Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria VanDyke.
Hi Victoria, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My Story
I first fell in love with tooth gems in the ’90s when I saw gold and diamond tooth gems and grillz on hip-hop artists and rappers like Flavor Flav, André 3000, Lil’ Kim, and Salt-N-Pepa. I thought they were so edgy and elegant: completely different from anything I had seen before.
Thirty years later, I saw two little sparkling crystals on my stepdaughter’s teeth, and I knew I wanted them for myself. The problem was, I couldn’t find anyone anywhere near me who did them.
I waited months until I traveled to Nevada to visit family and finally got my first set—two clear hearts that fit my personality perfectly: feminine and sexy, yet fun and fresh. When they eventually came off, I honestly felt like a little part of me was missing. I started looking again for someone nearby, but still couldn’t find anyone.
A year later, I was in Hawaii and finally found a few places that offered them. The artist didn’t have a lot of options, so I got a traditional set of clear gems. I liked them, but I didn’t love them. And then, one week later, they fell off.
I was so disappointed.
Once again, I started looking for someone nearby. Still nothing.
Then I found out there was a tooth gem trainer in Portland—four hours away. I remember thinking, I cannot possibly be the only person around here who wants tooth gems.
So I decided to do something about it.
I took the leap, got trained, and about four months later, I started my business.
My first opportunity was a small beauty party nearby, and I was so excited to introduce tooth gems to people who had either been wanting them forever or had never even heard of them but were willing to try something new.
My second event was at en V Salon in Grants Pass. The owner offered me a space to rent for my art, and I honestly couldn’t believe it was finally happening.
Business was slow at first, but I loved what I was doing. I loved the clients who came in with amazing ideas, and I especially loved the ones who had no idea what they wanted and trusted me to create something for them.
At the same time, I kept doing events. And then the events started getting bigger and bigger.
Adding Forever Jewelry
Eventually, business was still a little unsteady, and my husband and I talked about adding another service.
I remembered that first event I had done, when my husband bought me a “permanent anklet” for my birthday. I loved it, but honestly hadn’t thought much about it since.
Then I thought, Why not?
It seemed like the perfect addition to my business, and the salon owner was completely supportive of the idea.
I completed my training, bought my first jewelry welding machine, and started with a small selection of chains.
It took off.
The girls at the salon, their friends and families, and my own friends and family all started supporting me. The combination of tooth gems and “forever jewelry” became my thing, and more and more people started finding me.
Over time, more permanent jewelry artists started popping up within a couple of hours of me, and we would often end up at the same events. But I never wanted to look at that as a bad thing. I’ve met some really wonderful artists along the way, and I genuinely believe in supporting each other. This community has been one of the best parts of this whole experience.
I Almost Gave Up
Of course, it hasn’t all been easy.
I had some real struggles with tooth gem and permanent jewelry retention, and there were definitely times when I wanted to give up and sell all of my supplies.
I had spent so much time and energy learning my craft, building my business, and so much money investing in myself and my equipment. I had clients who trusted me, supported me, and continued to believe in me.
So giving up was not an option!
There were a lot of tears. A lot of frustration. A lot of questioning whether I was doing the right thing.
But one thing I know about myself is that I don’t quit. I don’t give up.
So instead of walking away, I reached out to a tooth gem retention expert, Tegan’s Tooth Gems. I knew there was more I could learn, and I wanted to figure it out. I was willing to put the work in because I cared about my clients, my business, and the craft I had worked so hard to build.
That decision paid off. I continued my education, completed my Master Training Course with Tegan’s Tooth Gems, and was honored to be featured on her website as a Tooth Gem Technician “Success Story.”
For me, that was a really big deal. It was proof that the frustration, tears, and hard work were worth it—and that sometimes the answer isn’t to give up, but to get better.
Where I Am Now
Today, I’ve shared my art with more than 200 clients over the past two and a half years. I’ve hosted Ladies Nights, worked more than 40 events, private parties, and pop-ups, and built a group of amazing returning clients while continuing to meet new people all the time.
I’m now working out of Diamond in the Rogue Tattoo & Arts Studio, which has been such an incredible and supportive place to grow.
My services have also grown quite a bit from those first two little clear hearts. I now offer 14k gold tooth gems, diamond gems, custom and more elaborate designs, hand chains, foot chains, toe rings, belly chains, and forever jewelry.
But honestly, I wouldn’t be where I am now without the people around me.
My family, my friends, the new friends I’ve made along the way, our local permanent jewelry community, local event planners, my trainers, and all of the wonderfully random people who have walked up to my booth looking for a little sparkle that lasts have all played a part in this journey.
