Atlanta supports a large and geographically distributed pediatric medicine market with over 1,190 pediatric specialists serving the metro area, backed by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) at Scottish Rite and Egleston campuses, one of the nation’s leading pediatric health systems, which anchors the city’s reputation as a regional destination for complex pediatric care. The metro area’s young and rapidly growing population, particularly in the northern suburbs of Forsyth, Cherokee, and Gwinnett counties, drives substantial demand for community pediatricians who provide the well-child visits, vaccinations, sick care, and developmental surveillance that form the backbone of pediatric medicine. Atlanta’s diverse immigrant communities create demand for pediatric practices with multilingual staff, and the city’s strong educational culture produces parents who engage actively in their children’s healthcare and expect evidence-based, individualized pediatric guidance. Georgia’s participation in the Vaccines for Children program ensures that eligible uninsured and Medicaid children can receive all recommended vaccines at no cost through most Atlanta pediatric offices.
When selecting a pediatrician in Atlanta, confirm board certification through the American Board of Pediatrics, and ask whether the physician has completed a fellowship in a subspecialty if your child has complex needs such as developmental delay, asthma, or Type 1 diabetes. Look for practices with after-hours phone lines or nurse triage access, Saturday sick visit availability, and clear protocols for when to direct families to the emergency department versus managing by phone. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends well-child visit schedules that most Atlanta pediatricians follow, so confirm that the practice adheres to AAP guidelines rather than a modified schedule. Red flags include practices that do not recommend or administer standard AAP-recommended vaccines, offices without any after-hours access, and pediatricians who consistently dismiss parental concerns about developmental milestones without referral for evaluation.
Top Pediatrician Companies in Atlanta
1. Children’s Medical Group, PC
Founded: 1947
Address: 1875 Century Boulevard NE, Suite 150, Atlanta, GA 30345
Phone: (404) 633-4595
Website: https://www.cmg-pc.com
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (phone lines open 7:30 AM); Saturday sick appointments 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Licenses & Certifications: All physicians board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP); physicians required to attend minimum two weeks annually of national and international medical conferences
Services:
- Well-child visits and preventive care
- Vaccinations per AAP schedule
- Sick visits including Saturday hours
- Annual physicals, school, camp, sports, and travel exams
- Prenatal counseling for expectant parents
- Autism research participation
- Telehealth services
- Bilingual services in English and Spanish
About: Children’s Medical Group, PC has been providing pediatric care to Atlanta-area families since 1947, making it one of the oldest continuously operating pediatric practices in the metro area with a tradition of excellence in evidence-based care established across multiple physician generations. The practice’s physician team, including Dr. Mark Hutson, Dr. Kevin Colton, Dr. Jessalyn Meeks, and Dr. David King, all hold both American Board of Pediatrics certification and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP) designation, with a practice policy requiring each physician to attend at least two weeks of top national and international pediatric conferences annually to stay current with evolving clinical guidelines. Three office locations in Atlanta, Johns Creek, and Decatur serve a broad geographic swath of the northeastern metro, with the Century Center office near Clairmont and I-85 conveniently positioned for Buckhead, Brookhaven, Chamblee, and North Druid Hills families. The practice participates in the First Focus Autism Study being conducted at its Century Center location, reflecting engagement with developmental pediatric research.
2. Old Fourth Ward Pediatrics
Address: 285 Boulevard NE, Suite 235, Atlanta, GA 30312
Phone: (404) 267-6229
Website: https://www.o4wpediatrics.com
Services:
- Pediatric care for infants through age 21
- Well-child visits and preventive care
- ADHD evaluation and management
- Allergy and asthma management
- Childhood obesity care
- Common illness treatment including ear infections, eczema, fever, flu, and strep
- Same-day sick visits
- Early appointment and extended evening hours
About: Old Fourth Ward Pediatrics serves children and adolescents from infancy through age 21 across Fulton County from its Boulevard NE location in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, an intown Atlanta community that has grown rapidly with young professional families and residents in recent years. The practice’s commitment to same-day sick visit access and extended evening hours on some weekdays reflects a patient experience philosophy that recognizes the constraints of working parents who cannot always schedule appointments weeks in advance or during standard business hours. Old Fourth Ward Pediatrics treats the full spectrum of common childhood conditions including ADHD, allergies, asthma, childhood obesity, and recurring infections, with care extending through late adolescence and young adulthood up to age 21. The practice’s intown location makes it particularly convenient for families in the Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park, Edgewood, Grant Park, and East Atlanta neighborhoods.
