Frequently asked questions

A pediatrician is a medical doctor that specializes in the care of children. Pediatricians have undergone special training in the health and illnesses of infants, teens and young adults, and the majority of pediatricians are certified by the American Board of Pediatrics after passing a comprehensive exam. Pediatricians provide preventive health care for children in good health and medical care for children who are acutely or chronically ill. They also provide parents with support and advice with issues such as growth and development, safety and prevention, nutrition, and emotional wellness to foster a lifetime of good health.

Yes, in fact we strongly encourage parents-to-be to visit our office for a prenatal appointment. This is a great way to get acquainted with our office and our doctors. During this visit, we will answer any questions that you have about our practice or your new child. Visit our expectant parent's page for more information.

Your child should not only see the pediatrician for an illness. It is also important to schedule well-child-care exams regularly, beginning in infancy. Also called well-care visits or checkups, these routine examinations provide the best opportunity for the doctor to observe the progress of your child's physical and mental growth and development; to counsel and teach parents; to detect problems through screening tests; to provide immunizations, and to get to know one another. Well-care visits are strongly recommended as part of preventive pediatric care. Well-child visits are also a good time for parents to raise questions and concerns about a child's development, behavior, nutrition, safety and overall well-being. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends this schedule for routine well-care visits: 3 to 5 days, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 3 years, 4 years, and once every year thereafter for an annual health supervision visit that includes a physical exam as well as a developmental, behavioral, and learning assessment.

You can schedule an appointment by calling our office during regular business hours, or by requesting an appointment online.

Yes, we always welcome new patients. Contact our office for additional information or request an appointment.

Immunizations are a series of shots given to children at different ages to help ward off serious, and potentially fatal, childhood diseases. Making sure your child receives immunizations when scheduled is the best way to help protect your child from potentially fatal diseases. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, vaccinations have reduced the number of infections from vaccine-preventable diseases by more than 90%. If you're apprehensive about vaccinations, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

We always strive to see our patients the same day for sick visits. We have an on-call service and there is always a pediatrician available to assist you. Simply call our office number and you will be connected to the on-call doctor that will be happy to assist you. Remember, if you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately.

For sick visits we encourage you to call the office first — we strive to see patients the same day, and an on-call pediatrician is always available to help. However, if you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately.

We participate with most insurance plans. We accept most insurance plans including: Medicaid or Husky Anthem Aetna Blue Cross and Blue Shield Connecticare Cigna United Health Care Multiplan Health Net Tricare If your plan is not listed, please contact the office to confirm that we accept it. Your insurance coverage and benefits are a contract between you and your insurance company, and it is your responsibility to check with your insurance company to determine covered benefits.

Yes. We accept Medicaid and Husky, along with most other insurance plans. If you have questions about your specific plan, please call the office and we'll be happy to help.

We accept checks, cash or credit cards. We also offer a flexible payment plan — please see our Financial Coordinator for details. Payment is expected at the time of service, including co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles. We are happy to file insurance claims for your reimbursement as long as you are free to choose your own pediatrician.

The Pediatric Care Center is a recognized Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH). A medical home is a model of care in which your child's pediatric team coordinates comprehensive, continuous, family-centered care — partnering with you to manage your child's health and wellness over time. We are also a member of the Connecticut Children's Care Network.

Yes. Ear piercing is a medical procedure, so there is every reason to make sure that it is done properly. Our staff is trained to pierce ears of children of all ages and routinely work with very young children. We use the Inverness Ear Piercing System — a medically-hygienic system featuring fully-encapsulated, sterile, pre-sealed hypoallergenic piercing earrings and a patented Safety Back for safer healing.

At the Pediatric Care Center, piercing is done starting no younger than 2 months, but ideally at 4 months, due to the size of the earlobe. Piercings are done either at the child's well exam or by scheduled appointment. All piercings are based on the discretion of the doctor and the clinical staff.

Yes. We offer adolescent and teen physical exams to meet all of your child's healthcare needs, including annual physical exams, comprehensive sports physicals, school physicals, and college physicals. The physical is conducted by our primary care physician — always someone you and your adolescent know and trust.

We always welcome new patients — contact our office to get started or request an appointment. When you join the practice, please bring your insurance cards, your child's immunization records, and any prior medical records from your previous provider so we have a complete picture of your child's health history.

Yes. We use the athenahealth patient portal, where you can access your child's health information, communicate with our office, and manage your care online. You can reach the portal at https://21238.portal.athenahealth.com/.

We have two Connecticut locations: our Bristol office at 1301 Farmington Avenue, Bristol, CT 06010 (phone (860) 589-4501), and our Southington office (phone (860) 628-5767). Our offices are open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and we are closed daily from noon to 1:00 PM for lunch. To schedule, call us during regular business hours or request an appointment online.