My Kids Smile

My Kids Smile - Pediatric dentist in Reno, NV
5030 Las Brisas Blvd b3, Reno, NV 89523
Open
Closes at 5:00pm
SundayClosed
Monday8:00am - 5:00pm
Tuesday8:00am - 5:00pm
WednesdayClosed
ThursdayClosed
Friday8:00am - 5:00pm
SaturdayClosed
My Kids Smile - Pediatric dentist in Reno, NV

While I was born in San Diego, my family moved to Reno when I was five so, I consider Reno my home. I attended the University of Nevada, Reno for my undergraduate education and then moved to San Francisco to attend the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry. In dental school, I quickly realized that treating children was my passion and I decided to specialize in pediatric dentistry. I completed my pediatric residency with Lutheran Medical Center at Rady Childrens Hospital in San Diego, as the Chief Resident.

While in dental school, I married my best friend, Amy. Together, we love to go hiking, spend time at the lake, and go to Disneyland. I also enjoy photography and playing music on the drums and guitar.

I am proud to be a diplomat of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. I am also a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association, and the University of the Pacific Alumni Pediatric Chapter. To ensure that my treatment methods are the most current, I attend continuing education courses at both the local and national levels.

My Kids Smile - Pediatric dentist in Reno, NV

I was born in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico. That makes Spanish my first language; I earned my first dental degree in 1988 at the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico, in Mexico City. I met my husband, Michael, a native Nevadan who loves hunting and came to the USA in 1991. We have two children, Tony, who is a student at UNR and Selena, who is finishing eighth grade. I got my second dental degree at the University of the Pacific A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, in 2003 and I have been working with children my whole career.

I go back to Mexico every year to visit my family. We go swimming in the ocean and love the beach! We enjoy the outdoors, camping with family and friends, swimming in the lakes, kayaking, paddle boarding or just simply taking our three dogs, Duke, Bullet and Milo, for a walk. My favorite food? You guessed it, Mexican!

I am a member of the American Dental Association, Northern Nevada Dental Society, Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Academy of General Dentistry, and the International Association of Comprehensive Aesthetics. I keep my knowledge and skills up to date by attending educational courses every year.

The thing I love most about pediatric dentistry is that it is never boring! Kids are so honest and unpredictable. Each day of work is fun, different, and refreshing. Just as each child is unique, every family is unique as well. I take pride in getting to know my patients and their families so that I can deliver a personalized approach to dental care that meets each familys individual needs. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and attended the University of California, San Diego for my undergraduate education. After college, I interned at the office of my childhood pediatric dentist and fell in love with working with children. I obtained my DDS degree at UCLA and completed the Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry Program at the University of Southern California (USC) and Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA). During my training at CHLA, I exclusively treated children with medically and behaviorally complex issues; because of this, I have a particular passion in treating children with special needs.

I am new to the Reno area, but my husband has lived in Reno for the past 7 years. We love trying new restaurants and traveling to visit our friends and family. We are both California born-and-bred, so we like to keep warm during the winter, but once the sun is out, our favorite thing to do is to visit Lake Tahoe.

My Kids Smile - Pediatric dentist in Reno, NV

I grew up just outside San Diego, CA and lived there until going to college at Brigham Young University. After college I attended dental school at the Ohio State University and discovered that working with the kids was exciting; it brought me a lot of joy and satisfaction. Following dental school I moved to Arizona and completed a two-year specialty program in pediatric dentistry.

Along the way my wife, Brooke, and I grew a family. We now have five children and enjoy raising them here in Reno, where Brooke grew up herself. In our free time, youll probably find us doing yard work, hiking a trail, swimming at Tahoe, or skiing at Mt. Rose. And when I have nothing else to do, I love to draw, paint, garden, and bike.

As part of my continuing education, I am a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists, and the Northern Nevada Dental Society.Additionally, I recently became a diplomat of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. I also attend national and local classes to stay atop the ever changing field of dentistry.

My goal is to make coming to the dentist fun. I hope that by providing a great experience and teaching kids how to successfully take care of their teeth, we can set them up with lives filled with healthy teeth and happy dental visits.

During my time as a general dentist, I saw many patients who had fears and anxiety about the dentist that started due to their childhood experiences. This prevented them from getting the dental care they needed and impacted the quality of their lives greatly. I decided to become a pediatric dentist in order to help children through their childhood with happy memories of the dentist so that they continue to care for their teeth and enjoy going to the dentist even when they become adults.

