Dr. Virk earned his Dental Degree from the University of Pennsylvania Dental School in 1998 and called Pacific Northwest home! After running a very busy Family and Cosmetic Dental Group Practice for six years, Dr. Virk decided to pursue his dream as an Orthodontist. He completed his advanced postdoctoral training at Boston University, where he received his Orthodontic Degree and a Master of Science in Dentistry. He returned to Washington State in 2006 and started his orthodontic career.
With the cosmetic and general dentistry background Dr. Virk has a unique prospective of addressing the orthodontic needs of his patients. He works very closely with general and cosmetic dentists, as well as other dental specialists, in order to provide personalized orthodontic care for both children and adults. He also has special interest in TMJ dysfunctions and sleep apnea.
Dr. Virk is very active regarding orthodontic research and strives to keep updated with the latest advances in orthodontics. He accumulates over 200 hours of continuing education hours per year. Dr. Virk is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists, the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists, the World Federation of Orthodontists, the American Dental Association, the Washington State Dental Society, the King County Dental Society and the Interdisciplinary Study Group Northwest.
Dr. Basma Tamasas was born and raised in Libya, where she completed her dental degree at the University of Benghazi. She then moved with her husband and 2 children to the US where she earned a clinical certificate and a masters degree in Orofacial Pain, sleep, and Temporomandibular Disorders at Tufts University. She then moved to Washington State where she earned her PhD completing extensive research in children with cleft lip and palate as well as children with sleep disorders at the University of Washington (UW) and Seattle Childrens Hospital (SCH). She stayed at UW and SCH for another 2 years as a postdoctoral fellow at the Craniofacial Center, pediatric department. She then pursued her dream of becoming an orthodontist and earned her orthodontic and masters degree in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics at Boston University.
Dr. Tamasas brings over 15 years of professional dental experience. During her studies at Tufts University and the UW, she received several awards including the best research award from the American Association of Dental research. She is an active member of numerous professional associations. She has published several peer-reviewed articles in the leading journals in the field, including the Journal of Dental Research. She also published several abstracts in major conference proceedings, including the International Association of Dental Research Conference. Her work has been cited several times by researchers from all over the world and is now being translated to clinical study with a goal to implement new guidelines for the dental care of children with craniofacial conditions in the US and worldwide.
Dr. Tamasas is committed to providing excellent orthodontic care for all of her patients. She believes the integration of research evidence, clinical expertise, and technological advances allow for her to provide the finest care her patients deserve. In her free time, Dr. Tamasas loves being outside camping, hiking, and traveling with her family.
We recognize that all of our patients are unique and deserve to receive orthodontic care that reflects their individual needs. Our experienced and talented team is committed to working with you and your family to create a comfortable, stress-free, and rewarding orthodontic experience every time you visit our practice. We are pleased to welcome you and your family, and we look forward to working with you.
Hi, my name is Valentina. I'm a Scheduling Coordinator at Pacific Northwest Orthodontics. I'm Cambodian & Chinese but more fluent in Cambodian.This is my first year being in the orthodontic field. I love being a part of this amazing team and being the front face of the office when you first walk in. I'm currently pursuing my AA degree in medical coding and then looking to transfer to a University. Outside of work I have a busy life of being a mom to my 3 boys. They are my everything! Aside from being a mom I love shopping, hanging out with family and friends and I'm always down to have a good time.
Hi my name is Kristi! Ive had the pleasure of being an assistant in the Dental world since 1994, I started in pediatrics for the first 2 years and ventured to orthodontics in 1996. I recently moved from the assistant position which I loved, to now welcoming our new patients as your Treatment Coordinator! I love seeing smile transformations, and getting to know so many amazing families! I look forward to all the new faces I am honored to welcome into our ortho family! In my spare time I enjoy, hiking, fitness/lifting weights, kayaking, camping and any time with friends and family! My Husband and I have two adult boys and one grandson and they are our world!
What I enjoy the most about my job is seeing our patients smile and confidence improve so much as they progress through treatment. It is truly amazing the leap and bounds that technology has made since I have been in this field, that make treatment so much easier for the patients. There is no better time than now to have teeth straighten with all the options to choose from. Hope to meet you all soon!!
Hi my name is Lana . I have been orthodontics assistant for past 5 years. I love my job . The best part of my job is seeing patients transition from being overly shy and insecure about their smiles to having an undeniable confidence and wanting to smile all the time. It is incredible to know that when patients have completed their treatment and their self-confidence has increased because of their new smile, I have played a part in the process. I feel very fortunate that my work allows me to see these changes in our amazing patients and it means I go home in the evening feeling happy. In my personal life, I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and 4 beautiful kids.
Hi, my name is Renee! I have been in the dental field for over 13 years! I started assisting with general dentistry but over the years have also assisted in Pedo, Endo & Oral Surgery. It wasnt until about 6 years when I found my true loveORTHO!!! I love the mechanics, the improvisation and the amount of thought that goes into planning every single detail with orthodontics which then translates into a beautiful smile! It brings me great joy to be a part of a patients life changing journey, to help affect change! I have 2 crazy, loving boyswe all enjoy swimming, listening to music and watching anime.
Hi my name is Dena, I have been an Orthodontic Assistant for a little over a year now and am loving every moment (: I am from Dallas, TX and moved to Washington in 2021. Growing up, having braces really boosted my confidence, I am now able to help our patients achieve the same amazing experience that I had. In my free time I enjoy going to the gym, hiking, listening to music and traveling! In the future I would love to become an Orthodontist such as Dr. Tamasas and Dr Virk.
Welcome to Pacific Northwest Orthodontics.We offer a unique orthodontic experience that is fun, affordable, interactive, and effective. Combining the right mix of personal care, high technology, and continuing education, we maintain a commitment to our patients in every facet of orthodontics. We offer a wide range of braces tomeet the needs and desires of each individual patient, including Invisalign clear aligners and ceramic braces. Our office is equipeped with state-of-the-art technology to help our patients receive safe, predictable and effective care.
We are proud to have offered outstanding orthodontic care for patients of all ages, including children, teens, and adults from Tacoma, Lakewood, Fircrest, University Place, Puyallup, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and the greater Pierce county area since 1994.
The staff at Pacific Northwest Orthodontics will welcome you as part of our orthodontic family. Our vision is to be the top choice for patients who desire high-quality, progressive orthodontic care in a family friendly environment.
Your thoughts and comments are very important to us, and we appreciate any time you take to let us know how we may provide better service, or, who did a particularly nice job of meeting your needs today.
We are proud that many patients and local dentists from not only Tacoma, Federal Way, and Tukwila but throughout western Washington refer to us. As a result we have many patients that travel from Auburn in South King County; Tumwater, Lacey, and Olympia in Thurston county; Aberdeen, Montesano, and Elma in Grays Harbor county; Bremerton, Silverdale, Pt. Orchard, and Poulsbo in Kitsap county; Shelton, Allyn, and Belfair in Mason county; Pt. Townsend in Jefferson county, and we even have multiple patients who come all the way from Forks, Sequim, and Pt. Angeles!