Pediatric Dentist in Chattanooga

June 14, 2026

A visit to a Chattanooga children’s dental office usually covers the whole span of childhood dental needs. Routine care includes infant oral exams, cleanings and checkups, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, tooth-colored fillings, crowns, space maintainers, and early orthodontic screening, and when a child needs more help getting through a procedure, offices may offer sedation from nitrous oxide up to general anesthesia for the youngest or special-needs patients. Taxable purchases there carry Tennessee’s 7% state sales tax plus Hamilton County’s local option, although most medical and dental services are exempt. The reason families seek out these offices in the first place is that a pediatric dentist concentrates entirely on the oral health of infants, children, adolescents, and patients with special health care needs, carrying a patient from a first tooth through the teenage years in an environment built to ease anxiety, rather than a general practice that serves every age.

That concentration is grounded in additional schooling. After dental school and a DDS or DMD degree, a pediatric dentist spends two to three more years in a residency focused on the dental development, behavior, and treatment of children, including those with medical, physical, or developmental conditions, in what the American Dental Association recognizes as a distinct dental specialty. Beyond residency, some dentists earn voluntary board certification from the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry by passing a rigorous examination. For parents of very young, anxious, or special-needs children, that training is often the reason they choose a dedicated office.

Chattanooga gives those families a healthy range of options. The city sits along the Tennessee River near the Georgia border and serves as the seat of Hamilton County, standing alongside Knoxville as one of the two principal cities of East Tennessee. Its population was roughly 185,783 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and households throughout Hamilton County and the surrounding region keep demand for children’s dental care steady.

Statewide oversight falls to the Tennessee Board of Dentistry, an arm of the Tennessee Department of Health that defines who may hold a license, what ongoing education a license demands, and how misconduct is handled. A guardian can look up whether a dentist’s Tennessee license is active using the health department’s public lookup tool; grievances about a clinician’s treatment or behavior go to that department’s Division of Health Related Boards, while disputes over fees or marketing may instead be governed by the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104) under the Division of Consumer Affairs. One caveat shapes how families should read a provider’s claims: the board issues licenses to individual clinicians and stops short of routinely vouching for the specialties they market, so confirming a children’s-dentistry background means asking the practice itself about its residency and any board certification. Nothing above should be read as medical or dental guidance; it is background information only, and a licensed dentist remains the right source for any individual child’s care.

Top Pediatric Dentist Providers in Chattanooga

1. Early Roots Pediatric Dentistry

Address: 555 River Street, Suite 101, Chattanooga, TN 37405
Phone: (423) 558-3082
Website: https://www.earlyrootspediatricdentistry.com
Services: preventive dentistry (check-ups, cleanings, educational sessions), restorative dentistry (fillings and repair procedures), pediatric sedation options
Description: Early Roots Pediatric Dentistry is a children’s dental office on River Street in Chattanooga led by Dr. Dana Saucier, who the practice describes as board-certified. The office focuses on preventive dentistry, including regular check-ups, cleanings, and educational sessions, along with restorative dentistry such as fillings and procedures to repair dental health, and pediatric sedation options for patients who need them. The practice puts particular emphasis on comfort, offering amenities such as weighted and heated blankets, refreshments, fidget toys, and televisions to help children feel at ease during their visits. The office is in network with a range of insurance plans, including BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, Delta Dental, Humana, TennCare, and United Healthcare.

2. Team Popp Dental

Address: 4211 Hixson Pike, Chattanooga, TN 37415
Phone: (423) 648-0970
Website: https://teampoppdental.com
Services: pediatric dental exams and cleanings, preventive care, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) sedation, oral sedation, hospital dentistry and general anesthesia (referral-based), orthodontics including braces and Invisalign, care for newborns through age 20
Description: Team Popp Dental operates a pediatric dentistry practice in Chattanooga, with offices on Hixson Pike and a second location at 1616 Gunbarrel Road, Suite 101, Chattanooga, TN 37421. The pediatric team includes Dr. Tom Popp, Dr. Colton Popp, and Dr. Bryson Popp, and the practice cares for patients from newborns through age 20. Services include pediatric exams and cleanings, preventive care, and sedation options ranging from nitrous oxide and oral sedation to hospital dentistry and general anesthesia on a referral basis, along with orthodontics such as braces and Invisalign. For young patients, the office runs a Smile Rangers Kids Program that offers t-shirts, games, contests, and birthday recognition.

3. Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics Collective

Address: 951 Riverfront Parkway, Suites 201 and 202, Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 541-5500
Website: https://pdoc.com
Services: pediatric dentistry (cleanings, exams, preventive care), oral hygiene education, tongue-tie and lip-tie revision (frenectomy), emergency dental care, sedation services, traditional and ceramic braces, Invisalign clear aligners, orthodontic appliances
Description: Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics Collective, also known as PDOC, is a locally owned practice with two Chattanooga offices, one downtown on Riverfront Parkway and a second at 4610 Brainerd Road, Suite 3, Chattanooga, TN 37411. The combined group of pediatric dentists and orthodontists provides a wide range of care, from cleanings, exams, and preventive care to tongue-tie and lip-tie revision, oral hygiene education, and emergency dental care. On the orthodontic side, the practice offers traditional and ceramic braces, Invisalign clear aligners, and orthodontic appliances, with sedation services available at its Brainerd Road location. The practice operates multiple offices across Tennessee and Georgia.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pediatric Dentist in Chattanooga

Q: What is a pediatric dentist, and how is one different from a general dentist?

A pediatric dentist is a dental specialist who has completed dental school plus an additional two to three years of residency training focused on the oral health of infants, children, teenagers, and patients with special health care needs. A general dentist treats patients of all ages, while a pediatric dentist concentrates on the dental development and behavioral needs of children. Many pediatric dentists also pursue voluntary board certification through the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

Q: Who licenses and regulates dentists in Chattanooga and Tennessee?

Dentists in Tennessee are licensed and regulated by the Tennessee Board of Dentistry, which operates under the Tennessee Department of Health. The board sets licensing and continuing-education requirements and handles disciplinary matters for dentists practicing anywhere in the state, including Chattanooga.

Q: How do I verify a Chattanooga dentist’s license?

You can confirm that a dentist holds an active Tennessee license through the Tennessee Department of Health’s online license verification system, which lists the practitioner’s license status. If you want to confirm that a dentist is a trained pediatric specialist, you can also ask the office about the dentist’s residency training and any board certification.

Q: How do I file a complaint about a pediatric dentist in Chattanooga?

Complaints about a dentist’s care or professional conduct are filed with the Tennessee Department of Health through its Division of Health Related Boards, which oversees the Board of Dentistry. Complaints about billing or advertising practices may also fall under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), enforced by the Division of Consumer Affairs.

Q: When should a child first see a pediatric dentist?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child have a first dental visit by the time the first tooth appears and no later than the child’s first birthday. Many Chattanooga pediatric offices offer infant oral exams for exactly this reason, allowing the dentist to monitor development early and give parents guidance on home care. This is general information; a licensed dentist can advise on the right timing for a specific child.

Q: What services do pediatric dentists in Chattanooga typically offer?

Pediatric offices in Chattanooga commonly provide infant exams, routine cleanings and exams, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, tooth-colored fillings, crowns, space maintainers, orthodontic screening, and sedation options such as nitrous oxide or treatment under general anesthesia for younger or special-needs patients. Specific services vary by office, so families should confirm availability directly with the practice.