctional therapy follows from that finding rather than substituting for it.
A Millcreek children's practice led by Dr. Kara Hanks, DMD, whose clinical focus extends past cavities to airway, breathing and sleep, and how jaw and palate development affect how a child breathes at night. The office was designed to feel like a children's museum rather than a clinic, and it accepts cash, most insurance plans including Medicaid, and an in-house membership plan.
Clinic Details
Parking
Paid parking lot
Best Known For
Pediatric Dentistry, Preventive Cleanings, Dental Hygiene
Business Hours
| Monday | 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Friday(Today) | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prepare a two-year-old for a first dental visit?
What does an airway and sleep focus actually mean at this office?
Can I get an appointment that does not interrupt a school day?
Location
Reviews
Smyleee Rating
Very Good
1,422 reviews
Smyleee Rating reflects verified profile signals, reviews, and overall care quality.
Recent Reviews
I cannot say enough about how wonderful our experience has been at happy tooth!! Every employee has been so kind and so fun with my cute little guy! I had a lot of trauma with my dentists growing up, but the way that they do treatment. Here is so perfect for Littles! This sounds so corny, but I feel my childhood trauma healing by watching them with my son. They explain everything that’s going to happen, they show them all the tools they’ll be using and let him touch each tool if he wants. They’re very kind and very patient. I cannot express how happy I am and my cute little four-year-old is after getting a crown!
We’ve been coming here since my son was 7 months old and I’ve always been impressed with his care and the level of professionalism from the Happy Tooth team. Thanks everyone for being excellent! :)
My kids normally have a hard time at the dentist office but for some reason they love Happy Tooth. The staff is always friendly and helpful.
I’d highly recommend Happy Tooth to any parent looking for exceptional pediatric dental care. From the moment we walked in, the entire team made us feel welcomed and at ease. Dr. Hanks is incredibly professional, compassionate, and efficient. My little boy needed extensive dental work, and Dr. Hanks took the time to answer all of our questions thoroughly, ensuring we felt comfortable and confident every step of the way. The anesthesiology team was equally outstanding—they were kind, reassuring, and made my son feel safe and comfortable throughout his procedure. We are so grateful for the exceptional care we received. Thank you, Dr. Hanks and the entire Happy Tooth team, for providing such a positive experience. We will absolutely continue bringing our son here and highly recommend your office to other families! ❤️
Dr. Hanks is an incredibly talented dentist that my son has been going to since he was two years old. He did a minor surgery on my son’s front two teeth, which turned out excellent. He has also helped establish really good habits in my son and he has made the dentist a very fun and chill experience. My little guy is not scared of the dentist and he always leaves with zero cavities. They have great toothpaste too highly recommend! Thank you, Dr. Hanks and thank you to your team!
CiCi was so patient and sweet to my 9 year old with special needs. Because she was so caring with him, we got our very first full exam! He left so happy and proud. We love this clinic. We drive up from Utah county and it’s worth every mile!
Been doing myofunctional therapy and airway work at happy tooth for awhile now and we have LOVED our experience. We love seeing Shelby for Myo and having her help us with exercises and making new habits to improve nasal breathing. I can't say enough good things! Everyone is so lovely and my kids love coming to their appointments which as a mom is so helpful. Highly recommend!
I am a nurse and am extremely impressed with the office, the staff (The front and back desk, the Xray girl, and thr girl who did our cleaning, Cecilia, were all so good with my kid and he was so comfortable the whole time), the design of the office, the dentist himself. My 5yo absolutely loved it, and was so psyched. He was so comfortable the whole time. I saw kids in the lobby that when they got called back they were like, “mom, I don’t need you to come back with me, it’s just a xray.” The doctor was super chill and you could tell he knew his stuff. This place is the revolution that medical care needs. It’s so much more practical and enjoyable to get stuff taken care of. Thank you happy dentistry - you have lifelong patients. Even I wanted to get my teeth checked 😂
I’ve been bringing my oldest daughter here for almost two years now. All of the staff are so friendly and welcoming, and the kid friendly atmosphere is so nice. Dr Hanks is amazing! He is very knowledgeable, and shows that he cares about his patients. He makes sure I understand what care my daughters teeth needs, and what really needs to be done. My daughter has had cleanings done, and some dental work and everything has gone great.
Awesome Pediatric Dentist! The staff are friendly, patient and super helpful! My son was quite squirmy for his X-rays, he was being far too silly. And the girls that helped him were so patient and they got the X-rays. I was very impressed with all of their services! They have a super fun office too! Lots of things for kids to do while you wait. So glad we decided to go to this dentist office! I would definitely recommend them to anyone!
Reviews are aggregated from public sources.
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