Dental Care For Special Needs Kids In Arvada, CO

Mini Miners adapts the dental visit to your child, instead of asking your child to adapt to us. Dr. Alison Grover is a board-certified Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry with a college degree in child psychology and real experience caring for children with special needs. Every room is built for sensory-sensitive, patient-led care.

Book A Visit

The part most dental websites leave out

Children with special needs have measurably worse oral health, and it is almost never because families aren't trying. The barrier is finding an office with the time, training, and setup to treat your child well.

1 in 5

U.S. children has a special healthcare need, roughly 18.5 percent of kids.

2x

Kids with special needs on public insurance are more than twice as likely to have unmet preventive dental care as those with private insurance (12.2% vs 5.3%).

3x

Children with developmental disabilities go without needed dental care at close to three times the rate of other children.

How to tell if an office can actually treat your child

"We see special needs" on a website tells you almost nothing. These are the questions that do, with our honest answers.

Will they schedule extra time and a Happy Visit with no treatment?

Yes. A first visit can be a Happy Visit where the only goal is walking in, meeting the team, and touching a few tools. No treatment required.

Is every room set up for nitrous, with moderate and deep sedation available?

Yes. Every treatment room is plumbed for nitrous oxide, and we offer mild, moderate, and deep sedation in-office when it is appropriate.

Can they treat a cavity without drilling for a child who cannot tolerate it?

Yes. Silver Diamine Fluoride and the Hall crown technique both stop or seal decay with no drill and no numbing shot.

Do they take your insurance?

Partly. We take most major private plans and offer a membership plan for uninsured families. We do not take Medicaid.

Can they do hospital general anesthesia for the most complex cases?

No, and we will say so. Our sedation is in-office. A child who needs hospital-based general anesthesia, often under Medicaid, is better served by a hospital-affiliated program. We would rather tell you that up front than waste your time.

How we adapt the room and the visit

Every child's sensory profile is different, so the visit flexes to the child. Here is what we can change.

Sensory input

Ceiling-mounted TVs with more than 70 movies your child chooses
Choice of toothpaste and fluoride flavors, so nothing is a surprise
A camera-style X-ray taken right in the room, so the movie keeps playing
Adjustable lighting and the option to bring a comfort item from home

Pace

Happy Visits before any treatment
Short segments with breaks the moment your child needs one
Longer appointments and quieter times of day when that helps

Communication

Tell-show-do: we explain and show each step before we do it
Comfortable with picture cards, communication devices, or your interpretation
Dr. Grover's child-psychology training shapes how the team talks to kids

Positioning and tools

Adjustable chairs and baby beds for the littlest patients
Small-sized instruments and sensors made for small mouths
Gentle stabilization only when truly needed for safety, and only with your consent

Cavity care without a drill, for kids who cannot tolerate one

Some children cannot sit for a drill or tolerate the numb feeling of an injection. For many of them, we can still treat decay without either.

Silver Diamine Fluoride

A liquid brushed onto a cavity to stop it from spreading. No needle, no drill, about a minute per tooth.

Hall crowns

A stainless-steel crown that caps a decayed baby molar with no drilling and no numbing.

Soft tissue laser

Used for tongue-tie releases and soft-tissue work, often without a scalpel or stitches.

When a child needs more than that, we offer every level of sedation, from nitrous oxide to deep sedation, chosen with you based on your child's health history. Our fluoride also lets kids eat and drink right after their visit.

What to expect at the first visit

Here is exactly how a first visit runs, step by step, so nothing catches you or your child off guard.

Intake call - Before you drive over, tell us your child's sensory profile, diagnoses, medications, and specialists. We block extra time and, when it helps, schedule during a quieter part of the day.
The Happy Visit - The first appointment can be a Happy Visit with no treatment. The only goal might be walking in and touching a few instruments. Some kids are ready for a cleaning that day. Some are not. Both are a win.
Patient-led treatment - When your child is ready, we work in short segments, explain each step in plain words, and stop for breaks on request.
Follow-up - We write down what worked and carry it into the next visit, so your child builds on real progress instead of starting over.

Conditions we accommodate

We care for children across a wide range of needs, and the plan changes with each child. A few examples of what changes.

Autism and sensory processing

Predictable routine, a Happy Visit first, reduced light and sound, and picture-based steps.

Down syndrome

Unhurried pacing and coordination with your child's physician on any heart or airway considerations.

Dental anxiety and phobia

Desensitizing Happy Visits, and sedation when it is appropriate.

ADHD

Shorter segments, movement breaks, and clear one-step instructions.

Cerebral palsy and mobility needs

Flexible positioning and support in the chair, with adjustable equipment.

Complex medical conditions

We coordinate with your child's medical team. For children who need hospital-level general anesthesia, we will help you find the right setting.

Meet Dr. Alison Grover

Dr. Grover is a board-certified Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, a credential about a third of U.S. pediatric dentists hold.

She completed her pediatric dental residency at UCLA and holds a college degree in child psychology, which shapes how she and the team read and respond to each child. She has real, personal experience caring for children with special needs, and she trains the whole team in adapted care. Parents are welcome in every treatment room.

Frequently asked questions

Will my child be rushed through the appointment?

No. We schedule extra time for children with special needs and follow your child's pace, breaking procedures into steps they can manage.

What if my child cannot sit still for treatment?

We break treatment into short segments, give breaks as needed, offer seating beyond the standard chair, use distractions like ceiling-mounted TVs, and consider sedation when appropriate.

What sedation options are available?

Every level: nitrous oxide in every room, moderate oral sedation, and deep sedation in-office when it is truly needed. The right choice depends on your child's needs, the treatment, and their medical history.

How do you communicate with a non-verbal child?

We follow your lead and your child's cues, and are comfortable using picture cards, communication devices, or your interpretation.

Can you treat children with complex medical conditions?

Yes, and we coordinate with your child's medical providers. Our sedation is in-office, so children who need hospital-level general anesthesia are better served by a hospital-affiliated program, and we will help you find one.

How do I prepare my child for the first visit?

Send us your child's sensory profile ahead of time, consider booking a Happy Visit first, and bring a favorite comfort item. Talk about the visit at home in simple, positive terms.