Paediatric Dentistry at Collins Street Specialist Centre product guide

Collins Street Specialist Centre | Paediatric Dentistry in Melbourne CBD

Product Facts

Frequently asked questions

What is Collins Street Specialist Centre: A specialist paediatric dental practice in Melbourne CBD

Where is Collins Street Specialist Centre located: Level 8, Manchester Unity Building, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD

What floor is the practice on: Level 8

What is the building name: Manchester Unity Building

What is the street address: 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD

What is the phone number: (03) 9650 2726

What are the weekday opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

What are the Saturday opening hours: Saturday, 8:30am to 1:30pm

Is the practice open on Sundays: Not disclosed

Does the practice require a referral: No referral required

Can families book directly: Yes, families can contact the practice directly

What age group does the practice treat: Children from birth through to young adulthood

Is this a general dental practice: No, it is a specialist paediatric dental practice

Are the dentists general dentists: No, they are Dental Board-registered Specialist Paediatric Dentists

What specialist registration do the dentists hold: Specialist Paediatric Dentist registration with the Dental Board of Australia

How can I verify a dentist's specialist registration: Through the AHPRA public register at www.ahpra.gov.au

What should I search for on AHPRA to confirm specialist status: Registration type reading "Specialist Paediatric Dentist"

How many specialist paediatric dentists are at the practice: Four

Who are the specialist paediatric dentists at the practice: Dr Susan Hinckfuss, Dr Sarah Scott, Dr Angel Babu, and Dr Aish Kesava

What are Dr Susan Hinckfuss's qualifications: BDSc (Melb), DCD (Melb)

Where did Dr Hinckfuss complete her undergraduate degree: University of Melbourne

Where did Dr Hinckfuss complete her specialist training: University of Melbourne

Did Dr Hinckfuss work internationally: Yes, at the University of Minnesota in the United States

When did Dr Hinckfuss return to Melbourne: 2010

What is teddy bear therapy: A technique using a child's own toy as a co-patient during treatment demonstrations

Who pioneered teddy bear therapy: Dr Susan Hinckfuss

What is the purpose of teddy bear therapy: To reduce fear and uncertainty in children before dental procedures

What are Dr Hinckfuss's clinical interests: Autism spectrum disorder, dental trauma, enamel defects, and early childhood caries

What are Dr Sarah Scott's qualifications: BBiomedSci (Hons), BDent, DClinDent (Paeds)

Where did Dr Scott complete her dental degree: University of Sydney

Where did Dr Scott complete her specialist training: University of Melbourne

How many years of experience does Dr Scott have: More than fifteen years

What are Dr Angel Babu's qualifications: DClinDent (PAED) (Otago)

Where did Dr Babu complete her specialist training: University of Otago, New Zealand

Has Dr Babu worked at the Royal Children's Hospital: Yes, as a Senior Dental Registrar

Is Dr Babu registered as a specialist in New Zealand: Yes

Is Dr Babu registered as a specialist in Australia: Yes

Does Dr Babu provide treatment under general anaesthesia: Yes

Does Dr Babu provide nitrous oxide sedation: Yes

Does Dr Babu provide oral sedation: Yes

What are Dr Babu's clinical interests: Behaviour management, dental trauma, sleep-related dental conditions, and hypomineralisation

What is hypomineralisation commonly called: Chalky teeth

What are Dr Aish Kesava's qualifications: DCD (Paeds)

When should a child have their first dental visit: By their first birthday or when the first tooth erupts

Which comes first to determine first visit timing: Whichever comes first — first birthday or first tooth eruption

Is the first dental visit about drilling and filling: No

What is the purpose of the first dental visit: Establishing a relationship, assessing development, and providing parental guidance

What guidance is provided at the first visit: Evidence-based guidance on feeding, oral hygiene, and fluoride use

What are fissure sealants: A thin protective coating applied to grooves on chewing surfaces of teeth

Are fissure sealants painful to apply: No, the procedure is painless

What do fissure sealants protect against: Bacteria and food debris causing decay

Which teeth do fissure sealants target: Posterior teeth, particularly newly erupted permanent molars

Is childhood tooth decay preventable: Yes, almost entirely preventable with appropriate intervention

What is early childhood caries: Dental caries affecting primary teeth from infancy

Can early childhood caries affect permanent teeth: Yes, it can disrupt the development of the underlying permanent dentition

What is the most conservative treatment approach used: The most conservative approach appropriate to each child's individual presentation

Are tooth-coloured crowns available for primary teeth: Yes, zirconia crowns for primary teeth