Dr. Duffy was adopted from South Korea when he was six months old and was raised in Modesto, CA. He later attended UC Santa Barbara where he earned his B.S. in Biological Sciences. Soon after, Dr. Duffy attended the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco. He then moved to Tucson, AZ where he completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry. This is where Dr. Duffy found his passion for working with children. He then returned to Tucson for two more years where he trained to become a pediatric dentist. Dr. Duffy is part of the Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and he is also board certified with the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

During my free time, I love to spend it with family and friends. My wife and I enjoy outdoor activities such as fishing, golfing, paintballing, and hiking; which is why the Northern Nevada area was somewhere we wanted to settle. I also enjoy playing board games, video games, and watching movies. Another huge passion that I have is eating. I love trying new foods and expanding my views and knowledge of the world through it.

Working with children has always been passion of mine. Having the opportunity to provide dental care in a fun and energetic atmosphere brings me so much joy (you may even catch me singing a line or two!). I believe every child is special and I love building unique relationships with each family.

I grew up in the small town of Valley Springs, California, located in the foothills outside of Sacramento. I attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and graduated with a degree in Biology and a minor in Biotechnology. After college I obtained my DDS degree at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, graduating with honors. While in dental school, I served as a student delegate for the California Dental Association for three years. Following graduation, I completed a two-year pediatric residency program through the Lutheran Medical Center in conjunction with Rady Childrens Hospital in San Diego.

Enjoying an active lifestyle is very important to me and I love exploring the great outdoors. Some of my favorite hobbies include kayaking, cooking, skiing and baseball (go Giants!). My fianc and I are excited to have recently relocated to Reno and look forward to becoming active members of the community!

Hobbies:Cooking, baking, camping, spending time with family. Favorite thing about MKS?The people I work with, and how the company is managed. I also enjoy working with children. Family:Daughter Andrea, Son Victor. How long have you lived in Reno?51 years.

Hobbies:Camping, spending time with family and friends and watching my son play soccer. Favorite thing about MKS? I truly enjoy working with children and serving our community. I also have an amazing team which I consider family. Family:I am married with two children. How long have you lived in Reno?Born and raised in Sparks, NV. Anything else?I have worked in pediatric dentistry since 1999 and cant imagine doing anything else.

Hobbies:Gardening, hiking. Favorite thing about MKS?Happy, excited kids. Family:Husband Joe, kids Alisa, Joe and Blake. Dog, Radar. How long have you lived in Reno?20+ years Anything Else? I love watching my kids excel at their passions: choir, football, baseball, ROTC, art and wrestling.

Hobbies:Adult slow pitch softball, camping, traveling. Favorite thing about MKS?The people I work with and my patients. Family: 2 younger brothers. How long have you lived in Reno?35 years. Anything Else? I love working with kids.

Hobbies:Dancing, going to Mexican Rodeos, spontaneous road trips. Favorite thing about MKS? My whole team from the doctor to the patients. Family:Family of two How long have you lived in Reno?17 years

Hobbies: Classic cars and sprint car racing Favorite thing about MKS? The peoplethat I work with and our patients are amazing! Family: Husband, daughter and a kitty named Tigger How long have you lived in Reno? 16 years

Hobbies: I love to sing, read, and write (blogger) Favorite thing about MKS? My favorite thing about MKS is the amazing staff, doctors, and the families we get to see everyday. Family: I am married, and we have a beautiful little girl who is our world. How long have you lived in Reno? I am a true Nevadan, born and raised! #BattleBorn

Hobbies: Camping, reading, movies, spending time with family and friends, anything outdoors. Favorite thing about MKS? The amazing staff Family: Daughter, Emma (19) and Son, Sawyer (15) How long have you lived in Reno? 50 years

Hobbies: Biking, Cooking, Hiking Favorite thing about MKS: Our Doctors, Our Staff, love to work at My Kids Smile! Family: Mom of 3 handsome boys love my boys! How long have you lived in Reno? Since January of 1997!

Hobbies: Love getting my nails done, spending time with my fur babies and family, enjoy traveling to unique places and trying new food places! Favorite thing about MKS: Being able to grow and do what I love in helping people is everything I love and my manager, Krysi! Family: 2 beautiful trained fur babies and boyfriend of 8 years. How long have you lived in Reno? Since I was 12 years old, Im 23 now!

