These are the questions people ask us most at North Harbor Dentistry — where we are, when we're open, what a first visit actually involves, and what to do when a tooth breaks while the office is closed. If your question isn't answered here, call us at (253) 851-4025 or email [email protected].
Where is North Harbor Dentistry located?
North Harbor Dentistry is at 14315 62nd Ave NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98332. The office is just up the road from Purdy Elementary, close to the schools on the peninsula. You can open the office in Google Maps for directions, or call (253) 851-4025 if you have trouble finding us.
What are North Harbor Dentistry's office hours?
North Harbor Dentistry is open Monday 8:00am–5:00pm, Tuesday 8:00am–3:30pm, Wednesday 8:00am–5:00pm, and Thursday 8:00am–3:30pm, and is closed on Friday. Call (253) 851-4025 during those hours to reach the front desk. If you need to reach us outside them, email [email protected].
Is North Harbor Dentistry open on Fridays or weekends?
North Harbor Dentistry is closed on Fridays. The office publishes hours for Monday through Thursday only.
If you have an urgent dental problem when the office is closed, call (253) 851-4025 and you will receive specific instructions on how to obtain emergency advice or care.
How do I make an appointment at North Harbor Dentistry?
To book an appointment at North Harbor Dentistry, call (253) 851-4025 or use the appointment form on this site. Walk-ins are welcome — you can stop by 14315 62nd Ave NW during opening hours and ask. You can also email [email protected] if you would rather write than call.
Where do I find North Harbor Dentistry's new patient forms and online payment?
North Harbor Dentistry's new-patient forms and online payments are both handled at app.operadds.com/s/g/EoNDj. Filling in your forms before you arrive means your first appointment starts with the conversation rather than the paperwork. If a form or a payment gives you trouble, call (253) 851-4025 and we'll sort it out with you.
What happens at my first visit to North Harbor Dentistry?
A first visit at North Harbor Dentistry covers a review of your health and your goals, screening and charting of your teeth and gums, a digital X-ray review, and a financial plan you are comfortable with. In full, a first visit includes:
- Discussion of Your Goals and Questions
- Health History Review
- Oral Cancer Screening
- Gum Disease Screening/Charting
- Cavity, Fracture, Wear and Missing Tooth Exam/Charting
- Digital X-Ray Review
- Professional Cleaning (in some cases)
- Comfortable Financial Plan
You get time to ask questions and say what you want us to know. Whether you're a few months overdue or several years have gone by, we start from where you are.
What should I do in a dental emergency?
If you have a dental emergency, call North Harbor Dentistry at (253) 851-4025 and we will accommodate you as soon as possible. If the office is closed when you call, you will receive specific instructions on how to obtain emergency advice or care. In the event of a life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room.
Please call rather than waiting for your next scheduled visit.
Who are the dentists at North Harbor Dentistry?
The dentists at North Harbor Dentistry are Matthew Priess, D.D.S. and Justine J. Priess, D.D.S., referred to together as Drs. Matt & Justine Priess. They are part of a team of 13: registered dental hygienists Kristina, Shullon, Danita and Angie; registered dental assistants Kim, Norma, Erina and Sharon; patient care coordinators Brittanie and Stacy; and billing coordinator Ann.
Drs. Matt & Justine Priess also post as @driftingdentalduo on Instagram.
What dental insurance does North Harbor Dentistry take?
North Harbor Dentistry displays the logos of four dental carriers on its patients page: Cigna, Delta Dental, United Concordia and Aetna.
As a courtesy the office will bill your insurance and help you receive the maximum allowable benefit under your policy. The published financial policy is clear that your policy is a contract between you and your carrier, and that it is the patient's responsibility to know whether the office is participating or non-participating with their plan — so call (253) 851-4025 with your plan details before you book.
What is North Harbor Dentistry's missed appointment policy?
North Harbor Dentistry charges a fee for an appointment missed without advance notice, and asks that you give notice as early as you can. Call (253) 851-4025 as soon as you know you need to move an appointment — the earlier you call, the more likely someone else can use the time.
Can I get a crown in one visit at North Harbor Dentistry?
North Harbor Dentistry makes porcelain crowns in a single visit using CAD/CAM technology, so you leave with the finished crown instead of a temporary. Advanced software turns a simple scan of your teeth into a porcelain crown — no second appointment to cement it, and no temporary to work loose in the meantime.
A crown, or cap, can bring a compromised tooth back to full function, and with modern porcelains you will probably have a hard time finding where the crown ends and the tooth starts.
Does North Harbor Dentistry see children, and from what age?
