Dr. Aarika Anderson

A South Puget Sound native, Dr. Anderson was raised in Lakewood, Washington, and graduated from Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma.  She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from California Lutheran University in 2005, prior to attending A.T. Still University- Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, where she obtained her Doctor of Dental Medicine and a Certificate of Dental Public Health in 2009.

Dr. Anderson completed her pediatric dental residency through NYU Langone-Yakima in 2018. She followed this training with a LEND Fellowship through the University of Washington, gaining the skills to better serve pediatric patients with special healthcare needs and their families. Dr. Anderson is actively involved with the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Program as a Special Smiles Clinical Director.

Dr. Anderson has a passion for advocacy, improving efficacy of healthcare delivery and access to care.  Prior to becoming a pediatric dentist, she spent almost a decade providing comprehensive dental care in a community health setting to underserved populations, including large migrant, immigrant and refugee populations. She continues her passion for providing care to underserved populations by also working as a pediatric dentist at the Puyallup Tribal Health Authority treating American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/IN) populations.

A Board Certified Pediatric Dentist, Dr. Anderson is a member of national, state and regional dental societies and served as the Western Society of Pediatric Dentistry Leadership Intern for 2018-2019. We are proud that Dr. Anderson was also nominated to the Board of the Washington State Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

Dr. Anderson is married to her (almost) high school sweetheart, Ryan, and together they have two young children. She is the oldest of four girls and is very close with her sisters. She loves cooking, canning, gardening, Oregon football, audiobooks, travelling and spending time with her family.