Top 10 Pediatric Dentists in San Diego California

Top 10 Pediatric Dentists in San Diego California

Compare San Diego-area clinics on reviews, service fit, insurance, and booking convenience.

Reviewed August 9, 2026Ranking recomputed August 1, 202610 clinicsDr Maqsud Mallick, BDSHow we rank

Quick Answer

Which clinic looks strongest at a glance?

We prioritize local relevance, review strength, service breadth, access, price clarity, and patient experience signals.

At A Glance

  • Origin Dental is the strongest overall starting point in San Diego if you want a dependable option for pediatric dentistry.
  • Children's Dentistry of San Diego has the deepest documented patient-feedback history on this page — useful when you want the most established track record before narrowing.
  • Western Dental Kids is a stronger first look if weekend availability matters more than weekday convenience.

Quick Summary

10 clinics scored on this page

89.3

Pediatric Dentists Costs in San Diego, California (2026)

Approximate price ranges — may vary by provider and insurance plan

ProcedureTypical Cost
Child dental exam$50 – $150
Child dental cleaning$80 – $200
Fluoride treatment$25 – $75
Dental sealants (per tooth)$30 – $60
Baby tooth extraction$100 – $250
Pulpotomy (baby root canal)$200 – $400
Space maintainer$200 – $500
Stainless steel crown$250 – $500

Price ranges reflect typical San Diego, California pricing as of 2026. Actual costs vary by provider, complexity, and insurance coverage. Contact clinics directly for personalized quotes.

Prices verified Aug 9, 2026

Distance Mode

Choose how clinic distance is measured

Compare clinics either from San Diego Downtown or from your live location.

Distances below are shown from San Diego Downtown. Switch to From you any time.

Top Clinics in San Diego Proper

Only clinics physically located in San Diego appear in this primary ranking.

1

Origin Dental

4.9(353)·20 km from San Diego Downtown
89Smyleee

108, 9254, Scranton Road, Sorrento Mesa, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens Monday at 8 AM

Documented for pediatric dentistry in San Diego, with children / pediatric dentistry on the service list and 15 procedures on file.

More about children / pediatric dentistry at this clinic

Children's dentistry alongside adult general dental care makes this Scranton Road practice accessible for Sorrento Mesa employees who bring their children for afternoon appointments.

Services:Children / Pediatric DentistryCosmetic DentistryDental CleaningDental Fillings+11 more
Offers Children / Pediatric DentistrySmyleee 89/1004.9★ · 353 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forChildren / Pediatric Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry, 4.9★ Google rating across 353 verified reviews, and Smyleee Rating 89/100.
Stands outOffers Children / Pediatric Dentistry · Smyleee 89/100 · 4.9★ · 353 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published15 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
2

Dr. Courtney & Dr. Anton Misleh DDS

4.9(232)·12 km from San Diego Downtown
88Smyleee

Unit 204, 4320, Genesee Avenue, Clairemont, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens Monday at 8 AM

Pediatric Dentistry focus in San Diego, with children / pediatric dentistry listed among 23 documented services.

More about children / pediatric dentistry at this clinic

Children's dentistry alongside adult and family dental care makes the Genesee Avenue practice a household dental destination for the Clairemont and Kearny Mesa community.

Services:Children / Pediatric DentistryCosmetic DentistryCrowns & BridgesDental Cleaning+19 more
Offers Children / Pediatric DentistrySmyleee 88/1004.9★ · 232 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forChildren / Pediatric Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry, 4.9★ Google rating across 232 verified reviews, and Smyleee Rating 88/100.
Stands outOffers Children / Pediatric Dentistry · Smyleee 88/100 · 4.9★ · 232 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published23 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
3

Western Dental Kids

4.2(294)·9.2 km from San Diego Downtown
76Smyleee

3, 5807, University Avenue, Mid-City, San Diego, California

Open until 6 PM

San Diego clinic with a pediatric dentistry specialty — Children / Pediatric Dentistry is on file among 9 procedures.

More about children / pediatric dentistry at this clinic

Based on University Avenue in the Mid-City area of San Diego, California, Western Dental Kids is a dental practice serving the area. Pediatric dental care is built around treating children specifically — dentists with additional training in child development and behaviour management, and offices designed to make a first visit unintimidating. It is offered to both children, where early evaluation can catch developing issues, and adults at any age. Contact details for Western Dental Kids are on this page, along with the full list of services offered — reach out to ask about scheduling.

