Welcome to Pediatric Dentistry Kahala

Creating a foundation for lifelong oral health and prevention of dental cavities begins well before your child’s first tooth erupts. We enjoy helping parents and guardians learn how to provide essential at-home oral healthcare for their children. 

Based on the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, we believe that every child should visit our office at around age 1 followed by routine visits every 6 months (unless there are conditions that indicate a different check-up interval). Your child’s first dental visit is important to us and our team will go above and beyond to make it a pleasant and informative experience. 

At our office, parents and families can expect high quality care with an emphasis on prevention of dental cavities and oral conditions. We strive to educate you and your child to develop strong health teeth by performing routine cleanings and comprehensive clinical exams. Based on Dr. Hirai and Dr. Rawson’s recommendations, we also offer digital radiographs (also known as x-rays), fluoride treatments, preventive dental sealants and silver diamine fluoride.

Pediatric Dentistry Kahala provides restorative treatments for tooth decay that are safe and effective. This includes but is not limited to composite white fillings, amalgam fillings, nerve treatments, stainless steel crowns, esthetic cosmetic crowns with porcelain and extractions.

We understand that dental care is not only about treating dental decay; it is also about restoring your child’s beautifully radiant smile. We offer treatments such as white (composite) fillings and white crowns.

At each and every visit, Dr. Hirai and Dr. Rawson will always evaluate your child’s oral and dental growth and development. Some children will benefit from interceptive orthodontic treatment in order to prevent additional issues from occurring, such as severe teeth crowding, loss of space due to early loss of teeth or changes in teeth positioning due to thumbsucking. This proactive approach yields improved results and often reduces the amount of time needed in braces when children reach adolescence.

We understand that dental emergencies such as a toothache, oral and face swelling, a chipped tooth or a tooth getting completely knocked out can happen at any time. We will do everything we can to make you and your child comfortable. At Pediatric Dentistry Kahala, we are here to provide timely and efficient care even if your emergency happens after-hours when our office is typically closed.

All of the advanced technology we use at our practice has been hand selected by Dr. Hirai and Dr. Rawson because of the benefits it offers our patients. We have invested in technologies such as digital radiographs (x-rays), an electronic system that delivers painless numbing local anesthetic, minimally invasive treatments and paperless chart records.

Our team takes patient safety very seriously. We aim to always treat every child safely and efficiently while also trying to make every dental experience as positive and comfortable as possible.

If necessary, we work collaboratively with many other dental offices in Honolulu (such as dentists who specialize in braces, adult dentistry, wisdom teeth extractions, adult teeth root canals and others) to make sure that your child is receiving the best dental care possible.

Both Dr. Hirai and Dr. Rawson value the importance of continuing education and staying up to date with all clinical guidelines and recommendations through participation in organized dentistry. You will find them involved with the American Dental Association, Hawaii Dental Association, Honolulu County Dental Society, Hawaii Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and the College of Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. 

Dr. Allen Hirai has been providing comprehensive pediatric dental care to children in Honolulu for more than 30 years. He earned his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University before completing his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) at the University of the Pacific. In addition, Dr. Hirai completed his pediatric dental residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center. Dr. Hirai enjoys golfing and spending time with his family and friends. He is an avid sports enthusiast and enjoys being a community supporter of Hawaii athletics for the youth of Hawaii. 

Dr. Audrey Navarro Rawson is Board-Certified and a Diplomate with the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry with over a decade of experience in pediatric dentistry, general dentistry, and early childhood education in California, Honolulu, Maui, New Mexico and Kona (Big Island).. She received both her undergraduate degree and dental degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and has completed additional training at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital and with the NYU Lutheran Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry based in Hawaii. She is currently the Associate Director for the NYU Langone Pediatric Dental Residency in Hawaii where she supports teaching and training dentists to specialize in working with children. She is also the Chief of Dentistry at Shriners Childrens Hospital Honolulu. Dr. Rawson enjoys spending time at the beach with her husband Christian and her two daughters, Chloe and Ellie.