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meet doctor harding

James J. Harding, DDS

Founder, Harding Dental Center

Clinical Instructor, Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies
Voted “Vail Valley’s Best Dentist” by Readers of the Vail Daily


A quest for new adventures brought Jim to the Rocky Mountains in 1998, where he founded the Harding Dental Center in Avon, Colorado. He built this practice on a forward-thinking philosophy -- educate patients about the full-range of options so they can make smart decisions about their dental care. The Harding Dental Center offers a full continuum of care, from basic preventative dentistry to confidence-building cosmetic procedures and complex restorations. With the support of a talented team behind him, Dr. Harding has repeatedly been recognized as “Vail Valley’s Best Dentist.” The US Ski Team and US Snowboard Team have selected Dr. Harding as an official medical provider.

highly trained, still learning

Keeping his skills current is a high priority. Dr. Harding earns an average of 200 Continuing Education credits a year, well-beyond professional requirements. He was one of the first graduates of the Full Mouth Reconstruction program at the prestigious Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI). Currently, there are fewer than one hundred dentists in the country trained in these procedures to restore a patient's smile to its natural form by correcting crooked or missing teeth, gaps, discoloration, alignment and other symptoms. Patients travel from all over to engage his restoration services, whether medically-necessary or elective.

Investments in technology also keep Jim’s practice ahead of the rest. While many dentists send patients to other professionals for various procedures, Dr. Harding’s team can perform end-to-end dental restorations in their offices.

Jim is a highly-regarded Clinical Instructor at LVI and has taught dentistry’s most advanced procedures to dentists around the world, including: 
  • Full Mouth Reconstruction; 
  • Coronoplasty and Case Finishing;
  • Comprehensive Aesthetic Reconstruction; 
  • Advanced Occlusal Restorative Principles; 
  • Advanced Adhesive Aesthetic Dentistry;
  • Advanced Functional Aesthetic Dentistry; and  
  • Advanced Functional Restorative Dentistry.

Dr. Harding also shares his expertise through articles, BLOGs and presentations on a wide range of topics ranging from modern day nutrition and the growing need for orthodontics, to oral cancer screening and dental remedies for sleep apnea.

He is past president of the International Academy of Comprehensive Aesthetics and is a member of numerous professional organizations including the American Dental Association, The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, The Colorado Dental Society, The American Academy of General Dentistry and the International College of Cranio-Mandibular Orthopedics. He has also served as a facilitator for the North Carolina Alliance for the Preservation of Private Care and is a graduate and presenter at the Schuster Center for Professional Development.

Jim originally hails from the Southeast where he competed as a ski racer before attending University of North Carolina School of Dentistry on a full scholarship. Upon graduation, he set up his first dental practice at the age of 25.

Outside the office, Jim enjoys the high-energy Colorado lifestyle, skiing, hiking and biking with his wife, two daughters and their dog.