Services:Children / Pediatric DentistryBracesDental CrownsDental Implants+5 more
Offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry
Why this ranks
Best forChildren / Pediatric Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry and 294 verified Google reviews.
Stands outOffers Children / Pediatric Dentistry
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published9 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
4

True Design Dentistry of San Diego

4.8(109)·12 km from San Diego Downtown
80Smyleee

106, 4320, Genesee Avenue, Clairemont, San Diego, California

Open until 5 PM

Pediatric Dentistry is the documented focus in San Diego; Children / Pediatric Dentistry sits within 28 services on profile.

Read full description

True Design Dentistry of San Diego provides dental care on Genesee Avenue in the Clairemont area of San Diego, California. Implants are considered by many dentists the most durable way to replace a missing tooth, since the titanium post fuses with the jaw bone over several months and then supports a crown that functions much like a natural tooth. Enough healthy bone is the main prerequisite, and a graft can build that up first if needed.

Clear aligners straighten teeth through a series of custom, removable trays, each worn for one to two weeks before moving to the next in the sequence. They suit mild to moderate crowding and spacing well, and are worn roughly twenty to twenty-two hours a day for treatment to stay on schedule.

Traditional braces use brackets and wires to gradually move teeth into alignment, handling complex bite corrections and significant crowding more predictably than removable alternatives. Treatment commonly runs one to three years, with a retainer worn afterward to hold the result.

A veneer is a thin custom shell bonded to the front of a tooth to change its shape, length, or colour, most often used to address chips, gaps, or discoloration that whitening alone cannot fix. Traditional veneers require a small amount of enamel to be removed, which makes the change permanent.

Cosmetic treatment is generally the least invasive branch of dentistry, built around changing how teeth look rather than fixing something broken. Whitening and bonding sit at the lighter end; veneers and reshaping involve more planning. Most cosmetic dental insurance excludes this kind of work, since it is elective rather than medically necessary.

Root canal treatment removes infected or inflamed tissue from inside a tooth, cleans and seals the space, and allows the natural tooth to be kept rather than extracted. Its reputation for being painful is largely outdated — carried out under local anaesthetic, it typically relieves pain rather than causing it. Contact details for True Design Dentistry of San Diego are on this page, along with the full list of services offered — reach out to ask about scheduling.

Services:Children / Pediatric DentistryAffordable Dental CareBracesComprehensive Dental Care+24 more
Offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry4.8★ · 109 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forChildren / Pediatric Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry and 4.8★ Google rating across 109 verified reviews.
Stands outOffers Children / Pediatric Dentistry · 4.8★ · 109 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published28 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
5

Children's Dentistry of San Diego

4.9(1.2k)·22 km from San Diego Downtown
60Smyleee

103, 10717, Camino Ruiz, Mira Mesa, San Diego, California

Open until 5 PM

Children / Pediatric Dentistry on this San Diego clinic's documented service list, with 1 services in total.

More about children / pediatric dentistry at this clinic

Children's Dentistry of San Diego operates on Camino Ruiz in the Mira Mesa area of San Diego, California. Pediatric dental care is built around treating children specifically — dentists with additional training in child development and behaviour management, and offices designed to make a first visit unintimidating. Digital X-rays are a routine part of dental care because they show what a visual exam alone cannot — decay forming between teeth, bone loss below the gumline, and how developing adult teeth are positioned in children. You can reach Children's Dentistry of San Diego through this page to ask a question, check current availability, or request an appointment.

Services:Children / Pediatric Dentistry
Offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry4.9★ · 1.2k reviews
Why this ranks
Best forChildren / Pediatric Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry and 4.9★ Google rating across 1,187 verified reviews.
Stands outOffers Children / Pediatric Dentistry · 4.9★ · 1.2k reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic website
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jul 14, 2026
6

Scripps Poway Dental Care - Sorrento Valley

4.8(177)·22 km from San Diego Downtown
72Smyleee

Suite 5, 6790, Top Gun Street, Sorrento Mesa, San Diego, California

Open until 5 PM

San Diego practice known for pediatric dentistry, with Children / Pediatric Dentistry among 32 documented procedures.

Read full description

Scripps Poway Dental Care – Sorrento Valley is at suite 5, 6790 Top Gun Street in Sorrento Mesa — a location in the business park corridor between the Sorrento Valley transit hub, the UCSD campus, and the Torrey Pines biotech research zone. The Sorrento Mesa address serves the dense professional population working in the research, technology, and pharmaceutical companies concentrated along the I-805 and I-5 Sorrento Valley corridor, alongside residential patients from nearby Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch, and University City.

