Plenty of toddlers walk into our Happy Room and ask when the games start, genuinely convinced they have wandered into a playroom instead of a dental office. By the time anyone mentions teeth, the appointment they were dreading in the car is already the one they ask about on the drive home. That is the moment most Mt Holly parents remember first about visiting a pediatric dentist here, and it did not happen by accident.
Purple Tooth Pediatric Dentistry and Braces was built around that exact moment. Dr. Jon Kacz grew up in Raleigh, graduated from UNC, and spent years living and teaching abroad in Mexico, Spain, and across Central and South America before completing a pediatric dental residency in New York focused on complex pediatric care, behavior management, and safety. He speaks Spanish at home with his family, and he brings that same patience into every appointment. Families in our Facebook group know us for the seasonal displays, the yard signs kids beg to take home, and an office that never pushes a child toward treatment before they are ready.
Pediatric dentistry is not just a smaller version of adult dental care. A child’s teeth, jaws, and behavior are always changing, so the care has to change right along with them. At Purple Tooth Dental, that means routine cleanings and exams, fluoride application, dental sealants, and honest guidance on habits like thumb sucking or nighttime bottle use that quietly shape how a child’s mouth develops over time.
It also means paying attention to timing before a parent even has to ask. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a child see a pediatric dentist when the first tooth appears, or no later than their first birthday, and recommends a check-up every six months to help prevent cavities and other dental problems. We follow that same rhythm here, using those early visits to build familiarity long before a child ever needs anything more than a smile and a sticker.
Plenty of pediatric offices stop at a colorful waiting room and call it child-friendly. We built the whole visit around that feeling instead. Families with younger kids or a little extra anxiety can use a dedicated comfort room designed to feel more like a playroom than a clinic, while older kids have their own space that fits them better. Our how it works page walks through what an actual visit looks like, from the moment you check in to the moment your child asks when they get to come back.
We take a conservative, patient-first approach with every child who sits in our chairs. That means we try in-office treatment first and save anything more involved for the moments it is genuinely needed, instead of reaching for it by default. If your child needs an evaluation for a tongue tie release, has questions about early orthodontic screening, or simply needs a first checkup, we handle it all under one roof instead of sending you somewhere else to start over.
Here is what surprises a lot of Gaston County families: braces are not a separate referral at Purple Tooth Dental. Dr. Kacz has treated hundreds of patients with braces and built orthodontic care directly into the pediatric office your child already knows, which means fewer total appointments and fewer afternoons pulled out of school.
If your child is approaching the age where an orthodontic evaluation makes sense, our braces page walks through timing, financing, and what that first evaluation actually looks like.
Cost is usually the first question on a parent’s mind, long before they ever ask it out loud, and we would rather answer it plainly than let anyone guess. We’re in-network with Delta Dental and accept Medicaid, and we offer in-house payment plans for families who need them.
We will never say we accept most insurance plans when it is not accurate, because Mt Holly families deserve a straight answer before booking anything.
Dr. Kacz’s approach to pediatric dentistry was shaped as much by his years abroad as by dental school. Teaching children in an English academy in Spain taught him how to read a nervous kid’s body language long before he ever picked up a dental tool, and volunteering in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras reinforced just how much trust matters when the patient is small and the room is unfamiliar.
If your family is searching for a pediatric dentist in Mt Holly who treats a first visit as the start of something comfortable instead of a one-time ordeal, we would love to meet your child. Whether they are due for a routine cleaning, need a tongue-tie evaluation, or are approaching the age for an orthodontic screening, our team is built to handle it all in one place that already feels familiar.
We know choosing a dentist for your child is not something you take lightly, and we do not take that trust lightly either. When you are ready, you can request an appointment, and we will get your child on the schedule.
