The health and safety of our patients and staff at Sunset Pediatric Dental Group are of the utmost importance. Please click here to read our latest updates regarding our safety precautions and the infection control procedures we implement in our practice:

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Kids Love Us. Parents Trust Us.

With an open and inviting feel, our office is environmentally friendly and state-of-the-art, with low-radiation digital X-ray machines. We also use the most up-to-date dental materials, which are mercury-free, BPA-free and latex-free.

Meet The Doctors

Robert R Smith DDS

From his very early years of walking the San Diego zoo on weekends with his grandmother, Dr. Robert Smith developed an interest in the biological sciences.

That interest grew and propelled him through his education to earn his BA degree in zoology at U.C.L.A., to dental school at U.O.P. in San Francisco, and to completing his formal education with his pediatric dental residency at Oregon Health Sciences in Portland. Then it was time to engage in the complex world of dentistry for children and that started in 1972 with his first dental practice in the west San Fernando Valley. He migrated over the hill a short time later to open his practice on Sunset Boulevard. That is where he continues on today.

Pediatric dentistry is very different from other dental disciplines. Working with children, of course, can represent behavioral challenges in themselves. But the rewards are infinitely greater as we watch the infants grow into pre-schoolers, and one day go off to college. Being part of that growth and development transition, seeing that miracle of nature unfold, is something Dr. Smith says he just can’t let go of.

But pediatric dentistry is about dental care for those emerging young bodies. Provide the necessary guidance to insure that when those children do finally go off to college they have healthy teeth in good alignment within a facial structure that is both esthetic and functional. And they know how to take care of those teeth and are motivated to do so. “That is what good pediatric dentistry is all about” according to Dr. Smith. It’s a lot more than just filling cavities.

That is what has led Dr. Smith to return to his office on Sunset Boulevard, to see it grow from a tiny space forty years ago into a fully functional, technologically advanced, four-doctor space with a highly interesting mix of patients coming from far and wide.

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Lily H Ghafouri DMD MS

Dr. Lily Ghafouri graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry. 

She attended Boston University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her DMD degree in 2003, graduating with honors.  Dr. Lily went on to complete her residency at University of Illinois Chicago and is board certified.

Dr. Lily practices specific behavior management and calming techniques in her personalized approach when treating patients.  This ensures that patients will have a positive pediatric dental experience. She brings a passion for the profession, outstanding professional skills, and a commitment to her patients to deliver the highest quality dental care.

Dr. Lily loves spending time with her husband and two young sons.  She loves to travel and enjoys skiing in the mountains as well as staying active. You may see Dr. Lily walking around UCLA or riding her bike around the neighborhood . Dr. Lily’s favorite TV show is Top Chef, and she loves to root for the Lakers and Rams.

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Shiva Borukhim DDS

Dr. Shiva Hedvat Borukhim specializes in dentistry for infants, children, and patients with special
health care needs.

She grew up in Los Angeles and received her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Dental Surgery degrees from UCLA, graduating Magna Cum Laude and as a member of the National Dental Honor Society. She is proud to have continued her education at UCLA’s Pediatric Dentistry residency program and was a recipient of the Pugh Achievement Award, honoring the top 3% of scores on the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry Examination. She married her wonderful and supportive (Trojan!) husband during her second year of dental school and they have two bright and energetic sons, Dean and Pierce.

Dr. Shiva strives to provide quality treatment while creating a positive experience that leaves children eager to return.  She believes in the power of prevention and has a conservative approach to dental care. She aims to promote a collaborative environment that connects the dentist, parent, and child to create a relationship that lasts long after their appointment. It would be her privilege to meet your child in the dental chair!

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Your Child’s First Visit

Your Child’s
First Visit

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children visit a dentist before they turn 1, or within 6 months of the appearance of the first baby tooth.

Bringing your child to the pediatric dentist at a very early age allows him or her to meet the dentist, and become comfortable in the dental office setting. Sometimes new places can make kids nervous and uncooperative, and that’s alright! We understand. We will be patient and take our time to develop a solid relationship. If your child ever needs a filling or extraction, we always avoid the words “hurt”, “shot”, “pull”, “needle”, and suggest you do too.

First visits usually include a gentle exam of teeth, jaw, bite, gums and oral tissues, a gentle cleaning, demonstration of proper home cleaning, fluoride treatment, and answering any questions you may have about your child’s oral health.

Services

Your child’s first visit to the dentist can set the stage for a lifetime of good oral health.  We offer an array of services that will grow with your children through the years and put them on the right path of a lifetime of good oral health.

  • Dental Cleanings & Fluoride Treatments
  • Baby Exams
  • Digital X-rays
  • Dental Sealants
  • Restorative Care including Crowns, Fillings, Root Canals, and Extractions
  • Tooth-Colored Fillings and Crowns
  • Laser dentistry
  • Flippers 
  • Minimal Sedation with Nitrous Oxide (“Laughing Gas”)
  • General Anesthesia When Necessary
  • Space Maintainers (Spacers)
  • Sports Dentistry including Exams & Athletic Mouthguards
  • Emergency and Dental Trauma Care
  • Limited Orthodontic Treatment

Healthy Little Teeth

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The benefits of good dental health begin well before your baby is born so get an early start on a lifetime of healthy smiles by taking good care of your own mouth now.  Research shows that bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease in a mother’s mouth can easily be passed to her child. 

