Convenient Access from Downtown Bakersfield
Just 4 minutes up Union Avenue separate the Civic Center from Kinder Pediatric Dental, a children's dental office in Bakersfield where every chair, every conversation and every appointment is planned around kids. Parents who want a pediatric dentist near Downtown Bakersfield can bring a baby, a kindergartner or a high schooler here and get care aimed squarely at young patients. A library afternoon, a school pickup or a lunch break downtown leaves plenty of room for a checkup.
Use Beale Memorial Library at 701 Truxtun Avenue as your starting line. Leave on 16th Street, turn onto Truxtun Avenue heading east, then jog over on V Street and 17th Street until you reach Union Avenue. From there you simply go north, straight through the Golden State Avenue wye, and turn onto Lincoln Street at 3130 Union Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93305.
The whole trip covers 1.5 miles and usually takes around 4 minutes, with no freeway at all. The office sits on the block between Flower Street and Lincoln Street, a little north of the Niles Street on-ramp to SR-178, and you can preview it on Google Maps before your first visit.
The library sits in the Mill Creek district near Mill Creek Linear Park, and Central Park with the Bakersfield Museum of Art is close by. Longfellow Elementary School and Memorial Hospital are close neighbors of the office, which helps if you are giving a grandparent directions. Families living a little farther west or east can read our pages for Westchester and East Bakersfield.
Downtown Bakersfield Kids Have a Practice of Their Own
Downtown Bakersfield is where the city began. Thomas Baker settled beside the Kern River in 1863, at a spot people soon called Baker's Field, and by 1870 the town was becoming Kern County's principal settlement. Today the district mixes the Civic Center, the Fox Theater on 20th Street, museums and an Education District where several colleges hold classes. It is a busy, grown-up place, which is exactly why a dental office designed for children feels different.
Our practice was created to give kids a positive relationship with their smile. We want young patients to feel comfortable, safe and even a little excited about their visit, so the team leans on laughter, fun and imagination instead of a rushed, clinical routine. A toddler who spends the morning at the McMurtrey Aquatic Center or the Bakersfield Ice Sports Center deserves a dental visit that feels just as friendly.
Parents who work downtown often juggle meetings and shifts at government offices. Because the drive is so short, a child's cleaning can slot into the middle of a workday. Our hours run Monday through Thursday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and we are closed Friday through Sunday, so an early-week slot tends to give working parents the most flexibility.
Language is never a barrier here. Our team speaks Spanish, and many Downtown Bakersfield parents appreciate hearing treatment explained in the language they use at home.
Living in Downtown Bakersfield means having almost everything within a few blocks: the Civic Center, the theaters, the museums and the library. A dentist for your children should be just as easy to reach, and ours is. Families from Oildale and farther out make the drive to us, so a downtown household has the shortest commute of almost anyone.
Growing Up Near the Civic Center: Notes for Parents
Bakersfield is a young city, and Downtown Bakersfield reflects it. Nearly a third of its residents are under 18, and plenty of those children live in or pass through the downtown core every day. Kids who ride Golden Empire Transit or walk between Mill Creek and the library tend to snack on the go, and frequent snacking gives cavity-causing bacteria more chances to work. Water between meals and a fruit or cheese option instead of sticky treats make a measurable difference.
Downtown Bakersfield students at schools such as Franklin Elementary on Truxtun Avenue are at the age when permanent molars arrive. Those new back teeth have deep grooves that trap food, so the early school years are a smart time to tighten up brushing habits. We coach parents and kids side by side, showing how to reach the back teeth and how much toothpaste to use at each age.
Preventive care is what Dr. Dove emphasizes most. Twice-yearly checkups, steady home care, a sensible diet and fluoride together protect a child far better than any single repair. When a problem does appear, catching it early usually means a smaller, simpler fix.
Downtown also brings a lot of activity: swim practice, hockey at the ice rink, skateboards along the canal paths. A knocked or cracked tooth should be checked promptly. Keep our number in your phone so a Downtown Bakersfield parent can call from the rink or the pool deck and find out what to do next.
