We all want the best for our kids, and that includes giving them the best healthcare possible. That’s why we reviewed the best pediatricians in Edmonton who will provide you and your child sound medical advice.
And if you have any concerns, we will also answer your FAQs about pediatricians in Edmonton after our list.
How much do pediatric consults cost in Edmonton?
Since the province of Alberta is required to provide healthcare to all its registered citizens through the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan, most doctor’s appointments are free of charge.
Other medical and diagnostic procedures required by the doctor would come at a fee.
However, for those who are not eligible or who have not applied yet, the base rate for any doctor’s appointment in the province is $41 dollars.
And ever since the pandemic, virtual appointments have become more available, coming in at a base rate of $38 for a total duration of 20 minutes.
Who are the best pediatricians in Edmonton?
We picked and reviewed the pediatricians based on the following criteria:
1. Dr. Ian Adatia
Bedside manner | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Kid-friendliness | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Clarity | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Punctuality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Staff | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Efficiency | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Courteousness | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Patient satisfaction | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Dr. Ian Adatia has over 25 years of experience providing care to babies and young people, with a focus in cardiology. He obtained his MB ChB in the United Kingdom in 1980.
He also has a Certificate of Special Competence in Cardiology, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians Canada for Pediatrics. His CPSA approvals include cardiac stress testing for pediatrics and transesophageal echocardiography.
On top of all these, he is also a professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta.
He aims to further improve his practice through his clinical and research interests, which include perioperative care of children with congenital heart disease, neonatal and childhood pulmonary vascular disease.
We like this heavy immersion in research and academics, by the way: it tends to indicate a doctor who’s abreast of all the latest developments in his field.
In addition, all his achievements in the academe and his practice seem to translate well in terms of the patient-doctor relationships he has formed.
Many parents described him to us as empathetic, with his calm voice making even the shiest of kids comfortable towards him.
They also reported that he takes as much time as necessary to answer any of the patients’ or parents’ queries. He balances skill with a compassion that we like for the kids under his care.
And because many have noted that appointments with him always end up on time, we definitely like how consistent he is when it comes to punctuality.
As a last note, his staff has been noted to be pleasant and kind, and the TV and snacks in the room are also welcome touches, as they can help calm down patients and keep them comfortable.
Pros
- Appointments start on time
- In service for more than 25 years
- Has published many articles throughout academic career
- Room has TV and snacks
- Focus is on cardiology
- Knows German and French
- Virtual visits
Cons
- Accepts new patients by referrals only
- New patients are limited to contacts of existing patients
Testimonials
Made a stressful situation easy
“Such a caring and knowledgeable DR. Very patient and kind, explained everything and made my daughter feel comfortable when she was feeling nervous. Staff were very kind and pleasant as well.Thank you all for making a stressful situation an easy one.”
Takes time to address questions
“Experience we had with this doctor was way beyond expectations. He is a very pleasant person, confident, knowledgeable, takes time to explain and address questions, was very patient with our child and our son loved tv’s and snacks in his rooms which help him to relax and be patient for one and half hours.”
2. Dr. Heather Leonard
Bedside manner | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Kid-friendliness | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Clarity | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Punctuality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Staff | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Efficiency | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Courteousness | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Patient satisfaction | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Dr. Heather Leonard is a pediatrician who obtained her MD Doctor of Medicine in 2006 from Memorial University. She is a Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in Canada in Pediatrics.
When we looked into what the parents of her patients have said about her, it’s no wonder many regard her as such a caring and compassionate doctor.
We even found a lot of instances when she would get down on the floor with the child, at times even letting the child crawl into her lap. That’s usually a sign of someone really comfy with little ones.
Approachability is important in a profession dealing with delicate issues involving children. This is evident in how her patients have described her as warm and welcoming.
Her punctuality was brought up many times too, and it’s a trait we think many will appreciate. She also has a wide network of other great physicians that she can refer patients to, which is another thing we like.
