Dr. Erin Shah is our in-house dentist for kids at our local South San Francisco office. A trained ballet dancer, Dr. Erin is as light on her hands as she is on her feet. As a pedodontist, she is especially skilled at tip toeing around fussy and scared kids to get their smiles in tip top shape. Parents appreciate her focus on prevention and education to help kids stay on a path of good oral hygiene for life.
Background
Dr. Erin Shah was born and raised in the Midwest and spent her childhood in South Dakota and Wisconsin. She moved to Chicago for college where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Design. She worked in several managerial and consulting roles before she discovered her passion for dentistry while managing board examinations for the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. While completing post-baccalaureate pre-dental training at Loyola University Chicago, she worked at a busy pediatric dental office where she discovered her love of working with kids. She knew then that she wanted to be a pediatric dentist.
Education
Dr. Shah moved to San Francisco to earn her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry (UOP). After graduating dental school, she took a year to practice general and esthetic dentistry and teach, staying on at UOP to teach restorative dentistry, clinical examinations, and local anesthesia. She also worked doing children’s dentistry at community clinics in Oakland and Marin County and served on several committees with the San Francisco Dental Society and California Dental Association.
Dr. Shah returned to Chicago to complete her pediatric dentistry residency training at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she worked with children with autism, complex medical conditions, and severe dental needs. She returned to San Francisco to practice and is a candidate for Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. She remains active on committees with local and state organized dentistry.
Commitment to Service
Dr. Erin shares our commitment to giving back to our community. She chaired UOP’s student involvement in CDA Cares where she initiated and coordinated the largest volunteer effort in the history of her dental school, gathering over 160 students to provide free dental care at semi-annual CDA Cares events. In addition, Dr. Shah has volunteered her time providing dental care to children in Illinois, various other organizations in the Bay Area, and internationally, including for a tribe in Fiji. Currently, she is a member of the CDA's Government Affairs Council, working with a broad coalition of dentists and health providers pushing for California legislation to reduce the consumption of sugary drinks in an effort to combat childhood dental decay and obesity.
Dr. Shah lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter. Dr. Shah has enjoyed all types of dance since she was a young girl, having studied ballet, tap, and various ethnic dances, including Bhangra, a lively Indian dance. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking together, playing board games, reading and travelling.
Schedule Your Child's Appointment Today
After 1 years old or within 6 months of your child's first tooth eruption, you should bring them in for their first dental visit. Dr. Erin can give you tips and advice on keeping your child's teeth healthy. It will also help your child get used to coming to a dentist and learning not to fear the dentist. Scheduling an appointment is easy with our online booking tool or by giving us a call at (650) 273-4323.