Every person who has trusted me, supported me, referred someone to me, booked with me, shared my work, or stopped by my booth just to see what I was doing has meant something to me.
Some people have been there from the very beginning. Some showed up somewhere along the way. And some were complete strangers who walked up to my booth, sat in my chair, and trusted me to make them sparkle.
I’m grateful for every single one.
And I’m not done yet.
My goal is to continue growing, eventually become a tooth gem and forever jewelry trainer, create completely one-of-a-kind designs for musicians and artists, and hopefully one day create permanent jewelry for models and people in the fashion and music world.
I started this business because I couldn’t find what I wanted.
So I figured out how to create it myself.
And now I get to create it for other people.
That still makes me pretty damn happy.
highlight and clarify
Yes — I’d make the Master Training + “Success Story” a clear accomplishment rather than letting it get buried in the timeline. I’d also clarify that it came after the retention struggle, because that makes the achievement more meaningful.
My Story
I first fell in love with tooth gems in the ’90s when I saw gold and diamond tooth gems and grillz on hip-hop artists and rappers like Flavor Flav, André 3000, Lil’ Kim, and Salt-N-Pepa. I thought they were so cool and completely different from anything I had seen before.
Thirty years later, I saw two little sparkling crystals on my stepdaughter’s teeth, and I knew I wanted them for myself. The problem was, I couldn’t find anyone anywhere near me who did them.
I waited months until I traveled to Nevada to visit family and finally got my first set—two clear hearts that fit my personality perfectly: feminine and sexy, yet fun and fresh. When they eventually came off, I honestly felt like a little part of me was missing. I started looking again for someone nearby, but still couldn’t find anyone.
A year later, I was in Hawaii and finally found a few places that offered them. The artist didn’t have a lot of options, so I got a traditional set of clear gems. I liked them, but I didn’t love them. And then, one week later, they fell off.
I was so disappointed.
Once again, I started looking for someone nearby. Still nothing.
Then I found out there was a tooth gem trainer in Portland—four hours away. I remember thinking, I cannot possibly be the only person around here who wants tooth gems.
So I decided to do something about it.
I took the leap, got trained, and about four months later, I started my business.
My first opportunity was a small beauty party nearby, and I was so excited to introduce tooth gems to people who had either been wanting them forever or had never even heard of them but were willing to try something new.
My second event was at en V Salon in Grants Pass. The owner offered me a space to rent for my art, and I honestly couldn’t believe it was finally happening.
Business was slow at first, but I loved what I was doing. I loved the clients who came in with amazing ideas, and I especially loved the ones who had no idea what they wanted and trusted me to create something for them.
At the same time, I kept doing events. And then the events started getting bigger and bigger.
Adding Forever Jewelry
Eventually, business was still a little unsteady, and my husband and I talked about adding another service.
I remembered that first event I had done, when my husband bought me a “permanent anklet” for my birthday. I loved it, but honestly hadn’t thought much about it since.
Then I thought, Why not?
It seemed like the perfect addition to my business, and the salon owner was completely supportive of the idea.
I completed my training, bought my first jewelry welding machine, and started with a small selection of chains.
It took off.
The girls at the salon, their friends and families, and my own friends and family all started supporting me. The combination of tooth gems and “forever jewelry” became my thing, and more and more people started finding me.
Over time, more permanent jewelry artists started popping up within a couple of hours of me, and we would often end up at the same events. But I never wanted to look at that as a bad thing. I’ve met some really wonderful artists along the way, and I genuinely believe in supporting each other. This community has been one of the best parts of this whole experience.
I Almost Gave Up
Of course, it hasn’t all been easy.
I had some real struggles with tooth gem retention, and there were definitely times when I wanted to give up and sell all of my supplies.
I had spent so much time and energy learning my craft, building my business, and so much money investing in myself and my equipment. I had clients who trusted me, supported me, and continued to believe in me.
So giving up was not an option!
There were a lot of tears. A lot of frustration. A lot of questioning whether I was doing the right thing.
But one thing I know about myself is that I don’t quit. I don’t give up.
So instead of walking away, I reached out to a tooth gem retention expert, Tegan’s Tooth Gems. I knew there was more I could learn, and I wanted to figure it out. I was willing to put the work in because I cared about my clients, my business, and the craft I had worked so hard to build.
And I did.
I continued my education and recently completed my Master Training Course with Tegan’s Tooth Gems. I was also honored to be featured on her website as a Tooth Gem Technician “Success Story.”
That accomplishment means a lot to me because it came after one of the hardest parts of building my business. It reminded me that struggling doesn’t mean you’re failing. Sometimes it means you need to learn more, ask for help, and keep going.