We also noted that many parents are thankful for her service since she’s treated many children in severely critical conditions.
Pros
- Appointments are on time
- Very warm and welcoming
- Has worked on a lot of critical cases
Cons
- Prioritizes patients with complex medical needs
- Accepts patients by referral from other physicians only
Testimonials
Knows how to engage with special needs children
“Dr. Leonard is amazing. She is honest, straight forward but compassionate. She is wonderful with the kids and knows how to engage them regardless if they are a neurotypical child or one with special needs! She is always available even at the last minute most of the time and I would highly recommend her to anyone that is seeking a fantastic paediatrician.”
Genuine love for what she does
“My child had “slipped through the cracks” for two years before we were finally referred to this amazing doctor. She had literally gone sooooo above and beyond with my girl that I just don’t believe it. She is an amazing Dr with a genuine love for what she does that shows through. Absolutely awesome!!!”
3. Dr. Don McConnell
Bedside manner | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Kid-friendliness | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Clarity | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Punctuality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Staff | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Efficiency | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Courteousness | ★★☆☆☆ (2/5) |
Patient satisfaction | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Dr. Don McConnell has spent 15 years as a pediatric emergency doctor in Halifax and here in Edmonton. He also completed his fellowship in Pediatric Dermatology in Phoenix, Arizona.
A fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in Canada for Pediatrics, he also has a Fellowship in Pediatric Dermatology, which is his focus.
Other than these fellowships, he is also dedicated to furthering his expertise in the academe as an Associate Clinic Professor at the University of Alberta.
We believe that what makes him special are the numerous success stories from precious patients. Many of them (whom he prescribed treatments to) reported that their conditions got better in a short time.
This proves that he has strong diagnostic skills, as these are prerequisites for being able to give the right course of medication. Some of the conditions he has treated are eczema, hemangioma, and MRSA, among others.
Parents told us that they were happy to find the right regimen for their children’s condition with him. This was after trying the care of other pediatricians.
Many also said he even proposed treatment plans for concerns they had never noticed before he pointed them out.
Again, that’s a good thing. We like doctors who go out of their way to do full check-ups on patients, especially as children aren’t always as forthcoming with health complaints as adults… or don’t have the words to be forthcoming just yet.
Lastly, patients told us that they generally didn’t have to wait for more than 10 minutes before being attended to. Punctuality is always a plus, so that’s just another reason he made our list!
Pros
- 15 years experience as a pediatric emergency doctor
- Clinic has short wait times
- Treats various skin issues such as eczema and MRSA
- Focus is on pediatric dermatology
- Offers virtual visits
Cons
- Patients report staff to be rude
- Accepts new patients by referrals only
Testimonials
Sure knows his stuff
“Amazing pediatric dermatologist! My now 16 year old son suffers from eczema and we have finally found a regime that has almost completely cleared his skin! He also referred us to an asthma specialist and that too is finally under control. Dr. McConnell goes above and beyond for his patients and sure knows his stuff.”
Listens to all your concerns
“Very personable doctor. Took the time to interact with my 1.5 year old son. Listens to all of your concerns and really explains what he is prescribing and treatment plan. My son is in the midst of Dr. McConnell’s treatment plan. I had very high hopes due to all of these other reviews and I am very happy with the care we are receiving thus far. Wish he could be my son’s regular pediatrician.”
4. Dr. Indra M.C. Dhunnoo
Bedside manner | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Kid-friendliness | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Clarity | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Punctuality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Staff | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Efficiency | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Courteousness | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Patient satisfaction | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Providing excellent care to families since the 90s, Dr. Indra Dhunnoo is already considered a pillar in Edmonton’s healthcare community.
He obtained his MB ChB in South Africa in 1988. He is a Licentiate of the MEdical Council of Canada, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians Canada for Pediatrics.