Periodontal surgery is listed alongside standard periodontal care — a clinical scope that extends beyond scaling and root planing into osseous surgery, crown lengthening, and flap procedures for advanced periodontal disease. In a biotech and research professional population that may have deferred routine dental care during demanding career phases, active periodontitis requiring surgical intervention rather than maintenance-level management is a consistent clinical presentation. The combination of periodontal surgery, bone grafting, and dental implants at this Sorrento Mesa address covers the full sequence from advanced gum disease management through the bone site preparation and implant placement that may follow tooth loss from periodontal disease.

CAD/CAM dental restorations allow same-session crown fabrication from a chairside digital scan. For the Sorrento Mesa professional demographic working in the surrounding business parks and research campuses, same-session crown delivery means fewer appointments away from the nearby offices and labs. Prosthetics dentistry and smile makeovers address the cosmetic range that the high-demand professional population consistently seeks. Sleep apnea treatment is also listed — relevant to the cardiovascular and cognitive health of the high-stress biotech and research workforce.

Dental jewellery — tooth gems adhered to the enamel surface — is a notable addition to the service list, differentiating this practice from the standard Sorrento Valley general dental menu. Paediatric dentistry alongside adult services makes the practice a household option for Mira Mesa and Scripps Ranch families. Oral cancer screening and sedation dentistry complete the preventive and comfort scope.

For Mira Mesa, Sorrento Valley, and Scripps Ranch patients accessible from the Top Gun Street business corridor who want a full-scope family practice with periodontal surgery, CAD/CAM technology, implants, and sleep apnea treatment, the suite 5 address at 6790 Top Gun Street provides that combination in Sorrento Mesa.

Services:Children / Pediatric DentistryBone GraftingBracesCAD/CAM Dental Restorations+28 more
Offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry4.8★ · 177 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forChildren / Pediatric Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry and 4.8★ Google rating across 177 verified reviews.
Stands outOffers Children / Pediatric Dentistry · 4.8★ · 177 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published32 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
7

Pediatric Dentistry of San Diego

5.0(410)·12 km from San Diego Downtown
61Smyleee

Suite 102, 6495, Alvarado Road, Mid-City, San Diego, California

Open until 4 PM

Children / Pediatric Dentistry on this San Diego clinic's documented service list, with 1 services in total.

More about children / pediatric dentistry at this clinic

Pediatric Dentistry of San Diego is a dental practice on Alvarado Road in the Mid-City area of San Diego, California. Pediatric dental care is built around treating children specifically — dentists with additional training in child development and behaviour management, and offices designed to make a first visit unintimidating. Children benefit from starting dental visits early, generally by their first birthday or within six months of the first tooth coming through, mainly so they become familiar with the setting before any treatment is actually needed. Use this page to find contact information for Pediatric Dentistry of San Diego and to see its full range of services before getting in touch.

Services:Children / Pediatric Dentistry
Offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry5.0★ · 410 reviews
Why this ranks
Best forChildren / Pediatric Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry and 5.0★ Google rating across 410 verified reviews.
Stands outOffers Children / Pediatric Dentistry · 5.0★ · 410 reviews
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic website
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jul 14, 2026
8

The Dental Express Downtown

4.4(208)·1.3 km from San Diego Downtown
69Smyleee

210, Park Boulevard, East Village, San Diego, California

Open until 5 PM

Dental Sealants focus in San Diego, with children / pediatric dentistry listed among 7 documented services.

More about children / pediatric dentistry at this clinic

Dental sealants provide protective coating on the grooved surfaces of children''s and adults'' back teeth — the most cavity-prone areas — sealing out bacteria and food particles to prevent decay before it starts. This is one of the most cost-effective preventive dental investments available, particularly for children.

Services:Children / Pediatric DentistryDental FillingsDental SealantsFamily Dental Care+3 more
Offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry
Why this ranks
Best forChildren / Pediatric Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry and 208 verified Google reviews.
Stands outOffers Children / Pediatric Dentistry
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published7 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026
9

Philip Bradford DDS

4.9(33)·3.4 km from San Diego Downtown
73Smyleee

3821, 8th Avenue, Hillcrest, San Diego, California

Open until 3 PM

San Diego clinic with a pediatric dentistry specialty — Children / Pediatric Dentistry is on file among 12 procedures.

More about children / pediatric dentistry at this clinic

Pediatric dental care is built around treating children specifically — dentists with additional training in child development and behaviour management, and offices designed to make a first visit unintimidating. It typically covers routine checkups and restorative treatment for both children and adults, with referrals out for anything requiring specialist training.

