Children's Dentistry

When should my child first see a dentist?

You can bring your child to North Harbor Dentistry as early as you like. We welcome children of all ages, and even babies can come in for a happy visit, where the only goal is for your child to get familiar with the office so that it feels like a positive place.

One thing to be clear about. North Harbor Dentistry is a general family practice, not a pediatric specialty office, and there is no pediatric dentist on our team. Drs. Matt & Justine Priess and our registered dental hygienists care for children and adults in the same office, so the whole family can be seen in one place.

What happens at a kid's dental visit

A children's check-up covers the same ground as an adult one. Here is the shape of it:

• A professional cleaning with one of our registered dental hygienists, which in some cases happens at the first visit.
• We check for cavities, cracks, wear and missing teeth.
• Digital X-rays when they are needed. Digital films give exquisite detail with dramatically reduced radiation exposure.
• The intra-oral camera puts your child's own teeth up on a screen. These miniature LED cameras bring the details of our mouths to life in full color, which makes a cavity easier to show than to describe.
• A warm towel at the end. Warm towels come after treatment, kids included.

There is a children's play area with touchscreen activities for the sibling who came along, or for the minutes before an appointment starts.

Sealants and cavity prevention

Deep crevices run across the chewing surface of molars. A toothbrush skims across that surface while the narrow grooves trap bacteria beyond the bristles, and a cavity can form there without warning. A dental sealant is a bonded coating over those grooves that makes them much harder for bacteria and food to settle into.

Fluoride is the other common preventive step for children, and it is designed to strengthen the enamel your child already has.

Childhood tooth decay can create a lifetime of problems that are often avoided with an early preventive plan. Sealants are among the least invasive tools we have, so we would rather use them now than fill teeth later.

What if my child is anxious about the dentist?

If your child is anxious about the dentist, tell us before the appointment and we will slow the visit down. For a child who needs more help than that, we offer nitrous oxide, an inhalation sedative taken in just by breathing in and out through a mask. It is one of the safest and easiest sedation techniques, patients from young to old may benefit from it, and it wears off right away. Nitrous oxide is the only form of sedation we offer.

Drs. Matt & Justine Priess know that early experiences influence how much kids value their oral health as adults, and that they choose to seek or avoid future care based on how they are treated now. That is why a child's first visits here go at the child's pace.

Where we are, and the schools we support

Our office is at 14315 62nd Ave NW in Gig Harbor, close to local schools, which helps when an appointment has to fit around a school day. Our service area covers Gig Harbor, Purdy, Key Center, Fox Island, Olalla, Port Orchard and University Place.

Each spring we host Purdy Elementary kindergarteners at the office to learn about oral health, and we attend and sponsor Purdy Elementary's Trunk-or-Treat, STEM and Auction events. We also support Peninsula High School athletics and academics. For kids in contact sports, ask about a custom sports guard at the next cleaning.

Booking a visit for your child

Call us at (253) 851-4025 to book a cleaning, or to bring a baby in for a happy visit. Walk-ins are welcome. We are open Monday and Wednesday 8:00am to 5:00pm, Tuesday and Thursday 8:00am to 3:30pm, and closed Friday. New-patient forms and online payment are at app.operadds.com.