Pediatric Dental Services in Denver, CO
Learn about our services
At Iris Pediatric Dentistry in Denver, we provide gentle, high-quality care for children of all ages, from infants & toddlers to school-aged kids and teens, and especially those with special healthcare needs. Our goal is to make every child feel comfortable, confident, and proud of their smile while using the safest, most advanced technology available. Out pediatric specialists use the safest, most comfortable techniques to help kids love the dentist.
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Why does my child need a visit, they only have a few teeth?
I get it, you’re busy, but did you know that even brand-new baby teeth can get cavities? And that many baby teeth don’t fall out until after age 11??
When infants have only a few teeth, this is a perfect time for new parents to learn how to care for their child and their new chompers. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends all children see a pediatric dentist within 6 months of getting their first tooth or by age one.
What do we do at this visit?
A whole bunch of parent education, followed by an easy infant-appropriate exam, brushing and fluoride treatment. Easy visits can teach you how to thrive as a parent, prevent cavities, have easier brushing at home, develop good food and beverage habits and gives you an opportunity to ask any other questions you may have (do I really need to floss my 18 month old?).
Treatment early childhood cavities can be less invasive if caught early, and kids tend to do better for visits later if they are familiar with the dentist as a toddler. Your child will do better than you think!
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These visits really focus on developing good habits and catching cavities as early as possible. We talk to the child and the parent about the whole world of brushing, foods that prevent and can cause cavities, losing wiggly teeth and developing grown up teeth. If children have cavities, we have many options to make it easy, from minimally invasive options. fillings with our needle free CO2 Solea Laser, laughing gas, movies, and popsicles, to hospital based general anesthesia.
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This is our last chance to really foster good habits before our patients graduate to an adult dentist! We focus on treating them like the drivers of their health, educating and encouraging them to develop skills for success. Treatment is often easy for these patients, but if anyone has had a history of difficult visits, we are happy to offer many options to make it easier. We have options from fillings with our needle free CO2 Solea Laser, to laughing gas and movies, to hospital based general anesthesia.
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Dr. Leslie and Dr. Kate both completed additional specialty training to be able to safely care for your children with a wide range of special needs. Please let us know when scheduling so we can ensure that we are prepared to support your child in whatever way they need (quieter office hours, in a movie room for distraction, increased infection precautions if immunocompromised, or to consult with other medical providers if necessary). It is our pleasure to work with all children in our practice
Regular checkups and cleanings help keep your child’s teeth healthy and cavity-free.
At Iris Pediatric Dentistry in Denver, our gentle dental team makes cleanings fun and stress-free for kids by allowing them to explore each item before it is used.
We remove plaque and teach brushing and flossing skills so your child’s smile stays cavity-free between visits.
For added protection, we apply safe, BPA-free dental sealants on molars to block bacteria from settling in the grooves of back teeth.
Preventive visits every six months help us catch tiny problems early and allow application of fluoride varnish—keeping your child’s mouth healthy, bright, and confident.
We start seeing patients with 6 months of getting their first tooth or by age 1. This lets us teach parents everything they need to know about baby teeth! Early visits also support healthy tooth development and help your child build confidence in the dental environment. At these appointments, we check growth, discuss nutrition and brushing at home, and guide families on how to prevent cavities from the very beginning.
Our Solea CO₂ cold laser allows us to treat many cavities quickly and comfortably—often without anesthesia or drilling. The laser is quiet, fast, and helps kids have a positive and stress-free filling experience.
Interested to learn if this is a good fit for your child, schedule an exam visit today!
Depending on the size of the cavity and your child’s age our doctors choose from a few white filling materials to provide the best care. Either Voco Admira Fusion, Fuji Glass Ionomer or Equia Forte Glass Ionomer give the best results and are white in color. None of these materials contain mercury, BPA or Bis-GMA and were specifically selected for their safety and excellent clinical results.
We also offer minimally invasive approaches such as silver diamine fluoride (SDF) and laser dentistry. These gentle options help treat cavities while preserving healthy tooth structure and keeping children comfortable.
Baby teeth are more fragile than grown up teeth, and can require a dental crown if they have a medium to large cavities. We offer durable stainless-steel crowns or beautiful zirconia (white) crowns. These restorations are long-lasting and designed specifically for kids, helping maintain a healthy bite and confident smile. Our office provides white zirconia or white composite crowns for front teeth depending on your child’s teeth. For back teeth we provide silver colored stainless-steel crowns- no mercury! This material is excellent for baby molars because it is thin, but still very strong. This allow years of chewing, playing and cheering before they fall out in pre-teen years
If a cavity reaches the nerve of a baby tooth, pulp treatment (a baby root canal) can relieve pain and save the tooth.
