Meet Our Dentists

Dr. Tami Trieu

Dr. Tami Trieu graduated from the University Of Washington School Of Dentistry as one of the class’ finest graduating dentists. Dr. Trieu was named Top 5 Operators in Fixed Prosthodontics, received the American Academy of Gold Foil Operators Achievement Award, received honors in Orthodontics and an honorable mention in Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Trieu was also invited to become a teaching assistant in Removable Prosthodontics.

Before joining Light Dental Studios, Dr. Trieu worked at Kool Smiles specializing in Pediatric Dentistry and also at a General Practice in the greater Seattle area. Dr. Trieu reunited with her dental classmates that were top of her class at Light Dental Studios. Light Dental Studios' core values shines and showcases how amazing the people are which is the reason Dr. Trieu chose to drive 1 ½ hrs a day to join the Light Dental Studios Team. We are so blessed to have Dr. Tami Trieu in our Light Dental Studios family.

Dr. Trieu is married to her husband Joe. In her free time, she loves playing and chasing her 5 beautiful children Nathaniel, Cecilia, Isabella, Annabelle, and Alena.

Dr. Trieu is currently 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. Amrita Majumdar

Born and raised in India, Dr. Amrita earned her Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree in 2008 with honors from one of the top ten dental schools in India. After completing her internship, she pursued advanced training in Endodontics in India. During the three-year residency, Dr. Amrita was involved in specialty patient care as well as research which resulted in various publications. She continued to hone her dental skills in India as a lecturer and clinician in a dental school where she taught pre-doctoral dental students and managed the out-patient dental clinic. During that time, she also volunteered numerous hours to treat and spread awareness among low-income groups, rural school kids, prison inmates and under-served population of northern India.

Dr. Amrita moved to Massachusetts in 2015 after she got married and received her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston in 2019. She continued to give back to the community by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, Mission of Mercy, Elder Brown Bag program and American Red Cross Society. She is an active volunteer for Remote Area Medical (RAM).

Her unique blend of experiences enables her to relate to patients from all walks of life. She grew up in a culture where people are much less aware of their oral health. As a child, she would accompany her mom to the dentist and over several instances would be horrified to see her mom agonize over dental pain. This experience literally changed her life and reflects today as empathy towards patients who have a lot of dental fear and anxiety. While she takes great pride in delivering high-quality beautiful smiles, it is the meaningful personal interaction that gives her immense satisfaction. Dr. Amrita considers patient education to be paramount and would love to partner with you to find long term solutions to your dental concerns.

Moving to the Pacific Northwest is inspired by her love for outdoors and a desire to be closer to family. Outside the dental office, you could find her exploring new places, hiking, kayaking and enjoying different types of cuisine.

Dr. Amrita is an active member of

Dr. Haley Vanderpool

Originally from Idaho, Dr. Vanderpool has slowly been moving further and further northwest. She attended undergrad at Washington State University where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Zoology. Dentistry had always been an interest for her, and it felt right to move across the state and attend the University of Washington to earn her D.D.S. (However, she will always be a Cougar at heart.)

While at WSU and UW Dr. Vanderpool made giving back the community a priority. At WSU, she volunteered in community events put on by WSU’s pre-dental club, as well as traveled to Guatemala for a health outreach program. At UW, she continued to participate in community clinics and teaching events promoting good oral hygiene.

During her free time Dr. Vanderpool loves to bake, read, or go explore the city with her husband and two dogs.

Dr. Vanderpool loves getting to know her patients and forming good, long-lasting relationships with them. She believes this is the key to a great experience, as well as great dentistry.

Dr.Vanderpoole is currently an active member of

Dr. David Crouch

Board Certified Orthodontist

I am so fortunate to live and work in the community in which I grew up - helping thousands to achieve amazing, beautiful, and healthy smiles.

I believe it is important to give back by helping charitable causes like the Puyallup Family YMCA, teaching at UW, serving as a Pierce College Trustee, and consulting at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.