North Harbor Dentistry welcomes children of all ages. Even a baby can come along to a happy visit and get familiar with the office so it stays a positive place. There is a children's play area with touchscreen activities, and every spring the office hosts the kindergarten classes from Purdy Elementary to learn about looking after their teeth.
I'm nervous about going to the dentist. What does North Harbor Dentistry offer?
North Harbor Dentistry offers nitrous oxide — laughing gas — for patients who feel anxious about treatment. You breathe it in and out through a mask, and it wears off quickly, so you don't need a companion to drive you home. Nitrous oxide is the only form of sedation the practice offers.
Tell us when you call on (253) 851-4025. Feeling nervous before an appointment is common, and it is worth saying out loud rather than putting the visit off.
Does North Harbor Dentistry do Botox, and can it help jaw clenching or TMJ pain?
North Harbor Dentistry offers Botox both for facial aesthetics and for jaw pain associated with clenching and grinding. Most TMD symptoms come from the muscles that close the jaw rather than from the joint itself, so injecting Botox into the masseter and frontalis muscle groups can help reduce pain associated with clenching and grinding, and some migraine headache symptoms.
If clenching is wearing your teeth down, a custom night guard is another option: it protects your teeth against the grinding forces that wear them away. Call (253) 851-4025 to talk through which one fits your situation.
Does North Harbor Dentistry offer clear aligners?
North Harbor Dentistry offers ClearCorrect clear aligners, a way to straighten teeth without metal brackets or wires. The aligners are essentially invisible and removable, so you take them out to eat and to brush.
Straighter teeth are not only a cosmetic matter — alignment can make teeth easier to keep clean, which can help prevent gum inflammation and cavities.
Does North Harbor Dentistry remove wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth are removed at North Harbor Dentistry by the practice's own dentists, Drs. Matt & Justine Priess — there is no oral surgeon on the team, and extractions and oral surgery are done in the office by the dentists. Crowded teeth, extra teeth, severely decayed or cracked teeth and teeth that have lost supporting bone are the usual reasons removal comes up. Where a site may need an implant later, preservation and bone grafting can be done at the same time.
Does North Harbor Dentistry place dental implants?
North Harbor Dentistry offers dental implants to replace missing teeth, from a single implant crown to implant-supported bridges. Implants do not affect the teeth on either side of the gap, so healthy neighbouring teeth are left alone. Where bone has been lost, bone grafting can rebuild the site first.
Implants are not the only route — porcelain bridges and full or partial dentures still suit some situations better, and we will go through the trade-offs with you before anything is decided.
What cosmetic dental treatments does North Harbor Dentistry offer?
North Harbor Dentistry offers porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, tooth-colored composite fillings, porcelain crowns and onlays, and gum contouring.
- Porcelain veneers and teeth whitening — for the look of your front teeth.
- Composite fillings — tooth-colored repairs instead of metal.
- Porcelain crowns and onlays — for teeth that are cracked or worn, where an onlay reinforces a tooth that needs more than a filling but less than a full crown.
- Gum contouring — gentle recontouring of an uneven gum line; properly shaped gums also contribute to a healthy environment for your teeth.
Botox facial services are offered as well. Bring photos of what you have in mind to your consultation; it is easier to talk about than to describe.
Which areas does North Harbor Dentistry serve?
North Harbor Dentistry serves patients from Gig Harbor, Purdy, Key Center, Fox Island, Olalla, Port Orchard, Bremerton, Shelton, University Place and the Tacoma Narrows area. The office is at 14315 62nd Ave NW in Gig Harbor, just up the road from Purdy Elementary.
Is North Harbor Dentistry accepting new patients?
To find out whether North Harbor Dentistry can take you as a new patient, call the office at (253) 851-4025.
Walk-ins are welcome, and new-patient forms are online at app.operadds.com/s/g/EoNDj if you want to fill them in before you come.
What makes North Harbor Dentistry different from other Gig Harbor dentists?
North Harbor Dentistry makes porcelain crowns in a single visit, hands out a warm towel after treatment, and keeps a children's play area with touchscreen activities. It is a two-dentist practice — Drs. Matt & Justine Priess — with a team of 13, close to the schools on the peninsula.
The practice is also part of the community it treats:
- Every spring the office hosts Purdy Elementary's kindergarteners to learn about oral health, and sponsors the school's Trunk-or-Treat, STEM and Purdy Auction events.
- It supports Peninsula High School through athletic and academic outreach.
- It is a member of the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce.
- It supports the Gig Harbor Chapter of the American Association of University Women and their Tech Trek program for local girls.
Still have a question?
Call us at (253) 851-4025 or send us a message — we're happy to answer anything that isn't covered here.