Diamond Head Children’s Dentistry

All of the staff here is EXTRA patient and kind. We have never had a bad experience. They know how to work well with all types of children because all my kids are different.
They are to the left of Diamond Head Grill in Kapahulu. Parking is underneath the office and free. This place is just so happily decorated and feels comfortable.

I’m a working Mom of a two year old, I don’t have time to write reviews anymore but this gem is so exceptional I had to. I was referred from a college classmate who is a General/​Adult Dentist in Kahala. Additionally I was aware of the countless times Dr. Chris and staff have been mentioned in Honolulu Magazine as the Best Children’s Dental Practice (voted on by peers).
Yes there’s parking and all the amenities you’d want if you are caravaning a toddler in … and it’s true the rooms are amazing and decorated in Disney themes, the toy chest is there as a post appointment perk. but the real appeal of this place is the people. A business can fill itself with all the other perks and amenities but if the staff, service, and moral isnt there it won’t work and all the extra’s really will not matter.
That is farthest from the case at DHCD. The staff is gentle, sweet, caring, and most of all genuine, Its obvious that they enjoy what they do, where they work, and who they work with. I can’t give a bigger compliment or appreciation of a place than that.
The level of concern is not only for my son, the patient, but also for me as a Mom. How am i doing what questions do i have or advice do i need? It’s an interest feeling to leave knowing that not only was my child given the best care, but there was an interest for myself and an appreciation for the job I was doing.
You know that old fear of going to the dentist? It’s the last thing on anyone’s mind here. In fact I had to pry my son away from the «little colorful chairs» in the waiting room after his visit with the promise of a blueberry scone next store… wondering if i should mention a sugary treat in a dental review =) and a trip to the aquarium.
If your like me and you do your due diligence on the staff you’ll not only find accolades for Dr. Chris, but you’ll see how active and how much they are doing in our community.
The service, the staff, this practice. it’s the best.

Our children’s former dentist used to scold me. Every appointment felt like going to the principals office and as someone who always made a great effort to avoid ever having to go to the principal’s office, this was unenjoyable. I also hated their parking lot.
But you know who doesn’t scold me? And always has parking? Diamond Head Children’s dentistry, that’s who.
My children actually LIKE going to the dentist. That is crazy. I hated the dentist when I was their age. I still hate going to the dentist. If you had bratty teeth and anti-​numbing gums like mine, you would hate it too.
I didn’t take my three children to the dentist for an entire year purely because I didn’t want to be lectured again. In my defense I am an anxious person and sometimes a terrible, irresponsible mother. Shush it.
But now, because of the glory of DHCD we are back on schedule. Everyone is so NICE! The place feels a lot less torture-​chamber and a lot more oodles-​of-​fun. Their treasure box is an absolute delight to my children and there is a bathroom in the office. Not down the hall and around the corner with a key, but IN the office. I love that. Bathrooms are an important and essential part of life.
There’s also significantly less hysterical screaming. In our former office there was always screaming. In this one I have only heard screaming once and I am absolutely certain it had more to do with the child being a natural freak-​out than with the quality of the dentistry. The women there are AMAZING. And warm. A small army of warmth and compassion and skilled hands.
Dr. Chris is also not, uh, hard to look at.
Just sayin’.
Bring your children here, they will love it. You will love it. Everyone wins.

I love Dr. Yamada, the staff & place… Get this, so does my 5yo daughter! She’s not afraid of going to the dentist but always leans something new about oral hygiene in terms that can relate to her. As a result, she loves to brush, floss & take care of her teeth. If you’re looking for a truly caring pediatric dental office that does great work, look no further!

My boys (5&7years old) love this place. Dr Yamada and his love team members changed my boys. Now, my boys are visiting dentist is not a scary thing, it’s a fun day!

Love everything about this place. Location is near my home and the staff is awesome! Interior is clean and a lot of friendly smiles when you walk in. My kids actually love going to the dentist! Dr Chris and his staff don’t make me feel like a bad mother when I bring in my kids with their not so clean and flossed teeth.lol. Dr Chris always seem that he knows what us working parents are dealing with and is always compassionate and understanding and tells you in a way (if your children’s teeth needs more attention) that’s not judgmental. Definitely recommend this dentist for your children!

Best dental office! The staff is so kind. My daughter had her first dentist appointment here and it was great. She felt comfortable and did as they asked and they made it fun!