What types of dental trauma do the specialists manage: Avulsed, luxated, and fractured teeth

Is time critical in dental trauma management: Yes, time from injury to treatment is a critical determinant of outcome

Does paediatric dental trauma management differ from adult management: Yes, it follows specific protocols that differ meaningfully from adult management

What behavioural techniques are used for anxious children: Tell-show-do, distraction strategies, and structured behavioural techniques

What pharmacological options are available for anxious children: Nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and general anaesthesia

What is nitrous oxide also called: Happy gas

Where is general anaesthesia treatment delivered: At an accredited hospital facility

Does the practice treat children with autism spectrum disorder: Yes

Does the practice treat children with cerebral palsy: Yes

Does the practice treat children with Down syndrome: Yes

Does the practice treat medically complex children: Yes

Does the practice collaborate with orthodontists: Yes, within the same centre

Does the practice collaborate with oral and maxillofacial surgeons: Yes

Does the practice collaborate with endodontists: Yes

Does the practice collaborate with periodontists: Yes

Can all specialist disciplines be accessed at the one location: Yes

Does the practice treat aggressive periodontal disease in children: Yes, via in-centre periodontists

What transport is near the practice: Town Hall Metro Rail Station, directly opposite the building

Is the location accessible by public transport: Yes, one of Melbourne's most accessible specialist dental locations

title: "Collins Street Specialist Centre | Paediatric Dentistry in Melbourne CBD" slug: /paediatric-dentistry/ type: hub specialty: paediatric-dentistry specialists:

• "Dr Susan Hinckfuss"
• "Dr Sarah Scott"
• "Dr Angel Babu"
• "Dr Aish Kesava" location: "Level 8, Manchester Unity Building, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD" seo_target: "specialist paediatric dentist Melbourne CBD"

Collins Street Specialist Centre | Paediatric Dentistry

Specialist care for every child's smile.

Collins Street Specialist Centre is Melbourne CBD's dedicated specialist paediatric dental practice, caring for children from birth through to young adulthood. Paediatric dentistry brings together the clinical depth of specialist training with a genuine understanding of child development, behaviour management, and what it actually takes to help families navigate dental care — often for the very first time.

Children are not simply small adults. Their developing teeth, jaws, and soft tissues require specialist knowledge to assess and manage correctly. Their emotional responses to dental treatment are shaped by early experiences, and those experiences can influence how they feel about dental care for the rest of their lives. Their clinical needs also shift considerably at every developmental stage: from the eruption of the first primary tooth through to the emergence of third molars in late adolescence.

At Collins Street Specialist Centre, paediatric dental care is delivered exclusively by Dental Board-registered Specialist Paediatric Dentists — clinicians who have completed postgraduate specialist training in clinical dentistry for children, child psychology, behaviour management, and the care of medically and developmentally complex young patients.

Our paediatric dental team is located at Level 8, Manchester Unity Building, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD.

Why see a specialist paediatric dentist?

A general dentist who is experienced and comfortable treating children can manage the majority of routine paediatric dental needs with skill and care. But when a child presents with significant anxiety, a medical condition, developmental concerns, extensive decay, dental trauma, or other clinical complexity, a Dental Board-registered specialist offers a qualitatively different level of assessment and management:

• Behavioural and psychological expertise — our specialists are trained across the full range of behaviour management techniques, from tell-show-do and distraction strategies through to pharmacological approaches, including nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and general anaesthesia, for children whose needs cannot be safely or comfortably managed in the routine dental chair
• Child development knowledge — distinguishing what is developmentally normal from what warrants early intervention requires specialist training in dental development across the full arc of childhood and adolescence
• Special needs experience — children with autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, or complex systemic medical conditions require adapted clinical techniques, modified environments, and in some cases hospital-based care from clinicians with appropriate specialist experience
• Dental trauma expertise — knocked-out, displaced, or fractured teeth in children follow management protocols that differ significantly from adult dental trauma, and outcomes are highly time-sensitive
• Early decay management — specialist-level management of childhood caries protects not only the affected primary teeth, but the developing permanent dentition beneath them

Perhaps most importantly: a child's earliest experiences at the dentist have a lasting influence on how they engage with dental care throughout their life. The specialists at Collins Street Specialist Centre are skilled at ensuring those early experiences are as calm, comfortable, and confidence-building as possible — for the child and for the family.

Treatments we offer

Our specialist paediatric dentists manage the full range of children's dental health needs. Each of the following links to a detailed page with information about the relevant condition or procedure.