Choosing a Pediatric Dentist Near Downtown Bakersfield, Service by Service
Pediatric Dentistry
Exams, cleanings and digital x-rays form the core of each visit. For downtown children only 4 minutes away, staying on a regular schedule is easy to manage around school and work.
Dental Sedation
A worried six-year-old from a Downtown Bakersfield apartment and a teen facing a longer procedure need different levels of calm. Dr. Dove weighs age, health and anxiety, then suggests nitrous oxide, oral sedation or general anesthesia to match.
Twice-Yearly Checkups
Seeing children at least twice a year lets us spot soft enamel and early decay before it spreads. A short trip from the Civic Center keeps those visits from eating up the day.
Pulpotomy for Baby Teeth
When decay reaches the nerve of a baby tooth, a pulpotomy can treat the inflamed tissue and help keep the tooth in place. Holding baby teeth until their natural time protects space for the adult teeth.
Care for Kids With Special Needs
Children with special needs get a calm pace, extra time and a team used to adapting. Sedation is available when it helps a child get through treatment comfortably.
Meet Your Child's Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Edward Dove completed postdoctoral specialty training in pediatric dentistry at NSU and Miami Children's Hospital in 2006, after earning his dental degree from Marquette University. That hospital-based training shapes how he treats young children, especially those who need sedation or extra support. His day-to-day focus is preventing problems from infancy onward.
Insurance & Financing
Our front desk files the insurance claims, so you can skip the paperwork. We are in-network with most major dental plans, Medicaid included, and we take credit cards, cash, personal checks and financing. New patients without insurance can book a $69 Emergency Exam & X-Ray when a tooth suddenly hurts.
Check Out Our Raving Reviews!
“Excellent service and team! The doctor was very nice and professional. He explained everything very well and answered all my questions.”
Sandra M.
“The team is very kind! My youngest had her first dental procedure there and they did a great job!”
Holly N.
“My kids and I love this doctor. Been going to him for the last 8 years. He is the only dentist I take my kids to. My family and I trust him dearly. Thank you!”
Galaxy W.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Kinder Pediatric Dental from Downtown Bakersfield, and how do I get there?
The office is 1.5 miles from Beale Memorial Library, about a 4-minute drive. You follow 16th Street, Truxtun Avenue, V Street and 17th Street, then head north on Union Avenue to Lincoln Street. Few trips are shorter for parents who want a pediatric dentist near Downtown Bakersfield, and the route never touches a freeway.
Can we combine a trip to Beale Memorial Library with a dental appointment?
Yes, and the timing works well. Beale Memorial Library opens at 10 AM Monday through Thursday and stays open until 7 PM, while our office runs 8 AM to 5 PM on those days. A morning checkup followed by story time, or a library visit before an afternoon appointment, fits comfortably into one outing.
Is the Lori Brock Children's Discovery Center close to the office?
It is roughly a mile away, on the Kern County Museum grounds at 3801 Chester Avenue. The hands-on children's museum opened in 1976 and gives kids something fun to look forward to after a cleaning. Many downtown parents already know the museum, so it makes an easy reward on the drive back toward the Civic Center.
Which neighborhoods border Downtown Bakersfield?
Westchester lies just to the west, Oleander-Sunset sits at the southern end and East Bakersfield stretches directly east. Each of those areas is a short drive from our Union Avenue office as well. Downtown boundaries differ depending on who draws them, but most maps place the core between F Street, California Avenue, 24th Street and Union Avenue.
What does a pulpotomy involve for a young child?
A pulpotomy removes the inflamed nerve tissue from the crown of a baby tooth and seals the space so the tooth can stay. It is often recommended when decay has reached the pulp but the roots are still healthy. Dr. Dove explains each step beforehand and can pair the visit with sedation for anxious children.
Schedule Your Visit from Downtown Bakersfield
A pediatric dentist near Downtown Bakersfield is just one phone call away. Reach our team at 661-485-4991, Monday through Thursday, and we will find a time that suits your child's school day. See every neighborhood on our areas we serve page, or visit our Pediatric Dentist Bakersfield, CA homepage to learn more.