Dr. Crouch 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. Kim is currently an active member of

Dr. Nikolaas Reyna

Dr. Nikolaas Reyna was born and raised in Puyallup, Washington. He graduated from Emerald Ridge High School top of his class and then went on to graduate from University of Washington with a degree in biochemistry.

Committed to learning more, Dr. Reyna spent his last summer of dental school going to oral surgery externships to hone his oral surgery skills. He went to esteemed programs to learn: University of Michigan, University of Washington, University of Maryland, Oregon Health and Sciences, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Dr. Reyna spent time at each university accruing experience in didactic courses while working side-by-side with the oral surgery residents during on-call trauma cases. He then received his Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S) from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

Throughout his schooling, Dr. Reyna spent a lot of his spare time in One World Dental Clinics, where he provided dental care to underprivilege patients in rural areas of Omaha. He participated in the mentorship program Dental Explorers, which helped high school students prepare their academics for the field of dentistry. The Reyna family also spent four years running in the Smiles for Miles fundraiser at Creighton, raising money for patients who couldn’t afford dentures.

Dr. Reyna focuses on the whole person while providing patient care and spends his time learning about who he’s taking care of. He is compassionate, diligent, and a team player. Building a relationship with his patients and making sure they have the absolute best experience is extremely important to him.

Outside of the office, Dr. Reyna enjoys spending his time with his wife, Kimmie, and their two sons, Kaiden and Oliver. Dr. Reyna joined Light Dental Studios in 2019 and is excited for his new journey here while giving back to his hometown of Puyallup!

Dr. Judy Yuan

Dr. Yuan grew up in the state of Michigan after immigrating from China at the age of 7. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from The University of Michigan, and is proud to have attended the #1 Dental School in America,

The University of Michigan School of Dentistry. For her record of excellence in patient-centered care and education, she became one of five recipients of the 2016 Michigan Periodontal Alumni Association Award. She received multiple "Make a Difference" awards because of her ability to create trust and friendship with her patients. Because she enjoys caring for people of all demographics, Dr. Yuan participated in multiple donated dental care days, and spent a third of her last year caring for patients at community dental clinics across the state of Michigan.

Her dedication to serving her community is also evident in her professional involvements. She travelled with the American Student Dental Association to Lansing, MI and Washington D.C. to advocate for patients’ access to oral care. She also enjoys mentoring younger students and served for two years on the Executive Board of Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity’s Chi Chapter. She was awarded the 2015 ASDA National Leadership Conference Scholarship.

Dr. Yuan is bilingual, with full fluency in Mandarin and her hometown Sichuan dialect. She spends her free time managing her college admissions consulting business and enjoys photography, travel, and piano performance. She looks forward to exploring the Washington outdoors with her rescue mutt Pepper!

Dr. Melanie Jenkins

Dr. Melanie Jenkins grew up in University Place, WA where she discovered at a young age that dentistry is her passion. Her main draw to dentistry came from her desire to help people. At a very young age, she discovered that dentistry could not only get patients out of pain, but could also drastically improve patients’ self-confidence and have a lasting impact on their lives. She attended Curtis High School where she graduated with honors and was very involved with sports including Softball, Swim team, and Varsity Cheerleading. During this time, she was an active member of ASB, Key Club, and worked with Habitat for Humanity and her church to serve the underprivileged in Tijuana, Mexico.

After high school, Dr. Jenkins pursued a degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Washington. While at the University of Washington, she was an active member of multiple clubs including Global Medical Brigades where she traveled to Panama to help provide medical and dental care to the indigenous Emberá community.

While earning her Doctor of Dental Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA, Dr. Jenkins held many leadership roles and made the Dean’s list. She was her Class Treasurer all four years, held leadership roles in ASDA, was president of the Cosmetic Dentistry Interest Group, and founded her school’s chapter of The Academy for Sports Dentistry. She was also an active member of the American Student Dental Association, American Association of Women Dentists, Academy of General Dentistry, California Dental Association, and American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Jenkins enjoys challenging herself with continuing education courses to learn updated techniques in general dentistry, dental surgery, and cosmetic dentistry.

