How Dr. Gema Island built a practice where clinical excellence meets a mother’s touch
Walk into Island Children’s Dentistry & Orthodontics in Tysons Corner and you immediately sense that this is not the dental office you remember from childhood.
There’s no antiseptic scent hanging in the air. No anxious silence. Instead, a saltwater aquarium bubbles gently near the entrance, iPads glow in small hands, and somewhere down the hall a child is laughing — actually laughing — during a dental visit.
That atmosphere isn’t accidental. It’s intentional. Designed from the ground up by Dr. Gema Island to feel nothing like a traditional dental office, the space reflects her philosophy: clinical excellence delivered with warmth, patience, and the unmistakable instincts of a mother.
“As a mom — and a dentist — minimizing fears and putting a smile on a child’s face brings me joy,” she often says.
And that joy is palpable the moment you step inside.
Serious Credentials. Gentle Approach.
On paper, Dr. Island’s résumé reads like that of a leading academic.
She completed her pediatric dentistry residency at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, one of the nation’s most respected programs. She is board certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and a Diplomate recognized for meeting the highest clinical and written standards in her field.
Her professional affiliations include fellowship in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and membership in the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and lectured nationally and internationally on pediatric oral health, from infant dental care to adolescent enamel conditions.
Yet credentials are never what parents talk about first.
They talk about how she kneels to a child’s eye level before speaking.
How she explains procedures in simple, reassuring language.
How she never rushes.
The academic expertise is there — quietly underpinning every decision — but what families notice most is her humanity.
From Mexico City to Northern Virginia
Dr. Island’s story begins in Mexico City, where she earned her dental degree from the prestigious Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México before continuing her advanced training in the United States.
Her time at Tufts was marked by distinction. She received the Bates Award for postgraduate research and won a competitive esthetic dentistry challenge during her senior year — a testament to her precision and restorative skill.
But it was during those formative years — and later, as a mother herself — that her philosophy crystallized: a child’s earliest dental experiences shape lifelong habits. If those memories are positive, everything changes.
In 2014, she opened Island Children’s Dentistry in Tysons Corner with one goal: create a practice Northern Virginia families had never quite experienced before — comprehensive, compassionate, and genuinely joyful.
A Practice Built Around Children
Today, the practice serves families from Vienna, McLean, Oakton, Falls Church, Great Falls, Arlington, and beyond. Parents will brave Beltway traffic because, as many reviews note, the experience is worth the drive.
The office offers complete pediatric and orthodontic care under one roof:
- Infant oral evaluations
- Preventive cleanings and sealants
- Restorative care
- Laser dentistry
- Early orthodontic evaluations (beginning at age seven)
- Invisalign and traditional braces
- Interceptive orthodontics
What truly sets the practice apart, however, is the depth of services available for anxious or special-needs patients. Dr. Island holds a Virginia permit to provide both conscious oral sedation and IV sedation — an invaluable option for children who might otherwise avoid essential care.
She also offers Wand anesthesia and laser technology, reducing the need for traditional injections and making procedures far less intimidating for small patients.
It’s thoughtful, forward-looking care — the kind that anticipates fear and gently removes it before it has a chance to grow.
Community Beyond the Office
Dr. Island’s commitment extends well beyond her Tysons office.
Through the International Esperanza Project, she volunteers in Guatemala, providing dental care to children in underserved communities near Lake Atitlán. Her involvement includes supporting early childhood education initiatives and delivering hands-on care where it is most needed.
Closer to home, she has supported improvements to McLean Central Park’s playground and remains an active member of the Vienna Business Association.
Her professional recognition reflects both excellence and trust. She has been named a Top Dentist by Washingtonian and recognized by DC Magazine as a Distinctive Dentist. These honors are meaningful — but for Dr. Island, community relationships matter more than accolades.
What Parents Are Saying
Across Google, Zocdoc, and other platforms, Island Children’s Dentistry maintains near-perfect ratings. The numbers are impressive — but the stories behind them are even more telling.
Parents describe children who once feared the dentist now asking when they can return. One mother shared that her five-year-old skipped out after an appointment saying, “Wow! That was a really nice dentist! We should come here again!”
Another father whose son struggled at other practices called Dr. Island “a true professional who takes her job as a passion,” praising the way she explained each step directly to his child.
Common themes repeat:
- Friendly, patient staff
- Minimal wait times
- A calming office environment
- Clear communication
- Genuine warmth
In a region known for high standards and busy families, trust is earned — and Island Children’s Dentistry has earned it consistently.
A Mother’s Touch
Perhaps the most defining aspect of Dr. Island’s practice is something that doesn’t appear on a diploma.
It’s the “mother’s touch” she speaks of often — the understanding that behind every appointment is a parent hoping for reassurance and a child forming lifelong impressions.
When she isn’t in the office, she enjoys tennis, ballet, and traveling with her husband and their children, Becky and Eddie. That balance — professional rigor paired with family life — informs everything she does.
She understands the small anxieties. The late-night questions. The relief parents feel when a visit goes smoothly.
Ten years after opening her doors, the aquarium still greets patients. The laughter still echoes down the hallway. And children across Northern Virginia continue to build healthy habits in an environment designed to make them feel safe.
For any parent who has ever watched their child grip a dental chair in fear, that transformation is more than impressive.
It’s a gift.
8605 Westwood Center Dr
Suite 501
Tysons, VA 22182
(703) 790-1320
Appointments available for infants, children, teens, and orthodontic consultations.
Sources
This article was written with the assistance of AI