One of the first things that caught our attention with him is that he’s almost universally described as a great listener by the parents of his patients, a necessary trait to have in his field.
You can definitely see it too in the anecdotes of parents with special needs children, such as those on the autism spectrum.
A parent even specified how well he handled the session by whispering to her child the entire time. On top of this, the parent was given a solid plan of action, and said that she felt included in making choices for her child.
We don’t have much to complain about with Dr. Dhunnoo, really, other than a few minor things. For instance, he doesn’t have a professional website, which isn’t really ideal in this day and age (parents look up doctors online now!).
Furthermore, we got a few notes from parents about some of his staff being rude on occasion. That’s an issue, especially when the patients themselves are so young and sensitive.
Anyway, as we said, these are minor complaints.
While his website may still be under construction, he is still accessible through the other contact information available. He also offers home visits and telehealth services.
As for the complaints about his staff’s behavior, the same parents also told us that the doctor’s skills and demeanor made up for it.
Pros
- Great with children with special needs
- Extensive experience in his field
- Great listener
- Offers home visits
- Knows French, Hindi, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Mauritian
Cons
- His staff have been noted to be rude
- Accepts new patients by referral only
- Website under construction
Testimonials
Very wholesome experience
“Our experience with Dr. D absolutely outweighs the experience with staff. Balances physical health out nicely with the health of my family and even our spiritual health. Very wholesome experience indeed.”
Our lives are so much better
“Dr Dhunnoo is amazing! He has a great bedside manner and is as good with the kids as he is with the anxious parents. He was able to diagnose my daughter’s PANDAS after only a couple visits and some tests. We were at our wits end with the reports from school and daycare, but once the diagnosis was reached and the treatment was started, our lives were so much better for it. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful and knowledgeable doctor in our city.”
5. Dr. Sanjay Taparia
Bedside manner | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Kid-friendliness | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Clarity | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Punctuality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Staff | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Efficiency | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Courteousness | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Patient satisfaction | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Dr. Sanjay Taparia took up his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in India in 1993, and has since been providing expert medical care in his clinic at the Summit Pediatric Clinic.
While there are some who would at first be taken aback by his straight-to-the-point manner of discussing the patient’s condition, we don’t think it’s necessarily a downside. If anything, it didn’t strike us as hard – just no-nonsense and eager to address the issue.
Besides, many consider his expertise to be very valuable as he’s proven to be hands-on and efficient when it comes to his job.
It’s also worth noting that parents of his patients do see him as friendly, but not the outgoing and warm type. Still, a lot of parents have him as their top choice, and have even been with him for many years.
And as far as we’re concerned, actions speak louder than words. He has been noted to be very caring, frequently calling to follow up on the patients under his care, also going out of his way to find solutions if he can’t provide them himself.
One specific case reported, for example, that Dr. Taparia had saved her child’s life by referring them to the right specialist in his network quickly. The parent has since consulted with him for their three other children.
We believe that parents looking for a factual, quiet, yet caring pediatrician would find comfort in his demeanor. The personal follow-up calls are very good too.
Pros
- Knows Hindi and Gujarati
- Personally calls parents for a follow up
- Extensive experience in his field
- Calm and provides details straight to the point
Cons
- Demeanor may intimidate some
- Only accepts new patients by referral
Testimonials
Couldn’t ask for a better pediatrician
“We have had Dr. Taparia for both our children for almost 6 years now. He and his staff have been nothing but amazing to us. When my kids were young and got sick the staff would fit us in that day. I’ve also had Dr. Taparia personally call me back the next day asking how they were doing and if they were improving. The front staff are great with me too. Never complain when I ask them to write down heights and weights. I couldn’t ask for a better pediatrician for my 2 kids.”
Very thorough
“A very thorough first time visit. Felt like we are on our way to understanding my child’s bowel/stomach problems and getting further support for behavioural struggles. I left the office feeling like we are on the path to getting answers.”
FAQs about pediatricians in Edmonton
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