A sudden toothache, broken tooth, swelling, or dental injury can be stressful for both children and parents. Smile First Dental provides pediatric emergency dental care in Durham, NC, with timely evaluation and treatment for children experiencing unexpected dental problems.
.jpeg)
A pediatric dental emergency is an urgent problem involving your child’s teeth, gums, mouth, or surrounding tissues that needs prompt professional attention. Common emergencies include severe toothaches, chipped or cracked teeth, knocked out teeth, swelling, dental infections, uncontrolled oral bleeding, and damaged fillings or crowns.
Children can also experience dental emergencies after falls, sports injuries, playground accidents, or biting something hard. When you are unsure whether your child’s situation is urgent, contacting a pediatric emergency dentist in Durham can help you understand what to do next and whether your child needs same day care.
Dr. Jenny Citineni is a board-certified pediatric dentist with a passion for creating positive dental experiences for children. Originally from Hyderabad, India, she earned her dental degree from UNC School of Dentistry and later served as Dental Director of a Children’s Health Department Dental Clinic in North Carolina.
Recognized for her dedication and achievements, Dr. Jenny is committed to making every child feel comfortable, valued, and excited about their dental health journey.
Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Emilee Hrtyanski was born and raised in West Virginia, and earned her Doctorate of Dental Surgery degree from West Virginia University School of Dentistry. She completed her pediatric dentistry residency at Texas A&M, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, and Children's Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.
She is board-certified with the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. She is also a member of the American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry.
Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Haley Willis is a board-certified pediatric dentist originally from Chase City, Virginia. She earned her dental degree from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry and completed her pediatric dental residency at Children’s Hospital of Michigan.
Dr. Haley is passionate about creating positive dental experiences for children and providing personalized, compassionate care for every patient. Outside the office, she enjoys spending time with her family, exploring local parks, and cheering on her favorite sports teams.
Pediatric Dentist
Meet Kids Favourite Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Jenny Citineni is a board certified pediatric dentist and originally from Hyderabad, India. She has spent most of her life in Durham attending Githens Middle, Riverside High, and NC School of Science and Math. She found her passion for dentistry after she graduated UNC-Chapel Hill. As an AmeriCorps Public Ally, she met a dentist who introduced her to the different aspects of the field, and she quickly found a passion for the art, results, and positive patients - especially the kids! Within 6 months of meeting the dentist, she was accepted into UNC School of Dentistry.
After earning her dental degree, she became the Dental Director of a Children's Health Department Dental Clinic in Lexington, NC. Dr. Jenny is a recognized, sought-after pediatric dentist. Her accomplishments and awards speak to her drive, ambition, and passion for delivering quality care:
She treats every child like a star, and makes each patient feel comfortable and excited about their dental health journey. She has two little stars of her own, Ava and Ella with her husband, Tommy Thekkekandam. Tommy and Dr. Jenny have a passion project of making delicious tasty treats that are sugar free for everyone to enjoy! They love to bake, eat, hike, swim and explore the world!
.png)
Meet Kids Favourite Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Emilee Hrtyanski was born and raised in West Virginia, and earned her Doctorate of Dental Surgery degree from West Virginia University School of Dentistry. She completed her pediatric dentistry residency at Texas A&M, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, and Children's Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. She is board-certified with the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. She is also a member of the American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry.
In Dr. Emilee's free time, she loves traveling with her fiancé, spoiling her puppy, practicing yoga, and cheering on her beloved Mountaineers.
Meet Kids Favourite Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Haley Willis is a board-certified pediatric dentist from Chase City, VA, a small town in southern Virginia. She received her bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech and earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. She completed her pediatric dental residency in Detroit, Michigan at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. She is a member of the American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, North Carolina Dental Society, and Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Haley and her husband, Anthony, have two daughters, Sophia and Georgia, and a baby boy on the way.
They are so excited to call North Carolina home and explore all this wonderful state has to offer. In their free time, they enjoy spending time with family and friends, attending gymnastics and dance recitals, exploring local parks and trails, and watching their favorite sports teams!
Dr. Haley is honored to treat the wonderful families of Durham and the surrounding areas. She truly enjoys her daily interactions with her patients and sees each day at the office as a new adventure.