Here are some tips for maintaining a healthy mouth during pregnancy

  • Brush for two minutes, twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss every day.
  • Eat healthy foods and follow your physician’s advice about diet. When you need a snack, choose foods that are low in sugar and nutritious, such as raw fruits and vegetables, yogurt, or cheese.
  • Visit your dentist. For most women, routine dental visits are safe during pregnancy.
  • If you are vomiting frequently, try rinsing your mouth with a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with water instead of brushing your teeth directly after vomiting. When stomach acids repeatedly come into contact with teeth, it can cause tooth enamel to wear away.
  • Drink plenty of water
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Expecting Moms

Its never too soon to start caring for your baby’s dental health. A baby’s 20 primary teeth are already present in the jaw at birth and usually begin coming through the gums around 4-6 months of age.  Most children have a full set of baby teeth by the time they are 3 years old.  The most common cause of tooth decay in children is frequent, prolonged exposure of the teeth to sugars.

Here are some helpful tips:

  • Put only plain water, formula, milk or breast milk in bottles. Avoid filling bottles with liquids such as sweetened water, fruit juice or soft drinks.
  • Never put your baby to bed with a bottle. Even when it’s breast milk or formula, it can still decay teeth.
  • Use clean pacifiers — don’t dip them in sugar or honey.
  • Try not to share saliva with the baby by using the same spoon or licking a pacifier to clean it. Tooth decay can begin with cavity-causing bacteria being passed from the mother to the baby.
  • Keep your baby’s gums and teeth clean. You can begin to clean your baby’s mouth during the first few days by wiping the gums with a clean moist  washcloth after each feeding.  When your child’s teeth begin to come in, brush the teeth gently twice a day with a child size toothbrush and a very small amount of toothpaste (around the size of a grain of rice).
  • Injuries are common as babies learn to walk. Protect your baby’s teeth by placing barriers on sharp corners and hard surfaces.
  • Pacifier and finger habits should be discontinued by the 2nd birthday.
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Ages 0-3

As kids grow up, their oral hygiene habits should grow with them.  Establish a routine that includes brushing teeth twice a day with a pea size amount of fluoridated toothpaste.  Let them brush independently but always brush after them to make sure the teeth are being properly cleaned, especially before bedtime.  If thumb or fingers habits continue to this age, you will most likely see changes in their jaw structure.

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Ages 4-5

At about 6 years of age, your child’s adult teeth start to replace their baby teeth  While your child is starting to lose their front teeth, it’s important to know that there are usually adult molars at the back of the mouth.  These teeth usually come through the gum without replacing a baby tooth and are often unnoticed.

Children in this age group are learning independence which should be encouraged. However, parents should still physically assist with the daily care of their children’s teeth until at least 9-10 years old.   Orthodontic evaluation also begins at this age as modifications can be made in facial growth through appliances or braces.

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Ages 6-10

As if the preteen years didn’t give kids and their parents enough to think about, new oral health concerns loom on the horizon. Along with major changes to the body, brain and emotions, additional risk factors for tooth decay and gum disease appear during adolescence — the period of development starting around age 11 and extending through the teen years that marks the transition from childhood to adulthood. A combination of hormones, lifestyle changes and poor oral hygiene habits raises the risk of oral health problems among adolescents. A more independent social life may be accompanied by a change in eating habits and easier access to snacks and beverages that are sugary, acidic (like sports drinks and soda) or full of refined carbohydrates — none of which are tooth-healthy choices.  And as children move toward greater independence, parents are less likely to micromanage their children’s personal care, including their oral hygiene routines. Good oral hygiene can keep dental plaque at bay, lowering the chance of having gingivitis and cavities. But let’s face it: Adolescents have a lot to think about, and keeping up with their oral health may not be a priority.

To help your preteen stay on top of their oral health, keep healthy snacks at home for your children and their friends and make sure you are well stocked with supplies such as new toothbrushes, floss and toothpaste. In addition, most preteens (and teens) can benefit from gentle reminders about oral hygiene routines. By this age, kids most likely have all their permanent teeth.  Evaluation for orthodontics is completed at this age.

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Ages 11 and up

Pediatric dentists have unique expertise and extra training to treat children with special needs.  Parents of special needs children often have concerns about their child’s tolerance of a dental appointments, but postponing the visit is not the answer.  Providing us with information about your child prior to the first visit can help our office prepare for any special situations.  

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Special Needs

We recommend brushing 2 times per day with toothpaste and flossing as soon as the teeth begin to touch. Use light pressure and go in circular motions. Make sure they brush for at least two minutes.  Anything you can do to make brushing teeth fun for the little kids is helpful.  Sing songs, talk about getting the sugar bugs out, use brushing apps, etc.

