Meet Our Dentists

Dr. Nicolette Cerisano

Dr. Nicolette Cerisano graduated from the University of Washington School of Dentistry where she graduated #3 in her class. She received the Outstanding Scholastic Achievement award, the Jack I. Nicholls Award for Clinical Research, as well as the International College of Dentists Dr. Frank Burns Guthrie Memorial Scholarship Award which for demonstrating great dedication to professional development, clinical excellence, and interest in total patient care. Upon graduation she was inducted into the prestigious Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society. This society only invites the top 8% of graduating dental students across the nation to join.

Dr. Cerisano attended Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington for her undergraduate studies in which she earned her B.S. degree in Biology/Anthropology and minored in Chemistry. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.93.

Dr. Cerisano loves to volunteer in her community, and it has been and will continue to be a priority before, during, and after dental school. Before dental school she participated in many events with the Whatcom County Oral Health Coalition, serving as the liaison with Western’s Pre-Dental Club. During dental school she volunteered with many student organizations including the Hispanic Dental Student Association, Medical Teams International, Union Gospel Mission, and Husky Smiles.

When not practicing dentistry, Dr. Cerisano loves exploring the outdoors with her hiking buddy/dog, Barney. She also enjoys working out at the gym, working on crafting projects, as well as trying out new cooking and baking recipes.

Dr. Cerisano loves building lasting relationships with her patients and sharing experiences. Everyone has a different story to tell; Dr. Cerisano really enjoys getting to know each patient as an individual person with uniqueness to offer the world.    

Dr. Cerisano is currently an active member of

Dr. Earl Floyd

Although Dr. Earl Floyd was born in Oakland, California he has lived in Washington all but three years of his life. His under graduate schooling was at Central Washington University and he got his doctorate degree at the prestigious University of Washington School of Dentistry. Dr. Floyd and his wife, Betty, have 6 children and 16 grandchildren. He loves family get-togethers, being with his church family as well as fishing, hunting and dental missionary trips to third world countries. In the last 18 years his team has made 18 trips to Jamaica, Mexico or Nicaragua. The conditions are very basic but he states, “He receives more in love and appreciation than what he gives in service”.

At our state of the art office in Bonney Lake Dr. Floyd and our staff provide a full range of services including crowns, veneers, bridges, fillings, root canals, joint care, cosmetic dentistry, tooth whitening, periodontal care, orthodontic treatment and many hard and soft tissue laser procedures.

Dr. Floyd thinks of his patients as friends and prefers they call him by his first name. Patient comfort is enhanced with Nitrous Oxide, TVs on the ceiling, headphones as well as our caring staff.


Dr. Floyd is an active member of

Dr. Amit Gharpure

Board Certified in Periodontology and Implant Surgery

Dr. Gharpure graduated from Nair Hospital Dental College in Mumbai, India at the top of his class. He was awarded the Colgate Indian Dental Association Scholarship, Nair Hospital Dental College Student’s Association Award, and the J.R.D Tata Scholarship for Academic Excellence. He was then accepted into the Advanced Education in Restorative Dentistry Program at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine in New Jersey where he received clinical training in removable, fixed, and implant prosthodontics. He completed an Internship in Oral Surgery at King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, and treated patients with complex medical and dental needs. Subsequently, he worked in private practice in Mumbai. After a few years in private practice, he continued his education to complete a 3-year specialty training program in Periodontics and Implant Surgery at the University of Washington School of Dentistry and earned the Master of Science in Dentistry degree. Dr. Gharpure is a Board Certified Periodontist, a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, as well as a Fellow of the Royal College of Dentists Canada. These are impressive recognitions, awarded to a limited number of specialists who have had significant achievements beyond the mandatory training requirements of the specialty.

Dr. Gharpure has contributed extensively to clinical research. He has published over 20 research articles in peer-reviewed international and national journals and textbooks. His research has also been featured in print and online media. Currently, he is an Affiliate Faculty in Periodontics at the University of Washington School of Dentistry, where he is involved in teaching pre-doctoral dental students.

Dr. Gharpure is calm, relaxed, and friendly and takes special care to make his patients feel comfortable throughout their treatment. He emphasizes on open discussion, patient education, and is adept at managing pain and anxiety to provide his patients with the best experience. He is proficient in all aspects of surgical and non-surgical periodontal and implant therapy.

Outside of dentistry, Dr. Gharpure enjoys hiking, kayaking, and playing soccer. He likes exploring the Pacific Northwest and enjoys the natural beauty this place has to offer.

Dr. Gharpure is an active member of:

Dr. Michael Tsai

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon

C. Michael Tsai, B.Sc., D.M.D, is a full-time Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at Light Dental Studios, covering the Bonney Lake, Puyallup, and University Place locations.

Dr. Tsai was born in Taipei, Taiwan where he was raised by his parents, aunties, and grandparents. He moved with his parents and younger brother and sister to Vancouver, BC, Canada when he was 8 years old, where he went through elementary and secondary school education.

Dr. Tsai then traveled to Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology (B.Sc.) from the University of Waterloo followed by a year of working in a lab at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as a research assistant studying the biology of wound healing. After the year, Dr. Tsai returned to Vancouver, BC, to study dentistry at the University of British Columbia and earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D). Seeing his own family’s struggle with dental disease and dental anxiety, Dr. Tsai was motivated to pursue advanced training in oral surgery and anesthesia, which compelled him to move to Fort Worth, Texas to complete an internship in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Upon completion of his internship, he was offered a position in the coveted 4-year Oral and Maxillofacial Residency Training Program at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA, which allowed him to further advance his skills while being closer to his family. During the program, he was exposed to comprehensive training in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Anesthesia.

