Meet Our Dentists

Dr. James Gagliardi

Practicing the dental arts is my way of using my particular gifts to give back to society and help people live healthier and longer lives. Having worked with so many unique people every day has enriched my life in more ways than I could have imagined. I am truly lucky to serve the families here!

Dr. Gagliardi attained my BS in Zoology from Washington State University, graduating Cum Laude. And for dental school, he attended the University of Washington, graduating in 1978. It has always been important to him to stay on the cutting edge of research and technology. Taking continuing education is the best opportunity he has to ensure he’s providing our patients with the best services that dentistry has to offer. Dr. Gagliardi is also in an ongoing implant study club. He has taken well over a thousand hours of dental continuing education throughout his career!

Dr. Gagliardi says it’s very gratifying to be able to be a part of changing our patients’ lives by what we do here in our office. After 31 years in practice, it’s been amazing to watch the children in our practice grow up and to have children of their own! He prides himself on providing his patients with state-of-the-art dental services. He worked to become a certified Invisalign® Premier Provider and continue to build on his knowledge base with continuing education through Invisalign’s course offerings.

Born and raised in Tacoma, Dr. Gagliardi enjoys being a part of this community. Fircrest is a wonderful, close-knit town, and he’s proud to serve the families who live here. At home, his family includes his wife and four wonderful children. Dr. Gagliardi’s hobbies include golf, cycling, skiing, swimming, and playing music. He even used to be in a rock band!

As a part of his continuing education, hs is an active member of

Dr. Ammera Martin

Dr. Ammera Martin graduated from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Dentistry. Dr. Martin’s accomplishments earned her scholarships from both UCSF and from the Xi Psi Psi Dental Fraternity. Additionally, Dr. Martin was recognized for earning Honors in Foundations in General Dentistry and Children’s Oral Health courses. After dental school, she chose to advance her skills by completing an additional year of training through the Veteran's Affairs of Northern California Healthcare System General Practice Residency. This residency holds a special place in Dr. Martin’s heart because it gave her the privilege of providing dental care to the courageous veterans who served our country.

Being a part of her community is important to Dr. Martin. Throughout dental school, Dr. Martin volunteered her time to conduct oral health screenings on children at local schools and provided dental care to homeless community members. She was a health and science instructor to third and fourth grade students, mentoring under-served high school and college students to help them on their path towards advanced education.

Dr. Martin enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with her husband and son. She looks forward giving the patients at Light Dental Studios something to smile about by optimizing their dental health.