Convenient Access from Rockhurst
School mornings and practice afternoons leave Rockhurst parents little spare time, so a 13-minute drive matters. Andover Family Dentistry, our family practice in Andover, is that close, and it is a dentist near Rockhurst that sees patients of all ages. Kids, teens, parents and grandparents can all be cared for by the same three doctors, often in back-to-back family-block appointments.
Use Eastview Park at 1400 N Governeour Rd as your starting point; it sits beside the Rockhurst additions and Coleman Middle School. From the park, get onto E 13th St N and drive east for about 6.2 miles, passing the K-96 interchange and leaving Sedgwick County. Turn right onto N Andover Rd, and within 0.15 mile you reach our office at 1145 N Andover Rd #101, Andover, KS 67002. The trip totals about 6.5 miles on a single main street, and you can pull up our map listing before you leave.
Families from Vickridge, on the other side of Rock Rd, and from Eastborough farther south also make the trip. The Andover Public Schools district office stands just north of the 13th and Andover Rd intersection, a handy cue that your right turn is coming up.
A Family Practice for Rockhurst Households
Rockhurst grew in stages, with additions platted between 1967 and 1980 that run north from around E 13th St N toward E 17th St N, just west of N Governeour Rd. It is a neighborhood of single-family homes with its own neighborhood association in City Council District 2. Coleman Middle School anchors the area, which means a lot of households are juggling homework, early bells and after-school activities.
New families on the east side often arrive with records scattered across several offices. Our front desk checks insurance benefits before your visit, and every child's chart lives in one place from then on.
We try to make dental care one less thing on that list. Family-block appointments let several kids be seen during the same stretch of time, so a parent makes one drive instead of three. Treatment is completed in as few visits as possible, and the team explains each step in words kids understand.
Parents usually like the technology, too. Digital x-rays appear on screen right away, and the intraoral camera lets your child see a cavity on a chairside screen instead of just hearing about it. The Nomad handheld x-ray is part of the toolkit too, along with chairside iPads for reviewing images together.
Middle School Years and Rockhurst Smiles
The middle school years bring a lot of dental change. Permanent molars are settling in, bites are still shifting, and snacks between classes become routine. It is also the stage when kids take over their own brushing, not always thoroughly.
The deep grooves on back molars trap food that a rushed toothbrush misses. Dental sealants fill those grooves with a thin protective coating, and placing them is quick and needs no numbing. Paired with fluoride and regular cleanings, they give Rockhurst kids a better shot at reaching high school cavity-free.
Habits matter just as much as treatment. Sipping soda or sweet coffee drinks slowly over an afternoon keeps teeth under acid attack far longer than finishing one with lunch. Water after snacks, a fluoride toothpaste and two full minutes of brushing each night do more than most families expect, and our hygienists coach kids on all three.
Bite and spacing questions come up at this age as well. Our early orthodontic screenings typically start around age seven, so many problems are spotted long before middle school. When orthodontic treatment is needed, we refer you to a trusted specialist and keep handling cleanings and checkups here.
What a Dentist Near Rockhurst Can Do for Your Family
Gentle Visits for Kids
Our children's dentistry keeps visits upbeat, with age-appropriate explanations and kid-friendly shows on the ceiling TVs. Dr. Goedert especially enjoys working with children, and visits move at a pace that suits each child.
Calm for Anxious Patients
Fear of the dentist often starts young. With Comfort & Sedation options such as nitrous oxide, topical numbing gel and private treatment rooms, both nervous children and nervous parents can get through a visit more easily.
Checkups and Cleanings
Family & Preventive Dentistry covers exams, cleanings, fluoride, oral cancer screenings and custom athletic mouthguards. Regular visits are the simplest way to keep a cavity small and a bill smaller.
Fixing Cavities and Breaks
When a cavity does show up, Restorative Dentistry repairs it with tooth-colored fillings that blend in. Extractions, bridges and dentures are also handled here, so grandparents in the family can stay with the same practice.
Urgent Help for Accidents
A face-first fall off a bike or a hard bite on a popcorn kernel can crack a tooth without warning. Emergency Dentistry time is reserved in the schedule, and we make every effort to see you the same day you call about an emergency. After business hours, calling the office gets you instructions on how to reach Dr. Howell.
Meet Your Dentists
Dr. Ashley Thomas earned her biology degree at Wichita State University and her DDS at the University of Missouri–Kansas City before joining the practice in 2022. She likes getting to know the person behind the smile and gives honest, compassionate care. She works alongside Dr. Mary Goedert and founder Dr. Matthew Howell, so your family can count on familiar faces.
Insurance & Financing
Many Rockhurst families carry coverage through work, and the practice is a preferred provider with many major carriers, including Guardian and United Concordia. Please verify your specific plan with our team, since coverage differs. No-interest payment plans for up to 6 months can cover what insurance leaves behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Andover Family Dentistry from Rockhurst, and how do I get there?
From Eastview Park it is roughly 6.5 miles, a drive of about 13 minutes. You simply follow E 13th St N east the whole way, then turn right on N Andover Rd for the final 0.15 mile. Parents choosing a dentist near Rockhurst like that it is one straight street, with no highway or toll.
Do sealants really help prevent cavities in back teeth?
Yes, sealants are one of the most effective ways to protect molars. The grooves on chewing surfaces are deep and narrow, and bristles cannot always reach the bottom. A sealant smooths those grooves so food and bacteria have nowhere to hide. Application takes only minutes, with no drilling or numbing, and our team checks them at each cleaning.
When should my child have an orthodontic screening?
Early orthodontic screenings typically happen around age seven. At that point, permanent front teeth and first molars are arriving, so crowding or bite problems start to show. A screening does not commit you to anything. If treatment is recommended, we refer you to a trusted specialist and continue your child's regular dental care here.
Do you teach kids how to brush and floss properly?
Yes, oral hygiene education for children is part of every visit. Our hygienists demonstrate brushing angles and flossing at a level kids understand, and they point out spots your child keeps missing. Seeing their own teeth on the intraoral camera screen tends to make the lesson stick better than a parent's reminder at home.
Can nervous kids have laughing gas during treatment?
Yes, nitrous oxide is available for children as well as adults. Your child breathes it through a small nose mask, stays awake and responsive, and feels calmer during the procedure. It wears off quickly once the mask comes off, so kids can usually head back to their normal routine soon after the appointment.
Schedule Your Visit from Rockhurst
Bring the whole family in at once and get everyone's checkup done in one trip down 13th Street. A dentist near Rockhurst is just a phone call away at 316-803-3911, or you can request an appointment online. Browse our service areas to see the communities nearby, and visit our Dentist Andover, KS page for more about the office.