Cavities can grow VERY fast in children. When the bacteria from a cavity reach the nerve (pulp) of the tooth, it can require medication to allow us to save the tooth without turning into an infection. This procedure can be completed painlessly and quickly in the office for children who are cooperative or during general anesthesia for those that are very nervous, young, or have other special needs. Have questions about this process or if it is indicated for your child? Schedule a visit today to discuss your specific questions or concerns.
We offer safe, effective sedation options—including treatment under general anesthesia at Children’s Hospital Colorado—for children who need additional support or more extensive dental care. Our team is highly trained to ensure comfort and safety at every step.
Our most important job is taking care of your child as a whole person. This sometimes means having children fall asleep with general anesthesia for dental care. This can be indicated for young or fearful children, or those with more extensive cavities or concerns. Dr. Leslie Murray taught at Children’s Hospital Colorado before starting her practice, and had very high expectations for her anesthesia team. She chose Rocky Mountain Dental Anesthesia as our in-office anesthesia partners due to their diligent care, excellent education and dedication to keeping children safe above all else. In-office general anesthesia is a good choice for kiddos that are otherwise healthy, but have extensive dental needs or fear. This allows them to come to a friendly familiar environment, with more flexible scheduling options for families.
We also have the option to complete dental care with General Anesthesia at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Hospital based general anesthesia if best for kiddos with special needs or medical concerns, especially those with history of concerns with breathing or their heart. Dr. Leslie’s relationship with CHCO allows us to schedule our Iris Pediatric Dentistry patients to fall asleep at the Children’s Hospital, while Dr. Leslie or Dr. Kate performs the dental care. The bonus of scheduling directly with our office is that with our dedicated Children’s Hospital block time we can often schedule your family within weeks instead of months like many other clinics.
Laughing Gas & a Movie
We want every child to feel comfortable during their dental visit. Our treatment rooms are licensed to stream Disney+, so your child can choose a favorite movie or show to help them relax. For added comfort, we offer laughing gas (nitrous oxide), a safe and gentle option that many children love—delivered through a soft, fruity-scented nose mask.
Laughing gas does not put children to sleep; it simply helps them feel calm and relaxed while staying awake and able to respond. Once treatment is finished, your child breathes pure oxygen for five minutes and returns to feeling completely normal. They can safely go back to school, sports, or other activities right away.
Special Needs Dentistry
Dr. Leslie and Dr. Kate both have completed additional education to allow them to be able to safely and successfully care for the most complex children. Both of our doctors completed Pediatric Specialty training at Children's Hospital Colorado and completed additional steps to ensure Board certification.
Dr. Leslie also completed a General Practice Residency at Carolinas Medical Center focusing on adults with special needs and cancer patients.
Dr. Kate also completed a Masters in Public Health and a Fellowship in Special Needs Advocacy with the University of Colorado.
Both our doctors are passionate about caring for all children, and want to be the best they can while doing so. We provide individualized, compassionate dental care for children with developmental, sensory, behavioral, or medical differences. Our team adapts each visit to your child’s comfort, offering a patient, supportive environment where every child is welcomed and understood.
Laser Soft-Tissue Comfort Visits (Ulcers & Braces Sore Spots)
Our soft-tissue laser helps relieve pain and speed healing for canker sores (aphthous ulcers), irritation from braces, cheek bites, or other tender spots in the mouth. This gentle, fast treatment can provide noticeable comfort and reduce downtime for kids with sore spots.
Emergency Dental Care for Children (Same-Day Appointments Available)
Sometimes emergencies happen. Dr. Leslie and Dr. Kate are available to all patients for emergencies during business hours, and if we are in the office we will make time for you the same day. We also provide after hours emergency care as a courtesy for patients of record. Just call the office and follow instructions to speak to the doctor on call.
Dental emergencies can happen when you least expect them. Dr. Leslie and Dr. Kate are here to help. We offer same-day emergency appointments for all established patients whenever we are in the office, and we always do our best to make room for new patients with urgent needs during business hours.
For our patients of record, we also provide after-hours emergency support as a courtesy. Simply call the office and follow the voicemail instructions to reach the doctor on call.
If your child is experiencing a dental emergency—pain, swelling, a broken tooth, or trauma—call our office right away at 720-678-9401 so we can guide you and get your child comfortable as quickly as possible.
If your child has severe swelling, a high fever, difficulty breathing, or trouble swallowing, please head to the nearest emergency room right away. These signs can indicate a deeper infection that needs immediate medical attention. You can still call us anytime — we will help guide you and continue your child’s dental care once they are safe and stable.
Tooth Extractions
When a baby tooth is too damaged or infected to be restored—or if it’s blocking the proper eruption of permanent teeth—we offer child-friendly, gentle extractions with clear aftercare instructions to support easy healing. Dr. Leslie and Dr. Kate are very good at ensuring your child is full numb before removing the tooth or talking to you about general anesthesia if this is a better fit for your child. We utilize special topical anesthetic jelly that is compounded specially for us, as well as gentler injections with our SOAN, which allows better anesthesia in a gentler manner.