Choosing a dentist for a child is a different decision than choosing one for an adult. Parents are not only evaluating clinical skill; they are asking whether a practice can help a nervous four-year-old feel safe, whether visits will build confidence or create fear, and whether the habits formed in that chair will last a lifetime. For families in Clackamas, Oregon, and the surrounding communities, Sunnyside Dentistry For Children has become a familiar answer to those questions. The practice has served the area since 1995, and since Dr. Dustin Davis assumed ownership in 2021, it has grown to 669 Google reviews with a 4.9-star average.
That kind of trust is not built on marketing. It comes from a specific set of choices about how children are treated, what techniques are used, and how a practice shows up in its community. Looking at how Sunnyside Dentistry approaches each of these offers a useful case study in what parents should expect from modern pediatric dental care.
A Practice Designed Around Comfort and Trust
Dental anxiety often starts early, and it usually starts with feeling powerless. Sunnyside Dentistry addresses that directly. Every visit begins with friendly, plain-language communication about what is going to happen, delivered in terms a child can actually understand. Kids are encouraged to ask questions and take part in the process rather than simply endure it.
One small detail illustrates the philosophy well: each child is taught a simple "stop" sign they can hold up at any point during treatment. That single gesture tells a young patient that they are in control, that discomfort will be addressed immediately, and that the adults in the room are paying attention. Dr. Davis has been open about the reasoning behind this approach. In his view, a child who starts a visit cooperating deserves to be believed when they report pain, and the response should be to address it quickly rather than push through. The goal is an office full of children who do not fear the dentist, and in many cases genuinely enjoy their checkups.
This is not just a bedside-manner preference. It reflects a clinical position that early dental experiences shape a person's relationship with oral health for decades.
Leadership at Sunnyside Dentistry For Children
Behind the child-friendly atmosphere is a substantial professional background. Dr. Dustin Davis earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012, then completed a two-year pediatric dental residency and a Master of Oral Sciences degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2014. During his time in Chicago, he served as an on-call emergency dentist at the University of Illinois Pediatric Dental Clinic and Hospital, handling complex pediatric dental trauma cases.
In 2015, he became a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, one of the highest recognitions in the specialty, and he recently passed his ten-year board certification renewal exam. His master's thesis on protective stabilization devices was published in the Journal of Dentistry for Children and continues to be cited annually in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry guidelines, helping shape best practices in the field.
Before returning to his native Oregon in 2021, Dr. Davis practiced in Chicago, Seattle, and Colorado Springs, building more than a decade of experience with young patients, including many who arrived anxious or fearful. He is also conversant in Spanish and Portuguese, which helps him communicate directly with the diverse families the practice serves across Clackamas, Happy Valley, and the greater Portland metropolitan area.
Gentle, Evidence-Based Techniques
Credentials matter, but so does the day-to-day clinical approach. Sunnyside Dentistry's philosophy centers on prevention, conservation, and comfort. Rather than defaulting to traditional fillings or crowns for every case, the team prioritizes minimally invasive treatment options supported by current evidence.
That toolkit includes silver diamine fluoride, which can arrest decay without drilling; Hall Technique crowns, which protect compromised teeth without needles or drills; and strong topical anesthetics that reduce or eliminate the discomfort of injections when they are needed. The practice also makes extensive use of glass ionomer restorative materials such as Equia Forte and Fuji 2 LC. These materials bond directly to tooth structure without extra etching or bonding steps, perform well in the moisture-rich environment of a child's mouth, and are less prone to recurrent decay beneath the filling, a common failure point for traditional composites when a young patient cannot hold perfectly still.
The practical result is that many children can receive needed care in a way that is faster, simpler, and far less intimidating. Each treatment plan is tailored to the individual child's needs, developmental stage, and long-term oral health goals, and the emphasis stays on routine, preventive care wherever possible.
Values That Show Up in Every Interaction
Sunnyside Dentistry operates on a set of stated values that shape how the team works: making every step from scheduling to follow-up as easy as possible for families, building a genuine personal connection at each visit, and teaching oral health through encouragement rather than shame. Team members are expected to take ownership of problems instead of assigning blame, and the practice deliberately protects a positive atmosphere for both staff and patients.
For parents, these values translate into concrete experiences. Patient reviews frequently mention the staff's friendliness, professionalism, and thoroughness, and families often comment on how openly the team communicates about treatment.
Rooted in the Clackamas and Happy Valley Community
Trust also comes from presence outside the office. Sunnyside Dentistry supports local events including the Happy Valley Summer Concerts in the Valley series, where Dr. Davis served as a lead sponsor in 2023, the annual Nutcracker performance presented by Inspire Dance Center, and yearly Toys for Tots drives. Each Halloween, the team hosts a Candy Buy Back program that promotes healthier habits while raising funds for good causes.
Inside the office, children with cavity-free visits can join the No Cavity Club and enter a monthly prize draw, a simple and motivating way to celebrate good hygiene. Every February, during National Children's Dental Health Month, Dr. Davis brings children's dental health outreach directly into local elementary schools and preschools, teaching kids about oral health before they ever sit in a dental chair.
Recognition Families Can Verify
Reputation in pediatric dentistry is easy to claim and hard to earn, which is why verifiable indicators matter. Sunnyside Dentistry earned the Patients' Top Choice Award from U.S. News & World Report for exceptional patient satisfaction. Most recently, BusinessRate ranked the practice the number one rated pediatric dentist in Oregon for January through June 2026, placing first in both its Benchmark Score, which measures overall performance, and its Momentum Score, which reflects performance over the most recent 90 days.
The practice's Google review profile tells a similar story, growing from 34 reviews at a 4.6-star average when Dr. Davis took over in 2021 to 669 reviews at 4.9 stars today, through a period that included well-documented post-pandemic staffing and supply challenges across healthcare.
A Tradition of Care That Keeps Evolving
Sunnyside Dentistry for Children has been part of pediatric oral health in the area for three decades, serving local families since 1995. Under Dr. Davis's leadership, that tradition continues alongside newer techniques and materials that make dentistry gentler and less stressful for kids.
For parents weighing their options, the lesson from this practice is worth generalizing: look for board certification and continuing education, ask how a practice handles an anxious child's report of pain, check whether minimally invasive options are offered before more aggressive ones, and pay attention to how a practice participates in its community. By those measures, Sunnyside Dentistry For Children has given families in Clackamas, Happy Valley, and the greater Portland area clear reasons for their trust.
Dr. Dustin Davis is a board-certified pediatric dentist and the leader of Sunnyside Dentistry for Children in Clackamas, Oregon. He earned his DDS from Virginia Commonwealth University, completed a pediatric dental residency and Master of Oral Sciences degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and has been a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry since 2015. He serves infants, children, and adolescents across Clackamas, Happy Valley, and the greater Portland metropolitan area.
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