Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Anderson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey in dentistry began in Lima, Peru, where I was born and raised. I graduated from Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in 2000 and continued my education in prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial radiology, and stomatology. Dentistry quickly became more than a profession for me—it became something I genuinely enjoyed because of the opportunity to change not only a person’s smile, but also their confidence and quality of life.
One of the most important parts of my story began in dental school, where I met my wife, Dr. Eliana Anderson. We shared the same passion for dentistry and eventually the same dream of building something together. We married in 2007, and that same year I moved to the United States after being accepted into the Advanced Education in General Dentistry program at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. Eliana followed a year later. I continued my training through a fellowship at UConn and later had the opportunity to serve as a clinical instructor there.
In 2011, we decided to make Virginia our home. I began working in private practice while Eliana worked at a community health center. Those years gave us valuable experience and helped shape our vision of what we wanted our own dental practice to become.
In 2014, that vision became a reality when we opened the first RenovaSmiles location in Falls Church. We chose the name because it represented exactly what we wanted to accomplish: renovating smiles and making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve.
What started as one office continued to grow. We expanded to Woodbridge, then Manassas, Arlington, Franconia, Occoquan/Lake Ridge, and most recently Oakton. Today, RenovaSmiles serves patients across seven Northern Virginia communities.
The growth has been exciting, but for me, success has never simply been about opening more locations. It has been about building a team and creating an environment where patients feel comfortable, respected, and genuinely cared for. We have continued investing in modern dental technology and expanding the services we can provide while staying focused on personalized care and the individual needs of every patient.
Looking back, I am especially proud that this has remained a family journey. Eliana and I have built RenovaSmiles together while raising our four children, and maintaining that balance has always been important to us.
From beginning my career in Peru, continuing my education in Connecticut, moving to Virginia, and eventually building RenovaSmiles from one location into what it is today, every stage has taught me something. We are still growing, still learning, and still working toward the same purpose we had when we opened our first office: helping people renovate their lives through their smiles.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not always been a smooth road, but I believe the challenges are a big part of what made us who we are today.
One of the biggest challenges was starting over in a new country. I had already completed years of education and professional training in Peru, but moving to the United States meant adapting to a different system, continuing my education, and essentially rebuilding my professional career. I completed the Advanced Education in General Dentistry program at UConn, continued with a fellowship, and eventually became a clinical instructor there before moving to Virginia.
When my wife, Dr. Eliana Anderson, and I came to Virginia, we had a dream of eventually creating something of our own. In 2014, we took that risk and opened our first RenovaSmiles office in Falls Church. Building a practice from the ground up meant earning the trust of patients one person at a time, building the right team, managing the business side of dentistry, and at the same time raising a growing family.
Growth brought a different set of challenges. Going from one office to multiple locations means learning how to maintain the same standards and culture as the organization becomes larger. Today, we serve communities throughout Northern Virginia, but we still want patients to feel that personal connection and level of care that existed when we had only one location.
There have certainly been difficult moments, long days, sacrifices, and decisions that did not always work out exactly as planned. But each challenge taught us something. I think one of the most important lessons has been to stay adaptable without losing sight of why we started.
For us, RenovaSmiles was never simply about building dental offices. It was about building something meaningful for our family, our team, our patients, and the communities that gave us the opportunity to grow. Looking back, I would not describe the journey as easy, but I would absolutely describe it as worth it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
RenovaSmiles is a family-founded dental practice that my wife, Dr. Eliana Anderson, and I started in 2014 with our first location in Falls Church. What began as one office and a shared vision has grown into a dental group serving communities throughout Northern Virginia, with locations in Falls Church, Woodbridge, Manassas, Arlington, Franconia, Occoquan/Lake Ridge, and Oakton.
We are a general and cosmetic dentistry practice, but what I believe defines RenovaSmiles is that we are able to care for patients through many different stages of their lives. We see children, adults, families, and patients with special needs. Our services range from preventive care, cleanings, fillings, crowns and root canals to cosmetic dentistry, Invisalign, veneers, smile makeovers, dental implants, restorative dentistry, and emergency dental care.
One thing that has always been very important to us is making dentistry feel more comfortable and approachable. Many people come to the dentist with fear or anxiety, sometimes after avoiding treatment for years. We want them to feel that they are being listened to rather than judged. We offer personalized treatment plans, modern technology, comfort-focused options such as nitrous oxide, and same-day emergency appointments when available.
Technology has also become an important part of how we provide care. Across our practices, we have incorporated tools such as iTero digital scanning, CT imaging and dental laser technology. These investments allow our doctors to better diagnose, plan and explain treatment while giving patients a more modern dental experience.
What sets us apart, however, is not simply technology or the number of services we provide. It is the culture we have worked to build around the RenovaSmiles name. Eliana and I started this as a husband-and-wife team, and even as the company has grown, we have worked hard to preserve that sense of family and community. We want our patients to know that behind the brand are real people who live here, raise our families here, and genuinely care about the communities we serve.
Brand-wise, I am probably most proud of what the name RenovaSmiles has come to represent. We chose that name because our passion has always been about renovating smiles. But over the years, we have realized that changing someone’s smile can mean much more than changing their teeth. Sometimes you are restoring someone’s ability to eat comfortably; other times you are helping someone who has been embarrassed to smile for years regain their confidence.
As we continue to grow throughout Northern Virginia, I want people to know that growth has never been the final goal. Our goal is to make excellent dental care accessible while maintaining the personal experience and values that helped us build our very first office. Whether someone comes to us for a routine cleaning, an emergency, Invisalign, an implant, or a complete smile transformation, we want them to leave feeling that they were genuinely cared for.
That is what RenovaSmiles means to us, and that is the reputation we hope to continue building—one patient, one family, and one smile at a time.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can support and collaborate with RenovaSmiles in many ways. We have always believed that being a local business means being an active part of the communities we serve, not simply having an office there.
We enjoy building relationships with local schools, PTAs, community organizations, sports programs, nonprofits, and other businesses throughout Northern Virginia. We are always open to meaningful partnerships, sponsorship opportunities, community events, educational initiatives, and programs that allow us to give back and connect with local families.
For patients, the greatest support is simply trusting us with their care and recommending RenovaSmiles to their friends and family. Many of our relationships have grown through word of mouth, and there is no greater compliment than having a patient bring their children, parents, relatives, or friends to us.
We are also always interested in connecting with talented dental professionals and team members who share our values and want to grow with an organization that continues to expand.
Ultimately, we want RenovaSmiles to be more than a dental brand. We want to be a recognizable and trusted part of Northern Virginia. Whether someone wants to become a patient, join our team, partner with us, or invite us to support a local initiative, we are always happy to explore opportunities that create a positive impact in our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://renovasmiles.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renovasmiles/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/renovasmilesoficial/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Renovasmiles