In her free time, Dr. Jenkins enjoys exploring the outdoors, baking, and spending quality time with her husband, family, friends, and pets.

Dr. Jenkins is extremely excited to be practicing in her hometown and honored to be treating the community she grew up in. She believes in creating individualized treatment plans for each patient tailored to their specific needs and treating each patient with honesty, respect, and a gentle touch.

Dr. Jenkins is currently an active member of

Dr. Gibran Hyder

Dr. Gibran Hyder grew up in Sammamish, WA where he has always believed in the importance of giving back to his community. In high school, Dr. Hyder was extensively involved with the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life, leading his high school event to rank #1 in the Great West Division, and #17 nationwide. He continued giving his time to the American Cancer Society throughout his undergraduate studies at the University of Washington, where he graduated with a degree in Physiology.

At the University of Washington School of Dentistry, Dr. Hyder was elected to be the Vice President of his class for all four years. He supplemented his educational experience by taking extra courses in endodontic techniques (root canals), periodontal surgical skills, and cast gold restorations. Excelling in both the classroom and the clinic, Dr. Hyder was selected from amongst his peers and invited to instruct and mentor 1st and 2nd year students in their dental anatomy, occlusion, operative, and fixed prosthodontics courses. During this time Dr. Hyder volunteered with many organizations including Husky Smiles, the American Student Dental Association, 45th St. Clinic, Burlington Migrant Farm Workers, and the Seattle/King County Clinic. Dr. Hyder was honored with the International College of Dentists Leadership Award and the Student Council Student Recognition Award for his leadership, and positive contributions in the school and community to improve the field of dentistry.

Dr. Hyder believes strongly in the power of mentorship, and has helped many students navigate the dental school admission process, serving as a G.U.I.D.E. (Guiding Undergraduates Interested in Dental Education) mentor from 2014-2016. He was also a founding member of the Muslim Health Professionals of Greater Puget Sound, an organization of health professionals that actively donate their time and resources to the underserved. Dr. Hyder was invited back by the University of Washington Department of Biology to serve as a panelist for their quarterly networking night, and by the University of Washington School of Dentistry to serve as a mentor for the 2nd year students operative and fixed prosthodontic courses.

In his free time, Dr. Hyder enjoys running, weight lifting, and baking. He enjoys exploring the outdoors, hiking, and spending quality time with his wife, Sanna, and their daughter, Zahra.

Dr. Hyder believes in working with and empowering his patients to improve their overall health and quality of life. He looks forward to developing an individualized plan for each and every patient tailored to meet their specific desires and needs.

Dr. Hyder is currently an active member of

Dr. Rachel Chen

Dr. Rachel Chen is a transplant to Washington after having grown up in both Asia and Canada. She had attended undergrad at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C. and received her Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) from China Medical University in Taiwan in 2010. After working in a hospital and private practice in Taiwan for a few years, she moved to the United States to pursue further education and training.

Dr. Chen spent a year receiving advanced postgraduate training through the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (A.E.G.D.) program at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she provided service to various populations including special needs, medically compromised, geriatric, and pediatric patients. Subsequently, she went on to receive additional training and provide dental care to underserved communities in Central Washington through the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinics and Columbia Valley Community Health Clinics prior to joining Light Dental Studios.

Dr. Chen is committed to providing the highest quality dental treatment to patients with compassion and care. She continues to further and refine her knowledge and skills through various continued education courses. Community involvement is important to her as well and she has been active in volunteering throughout her life – including the provision of free dental care to rural villages in Cambodia in 2011.

Outside of dentistry, Dr. Chen loves travelling, food, photography, and spending quality time with family and friends.  