Services:Children / Pediatric DentistryBracesDental CleaningDental Implants+8 more
Offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry
Why this ranks
Best forChildren / Pediatric Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry.
Stands outOffers Children / Pediatric Dentistry
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published12 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Mar 22, 2026
56Smyleee

15717, Bernardo Heights Parkway, Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, California

Closed · Opens Tuesday at 9 AM

Pediatric Dentistry is the documented focus in San Diego; Children / Pediatric Dentistry sits within 21 services on profile.

Read full description

The Dental Express RB/Poway – Dentist in Rancho Bernardo, CA provides dental care on Bernardo Heights Parkway in the Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego, California. Implants are considered by many dentists the most durable way to replace a missing tooth, since the titanium post fuses with the jaw bone over several months and then supports a crown that functions much like a natural tooth. Enough healthy bone is the main prerequisite, and a graft can build that up first if needed.

A veneer is a thin custom shell bonded to the front of a tooth to change its shape, length, or colour, most often used to address chips, gaps, or discoloration that whitening alone cannot fix. Traditional veneers require a small amount of enamel to be removed, which makes the change permanent.

Cosmetic treatment is generally the least invasive branch of dentistry, built around changing how teeth look rather than fixing something broken. Whitening and bonding sit at the lighter end; veneers and reshaping involve more planning. Most cosmetic dental insurance excludes this kind of work, since it is elective rather than medically necessary.

Root canal treatment removes infected or inflamed tissue from inside a tooth, cleans and seals the space, and allows the natural tooth to be kept rather than extracted. Its reputation for being painful is largely outdated — carried out under local anaesthetic, it typically relieves pain rather than causing it.

Wisdom teeth are removed when they are impacted, repeatedly infected, decayed, or damaging the tooth in front, since they arrive last and often into a jaw with no room left. Not every wisdom tooth needs to come out — one that erupts cleanly and can be kept clean is often left alone.

Gum disease treatment ranges from a deeper professional cleaning for early inflammation through to more involved periodontal care once bone around the teeth has started to be affected. Bleeding gums are usually the earliest sign, and the early stage is reversible with proper cleaning and better daily plaque control. Contact details for The Dental Express RB/Poway – Dentist in Rancho Bernardo, CA are on this page, along with the full list of services offered — reach out to ask about scheduling.

Services:Children / Pediatric DentistryCosmetic DentistryCrowns & BridgesDental Bonding+17 more
Offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry
Why this ranks
Best forChildren / Pediatric Dentistry
Why includedIncluded because this clinic directly offers Children / Pediatric Dentistry and 105 verified Google reviews.
Stands outOffers Children / Pediatric Dentistry
ProofBusiness hours publishedDirect phone numberPublic websitePrice range published21 services listed
VerifiedClinic data last verified Jun 26, 2026

Side-by-Side Comparison

Hard signals for every children / pediatric dentistry provider on this list — no opinions, just verifiable data.

#ClinicSmyleeeGoogleWkndIns.Fin.Offers
Children / Pediatric Dentistry
1Origin Dental894.9(353)
2Dr. Courtney & Dr. Anton Misleh DDS884.9(232)
3Western Dental Kids764.2(294)
4True Design Dentistry of San Diego804.8(109)
5Children's Dentistry of San Diego604.9(1,187)
6Scripps Poway Dental Care - Sorrento Valley724.8(177)
7Pediatric Dentistry of San Diego615.0(410)
8The Dental Express Downtown694.4(208)
9Philip Bradford DDS734.9(33)
10The Dental Express RB/Poway – Dentist in Rancho Bernardo, CA564.3(105)

Smyleee Rating bands: 90+ Outstanding · 84–89 Excellent · 71–83 Very Good · 61–70 Good · below 61 Rated.

How to Choose a Dentist in San Diego - California

Use the ranking as a starting point, then narrow the shortlist based on the kind of care you actually need.

If you want routine or family care

Prioritize review consistency, insurance friendliness, practical hours, and a broad general-dentistry service mix over marketing language alone.

If urgency matters

Confirm same-day capacity, after-hours guidance, and whether the clinic handles urgent restorative work in-house or refers out.

If affordability matters most

Compare financing signals, insurance notes, and the local cost guide. A higher-ranked clinic is not automatically the best value for your specific treatment.

