Accepting New Patients
Accepting New Patients
Your kid just took a tumble, and now you’re staring at a chipped tooth or a mouth full of blood. It’s 8 p.m., you’re trying to stay calm for their sake, and you have no idea if this needs to be handled tonight or if it can wait until morning. That split-second uncertainty is one of the hardest parts of being a parent.
Here’s what matters most: having a pediatric dental team you already know before something goes wrong. At Silicon Beach Pediatric Dental in Culver City, Dr. Ray Klein and Dr. Hayley Botwin serve established patients when urgent situations come up. Part of the reason they encourage families to build that relationship early is exactly this, so that when your child needs same-day care, they’re coming to a place they already trust, not walking in somewhere new while they’re scared and in pain. If you’re looking for a pediatric dentist in Culver City who can be there when it really counts, that starts with becoming a patient first.
Not everything that looks alarming is actually a dental emergency, and not everything that seems minor can wait. Understanding the difference saves a lot of unnecessary panic.
Some situations genuinely need same-day attention. These include a tooth that gets knocked out (especially a permanent one), significant swelling in the face or gums, a tooth that’s been pushed out of its normal position, or a persistent toothache that’s keeping your child from eating or sleeping. If there’s an injury to the mouth along with signs of a head injury, go directly to an emergency room.
A knocked-out permanent tooth is one of the most time-sensitive situations in all of pediatric dentistry. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, permanent teeth have the best chance of being saved when placed back in the socket within 15 minutes, and there may still be a window of up to an hour. Handle it by the crown only, avoiding touching the root, and call us immediately.
A chipped baby tooth with no pain, minor gum irritation, or a very loose tooth that’s already on its way out typically doesn’t need middle-of-the-night intervention. When in doubt, send a photo and a message. We’ll tell you what we’re seeing and help you decide next steps.
We want to be upfront about this, because “emergency dentist” means different things at different offices.
Silicon Beach Pediatric Dental prioritizes same-day care for our existing patients. Dr. Ray and Dr. Hayley are available when urgent situations come up, and Dr. Ray’s personal cell number is on the answering machine for after-hours situations. That’s not something every dental office offers. Parents often remark that it’s pretty reassuring knowing they can reach an actual dentist at 9 p.m., not an answering service. If your child is already a patient here, you’ll know exactly who to call.
This is also why we encourage families to schedule their child’s first exam well before anything urgent happens. A tooth falling out or a bad fall can happen at any age. Having that established relationship means we already know your child, their temperament, their dental history, and what makes them feel comfortable in the chair.
When you reach us for an emergency, we’ll talk through what happened, ask about symptoms, and let you know whether it’s something to monitor at home or something we need to see right away. In some cases, a photo is enough to assess the situation. In others, we’ll get you in the same day. We’re not going to make you sit in a waiting room for two hours just to be told to call a specialist. That’s not how this works here.
One of the things Dr. Ray and Dr. Hayley are most consistent about is this: emergencies are easier to handle when your child already knows the dentist. A kid who’s been coming in for regular checkups since they were a toddler is going to handle a dental emergency very differently from one who’s walking into a dental office for the first time while in pain.
That’s the whole point of establishing a dental home early. It’s not just about catching cavities. It’s about making sure that if something unplanned does happen, you’ve already got a team in your corner who knows your family.
Regular preventive care also reduces the chances of some emergencies happening in the first place. Many toothaches that turn into after-hours calls start as untreated cavities. Getting your child in for routine visits means we’re catching those things early, before they become the kind of problem that can’t wait until Monday.
Silicon Beach Pediatric Dental has been caring for families across Culver City and the surrounding area for years. Dr. Ray Klein completed his residency at USC and Miller Children’s Hospital and is board-certified in pediatric dentistry. Dr. Hayley Botwin worked in our office as a hygienist before completing dental school and her pediatric residency training, which means she knew our families long before she joined us as a pediatric dentist. You can learn more about Dr. Ray and Dr. Hayley and what makes this practice different.
We accept most major PPO insurance plans and are currently in-network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna, Delta, Guardian, MetLife, United Healthcare, and many others. One size doesn’t fit all, and we know every family’s situation is a little different. If you’re looking for a pediatric dental team in Culver City that will be there when it matters, we’d love to meet your family before the emergency ever happens. Contact our office to schedule your child’s first visit.
Mon-Fri: 9am – 5pm