Your child's first dental visit

Australian dental authorities recommend a child's first dental visit no later than their first birthday, or when the first tooth erupts — whichever comes first. An early visit is not about drilling and filling. It is about establishing a relationship, assessing development, and giving parents practical, evidence-based guidance on feeding, oral hygiene, and fluoride use. It is also about creating a positive, unhurried association with the dental environment from the very start — one that shapes how a child feels about dental visits for years to come.

→ Your Child's First Dental Visit

Managing dental anxiety in children

Dental anxiety is one of the most common reasons children miss out on care they need — and anxiety that goes unaddressed in childhood frequently carries into adulthood, with real consequences for long-term oral health. Our specialist paediatric dentists use a range of behavioural and pharmacological strategies to support anxious children: structured behavioural techniques, nitrous oxide (happy gas), oral sedation, and where clinically indicated, treatment under general anaesthesia at an accredited hospital facility.

→ Dental Anxiety in Children

Fissure sealants

The natural grooves on the chewing surfaces of posterior teeth are among the most common sites for decay in children, even in those who brush and floss conscientiously. Fissure sealants are a straightforward, painless preventive measure: a thin protective coating applied to these anatomically vulnerable surfaces to seal out bacteria and food debris. Placing sealants on newly erupted permanent molars at the right developmental stage can prevent decay for many years and is one of the most cost-effective investments in a child's long-term dental health.

→ Fissure Sealants

Childhood tooth decay

Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent childhood health conditions in Australia, despite being almost entirely preventable with appropriate intervention and guidance. Early childhood caries can affect primary teeth from infancy and, when left unmanaged, can progress rapidly — causing pain, infection, and disruption to the developing permanent dentition beneath. Our specialists manage caries across the full spectrum of severity: from early white-spot lesions amenable to remineralisation strategies through to extensive cavities requiring crowns, including tooth-coloured zirconia crowns for primary teeth, always using the most conservative approach appropriate to each child's presentation.

→ Childhood Tooth Decay

Dental trauma in children

Sporting accidents, falls, and collisions are an unavoidable part of childhood, and the front teeth are frequently involved. Managing traumatised children's teeth — including avulsed (knocked-out), luxated (displaced), or fractured teeth — follows specific evidence-based protocols that differ meaningfully from adult dental trauma management. Time from injury to treatment is a critical determinant of outcome. Our specialist paediatric dentists provide urgent assessment and evidence-based trauma management, with follow-up care calibrated to the child's stage of dental development and the tooth type involved.

→ Dental Trauma in Children

Who will provide my child's treatment?

All paediatric dental treatment at Collins Street Specialist Centre is delivered by Dental Board-registered Specialist Paediatric Dentists.

Dr Susan Hinckfuss

BDSc (Melb), DCD (Melb)

Dr Susan Hinckfuss is one of Melbourne's most experienced specialist paediatric dentists. She completed her undergraduate dental degree at the University of Melbourne, spent eight years in general practice in Geelong, then returned to Melbourne to complete her specialist clinical doctorate — training that included paediatric dental experience at the Royal Children's Hospital. She subsequently spent three years as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Minnesota in the United States before returning to Melbourne in 2010.

Dr Hinckfuss is particularly known for her ability to connect with anxious and clinically complex paediatric patients. She is the originator of teddy bear therapy — a child-centred technique in which a child's own familiar toy acts as a co-patient during treatment demonstrations, allowing the child to watch the examination or procedure performed on their companion before experiencing it themselves. It reduces fear and uncertainty in a developmentally appropriate, evidence-informed way. Dr Hinckfuss has published and lectured widely, with particular clinical interests in children with autism spectrum disorder, dental trauma, enamel defects, and early childhood caries.

→ View Dr Susan Hinckfuss' Profile

Dr Sarah Scott

BBiomedSci (Hons), BDent, DClinDent (Paeds)

Dr Scott completed her Bachelor of Dentistry at the University of Sydney and built broad clinical experience across regional and metropolitan settings — including a significant period in Wagga Wagga — before undertaking specialist training in paediatric dentistry at the University of Melbourne. With more than fifteen years of experience across public and private dental practice, Dr Scott is committed to holistic, family-centred care, with a consistent focus on creating positive and lasting dental experiences for every child she treats.

