Convenient Access from Gregory Heights
Families searching for a dentist near Gregory Heights will find Seahurst Smiles of Burien about 3 minutes away by car, at our office at 1800 SW 152nd St #202 in Burien. Dr. Vincent Lam and a small, long-serving team look after children, teens and parents, with weekday appointments from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. That early start lets plenty of Gregory Heights parents fit a checkup in before the school bell rings.
Starting at Gregory Heights Elementary School on 16th Avenue SW, drive north on 19th Ave SW, turn west on SW 159th St and then head north on 21st Ave SW. At SW 152nd St, turn east and continue to 18th Ave SW, where the office sits on SW 152nd St. The drive covers about 0.9 miles on residential streets, roughly 3 minutes, with no highway involved. On foot the same streets take about 19 minutes at an easy pace, which is our estimate rather than a timed walk.
Open our Google Maps listing for turn-by-turn directions to 1800 SW 152nd St #202, Burien, WA 98166. Lake Burien sits just east of the office, and Sylvester Middle School is a short distance east of the neighborhood. Families along the shore in Three Tree Point and to the south in Normandy Park reach us on similar local roads.
A Neighborhood Practice for Gregory Heights Households
Gregory Heights is one of the City of Burien's neighborhoods in King County, with Puget Sound to the west and Maplewild Ave SW curving down toward the Three Tree Point shore. It has few big-name landmarks, so most people know it by its public school, Gregory Heights Elementary, part of Highline Public Schools. That school-day rhythm shapes how local families use a dental office.
Short trips matter when a child complains of a sore tooth at breakfast or a parent wants a cleaning between drop-off and work. Our office is small on purpose, which allows one-on-one attention and visits with little waiting. You will also see the same friendly faces at each appointment, and for a nervous child that familiarity goes a long way.
Parents often book their own cleaning in the same morning as a child's checkup, so one trip up 21st Ave SW covers the household. Because we are this close, a follow-up visit for a filling rarely means more than a few minutes away from home. That convenience makes it easier to keep everyone on schedule.
What Gregory Heights Parents Should Know About Young Teeth
Baby teeth matter more than many parents expect. They hold space for the adult teeth that follow, so a neglected cavity in a primary molar can cause trouble for the permanent tooth behind it. Early visits let Dr. Lam spot decay, bite issues and gum concerns while they are still small.
The technology in our office suits young patients well. CariVu cavity detection finds decay early without radiation, and when x-rays are needed they are digital, which means less radiation. Intraoral cameras let your child see the same picture of a tooth that Dr. Lam sees, and that often turns a worried kid into a curious one.
Playground falls and bike spills are part of growing up in any neighborhood. A small chip in a front tooth can often be rebuilt with dental bonding that matches the shade of the tooth. As students move on to Sylvester Middle School, sports and snacking habits change, and regular checkups help keep pace with those changes.
Family Care from a Dentist Near Gregory Heights
Pediatric Dentistry
Infants, school-age kids and teens all see Dr. Lam for gentle exams and plenty of explanation along the way. Prevention and education come first, so Gregory Heights kids learn habits that protect their teeth between visits.
Preventative Dentistry
Cleanings and exams form the base of every family member's care plan. Our hygienist shows kids and adults the spots their toothbrush tends to miss, and small issues stay small.
Emergency Dentistry
A severe toothache, a cracked tooth or a tooth knocked loose on the playground calls for a quick phone call to our office. Our team will talk you through first steps, such as a cold compress for swelling, while you arrange to come in.
Sedation Dentistry
Dr. Lam offers nitrous oxide and oral sedation to patients of all ages. A child who dreads the dentist, or a parent who does, can relax through a filling instead of bracing for it.
Restorative Dentistry
Fillings and crowns repair teeth worn down by cavities or cracked by an unlucky bite. Parents who have put off their own repairs while the kids came first can catch up close to home.
Meet Your Dentist
Dr. Vincent Lam chose dentistry after shadowing his own childhood dentist and earning his x-ray license in college, so he knows how much a good early experience counts. He builds trusting relationships with patients of all ages and explains each finding in plain language before any work begins. Kids get the same honest explanation as their parents, pitched at a level they can follow.
Insurance & Financing
Families without dental insurance can join our in-house Wellness Plan, priced at $349 a year for a child under 12 and $549 for an adult. For larger treatment, CareCredit offers low or no-interest payment plans that spread the cost over time. If you do have a PPO plan, our office accepts most of them, though Dr. Lam is out of network, and our team submits the claims for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Seahurst Smiles of Burien from Gregory Heights, and how do I get there?
Our office is about 0.9 miles from Gregory Heights Elementary, roughly a 3-minute drive. Take 19th Ave SW north, SW 159th St west, 21st Ave SW north and SW 152nd St east to 18th Ave SW. Parents who want a dentist near Gregory Heights can also walk those streets in about 19 minutes, with no highway on the way.
Can my child have a checkup before school starts?
Yes, weekday appointments begin at 8:00 AM, which gives many families time for a cleaning and exam before class. Visits are efficient with little waiting, and new-patient forms can be emailed or texted to you ahead of time. Booking a few weeks out makes it easier to land the early slot that fits your child's school calendar.
Is there a dental plan for kids if we don't have insurance?
Yes. For $349 a year, a child under 12 gets two cleanings, a full exam and every x-ray Dr. Lam needs to diagnose a problem, plus two fluoride treatments. If something goes wrong between checkups, limited and emergency visits are part of the plan, and needed treatment is 10% off for the year. It doesn't stack with insurance or other offers.
My child's adult tooth got knocked out. What do I do first?
Call our office right away, and keep the tooth moist in milk or saline while you do. Press clean gauze gently on the spot to slow any bleeding, and hold a cold compress on the cheek if it starts to swell. Bring the tooth with you, because the faster it is examined, the better the outlook.
Can nitrous oxide help a nervous child get through a filling?
Yes, nitrous oxide is one of the two sedation options Dr. Lam offers patients of all ages. It flows through a small nose mask, your child stays awake, and the effect wears off within minutes after the mask comes off. Comfort extras such as warm blankets and headrests help many young patients settle in, too.
Schedule Your Visit from Gregory Heights
Booking with a dentist near Gregory Heights is easy: phone (206) 222-4109 during office hours, or request an appointment online. See every community we welcome on our areas we serve page, or visit our Dentist Burien, WA homepage to learn more about the practice. We look forward to meeting your whole family.