Smile Starters- Hickory

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Lenoir Rhyne Blvd SE
Smile Starters- Hickory

About

Smile Starters- Hickory is a dedicated pediatric dental clinic located in Hickory, NC, part of a larger network across North Carolina. They specialize in providing comprehensive dental care for children and young adults, focusing on preventive care and creating a comfortable, positive experience for young patients.

Hours

Monday

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Wednesday

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Thursday

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Saturday

Closed

Sunday

Closed

Quick Info

Address

655 Lenoir Rhyne Blvd SE, Hickory, NC 28602

Phone

(828) 469-3000

Website

www.smilestarterdental.com

Get Directions

Accessibility

Wheelchair-accessible car park
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Wheelchair-accessible toilet

Offerings

Sedation dentistry

Amenities

Toilet

Planning

Appointment required
Appointments recommended

Payments

Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments

Planning

Accepts new patients

Payments

Cash only

Not for display

Mask required
Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits
Staff wear masks

Detailed Introduction

Smile Starters- Hickory is a branch of Smile Starters Dental, a network of pediatric dental clinics operating throughout North Carolina. Located at 655 Lenoir Rhyne Blvd SE, Hickory, NC, this clinic is committed to offering specialized dental services for children from infancy through adolescence and young adulthood. The practice emphasizes preventive care, aiming to establish good oral hygiene habits early to ensure lifelong healthy smiles. Services offered at Smile Starters locations, including Hickory, typically encompass routine dental cleanings, comprehensive oral evaluations, limited oral exams for pain, sealants, fluoride/varnish treatments, X-rays, composite (white) and amalgam (silver) restorations, and stainless steel crowns. They also provide hospital dentistry for complex cases or highly anxious children, as well as nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for nervous patients to ensure a comfortable experience. Smile Starters strives to make dental visits as pleasant as possible for children, often employing behavior management techniques and creating a child-friendly environment. They accept a wide range of insurance plans, including Medicaid, and offer convenient online payment options. The broader Smile Starters organization, acquired by Dr. Rafael Rivera Jr. in 2008, has a stated mission to improve access to quality dental care for underserved children. While the organization has faced past controversies related to its previous ownership and operations as Medicaid Dental Center (MDC) prior to Dr. Rivera's acquisition, the current Smile Starters under Dr. Rivera aims to operate with accountability and ethical stewardship, focusing on providing high-quality care. Patient testimonials for various Smile Starters locations often highlight the friendly staff, patient-centered approach, and the ability to make children feel at ease during their appointments.

Photos

Patient Reviews

4.3 out of 5

Krystle White

My kids have had a good experience each time they’ve been there for cleanings and treatment. They’re not ever fond of going to the dentist, but they do good here. Ages 5, 7, 11, 15 years

April 22, 2025

Jessica Davis

Our first appointment was today and overall it went well. 2 things I didn't like were the fact that the parents cannot go back with the child for cleaning/x-rays and the girl who talked with us afterwards moved so fast through the X-ray pictures and info that it was hard to keep up. My son was nervous but he got through it and said the ladies were nice so that's good.

January 9, 2025

Allison Star Wilson

I been waiting on an appointment for my sons cavities to be filled for like 6 months. & the direct business day prior to his appointment they text me to confirm appointment and within 4 hours CANCELED his appointment and gave it to someone else, so now the earliest appointment is a month out & on a day that I work. Otherwise he has to wait until June for a cavity to be filled. Just because I didn’t respond fast enough they canceled my appointment. WITHIN 4 HOURS of texting for confirmation, they canceled his appointment I’ve waited months for, and already given it to someone else.

I work 12 hr shifts at night 4 days a week and I only get to sleep from 9:30am-2pm everyday I work. I feel like what they did was wrong. I’m highly upset because I scheduled this appointment on a day I was scheduled to be off work and now I have to use PTO for his rescheduled appointment. Poorly executed plan with no concern to make it right. My local dentist office has never done this to me, they give me 48 hours to respond to confirmation .

The lady on the phone said they sent a confirmation on Monday at 1:29 when they did not, the only message I got on Monday was at 1:30 as a reminder, NOT A confirmation. I’m am not happy with the service.

February 14, 2025

Jenny Beatty

My kids usually have a good experience when coming to smile starters. We've been going to smile starters since both kids were 3. That's 15 years worth of service that has been wonderful. They went for their cleaning yesterday and they both came out with tears coming down their face and their gums literally bleeding. The assistant that did their flossing and scraping was seriously mishandling them. She kept stabbing my 19 year old in the gum not paying attention to what she was doing.

My 15 yr old said she did the same to her. I'm sorely disappointed in this assistants treatment of my children. I work in the medical field and there is no call for what she did. I'm very upset and probably will not go back. My daughter doesn't even want to get her cavities filled now.

May 28, 2025