New Patients

Pediatric dentists are dental specialists who have received at least two additional years of full-time training in a residency after graduating from dental school.

This additional training uniquely prepares them to provide you and your children with the best possible care and experience in achieving great dental health and appearance.

No! Although we welcome patients referred by their general dentist, you can call us directly and schedule a consultation without a referral. It also does not affect your insurance benefits to schedule directly with us.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and Team Popp recommend a checkup when the first teeth erupt, or at least by age one.

At this visit, you’ll learn how to care for your child's teeth and what to expect for dental growth and development.

Every child is unique, so we determine each patient's best treatment options individually. Many children can be treated without any medication if managed properly.

Sometimes laughing gas can help them relax for dental procedures. If needed, we can use oral sedation.

Hospital dentistry, where the child is "put to sleep," can be utilized if the patient can not cooperate for treatment in the office.

Insurance payments depend on the specific policy benefits covering the patient. We try to help our patients get the most of any insurance benefits they have, and we accept most dental plans at our Chattanooga office.

Rarely does dental insurance pay for 100% of dental treatment, so the patient will have some financial responsibility. For our patients, we offer several payment options to make treatment affordable.

The treatment is usually 1–3 years, with 18 months being average. Your Team Popp doctor can give you a better idea at your free consultation.

We see pediatric patients from newborn to 20 years old. Usually, when your child is between 18–20 years old, they’ll be ready to see our Team Popp general dentists for continued dental care.

The short answer is, "as long as you want your teeth to be straight." Like the rest of your body, teeth change with time, and that change is usually to crowd more.

However, you can keep the teeth aligned with regular retainer wear. Every night is ideal for the rest of your life, but many patients maintain good alignment with 4–5 nights per week. Retainers do wear out and should be replaced as recommended by your Team Popp.