Emhardt Pediatric Dentistry

Emhardt Pediatric Dentistry is a dedicated dental practice located at 1818 N Riley Hwy suite b, Shelbyville, IN 46176. Led by Dr. John R. Emhardt, a board-certified pediatric dentist with extensive specialized training, the clinic focuses exclusively on the oral health of infants, children, adolescents, and individuals with special healthcare needs. Their philosophy centers on making dental visits easy, entertaining, and educational, ensuring a positive experience from a young age to foster a lifetime of healthy smiles. The clinic offers a wide range of services, including preventive care such as routine cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and oral hygiene/dietary counseling. They also provide restorative procedures for cavities, including composite resin and amalgam fillings, bonding, and crowns. Emhardt Pediatric Dentistry is equipped to handle early orthodontics, space maintenance, and habit appliances, and offers evaluations and referrals for more complex orthodontic needs. Surgical services like extractions and frenectomies are also provided. A key aspect of their approach is behavior guidance and ensuring patient comfort. They employ age-appropriate language, positive reinforcement, non-verbal communication, modeling, and the "tell-show-do" technique to alleviate anxiety. For children who may experience higher levels of apprehension, they offer conscious sedation using nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and, when necessary, dental treatment under general anesthesia. The team is particularly experienced in working with children with neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and other physical disabilities, striving to provide inclusive and compassionate care. Emhardt Pediatric Dentistry also prioritizes patient and parent education, providing resources on topics such as cleaning baby teeth, ideal times for a child's first dental check-up, and preventing nursing decay. They work with most major insurance plans, including Medicaid, and offer flexible payment options to ensure quality dental care is accessible to families in Shelby County and surrounding areas.