Love them Kendra and the ohana there help my son that was in so much pain made him all better I am a happy dad knowing my son is not in pain anymore thank you folks so much for all your help and I must say the environment there makes you feel at home so again thank you

Absolutely hands down the best children’s dentist. Dr. Chris and his staff are amazing — so gentle, friendly, and patient. And the office is a kid’s dream come true. TVs on the ceiling playing Toy Story, kids books on every shelf, cartoons painted on the walls, and a massive treasure chest of goodies after a job well done. My daughter is 2 and shed not a single tear today while Dr. Chris cleaned her teeth. Absolutely amazing. If only EVERY dentist was like this!!!

Best children’s dentist office EVAR!!! We were referred here by our friend who’s a dentist as this is where he takes his son for teeth cleaning. From the minute we walked in, we knew this was going to be a truly 5-​star experience!
LOCATION: Nestled in Diamond Head right next door to Diamond Head Market. You can clean your kids teeth and then fill your tummy with scones. Everyone wins! Ample free parking when you pull into the garage. Take the elevator up to their 2^nd floor office.
DECOR: Super kid friendly office which is Disney’d out! «Frozen» themed dental cleaning room takes the cake and immediately hypnotizes your child into a state of disbelief. For a minute I wondered «Do they do kids parties?» It’s amazing what Elsa, Anna and Sven can do to a girl! There are Disney movies which play to distract your child during their cleaning. It made me wish I was elementary school age so I could come here for my check-​ups!
SUGAR BUGS: My daughter Isabel is three and from the get go, has always had issues with the dentist. What kids enjoys going to the dentist right?! Our dental hygenist Loralyn was so sweet and man, can she sweet talk your kid into doing pretty much anything! Good thing she’s on our side! She told my daughter that there are little sugar bugs in her teeth which she needed to get out. As she scraped off the plaque she showed it to my daughter and they both laughed out loud! If I hadn’t been there to see it for myself I honestly would not have believed it!
DR. CHRIS: We’ve had two visits so far to Diamond Head Children’s Dentistry and both times Dr. Chris was there to great us! What a cool guy and extremely good with kids. The second time we went in he fixed an old filling on my daughter’s front tooth. I couldn’t believe how quickly he fixed it! She freaked out a little but considering she’s only three years old, I was completely impressed.
TREASURE BOX: I’m thinking about putting one in my living room to get my children to be better behaved. That thing works almost as well as cotton candy!
CAVITY SCHMAVITY: Best children’s dentist we’ve ever had the privilege of visiting with really great staff who genuinely love what they do. That for me is completely priceless because I know my little ones are in good hands. The dentist can be a scary place but it’s so much more fun with our new dentist!!! We’ll definitely be back for more check-​ups and to get rid of those darn sugar bugs!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND! took my 1 year old daughter here this morning for her first dentist visit and all I can say is «MIND BLOWN» Ariana’s «aunties» are super friendly. the place is super clean. and dr. yamada is so gentle with Ariana. She cried a little when he showed us how to brush her teeth but that’s normal. were home now and she loves holding her toothbrush and brushing her own teeth. I also love how they have this treasure chest full of toys and kids can pick a toy after. I wish I could rate this 100 stars :) can’t wait for her next check up on May.

We’ve been going here for 2 years and they are top notch. From the moment we walk in until the moment we leave they make us feel like we are the #1 priority. The waiting room is fairly small, but never crowded. It’s very quiet and peaceful. That’s a rarity for a pediatric dentist. The receptionists greet you by name as soon as you enter the door. I assumed they just check the appointment book and make an educated guess, but we have been 30 minutes early and they still knew who we were. That’s impressive for a place we visit twice a year. We have never waited longer than 10 minutes to get seen, even when we arrive early. My son actually looks forward to visiting the dentist. They also accept MetLife insurance which is what the military uses. The cost seems fair because everything has been covered by insurance. That wasn’t the case with our last dentist. If you are looking for a true 5 star pediatric dentist, look no further.

