Dr. Erika knew it was her mission in life to be a care provider. As a teen, she wanted to be a veterinarian, but due a traumatizing experience, decided kids dentistry sounded more fun! Starting as a dental "Ninja,” while training to be a dental assistant, she attended Lansing Community College to become a registered dental hygienist. It took less than a month as an RDH when she declared, "I want to be the dentist!” In addition to getting married and starting a family, Erika went back to college, followed by dental school. She graduated from University of Michigan's School of Dentistry with an additional year of General Practice Residency (with an emphasis in treating special needs patients in the OR) and, finally, completed her Pediatric Residency at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, where she served as chief resident. After her formal education, Dr. Erika moved, along with her husband and her two marvelous boys, to Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula to serve as the only full-service pediatric dental office. She worked alongside her mentor, Dr. Jim Hayward, at the Marquette Community Health Department Clinic for one year, before realizing her dream, and opened her own pediatric dental practice, on July 14, 2008. Giving to those in need, Dr. Erika has volunteered for multiple medical / dental trips to Honduras, the Commonwealth of Dominica, and Alaska Area Native Health Services; and has been actively involved with Special Olympics for 22 years as a counselor, gymnastics coach, ski coach, and a Special Olympics: Special Smiles care provider. Dr. Erika loves to rescue boxers, pick rocks (always looking for the ‘perfect agate’ along the shores of Lake Superior), garden, read historical novels, practice yoga, and is working to restore a dilapidated Victorian home back to its former glory.