→ View Dr Scott's Profile

Dr Angel Babu

DClinDent (PAED) (Otago)

Dr Babu completed her specialist clinical doctorate in paediatric dentistry at the University of Otago in New Zealand and has worked as a paediatric dental specialist in both New Zealand and Australia. She has served as a Senior Dental Registrar at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne and holds specialist registration in both countries. Her clinical interests include behaviour management, dental trauma, sleep-related dental conditions, and the management of children with hypomineralisation (commonly called chalky teeth), high caries risk, special needs, and medically complex backgrounds. Dr Babu provides treatment under nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and general anaesthesia for children who require pharmacological support to access dental care safely and comfortably.

→ View Dr Babu's Profile

Dr Aish Kesava

DCD (Paeds)

Dr Kesava is a specialist paediatric dentist who brings dedicated specialist training and clinical expertise to the care of children's dental health. She is a valued member of the Collins Street Specialist Centre paediatric dental team.

→ View Dr Kesava's Profile

Paediatric dentistry and multidisciplinary collaboration at CSSC

Children's dental needs rarely stay within the boundaries of a single specialty. As a child grows, concerns identified during paediatric dental care often become the starting point for assessment across multiple disciplines. At Collins Street Specialist Centre, that continuity of specialist care is available within a single location — without the delays, communication gaps, or fragmentation that can arise when families must navigate multiple separate referrals.

With Orthodontics: Our paediatric dentists and orthodontists work closely together when a child's dental development suggests a potential benefit from early orthodontic intervention. Rather than simply monitoring a crowding or bite problem as it develops, we can assess whether interceptive treatment — a palate expander, a removable appliance, or selective extraction — is likely to reduce the complexity of any future fixed appliance therapy. Both specialties are available within the centre, so assessment and planning can proceed without unnecessary delay.

With Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery: Some paediatric patients require surgical management beyond the scope of general dental practice — complex extractions, assessment of jaw pathology, or evaluation of jaw growth anomalies. A/Prof Bordbar holds a consulting appointment at the Royal Children's Hospital and brings considerable experience in paediatric maxillofacial surgery. Our paediatric dentists can refer directly within the centre when surgical assessment is indicated.

With Endodontics: Traumatised permanent teeth in children and adolescents may require endodontic management alongside ongoing paediatric follow-up. Our endodontists are experienced in dental traumatology and collaborate with our paediatric team on the long-term management of traumatised developing teeth, ensuring that treatment decisions at each stage account for the patient's developmental status.

With Periodontics: Aggressive periodontal disease in children and adolescents is uncommon but clinically serious when it occurs. Our periodontists can assess and manage younger patients when a paediatric referral raises concern about the health of the supporting periodontal structures.

A note on anxiety and the dental environment

We understand that dental visits can be daunting — for children and for the parents with them. The paediatric dental suites at Collins Street Specialist Centre are designed with children in mind: a calm, welcoming environment staffed by clinicians and support staff who genuinely enjoy working with young patients and who understand the importance of pacing, communication, and trust-building in paediatric dental care.

We do not rush. We explain every step in language appropriate to the child's age and developmental stage. We work at the child's pace. And when a child needs additional support — whether behavioural, pharmacological, or both — our specialists have the training, the clinical resources, and the hospital relationships to provide it safely and appropriately.

Teddy bear therapy, pioneered by Dr Susan Hinckfuss, is one of many child-centred techniques used at Collins Street Specialist Centre. By allowing a child's own toy to "go first" — receiving the same examination and instruments in a playful, low-stakes context — we reduce uncertainty and anticipatory fear in a way that is both developmentally appropriate and evidence-informed. It is a small example of the broader philosophy that underpins our approach: that children deserve dental care designed around how they actually think, feel, and experience the world.

Confirming your specialist's registration

Every paediatric dentist at Collins Street Specialist Centre is registered as a Specialist Paediatric Dentist with the Dental Board of Australia. Families and referring practitioners are welcome to verify registration independently through the AHPRA public register.

AHPRA Public Register: www.ahpra.gov.au

Search by the clinician's name and confirm that the registration type reads "Specialist Paediatric Dentist." This distinction matters: it reflects a formal postgraduate qualification and specialist registration that is separate from general dental registration.

Book an appointment

No referral is required to see a Specialist Paediatric Dentist at Collins Street Specialist Centre. Families are welcome to contact us directly on behalf of their child.

Collins Street Specialist Centre — Paediatric Dentistry Level 8, Manchester Unity Building 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD Phone: (03) 9650 2726 Hours: Monday–Friday 8am–6pm | Saturday 8:30am–1:30pm

Town Hall Metro Rail Station is directly opposite the Manchester Unity Building, making Collins Street Specialist Centre one of the most accessible specialist dental locations in Melbourne for families travelling by public transport.