During residency training, Dr. Tsai published several articles in peer-reviewed journals, including papers on topics such as platelet biology, management of bleeding, sedation, temporomandibular joint surgery, and oral cancer. He was also offered scholarships to attend academic conferences, including the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Dental Implant Conference in 2019.

As an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Dr. Tsai strives to do his best to give his patients a comfortable experience for wisdom teeth surgery and dental implant surgery. He is also skilled in complicated dental extractions, bone grafting surgery to the upper and lower jaws, oral pathology, management of oral and facial infections, as well as providing sedation and anesthesia for procedures. He is fluent in both English and Mandarin, as well as conversant in Taiwanese.

When Dr. Tsai is not seeing patients in the clinic or the hospital, he enjoys working out, taking long outdoor walks, cooking up a new dish, watching Netflix movies, and traveling.

Dr. Tsai is an active member of

Dr. Veronica Layacan

Dr. Veronica Layacan was born and raised in the Kent-Renton area of Washington. She attended the University of Washington School of Dentistry where she obtained her Doctor of Dental Surgery with honors, graduating #5 of her class. While in dental school she received an award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement from the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society and the F. Burns Guthrie Memorial Scholarship from the American College of Dentists. Dr. Layacan was also invited to become a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society upon graduating. Outside of clinic, she was fortunate enough to be invited to peer mentor second year dental students in removable and fixed prosthodontics.

She also attended the University of Washington for her undergraduate studies, where she graduated cum laude upon receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree, double majoring in Biochemistry and Dance. During college, she was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.

Dr. Layacan also enjoyed volunteering throughout her time at UW. In dental school, she completed over 50 hours of community service and outreach, frequently providing free dental care for those in need in the community. One of her most favorite volunteer experiences was spending one week in Panama with Global Medical Brigades, providing free care to patients there.

Dr. Layacan hope to guide her patients towards better oral health through providing them the knowledge and skills to do so, as well as providing excellent dental care. And, it makes it much more meaningful that she is able to do so for the community that she was raised in and has truly grown to love!

In her free time, Dr. Layacan enjoys dancing, reading, discovering new restaurants, and spending time with her dog, Jax.

Dr. Layacan is currently an active member of

Dr. BJ Kim

Dr. Kim grew up in Bothell, WA. After graduating highschool as valedictorian, Dr. Kim attended Seattle Pacific University where he obtained his bachelors degree in Biology and graduated with the honor of Cum Laude. Dr. Kim was president of the Asian American Association, and was a mentor for international Korean students.

He then went to sunny Phoenix, Arizona where he obtained his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree at Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine. There he studied dentistry in a brand new state of the art dental facility learning from the latest in dental technology. Dr. Kim was an active member in his class coun

cil. Dr. Kim returned to Seattle and practiced in North Seattle before joining Light Dental Studios.

Dr. Kim gives back to the community by volunteering dental services at Union Gospel Mission Dental Clinic and Medical Teams International. He also has been invited back several times to speak in front of pre-dental students about dentistry at Seattle Pacific University.

On his spare time, Dr. Kim is a lego builder where he builds lego masterpieces freehand. Despite being born in America, Dr. Kim is fluent in both English and Korean.

Dr. Kim is committed to providing excellent quality care in a comfortable environment. He is always a listener and enjoys getting to know all his patients.

Dr. Micah Bovenkamp

Specialist in Pediatric Dentistry

Dr. Micah Bovenkamp graduated from the University of Washington School of Dentistry with his doctorate in dental surgery. He then went on to complete his Master of Science in Dentistry and received his Certificate of Training in Pediatric Dentistry at the UW in conjunction with Seattle Children’s Hospital. While in residency he received extensive training in treating children including children with special healthcare needs. Dr. Micah also received front-line training in the management of acute dental trauma. While in dental school, he had the honor of serving as class president for four years. He has received numerous prestigious clinical and leadership awards during his education, including the Pierre Fauchard Academy Award, the Johnny N. Johnson Student Leadership Award, and the Dennis P. Duskin Inspirational Award.

Dr. Micah was born in Seattle but raised in Puyallup after his family moved to his hometown when he was one-year-old. He is excited to be back in his hometown to give back to the community where he was raised. Dr. Micah believes in helping people to become the best version of themselves. During his formative years he spent a significant amount of time at Seattle Children’s Hospital as a patient due to a childhood medical condition. One of the highlights of his education was the opportunity to return to the hospital as a provider to deliver the same outstanding care that he received as a child. He is an extremely patient, personable, and caring clinician. He delights in helping children rise to success and to see them master the dental experience.

When he is not practicing dentistry, Dr. Micah enjoys hiking, kayaking, calisthenics, frisbee, and eating his way around new cities when traveling.    

Dr. Micah is currently an active member of

Dr. Nicholas Maniatis

Dr. Maniatis grew up in Massachusetts and earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Connecticut, one of the most selective dental schools in the country. After spending his whole life living in New England, he decided it was time for a change of scenery, and he moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington General Practice Residency program. During this additional year of training, he expanded his knowledge and skills in all aspects of general and restorative dentistry, including IV sedation, restoring and placing implants, oral surgery, and root canals. Throughout his training, he has worked with a wide variety of patient populations with complex medical histories and varying levels of dental anxiety, including hospital inpatients, disabled veterans, and patients with developmental delays.

Dr. Maniatis’ clinical approach emphasizes treating patients with their overall health and well-being in mind, while also developing treatment plans with patients that address their individual needs and help them achieve their long-term oral health goals. He strives to make patients as comfortable as possible when they are undergoing dental treatment. He sees himself as a lifetime student, and consistently pursues continuing dental education opportunities in order to provide the highest quality of care for his patients.

When he is not working, Dr. Maniatis enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, playing piano, attending concerts, and spending time with his cat, Bean.

Dr. Maniatis is currently an active member of