Convenient Access from Hillcrest
About 9 minutes after leaving Horace Mann Elementary, Hillcrest parents can be pulling up to Trunkey Dental. Our general practice is in Bakersfield, north of downtown, and it gives school-age families and working adults a dentist near Hillcrest with more than four decades in the community. Dr. Donald Trunkey handles exams, fillings, crowns and gum care, while his hygienists keep cleanings on schedule.
From Horace Mann Elementary at 2710 Niles Street, leave by Catalpa Way and turn west onto East Niles Street. Stay on Niles for about 2.6 miles to Union Avenue, go north, then take 34th Street over to San Dimas Street and head north to 38th Street. The whole trip runs about 3.8 miles, and the last leg passes Memorial Hospital on 34th Street.
The office is at 3807 San Dimas St Ste A, Bakersfield, CA 93301. Get directions to Trunkey Dental on Google Maps from your own front door. On the way you pass through East Bakersfield, and we also serve Northeast Bakersfield next door to it.
Hillcrest Households Get a Long-Established Office
Hillcrest is an unincorporated community in Kern County, counted as its own census-designated place for the first time in 2020. It is compact, at about 1.4 square miles, but home to more than 10,000 people, which makes it a densely settled part of the east side. East Niles borders it to the east, and Potomac Park sits next door.
The community is built around its schools. East Bakersfield High School on Quincy Street opened in 1938 and is the second-oldest high school in Bakersfield, home of the Blades. Horace Mann Elementary on Niles Street, Ramon Garza Elementary and Sierra Middle School on Center Street round out a full K-12 path within the same small area.
Families with that many school years ahead benefit from a practice that stays put. Dr. Trunkey has run this office since 1981, and his staff brings long experience: Andrea has worked in the dental field for more than 20 years, Melanie since 2001 and Kelsey since 2009. Over a child's school years, that means the same dentist at every checkup, which helps nervous kids settle in. It also means a chart that already holds the history of every earlier visit.
Growing Smiles and Busy Parents in Hillcrest
When a neighborhood holds an elementary, a middle and a high school in under 2 square miles, a lot of dental care revolves around kids. New molars arrive, and sports and after-school snacks put teeth to the test. Parents meanwhile handle their own cleanings and fillings in whatever time is left.
Prevention keeps that workload manageable. Sealants protect the deep grooves of new back teeth, and checkups with digital x-rays find soft spots before they become cavities. When a front tooth gets chipped on the playground or the court, dental bonding can often rebuild the edge with tooth-colored material.
Scheduling fits the school day. Appointments start at 8:00 AM Monday through Thursday, and Friday visits run until 12:00 PM. For many Hillcrest families, an early slot followed by the drive back along Niles Street means a child misses very little class.
Adults in Hillcrest deserve the same attention to small problems. A chipped filling, gums that bleed when you brush, or a tooth that aches when you bite are easier to fix now than later, and Dr. Trunkey's "NO GUILT" approach means nobody lectures you about the last time you came in.
Family-Focused Care From a Dentist Near Hillcrest
Fillings
Cavities are among the most common reasons Hillcrest students and parents need treatment. A filling repairs a decayed spot early, while the tooth still has plenty of healthy structure.
Cleanings & Digital X-Rays
Twice-yearly cleanings keep plaque under control for every age. Digital x-rays show new teeth coming in and spot decay between existing ones.
Gum Disease
Teens and adults with busy schedules both tend to miss plaque along the gumline. Early gum care stops bleeding gums from turning into a deeper problem.
General & Family Dentistry
Children, teens and parents from Hillcrest can all see one dentist who knows the family's history. Records, insurance and appointments stay in one office.
Crowns & Bridges
A cracked molar or a tooth with a large old filling may need a crown for strength. A bridge can replace a missing tooth so chewing stays balanced.
Meet Your Bakersfield Dental Team
Dr. Donald Trunkey runs an office whose sterilization procedures exceed CDC guidelines, with handpieces and instruments heat-sterilized after every use. Registered dental hygienist Fatima, hygienist Leilani and registered dental assistant Tiffany support him chairside.
Insurance, Membership & Financing
Plans the office participates with include Delta Dental, Cigna and Careington, and many others are accepted. Families without coverage can choose the Standard Membership Plan, which bundles two regular cleanings, routine exams and x-rays each year with 20% off qualifying restorative work. CareCredit and Cherry help with bigger bills.
What Patients Say
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Trunkey Dental from Hillcrest, and how do I get there?
Trunkey Dental is roughly 3.8 miles from Horace Mann Elementary, about a 9-minute drive. Take East Niles Street west to Union Avenue, go north, then use 34th Street and San Dimas Street to reach 38th Street. For families choosing a dentist near Hillcrest, the route is simple to remember and stays on surface streets the whole way.
How long do sealants last on a child's back teeth?
Sealants can last for several years, but chewing slowly wears them down. That is why they should be looked at during routine checkups and repaired or reapplied if they chip or wear thin. Keeping them intact through the cavity-prone school years protects the deep grooves of the molars, where cavities often begin.
What if a baby tooth will not fall out after the adult tooth comes in?
Book a checkup. When a permanent tooth erupts behind a baby tooth that is still firmly in place, the baby tooth sometimes needs help coming out so the new tooth can move into position. Many loosen on their own within a few weeks, but an exam and an x-ray show whether the roots are dissolving as they should.
Why do my child's new adult teeth look more yellow than the baby teeth?
This is usually normal. Permanent teeth have a thicker layer of dentin under the enamel, and dentin is naturally more yellow, so new adult teeth often look darker beside the bright white baby teeth. The contrast tends to fade once most baby teeth are gone. Spots, stripes or brown patches are different and are worth showing Dr. Trunkey at the next checkup.
Should I leave early from Hillcrest for an 8:00 AM appointment?
Yes, a few extra minutes helps. The drive is usually about 9 minutes, but rush hour on Niles Street and Union Avenue adds time while school traffic is heavy. Building in a little cushion beyond the usual drive gives you room to arrive, check in and settle in without feeling rushed.
Schedule Your Visit from Hillcrest
A dentist near Hillcrest is waiting at the far end of Niles Street. Call (661) 426-2506 or use online scheduling to set up checkups for the whole family. Browse other communities on our Areas We Serve page, or visit the Dentist Bakersfield, CA homepage.