  Dr. Chen is a member of

Dr. Angie Dunn

Dr. Dunn graduated from the University of Washington School of Dentistry. She graduated with the #1 rank in her class and is an exceptional, bright, and talented dentist. She received the Psi Omega Scholarship, the Omicron Kappa Upsilon scholarship for outstanding scholastic achievement, the Kirby and Erna Speyer Memorial Scholarship, the Omicron Kappa Upsilon William S. Kramer National Award, the Maurice Hickey Scholarship, the F. Burns Guthrie Award from the American College of Dentists, the Alpha Omega Scholarship, the Achievement Award from the American Academy of Gold Foil Operators, the John C. Kois Prize in Restorative Clinical Excellence, and the Academy of General Dentistry Award.

Dr. Dunn did her undergraduate training at the University of Washington as well, earning a B.S. in Biochemistry in only 3 years with a 3.91 GPA and the honor of Summa Cum Laude.

Dr. Dunn grew up in Auburn, graduating from Auburn Riverside High School with 4.0 GPA and Phi Beta Kappa - were you expecting anything less? Dr. Dunn enjoys giving back in numerous ways. During school, she spent numerous evenings at the 45th Street clinic for homeless youth in Seattle. She has also participated with the Medical Teams International program to provide emergency dental care to the local homeless. She was asked to teach with the Restorative Department at the UW School of Dentistry. In addition to this, Dr. Dunn serves on the Design Committee for the South Sound Free Dental Day that provides hundreds of members in the local community free dentistry each year.

Angie and her high school sweetheart, Joe, have two children Roman and Cora. Dr. Dunn joined the Light Dental Studios office in Puyallup in 2009 as Chief Operating Officer. She loves working with patients, as is evident from her friendly demeanor and relaxing humming while she works.  

Dr. Dunn is a member of

Dr. Steve Broughton

Light Dental Studios had a humble beginning 1971 as the solo dental practice of Dr. James Zanner. Dr. Broughton took over in 1997 and remains as its CEO and Founder today. Dr. Broughton holds a Bachelor’s degree from Whitworth College. He then attended the University of Washington and would graduate from the School of Dentistry in 1997.

Dr. Broughton has received several awards including the coveted 1999 American Dental Association’s Golden Apple Award. At the time, there were only 7 other dentists in Washington State to receive the honor. He was honored as the Outstanding Young Dentist of the year in 1998 from the American College of Dentists. This invitation-only society invites less than 2.5% of all dentists in fellowship. He received the 1997 Johnny N. Johnson Award from the UW School of Dentistry, The 1997 Award of Excellence from the American Student Dental Association, and the 1997 Special Achievement award from the Washington State Dental Association.

Dr. Broughton has served on numerous councils and boards in dentistry including:

• 1997,1998, 1999, chairperson of the Liaison Committee for the Washington State Dental Association
• 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997 Liaison Committee member for WSDA
• 1998 Alternate Delegate for the American Dental Association House of Delegates
• 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, Delegate Washington State Dental Association House of Delegates
• 2001 Legislative Committee. Pierce County Dental Society
• 2001, 2002 Board of Directors. Pierce County Dental Society
• 2002 Invited to sit on curriculum “think tank” University of Washington School of Dentistry
• 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Executive board of Directors, secretary-treasurer, Vice-President, President, Past-President Pierce County Dental Society

Dr. Broughton been married since 1993 to his beautiful wife, Ann. They have two children, Katie and Claire. Outside of work, he enjoys…wait, what’s outside of work mean? Dr. Broughton loves his work and his family and has developed a life with little separation between the two. But, an unwavering LOVE for both.

Dr. Broughton is a member of
Dr. Broughton believes in a patient-centered approach. The patients comfort and well-being is the driver of every treatment modality.

Dr. Broughton been married since 1993 to his beautiful wife, Ann. They have two children, Katie and Claire. Outside of work, he enjoys…wait, what’s outside of work mean? Dr. Broughton loves his work and his family and has developed a life with little separation between the two. But, an unwavering LOVE for both.