A Tried-and-True Approach
As more dental practices become corporatized and driven primarily by profit, Harris Family Dentistry’s brand of personalized, patient-first care resonates with a growing community.
by Matt Cosentino

Growing up as the son of a dentist gave Jared Harris, D.M.D., a firsthand look at the traditional model of medicine, in which private practices were prevalent and patients formed meaningful, long-term relationships with their doctors. Recently, however, the industry has seen a significant shift in which independent offices are getting scooped up by large corporations driven more by profit than personalized care.
 
Needless to say, Dr. Harris remains partial to the “old way” of doing things.
 
At Harris Family Dentistry, the Malvern practice Dr. Harris founded five years ago, quality remains more important than quantity; patients never feel like they are being rushed out the door without having their concerns addressed, and treatment options are tailored to each person’s unique needs. As the medical landscape continues to change around him, Dr. Harris believes there is still a place for this type of dentistry. The rising number of people seeking out his practice seems to confirm that notion.
 
“A lot of patients who end up in my office have been tainted by the bad experiences they’ve had elsewhere,” he says. “I’m told all the time that they appreciate the time they get to spend with me and they feel like they’re actually heard. They feel like they’re not being pushed one way or another into a procedure that wasn’t thoroughly explained or that they didn’t really have a chance to think about.
 
“Our approach gives me the opportunity to focus on what a patient really needs and not what an insurance company is willing to pay for,” he continues. “We definitely put patients’ needs first and try not to oversell dentistry.”
 
Harris Family Dentistry provides general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry to patients of all ages. Services include regular cleanings and exams, dental implants, smile makeovers, veneers, root canals, teeth whitening, and orthodontic clear aligners. 
 
Being so accessible and comprehensive allows patients who have established a comfort level with Dr. Harris to receive treatment for complex procedures, rather than be sent to a specialist they don’t know in a different office. To that end, Dr. Harris constantly seeks more knowledge and new tools to add to his toolbox.
 
“We’re all required to do continuing education, but I view it as a way to reinvest in being able to offer my patients more,” he says. “I don’t view continuing education as a box I have to check every couple of years to renew my license; I look at it as an opportunity to grow individually and also be able to give my patients better outcomes.”
 
Just because his patient-centric approach is old-fashioned doesn’t mean his office is. Technology is rapidly transforming the way dentistry is practiced, and Dr. Harris embraces the changes while making sure he researches each new advancement.
 
“I think there’s a lot of glitz and glam to some of it, so I like to figure out if it truly offers my patients better outcomes or is just another shiny toy to have in the office,” he says. “If it gives my patients a better outcome, then it’s worth me investing in. That’s always what drives me.”
 
Dr. Harris describes himself as a “conservationist,” with a dental philosophy centered around minimally invasive procedures that preserve a patient’s natural tooth structure. In a corporate practice, practitioners might lean in a certain direction because of insurance requirements, though those solutions tend to be shortsighted.
 
His approach blends tried-and-true methods with modern convenience, always emphasizing the long-term impact.
 
“For me, success is keeping someone’s natural tooth in their mouth for as long as possible,” he says. “Other dentists might view success as their filling lasting 30 years, but what happens at that point? If the whole tooth completely fails as a result, now we’re talking about extraction and implant, and then we’ve lost what nature gave us.”
 
Dr. Harris’ father, Jeffrey S. Harris, D.M.D., has retired from dentistry but is just a phone call away whenever his son needs career or clinical advice. Dr. Harris has already built a similar practice to the one his dad operated years ago in Kennett Square, and he has no plans on changing even as his reputation grows.
 
“I want to get more patients in the practice who truly value this kind of concierge model, because I think more and more of the Main Line is getting fed up with what’s happening,” he says. “Corporate is taking over practices that for years had the model that I have built, and people are waking up to the fact that they’re seeing somebody new every six months. Or the dentist they met and liked was there for two years and moved on. There’s this lack of continuity of care.
 
“My team is just as important as I am as far as patients’ experience in our office,” he continues. “I want people who come in, even though they might not be thrilled to be at the dentist’s office, to be at peace seeing the same familiar faces and knowing there’s not going to be a change to what they’re used to. The premise of our practice is being able to give that very personalized and individualized care.”
 
Harris Family Dentistry
22A Mystic Lane
Malvern, PA 19355
(484) 874-5050
harrisfamilydentist.com
 
Photo by Jody Robinson
 
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, April 2026
 

View PDF Version