Dr. Dennis Kleban in Baltimore: Single-Provider Pediatric Practice Near Inner Harbor
Dennis Kleban, MD, operates a solo pediatric practice in Baltimore serving infants through teenagers, with no hospital affiliation and a focus on office-based preventive and acute care for established patients in the city's downtown and inner-harbor neighborhoods.
What This Practice Is
Kleban runs a small independent pediatric office without ties to Johns Hopkins Medicine, University of Maryland Medical System, or Mercy Medical Center, the three largest health systems in Baltimore. The practice accepts new patients and maintains a patient panel typical of a solo practitioner, meaning availability for same-day or next-day appointments may be tighter during peak illness seasons than at multi-provider groups. His scope is standard pediatrics: well-child visits, immunizations, sick visits, minor acute illness management (ear infections, strep, colds, rashes), and coordination of specialist referrals.
Services and Fees
Standard office-based pediatric visits follow these broad fee structures (verify current rates by calling):
- Well-child preventive visits (ages 0-18): typically $100-$200 as a copay for insured patients; uninsured rates vary.
- Sick/acute office visits: $75-$150 copay depending on insurance.
- Immunizations: included with well-child visits; additional vaccines beyond the CDC schedule available but priced separately.
- Insurance: accepts most major Maryland and regional plans. Verify your plan's in-network status before the first visit.
Kleban does not perform procedures such as suturing, splinting, or drainage at the office level; these are referred to urgent care or an emergency department. He does not provide developmental psychology referrals, special education evaluations, or complex behavioral health management, which are managed through school systems or referral to pediatric behavioral health specialists like those at Johns Hopkins or University of Maryland.
Comparison to Other Baltimore Pediatric Options
Baltimore pediatricians cluster into three categories: large group practices (Harbor Pediatrics, Pediatric Alliance of Maryland), independent solo practitioners (Kleban), and health-system-affiliated clinics (Johns Hopkins Pediatrics at various locations, University of Maryland Medical Professionals).
Group practices offer extended hours (some until 7 or 8 p.m.), nurse advice lines, electronic health records shared across locations, and walk-in urgent sick visits, but often carry higher copays ($30-$60 for non-preventive visits). They suit families seeking scheduling flexibility or multiple provider continuity.
Solo practitioners like Kleban typically have slower appointment turnaround and more limited after-hours accessibility but provide a stable long-term relationship with one provider and may offer more flexible payment plans for uninsured families. They suit families already rooted in the city's downtown or inner-harbor areas who value continuity.
Health-system clinics (Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland) offer on-site referrals to specialists and hospitalization at the same institution, critical for children with complex chronic illness or who may need rapid escalation to a pediatric hospital. They suit families managing diabetes, asthma requiring specialist oversight, or developmental delays.
Who This Practice Suits and Who It Does Not
Kleban suits:
- Families with established insurance or ability to pay out-of-pocket for preventive and occasional acute care.
- Families living or working near the inner-harbor corridor (Federal Hill, Canton, Fells Point, downtown) and able to schedule appointments during weekday business hours.
- Families of healthy children with no chronic disease or developmental complexity.
- Families seeking a single continuous provider over many years.
Kleban does not suit:
- Families requiring after-hours or weekend urgent access without going to an emergency department.
- Families with uninsured children (unless the practice offers a sliding scale; confirm directly).
- Families of children with complex, multi-specialist medical needs (diabetes, severe asthma, autism spectrum disorder requiring early intervention coordination).
- Families preferring extended hours or same-day sick visits guaranteed.
What the First Visit Involves
New-patient appointments typically last 30-45 minutes. Bring vaccination records (from the hospital or previous pediatrician), insurance cards, and photo ID. Kleban will take a detailed history including pregnancy, birth, developmental milestones, family medical history, and current medications or supplements. A physical exam follows, including vital signs, heart and lung auscultation, abdominal exam, and age-appropriate screening (hearing, vision, growth). If vaccines are due, they are given the same day. Ask about his preferred method of communication (phone, email, patient portal) for non-urgent questions.
Hours, Parking, and Logistics
Typical office hours are Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday hours are rare. Confirm specific times by phone. Street parking or validated lots are available in the inner-harbor area. No affiliated parking garage. The office does not offer evening or weekend sick visits; patients with acute illness outside business hours are directed to urgent care (Merchants' Choice Urgent Care, Harbor Hospital Urgent Care) or the emergency department at University of Maryland Medical Center or Johns Hopkins Bayview.
Kleban's solo model means he manages his own schedule with minimal administrative buffer; cancellation notices should be given 24 hours in advance to avoid cancellation fees.
Dr. Kleban fills a niche in Baltimore's pediatric landscape for families seeking stability and continuity in a neighborhood-based practice, but only for those whose children's health and family logistics align with a part-time, office-only model.
