Behind the Wings

A Magical Chat with Lumi, the Tooth Fairy

As you would expect, the Tooth Fairy is incredibly busy flitting about, sprinkling magic dust, collecting teeth, popping into schools, and educating kids. Still, we managed to snag a quick moment with the one and only Lumi, the Tooth Fairy!

Behind the wings and sparkle is Katie Hogan, Executive Administrator at Light Dental Studios. With over 30 locations, they are the largest private dental company in Washington State. They are known for their extensive community outreach, including their “Free Dental Days’ to provide free dental services to those in need, and showcasing “Sound People,” or worthy local businesses and fellow community members biweekly on their social media.Then, of course, there is Lumi. Lumi’s mission is to educate children throughout the Puget Sound region about the importance of oral hygiene and how to keep ‘pesky sugar bugs’ away.

Her unique approach combines education with engagement, making dental health fun and accessible for young patients.

Her story begins in Featherland Forest, a whimsical setting where she creates floss from the leaves of the feather tree and toothpaste from its sap. Located in Light Dental’s Puyallup pediatric office, the space has been designed and decorated as Lumi’s storybook forest, with lighting, life-sized props, and interactive elements. Lumi regularly appears at this office and participates in outreach efforts at local daycares, schools, and parks.

Katie gave us the inside scoop, so step into Featherland Forest and discover the magic behind Lumi’s world:

Q: How did you first get involved with the dental field, and what led you to take on the Tooth Fairy role?
A: I started in the dental industry 16 years ago as a dental assistant. I have held many roles within the industry. 7 years ago, I dressed up as the Tooth Fairy for a one-time event and had such a positive response I was asked to do it again, and again, and so began my journey as the Tooth Fairy.

Q: What does a typical day look like for you when you’re in the office versus when you’re out in the community?
A: Although I am mostly known and recognized for my role as Lumi the Tooth Fairy doing events, meet-n-greets, and outreach to daycares and elementaries, most days you will find me in our media studio in our Puyallup campus to oversee all of our marketing as the VP. We have a large marketing mix from billboards, social media, broadcast media, etc.

 

Q: How did the idea of having a “Tooth Fairy” ambassador come about at your practice?
A: All dentists know that most dental fear in adults stems from a poor childhood experience. Our CEO and Founder, Steve Broughton, DDS, realized that if kids can associate a positive experience with the dentist, just maybe we could make a difference. He was right!

 

 

Q: What kind of events do you attend?
A: I visit elementary schools, daycares, places like Hands on Children’s Museum in Olympia, libraries, and other family-focused events. We also host a “Tooth Fairy Day” every month in one of our locations where families can book their child’s 6-month dental visit, and Lumi will be present for a meet-n-greet, photos, and crafts, making their normal dental visit magical!

 

Q: Have you had any memorable or funny moments during school visits or community events?
A: I recently had a young patient who has been to past Tooth Fairy Days who saved her baby teeth specifically to show me. It was very sweet. (You can see the video on my social media platforms).

 

Q: How do you make learning about oral hygiene fun and engaging for young audiences?
A: Every visit comes with an oral hygiene demonstration with my sweet dragon – Dudley. I do a story-time reading my new children’s book “Lumi and the Floss Trees” and a sweet meet-n-greet at the end with a dental goodie bag for every child.

 

Q: How does your experience working at Light Dental Studios help you in this outreach role?
A: If it were not for LDS, Lumi would not exist. They are my biggest fans. Every dream I have, they encourage. As one of the largest DSOs in the Puget sound, they have given me a massive platform to reach all the communities we serve from King to Thurston County.

 

 

Q: What’s the most rewarding part of being Lumi?
A: The children’s reaction. Coming to the dentist can be scary, it feels good to know that they look forward to coming to see Lumi, and I can help ease some of the anxiety they might be experiencing.

 

 

Q: Do you have future plans or ideas to expand your community involvement?
A: We are preparing for our grand opening of “Featherland Forest”, home of Lumi the Tooth Fairy in Puyallup, Washington! This is our new, state-of-the-art, interactive pediatric and orthodontic department. This space has been designed for children and families to come and play before and after their visits. In addition, we have written a children’s book called “Lumi and the Floss Trees” that is a keepsake for our patients. It tells the story of Lumi and is also a place for families to track dental milestones and the child can bring to all their appointments and collect stickers from staff.

 

Thank you to Katie and Lumi for sharing a bit of their sparkle with us.

 

Follow the Tooth Fairy
Tag along Lumi’s adventures on her social media.

Instagram: @LumiTheToothFairy    Facebook: @Lumi-the-Tooth-Fairy

 

Learn more about Light Dental Studios.

 

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Written by Dawn Kahl.

Published in Catalyst – Q1 2026.

 

Category: Giving Back

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