Hobbies: Being outside at the lake, camping, hiking, etc. Hanging out with family and brunching with my bestfriends. Favorite thing about MKS: Interacting with the kids to make their experience memorable and fun. The awesome team and Doctor. Family:Two sisters, my mom who is my bestfriend, Prince charming and my 8 year old step son. How long have you lived in Reno? Born and raised, 27 years.

Hobbies:Hiking, playing soccer, hanging out with my family. Favorite thing about MKS?I love helping and working with kids. As well as working with everyone, literally my second family. Family: I have 1 baby boy. How long have you lived in Reno? Born and raised.

Hobbies: Hiking, camping/lake, hanging out with my dog nemo. Favorite thing about MKS: friendly environment, care for patients. Family:Mom Robin, Dad Clyde, Sister Renee, Dog Nemo. How long have you lived in Reno? 21 years.

Reviews

Rating 4.9 out of 5 based on 139 reviews

Sort by

newest oldest highest lowest

Shelby Clark
a year ago
Super great! My kid is getting used to going there and looks forward to going. Super crazy amazing! Love the staff and the building.


Vanessa Olivares
a year ago
I love Dr Emily! She so great with my kiddos!


Courtney Diez
a year ago
My son has been cared for with much detail. I trust my doctor for him, she's quick and efficient. They are so accommodating to my son because he is a loud crier and they just smile so positively and I don't feel embarrassed!! thank you so much everyone, God bless you!


Karen Obrien
a year ago
Very professional and nice


MAYRA GARCIA
a year ago
Great staff and very patient with our kiddos.


Caden & Celeste Taylor
a year ago
The visit was great with the dentist. She was super friendly and made my daughter happy to be there. I am a little frustrated with the insurance team. They couldn't get ahold of the insurance company to verify information and didn't call me to let me know this info. I didn't find out until I was there for my daughters appointment.


Kat Kuhlman
a year ago
Staff was super friendly! My daughter is nervous around new people so she was scared and the staff treated her super nice and handled her crying.


Hildin S
2 years ago
Great team, great service, akways friendly !


Jess K
2 years ago
Always friendly and knowledgeable staff :)


Hugh Mungus
2 years ago
Super easy place to go to. The kids love it and are always so well behaved. This is the most kid friendly dentist in town. They even have the best prizes for the kids after. The dentist and staff will even sing to my kiddos to help them feel more comfortable.


Carrie Allard
2 years ago
They were excellent with our son whom has a lot of anxiety about dental work. A positive experience for him even with fillings.


Adina Pearl
2 years ago
Great staff!!! They are patient and kind. The facility is well cleaned and organized.


Shelby Clark
2 years ago
Super great! My kid is getting used to going there and looks forward to going. Super crazy amazing! Love the staff and the building.


Paulene Cabrera
2 years ago
When we were visiting NV from CA for the 4th weekend. We had an emergency dental visit for my 2yo son. The staff were amazing, warm, courteous and kind. They made my child feel comfortable during his whole visit. Dr. Vaccarezza is great with young children and is very knowledgeable . My son immediately warmed up to her quickly. I wish we lived closer so we can have them as our regular pediatric dentist. To be honest, I might consider driving 4hrs just to bring my kids here! They accept Delta Dental California. I highly recommend them!


Roshell Summerville
2 years ago
I'm so satisfied with this dentist office. Everyone there is so kind, humble, and helpful. My son loves going here. We look forward to his appointments. They make sure we leave happy every time. Awesome staff. Highly recommended.


Heidi Lynne
2 years ago
I love this office. Her Dr. is always so friendly and upbeat and you can tell she really cares about the children. It's always a pleasant experience when we come here. Not to mention they have Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) to help reduce the stress of the dental work.


Josh Raggon
2 years ago
These guys are great. Very friendly, thorough, and patient with my son. He's only 3 and scared of doctors and dentists in general so I'm always amazed that they are able to get him to cooperate but they do for the most part. They stick with it and manage to look in his mouth and give him the proper care that's necessary.


Carol Iman
2 years ago
A very caring staff and top notch dental care.


Fallen Sunset
2 years ago
Staff and Dentist were fantastic to my 3 babies today! Definitely recommend, especially if you have smaller children that might be scared!!


Krystyn Iokia
2 years ago
The most patient dental staff I have ever encountered in all my 19 years of taking children to the dentist. They are fantastic, knowledgeable, patient, clean, friendly, professional, and did a comprehensive exam. I highly recommend them.


Load more
Find the best dentist in: Nevada / Washoe County / Reno / 89523