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Oral Hygiene

When it comes to dental health, what your children eat and drink – and even how they consume it – has a powerful impact on their teeth. And you may find some surprises on the list of good and bad foods.  The worst enemy of your kids’ teeth is acid, which can come directly from the food or drink, or is produced by tooth-damaging bacteria that eat sugar and convert it to acid. This acid is what creates cavities by eating away at the tooth’s protective enamel.  The best friends of your children’s teeth are foods and drinks that neutralize or rinse away acids, supply minerals and vitamins that repair tooth enamel and stimulate saliva production.

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Diet & Nutrition

Sports Dentistry is the prevention and treatment of oral and facial sports injuries as well as related oral diseases.

We highly encourage the use of a mouth guard for contact sports.  For younger children with permanent front teeth (usually starting at around age 7-8), we recommend a store-bought bite and boil athletic mouth guard.  For older children that have all their permanent teeth (usually >age 12-13), we highly recommend a dentist-made custom mouth guard, as they have been shown to be more effective at preventing tooth damage than store bought mouth guards.

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Sports Dentistry

Dental Emergencies

If your child has suffered a blow to the head or any other life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency room. If your child faces a dental emergency, call us immediately. We are always here to assist when your child’s dental health is at risk. Here are some tips on dealing with urgent dental situations:

Cut Lip, Tongue or Cheek

Facial Swelling

Toothache

Broken Tooth

Knocked Out Tooth

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9201 W. Sunset Blvd. Suite 200
West Hollywood, CA 90069

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Children love to play and sometimes accidents may happen that result in them biting or cutting their tongue, lip or cheek. If these injuries bleed, use sterile gauze or a clean cloth to apply firm, but gentle, pressure to the wound. If the bleeding doesn’t stop after 15 minutes of pressure, you should travel to the nearest emergency room. You can also apply ice to any areas of the face or mouth that bruise.

If your child complains of a toothache, our doctors recommend relieving the pain with acetaminophen, NOT aspirin. It’s also important to keep the area around the painful tooth clean by rinsing with warm salt water. If the face starts to swell, you can use a cold compress to relieve the swelling. Please contact our office for an appointment as quickly as possible.

If your child accidentally breaks a tooth, quickly rinse the mouth with warm water and put a cold compress over the injury to relieve swelling and pain. Retrieve any pieces of the broken tooth, if you can and seek immediate dental attention.

Knocking out a permanent tooth is serious for your child and quick reaction and timing is critical. Make sure you retrieve the tooth, and only hold it by the crown or top and not the root end. You should rinse off the tooth but don’t try to clean it and don’t handle it more than necessary. Next, reinsert the tooth in the socket and hold it in place using a clean piece of gauze or cloth. If reinserting the tooth isn’t possible, put it in a cup of milk or water and see us immediately for an appointment.

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If you notice facial swelling or a swollen cheek, please call our office immediately. However, if facial swelling approaches the eye or is causing your child to have trouble breathing, this is a medical emergency and you need to call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

To our wonderful patients and their families,

We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. We recognize the unprecedented impact COVID-19 has had on our children’s lives. We empathize with the changes and the uncertainty they have faced. Like your family, our team has faced many challenges during the stay at home period and are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines.

While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your child’s dental health, safety and overall well-being. We are getting ready to reopen in stages. In the initial phase, it will be necessary to see a reduced volume of patients on a daily basis, to comply with guidelines on social distancing and infection control from state and national agencies. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this process and encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or concerns so we may do our best to accommodate you.

Our office will continue to adhere to infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued. We do this to make sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to each agencies’ recommendations. We are happy to answer any questions you many have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice.

When you come back for your next appointment, you will see that we’ve made some changes to hep ensure the safety of you, other patients and our team. For example:

• Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You will be asked those same questions again when you are in our office.
• We will perform temperature checks upon arrival and anyone with a temperature of 100.4F or above cannot be seen.
• We provide hand sanitizer in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed. We will ask you to use it when you enter our office.
• Now you can check-in from your car. As a result, you are able to minimize contact with others, bypass the reception area and go directly to the treatment room.
• We ask that you arrive wearing a face covering. We will ask you to dispose of any outside gloves before you enter to minimize cross-contamination.
• You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
• We have placed medical grade HEPA filters in all dental rooms. These filters have been tested to remove 99.97% of air particles down to 0.1 microns in a room within 15 minutes.
• We will be wearing masks at all times which means you will not be seeing our smiling faces. Know we are happy to see you and we are doing our best to keep you safe.

Thank you all so much for your continued support of our small, private practice. We value your trust and strive to continue delivering the very best care that you have grown accustomed to. We look forward to seeing you very soon.

Sincerely,

Drs. Robert Smith, Lily Ghafouri and Shiva Borukhim and the Sunset Pediatric Dental Team