Dr. Nikki Shafiei is a board-certified pediatric dentist and the heart of Smile Arc Pediatric Dentistry in San Diego. A Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry with more than a decade of experience, Dr. Nikki has built her career around one belief: that a child’s earliest dental visits should be gentle, positive, and empowering. She cares for families across 4S Ranch, Rancho Bernardo, and North County, and she has a special gift for helping anxious children and kids with complex needs feel safe in the chair.
Meet Dr. Nikki
Dr. Nikki’s path to pediatric dentistry began with a fascination for how the body grows and heals. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences before completing her Doctor of Dental Surgery in 2011, then went on to a two-year hospital-based residency in pediatric dentistry. During that training she took hospital calls, responding to everything from chipped teeth to serious dental trauma, experience that sharpened both her clinical skill and her calm under pressure.
What keeps her passionate is the moment a nervous child realizes they can do this. Her favorite part of the job, in her own words, is seeing the pride a child gains after learning to cope with a situation that once felt scary.
Board Certification and Hospital Privileges
Dr. Nikki is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, the highest credential in the specialty, earned by pediatric dentists who complete rigorous board examinations and commit to ongoing excellence. She also holds privileges in the Department of Surgery, Division of Dentistry at Rady Children’s Hospital of San Diego, where she treats young children, kids with special healthcare needs, and complex cases both in the office and in the operating room.
She stays current by regularly attending continuing-education lectures on the latest research and techniques in children’s dentistry.
Her Approach to Patient Care
Dr. Nikki treats the whole child. She is especially experienced with very young children, children with special healthcare needs, and kids whose care benefits from a calm, individualized plan. She partners closely with parents, explains everything in plain language, and focuses on building the kind of positive early experiences that turn into a lifelong commitment to oral health. Her care also anchors the practice’s airway-focused approach, where healthy growth and development matter as much as healthy teeth.
Beyond the Office
Dr. Nikki gives back to her community, volunteering her time to help children who may not otherwise have access to a pediatric dental home. As a parent herself, she genuinely looks forward to meeting your children and watching them grow alongside her own kids.
Schedule With Dr. Nikki
Dr. Nikki and our team would love to welcome your family to Smile Arc Pediatric Dentistry. New patients are always welcome.
Call (858) 277-8086 or request an appointment online.
Smile Arc Pediatric Dentistry
17085 Camino San Bernardo, Suite 260
San Diego, CA 92127
(858) 277-8086
Proudly serving San Diego, 4S Ranch, Rancho Bernardo, Del Sur, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Poway, Carmel Valley, and Rancho Penasquitos.
