Whole Body Dentistry

At Harbor Hill Dentistry and Airway Center in Gig Harbor, their approach to dental care goes beyond traditional dentistry and embraces the philosophy of Treating the Cause, Not the Symptom. Led by Dr. Keith Gressell, a Temple University School of Dentistry graduate, this approach incorporates an overall health method he acquired while stationed in Europe as a Captain in the US Army.

According to Office Manager and spokesperson for Harbor Hill, Sarah Hamlin, “Dr. Gressell likes to find the cause of the symptoms and track it back to the source.” The practice is especially attuned to finding airway issues like sleep apnea and treating the obstruction before it becomes an issue for the patient.

The office is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and their whole-body approach to treatment delivers quality dental care that focuses on the root cause of a patient’s issues. In addition to traditional general dentistry, Harbor Hill includes cosmetic dentistry, laser dentistry, aesthetic dentistry and myofunctional therapy, which is basically physical therapy for your jaws and tongue.

While whole body dentistry isn’t the norm just yet, it isn’t a fad either. “This style has been picking up steam in the last five years and I wouldn’t be surprised if you start to see this method applied in more locations,” said Hamlin. By combining his US training with his experience working in a European environment, Dr. Gressell is always looking to adapt and improve the quality of care he provides, so he can better his patients’ dental health, well-being, and lives.

Following his time in the Army, Dr. Gressell spent time in private practice in Germany and then in San Antonio, Texas before moving to his wife Jackie’s hometown of Gig Harbor in 2017. Then the Gressells bought the practice in May of 2022, offering comprehensive care for all ages.

BY LYNN CASTLE

“Our ever-evolving treatment philosophy is to maintain a focus on each patient’s overall health and well-being. My mantra is, and always will be, to treat every patient as a whole, not just a hole in a tooth,” said Dr. Gressell recently.

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