She treasures each child as an individual with their own unique needs and cannot wait to meet y’all soon!
A dental emergency can happen without warning, so families need a pediatric dental team that can respond quickly and clearly. Smile First Dental provides emergency pediatric dentistry in Durham, NC, with care designed specifically for infants, children, and teens.
Our team evaluates the cause of the problem, explains the available treatment options, and helps parents understand what should happen next. From sudden tooth pain to dental trauma, our goal is to provide appropriate care while helping your child feel safe and comfortable.
An emergency evaluation helps identify what is causing your child’s tooth pain so the dentist can recommend the appropriate treatment rather than only managing the symptoms.
Prompt care may provide more treatment options when a permanent tooth has been chipped, fractured, displaced, or knocked out during an accident.
Prompt care may provide Tooth infections and dental swelling require timely evaluation. Identifying the source helps the dentist determine the appropriate treatment and reduce the risk of the problem progressing.treatment options when a permanent tooth has been chipped, fractured, displaced, or knocked out during an accident.
Dental injuries to baby teeth can sometimes affect the surrounding tissues or developing permanent teeth. A pediatric dentist can evaluate the injury and recommend appropriate follow up.
1
Call or text Smile First Dental when an emergency occurs. Tell us what happened and describe symptoms such as pain, bleeding, swelling, or a damaged tooth so our team can provide initial guidance.
2
Our pediatric dentist examines the affected tooth and surrounding tissues. Depending on the emergency, digital X rays may be recommended to check the tooth roots, bone, or areas that cannot be seen during the visual exam.
3
Treatment depends on the diagnosis. Care may involve repairing a damaged tooth, managing an infection, addressing dental trauma, treating the tooth nerve, or discussing extraction when a tooth cannot be predictably restored.
4
Some dental emergencies need continued monitoring after the first visit. We explain home care instructions, symptoms to watch for, and whether another appointment is needed to check healing or complete treatment.
My toddler had a great first visit! Everyone was very friendly and knowledgeable and made my daughters first ever dental visit a pleasant one! This will definitely be our dental home moving forward!
Herison
This is a wonderful group of people. Some of the same employees took care of my teeth as I was growing up and it’s great to have many of the same ones help clean and keep my daughters teeth in great shape! I love Smile First and trust them with my daughter’s smile!!
Sara h
Severe or persistent tooth pain, facial or gum swelling, uncontrolled bleeding, a knocked out permanent tooth, a badly broken tooth, or significant dental trauma should be evaluated promptly. Damaged dental restorations or objects stuck between the teeth can also require urgent care when they cause pain or cannot be safely removed.
Find the tooth and handle it by the crown, not the root. If it is dirty, gently rinse it without scrubbing or removing attached tissue. If possible, carefully place the permanent tooth back into its socket. If that cannot be done, keep it moist in milk and contact a pediatric dentist immediately. Do not delay care while trying to clean the tooth unnecessarily.
No. A knocked out primary or baby tooth should not normally be replanted because doing so could affect the developing permanent tooth underneath. Contact our pediatric dental team promptly so we can evaluate the injury and make sure there is no additional damage.
Smile First Dental offers same day appointments for children experiencing dental emergencies, depending on the situation and scheduling availability. The practice also has a pediatric dentist on call 24/7 so families can contact the team when an urgent dental concern happens.
Seek immediate medical care for serious head or facial trauma, a suspected broken jaw, difficulty breathing or swallowing, loss of consciousness, or other potentially life threatening symptoms. For emergencies mainly involving the teeth or gums, contact our pediatric dental team for guidance.
.jpg)
Smile First Dental provides pediatric emergency dental care in Durham, NC, at 3616 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd. Families can contact our team for sudden toothaches, broken or chipped teeth, knocked out teeth, swelling, dental infections, damaged restorations, and other urgent dental concerns.
Our Durham pediatric dental office also serves families from Chapel Hill, Morrisville, Hillsborough, Roxboro, Bahama, Oxford, Raleigh, and nearby communities. With same day emergency appointments and 24/7 access to an on call pediatric dentist, families have a trusted place to turn when an unexpected dental problem occurs.
.svg)
.svg)