Questions to ask before booking

  • Do you accept my insurance or offer payment plans?
  • Are you taking new patients right now?
  • Do you handle my treatment in-house?
  • What is the total expected cost before treatment starts?
EditorialUpdated August 9, 2026Independently reviewed

Paediatric dental specialists in San Diego — ABPD board-certified Diplomates — practice in a market where the absence of a local dental school's paediatric residency training programme means that every ABPD specialist in San Diego was trained at an out-of-city academic institution and chose to establish in the San Diego market for lifestyle reasons rather than institutional proximity. Rady Children's Hospital San Diego is the primary hospital dentistry venue for the San Diego paediatric dental specialist managing severe early childhood caries requiring general anaesthesia, medically complex paediatric dental cases, and paediatric dental trauma whose severity requires operating room access. The large military family community across San Diego's five major installations creates a substantial Tricare-covered paediatric dental patient population whose ABPD specialist care for complex cases is accessed through Tricare's specialist network. Tijuana's dental practices serve some San Diego cross-border patients, but for the paediatric dental case whose complexity requires ABPD specialist management and potential hospital access, the San Diego ABPD practice is the clinically appropriate option that the cross-border alternative cannot replicate.

Smyleee evaluated San Diego paediatric dental specialists on ABPD board certification and private residency training credentials, Rady Children's Hospital hospital dentistry connectivity, Tricare Dental Programme billing for military dependent children, Denti-Cal EPSDT billing for income-eligible children, Spanish-language capability for the San Diego Latino patient community, Tagalog/Filipino capability for the large Filipino-American patient community, special needs patient general anaesthesia scope, and paediatric clinical outcome consistency. These ten San Diego practices are the paediatric dentists the data confirmed as delivering the most clinically capable and hospital-connected specialist paediatric dental care available in Greater San Diego.

Medically reviewed by

Dr Maqsud MallickBDS

Frequently Asked Questions

8 questions answered by our editorial team

In San Diego, a child dental exam typically costs $50 – $150, based on Smyleee's August 2026 local price data. Actual cost varies by provider, materials, and case complexity.
A pulpotomy (baby root canal) in San Diego typically ranges $200 – $400 (August 2026). Final pricing depends on the clinic, materials, and whether you have insurance.
A stainless steel crown in San Diego typically ranges $250 – $500 (August 2026). Final pricing depends on the clinic, materials, and whether you have insurance.
A baby tooth extraction in San Diego typically ranges $100 – $250 (August 2026). Final pricing depends on the clinic, materials, and whether you have insurance.
Smyleee ranks San Diego pediatric dentistry clinics on a weighted score: verified patient reviews (30%), clinical credentials and expertise (20%), technology and equipment (15%), accessibility (15%), pricing transparency (10%), and patient experience (10%). The list is recomputed from current data and independently reviewed by Dr Maqsud Mallick, BDS.
The ranking is recalculated on a rolling basis from current review and profile data and was last reviewed in August 2026. Clinics can move up or down as their underlying data changes.
Prioritise verified credentials and relevant training, modern equipment and sterilisation standards, a strong and recent review history, transparent pricing, and clear communication about treatment options. Confirm the clinic is taking new patients and offers pediatric dentistry before booking.
Many clinics in San Diego accept major dental insurance and offer financing such as in-house payment plans or third-party options like CareCredit for larger treatments. Coverage and financing vary by practice — confirm your plan is accepted and ask about phased or monthly payment options before treatment begins.

How We Vet Each Clinic

Every clinic on this list passes our verification process

  • License & standing verified — active California dental license confirmed with no disciplinary actions.
  • Patient review volume checked — minimum verified patient reviews across Google with a strong average rating.
  • Local presence confirmed — verified physical practice in the San Diego metro area with established patient base.
  • Technology & equipment assessed — modern dental technology and sterilization standards evaluated.
  • Transparent pricing reviewed — clear communication of costs, financing options, and insurance acceptance.

How We Scored the Best Clinics

Our transparent ranking methodology

Verified patient reviews & outcomes30%
Pediatric Dentists expertise & credentials20%
Technology investment & modern equipment15%
Accessibility (hours, location, scheduling ease)15%
Transparent pricing & financing options10%
Patient experience & comfort measures10%

How This Page Was Reviewed

We want this page to help users choose confidently, not just scroll a list.

Editorial checks

  • Locality and city fit
  • Review strength and rating consistency
  • Services, hours, insurance, and profile completeness
  • Paid placements kept separate from organic rankings

Transparency

  • Content updated: August 9, 2026
  • Ranking last recomputed: August 1, 2026
  • Medical reviewer: Dr Maqsud Mallick, BDS
  • Clinic verification dates reflect the latest synced or modified profile timestamp
  • Organic rankings are algorithmic, sponsored rows are labeled
  • Clinics can move up or down when underlying data changes

Keep comparing before you book

Use the ranking, comparison table, and nearby alternatives to narrow the shortlist that best matches your situation.

Are you a San Diego clinic? Improve your profile quality, verification signals, and structured details to strengthen reconsideration for this list.