I was recommended to Dr. Yamada by a friend and I am so thankful I took her advice!
Five stars are not enough! The kindness and generosity of everyone on staff is apparent and you can tell they do their job because they care about the children of Hawaii. My daughter (2 yrs old, never been to the dentist) sat calmly through her exam and cleaning. The next day she came back for 5 big fillings. She had been begging to come back since the time we had left the day before! She had some nitrous and watched her movie while they calmly talked to her while she was in la la land.
We are home now and she is doing great! If you are looking for an experience that will impact your child’s view of dentistry and dental visits for the rest of their lives, please go to this office. They will have a positive experience, this is a guarantee. And at a young age, this is when they are impressionable.
Thank you again, Dr. Yamada and Diamond Head Children’s Dentistry team!

MIND. BLOWN.
This is one of those experiences that you just have to run home and immediately tell someone about it.
I dragged my dad along with me as we took my 2.5 and 5.5 year old to see Dr. Chris today. I called in the pop-​pop reinforcement because I was scared both my kids were going to freak out. The dreaded first dentist appointment for both of them!
This staff is by far the most well trained, happiest group of ladies i’ve come across in any service industry office. They were all laughing and smiling. They made eye contact and were genuinely happy to be at work. Crazy, right?
The office building is clean and beautiful. We filled out paper work and we were called in to the back about 3 minutes later.
We turn the corner and there are full sized Disney FROZEN decals placed in front of each of the exam chairs. My kids went nuts. «OLAF!!!» We all instantly felt at ease. They popped in a Lion King DVD and we we’re ready to stay the whole afternoon!
My youngest has some issues with decay on his front teeth and I have been absolutely dreading taking him to the dentist, especially with the stories that have been in the news lately. I’ve actually cried thinking there was nothing that could be done.
Dr. Chris and his staff worked quickly and thoroughly with my extremely wiggly 2.5 year old boy. He was able to sit on my lap for the exam. I was seriously amazed. We came to a solution for his teeth that Dr. Chris made me feel 100% confident in. There was no shame or condemnation. I don’t mean to sound overdramatic, but I know if I was putting off this appointment for fear of getting lectured or feel even worse about it than we already do, I’m hoping this helps someone else feel at ease about finally making the call to book an appointment.
My 5.5 year old daughter, who always loves going to doctor (weirdo), was just in heaven. The hygienist was sweet and gentle with her cleaning.
The kids both got toothpaste, really nice toothbrushes, stickers and they picked a small toy from the treasure chest. My son cried when we left because he wanted to stay. No joke.
As we made our exit, my dad commented how unreal the place was. I think he wants to go there :-) HECK! I do too!
I worked at the Halekulani for years.
I proclaim this office the «Halekulani» of dentistry!!! **trumpets blaring**
Their service and standards are bar none.
You will not be disappointed.
Oh… and they call you a few days before hand to confirm your appointment. Lately, I’ve had 2 doctors offices call me AFTER we missed the appointment to tell me there would be a charge for missing it. I know I’m an adult and its my responsibility to remember these things… but to me it just seems counter productive to call me after the fact. If you are going to take the time to call a client at all, why not have it be a reminder call, not a collections call?
Then I realized to other places, its just a way to open up more office time in an already over booked schedule and collect a late fee. Not cool.
I totally appreciated the reminder!

I was totally in awe today when I took my two daughters in for their first appointment today.
As soon as we walked in every girl behind the counter looked up and greeted us with a warm smile and a hello.
After filling out all the necessary paperwork Aiko came out to introduce herself, asked a few questions about both girls and explained to me very thoroughly what was going to happen at today’s appointment.
My youngest daughter because of past experiences was a little scared and started tearing up. Aiko reassured her that they were just going to take a look see and clean her teeth. What shocked me is when she asked me and her dad if we wanted to go back there with her.
As we sat in the back while the girls got there teeth cleaned everything was very clean and organized. I mean down to the matching scrubs & Nike shoes! I felt very proud to he there.
After the cleaning both hygienist inform me of the recommendations for each girl. They even took the time to point out in the mouth what to watch out for.
I am so happy we decided to switch doctors! Thank you so much for the awesome experience today!

