The Center for Pediatric Dentistry

03/19/2026

Dr. Nelson shared a list of tips for parents of children with Autism to help them maintain stress-free visits to the dentist and improve their child's oral health, published on "The Autism Blog" on the Seattle Children's website.

"Research shows that up to 15% of children with autism do not receive routine dental care. When oral health issues like cavities or toothaches go untreated, they can affect sleep, eating, learning and behavior — sometimes even triggering significant distress or outbursts. Yet many families understandably hesitate to schedule dental visits, knowing the environment can be overstimulating and communication can be difficult. The good news is: it doesn’t have to be that way."

Check out the full list of tips here:

To help make dental visits more successful, parents can work closely with their child’s dentist to gradually acclimate to the dental environment and build confidence over time. Here are some strategies we use at our clinic, the UW Center for Pediatric Dentistry, to support children and their famil...

11/06/2025

The holidays bring plenty of reasons to smile: gatherings, gratitude and of course, all the sweet treats that come with the season. From Halloween candy to holiday cookies, desserts are part of the...

10/30/2025

There are a lot of good things about Halloween, but all those treats can be tricky – especially when it comes to dental health and the potential for cavities.

What’s a parent to do? To help, Dr. Jakob Holtzmann of the UW Center for Pediatric Dentistry has shared some of his best tips for keeping kids happy and healthy this Halloween!

Read the full list of tips and Dr. Holtzmann's insight at the following link: https://dental.washington.edu/5-tips-for-healthy-smiles-this-halloween/

10/21/2025

Meet Dr. Jake Holtzmann! After completing the UW pediatric dentistry residency program, Dr. Holtzmann decided that, since he had so much fun caring for the CPD community members, he wanted to return part-time, two days a week, as a faculty member.

“Dentists around the country have long recognized the UW pediatric dental residency program as a premier and highly competitive training program,” said Dr. Holtzmann. “At the Center for Pediatric Dentistry during my residency, I was grateful to have the opportunity to learn from some of the brightest minds in our field and train alongside high-achieving and caring colleagues.”

Dr. Holtzmann says he’s always found fulfillment in caring for his community, and he feels a great sense of privilege and responsibility to make sure every child has a fair opportunity to grow, learn and smile their way into adolescence and adulthood.

Dr. Holtzmann is originally from Colorado. When he’s not caring for pediatric patients, he enjoys skiing, exploring diverse cultures, and going on adventures that take him around the country and around the world.

10/10/2025

Remember to stop by the Autism Center next Saturday for some trick-or-treating!

One month from today, the Center for Pediatric Dentistry will again be taking part in the Seattle Children's Autism Center's Trick-or-Treat event.

Details for the event can be found below. Members of our staff will be there to hand out free toothbrushes and goodie bags that'll help keep your child's teeth clean this Halloween!

10/02/2025

Thanks to everyone who was able to stop by the social yesterday to kick off the new school year!

The School of Dentistry and CPD/Northwest Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery each held an All-School Social on their campuses yesterday to relax and enjoy some treats.

09/29/2025

Meet Dr. Travis Nelson: Although he's the Chair of the Center for Pediatric Dentistry, he still regularly works with patients and is a key part of the care team.

Having grown up in Seattle, Dr. Nelson came to the CPD for his residency 18 years ago and hasn't left since. "A lifetime of good oral health starts in childhood. I wanted to help children start that journey on the right foot," he says.

Outside of helping make sure children's smiles are taken care of, Dr. Nelson enjoys being outdoors via his hobbies of hiking, biking, kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing.

09/23/2025

Does your child need a dentist? We accept Apple Health!

At the Center for Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Washington, we provide great care for kids of all ages (0-16) and gladly accept Apple Health insurance. Whether it’s your child’s first dental check-up or an urgent need, we make it easy for you to give them the care they deserve.

Our clinic has free parking, easy access to bus routes, and appointment options that fit your family’s busy schedule.

Contact us today: https://thecenterforpediatricdentistry.com/for-parents-and-patients/request-form/

09/18/2025

One month from today, the Center for Pediatric Dentistry will again be taking part in the Seattle Children's Autism Center's Trick-or-Treat event.

Details for the event can be found below. Members of our staff will be there to hand out free toothbrushes and goodie bags that'll help keep your child's teeth clean this Halloween!

10/07/2024

The CPD will have a table at the Seattle Children's Autism Center's trick-or-treat Halloween event at their Magnuson location and will be providing toothbrushes and goodie bags for the children. Make sure to stop by!

07/29/2024

The great Dr. Donald Chi was a part of a recently published study in the Journal of the American Dental Association that suggests untreated caries may motivate parents to accept preventative dental treatments like fluoride.

This could implicate that dental care professionals should assess caries risk and communicate a child’s caries risk before making a recommendation regarding topical fluoride treatment.

Learn more about the study here: https://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(24)00311-8/abstract

07/11/2024

It is with great sadness that we share the news that Dr. Peter Domoto, who served as Chair of the UW Department of Pediatric Dentistry for more than a quarter of a century, passed away at the end of June.

Dr. Domoto earned his Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from the UW, along with a master’s in public health, and he was one of our School’s most highly regarded leaders. Dr. Domoto served as the founding director of the dental clinic at the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in Seattle’s Central District, a clinic that arose from the Model Cities Program in 1970 to address urban problems of poverty and race. This experience inspired his career-long focus on removing barriers to dental care for infants and children in underserved communities.

Dr. Domoto’s established Washington state’s Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program, which became a national model for expanding comprehensive oral health care for infants and toddlers and continues to serve low-income families around the state.

The Domoto family established the Peter K. Domoto Fund for Children as a way for others to help provide access to care for children who do not qualify for other insurance options but are still in need of oral health care at the Center for Pediatric Dentistry.

Visit the UW School of Dentistry website for more on Dr. Domoto: https://dental.washington.edu/longtime-chair-of-pediatric-dentistry-dr-peter-domoto-passes-away-at-86/