3. Intown Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, PC
Website: https://www.intownpediatrics.com
Service Area: Glenwood Park, Brookhaven, and Decatur locations
Services:
- Comprehensive pediatric and adolescent healthcare
- Infant, child, and adolescent medicine through young adulthood
- Preventive well-child care
- After-hours advice line
- Flexible appointment scheduling
- Sick and urgent care visits
About: Intown Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, PC is led by Dr. Deneta Sells and operates from three intown Atlanta locations in Glenwood Park, Brookhaven, and Decatur, providing comprehensive pediatric care to children and adolescents through young adulthood across Atlanta’s eastern intown neighborhoods and inner suburbs. The practice’s accessible, family-friendly philosophy emphasizes flexible appointment availability and after-hours phone advice access, reducing the need for emergency department visits for conditions that can be safely managed with physician guidance outside of office hours. The three-location model distributes care access across a corridor of neighborhoods from south Atlanta through northeast Atlanta and into Decatur, reflecting a deliberate geographic strategy to serve intown and near-suburban families who prefer a local pediatrician to practices located in more distant suburban areas. Dr. Sells’ leadership brings a committed approach to individualized family-centered pediatric care built on accessible communication and personalized clinical relationships.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I choose the right pediatrician in Atlanta for my newborn?
A: Schedule a prenatal visit or consultation with at least two or three pediatric practices before your baby is born, as most Atlanta pediatric offices offer these at no charge to prospective parents. Ask about newborn visit scheduling within 48 to 72 hours of hospital discharge, after-hours phone access, how the office handles sick visits, and which hospitals the physician has delivery room and newborn nursery access at for any complications at birth. Confirm that the practice accepts your insurance and ask about their vaccine policy, since American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all standard childhood vaccines and practices that do not follow the full AAP schedule may indicate a broader departure from evidence-based care. The personal rapport between you and the pediatrician matters significantly since you will have multiple visits in the first year and need to feel comfortable asking questions and receiving direct answers.
Q: What does a pediatric visit cost in Atlanta?
A: Well-child visits under the ACA preventive care mandate are covered at no cost by most insurance plans, including all scheduled visits through age 21 that follow AAP guidelines. Sick visits typically incur a primary care copay of $20 to $50 depending on your insurance plan. Without insurance, well-child visits in Atlanta typically run $150 to $250, with sick visits costing $100 to $175. Vaccines are billed separately and can cost $50 to $300 per visit depending on which vaccines are administered, though insurance covers all ACIP-recommended vaccines for children at no cost-sharing under the ACA. Georgia’s Vaccines for Children program covers all AAP-recommended vaccines at no cost for uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid-eligible, and Native American children.
Q: What is the difference between a pediatrician and a family doctor for children in Atlanta?
A: A pediatrician completed a three-year pediatric residency specifically focused on child development, childhood diseases, growth assessment, and developmental and behavioral pediatrics from birth through young adulthood, giving them concentrated expertise in the age-specific presentations of illness and normal variation in children. A family physician provides care across all ages but has divided their training across adult, pediatric, and obstetric medicine rather than spending the full residency on pediatrics. For most healthy children, a family physician provides excellent pediatric preventive and sick care. For children with complex needs including developmental delay, chronic disease, or specialists-managed conditions, a board-certified pediatrician with FAAP designation and the option to refer within a subspecialty-rich practice like Children’s Medical Group provides depth that a family medicine approach may not match.
Conclusion
Atlanta’s pediatric medicine market provides families with strong options for newborn through adolescent care across intown, neighborhood-based, and suburban practice models. Children’s Medical Group, PC brings 75 years of established pediatric tradition, FAAP-certified physicians, and three metro locations since its founding in 1947. Old Fourth Ward Pediatrics offers accessible care with same-day sick visits and extended hours for intown families from its Boulevard NE location. Intown Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine delivers family-centered care across three intown locations from Glenwood Park through Decatur with a philosophy prioritizing access and personal relationships. Contact each practice to confirm insurance acceptance, new patient scheduling, and the specific physician’s approach to the issues most important to your family.