I’ve heard amazing things about this office from a general dentist’s office, so I had to give them a try when I found out my daughter needed a few fillings. I was very apprehensive about choosing a dental office since I’m in the field. Being a dental hygienist myself, I’m very picky about dental offices, especially one that will lay their hands on my children.
From beginning to end, this office has been flawless. Their receptionist answered all my questions with full reassurance. When I arrived to fill out paperwork, they called us in no more than 5 minutes later. Their assistants warmly greeted us with big smiles. After Dr. Yamada discussed his treatment plan with me, he immediately began working on my daughter. He typically uses nitrous gas for anesthesia and restorative work if the child becomes antsy. Most offices charge an extra fee of $ 50-​$ 150 for nitrous gas since insurance often don’t cover this service, but Diamond Head Children’s Dentistry offers this free of charge. According to the receptionist, Dr. Yamada prefers his patients to be more relaxed and comfortable so he offers nitrous gas to all of his patients during restorative treatments. (By the way… nitrous gas is really expensive for dentists to purchase !!!)
With Dr. Yamada’s constant, comforting chit chat with my daughter, the tv on the ceiling, and nitrous gas, my daughter did not even flinch during the injections! As smooth as my injections are, I can not even compare. During the drilling, she literally just sat there and kept her mouth open without even a whimper. What I really loved was the fact that Dr. Yamada and his assistants work so swiftly and seamlessly.
We went back again for the second round of fillings and she was equally calm and content, which makes this mommy highly impressed. Again, we waited about 3 minutes in the waiting room before her name was called. Again, warm smiles from the whole staff greeted us. Perfection and consistency is to be expected when coming here. Bravo!!!

Best Pedodontic office in Hawaii!!!
APPOINTMENTS: they always plan ahead. will work with your schedule. will call to remind you of upcoming appointment (s). and will help just in case you forgot your appointment. very thorough. me like.
PARKING: private lot, 5 – 10 spaces under building. 2 floors up, walk or catch the elevator. *** FYI Diamond Head Market & Grill is next door.
STAFF: I love Kendra. She is awesome. She’s been there since I started bringing my two children. They are extremely friendly and will ask about any concerns that you may have.
OFFICE SPACE: The office looks almost brand new. its like walking into a rich Kahala home with a whale statue out front, clear glass windows and doors, nice engraved heavy wooden koa looking front office door. its very modern and very elegant. you would’ve never known that 2 males practice out of this office. the bathroom is nice than my home bathroom which means i need an upgrade.
DOCTORS: Im sorry to exploit this on Unilocal,but can I say the doctors are handsome :) Oh em gee! I even asked to make an appointment. Um, heller… its for kids… I almost forgot. Kendra, if you see this, remind me… we can have a laugh. lol. drop jaw gorgeous. anyways, the doctors are friendly and extremely patient with the kids especially the ones that walk in screaming before they hit the chair. they are awesome doctors.
OVERALL: I give this office a ***** 5 stars

After writing a less than stellar review for another pediatric dentist, I had to find another. My mom’s dentist recommended Chris Yamada, so we made an appointment to check it out.
First off, his hours. I don’t know any other dentist that opens until 6pm, plus Saturdays. That’s genius. I hate taking off to take my kids to appointments, and I also hate taking them out of school just to do a cleaning.
Plenty of parking under the building… located in Kapahulu.
Office staff and Dr. are super friendly and genuine. The office is welcoming and not at all intimidating. You definitely don’t get the «hurry up we’re trying to get another patient in here» feeling.
There are TVs mounted to the ceiling so your child can watch a movie or bring their own DVD.
So happy we found Dr. Chris, the office is a tad out of the way since we live in Aiea, but definitely worth the extra drive time.

Dr. Chris has been my son’s dentist since my son first started getting teeth as a baby… he’s now 6. Throughout the years, Dr. Chris and his staff have been nothing but great to both my son and I. He provides an extrememly friendly atmosphere and everything is clean.
Best part: there’s a TV above the chair that the children sit in. What a billiant idea RIGHT!!!
Parking is in a small garage and it’s free… EVEN BETTER!
My son and I will be continuing to see Dr. Chris for the years to come. :)

I discovered Dr. Chris via Hawaii Moms Like Me. I had a question about some discoloration on my daughter’s first tooth and Dr. Chris kindly responded.
The office is very modern, fun looking and clean. You could tell they specialize in children’s dentistry by the way Dr Chris had me involved in her dental examination. After the appointment, my daughter was given a pink giraffe bath toy and a tooth brush. A photo of her was also taken for her records and a couple weeks later I received a copy of it with a note that said, «____’s first dentist visit»
Super thoughtful and cute. We’ll be going back for my daughter’s future dental needs!