And that is exactly what I did.
Where I Am Now
Today, I’ve shared my art with more than 200 clients over the past two and a half years. I’ve hosted Ladies Nights, worked more than 40 events, private parties, and pop-ups, and built a group of amazing returning clients while continuing to meet new people all the time.
I’m now working out of Diamond in the Rogue Tattoo & Arts Studio, which has been such an incredible and supportive place to grow.
My services have also grown quite a bit from those first two little clear hearts. I now offer 14k gold tooth gems, diamond gems, custom and more elaborate designs, hand chains, foot chains, toe rings, belly chains, and forever jewelry.
But honestly, I wouldn’t be where I am now without the people around me.
My family, my friends, the new friends I’ve made along the way, our local permanent jewelry community, local event planners, my trainers, and all of the wonderfully random people who have walked up to my booth looking for a little sparkle that lasts have all played a part in this journey.
Every person who has trusted me, supported me, referred someone to me, booked with me, shared my work, or stopped by my booth just to see what I was doing has meant something to me.
Some people have been there from the very beginning. Some showed up somewhere along the way. And some were complete strangers who walked up to my booth, sat in my chair, and trusted me to make them sparkle.
I’m grateful for every single one.
And I’m not done yet.
My goal is to continue growing, eventually become a tooth gem and forever jewelry trainer, create completely one-of-a-kind designs for musicians and artists, and hopefully one day create permanent jewelry for models and people in the fashion and music world.
I started this business because I couldn’t find what I wanted.
So I figured out how to create it myself.
And now I get to create it for other people.
That still makes me pretty damn happy.
yes this is for a magazine interview for oregon
Ah, yes — for a magazine interview, I would change the approach. The story should still sound like you, but it needs to read more like a compelling Oregon small-business profile: less “website About Me,” fewer section headings, and more emphasis on the why, the risk, the growth, and what makes your business unique.
I’d also make your Master Training/Success Story achievement more prominent because it gives the interviewer a strong credibility point.
My Story
I first fell in love with tooth gems in the ’90s when I saw gold and diamond tooth gems and grillz on hip-hop artists and rappers like Flavor Flav, André 3000, Lil’ Kim, and Salt-N-Pepa. I thought they were so cool—completely different from anything I had seen before.
Thirty years later, I saw two little sparkling crystals on my stepdaughter’s teeth, and I immediately knew I wanted them for myself. The problem was, I couldn’t find anyone anywhere near me who offered them.
Months later, I traveled to Nevada to visit family and finally got my first set: two clear hearts that fit my personality perfectly—feminine and sexy, but still fun and fresh. When they eventually came off, I honestly felt like a little part of me was missing.
I started searching again for someone nearby, but still couldn’t find anyone.
A year later, I was in Hawaii and finally found a few places that offered tooth gems. The artist didn’t have many options, so I got a traditional set of clear gems. I liked them, but I didn’t love them. Then, one week later, they fell off.
I was so disappointed.
Once again, I started looking for someone local. Still nothing.
Then I discovered there was a tooth gem trainer in Portland—four hours away. I remember thinking, I cannot possibly be the only person around here who wants tooth gems.
So I decided to do something about it.
I took the leap, got trained, and about four months later, I started my business.
My first opportunity was a small beauty party nearby. I was so excited to introduce tooth gems to people who had either been wanting them forever or had never even heard of them but were willing to try something new.
My second event was at en V Salon in Grants Pass, where the owner offered me a space to rent for my work. I honestly couldn’t believe it was finally happening.
Business was slow at first, but I loved what I was doing. I loved the clients who came in with amazing ideas, and especially the ones who had no idea what they wanted and trusted me to create something for them.
I kept doing events, and eventually, the events started getting bigger and bigger.
From Tooth Gems to Forever Jewelry
Eventually, business was still a little unsteady, and my husband and I talked about adding another service.
I remembered that at my very first event, my husband had bought me a “permanent anklet” for my birthday. I loved it, but honestly hadn’t thought much about it since.
Then I thought, Why not?
It seemed like the perfect addition to my business. I completed my training with Everlinx, bought my first jewelry welding machine, and started with a small selection of chains.
It took off.
The girls at the salon, their friends and families, and my own friends and family all started supporting me. The combination of tooth gems and “forever jewelry” became my thing, and more and more people started finding me.
As the industry grew locally, more permanent jewelry artists started popping up within a couple of hours of me, and we would often end up at the same events. I never wanted to see that as competition in a negative way. I’ve met some really wonderful artists along the way, and I genuinely believe in supporting each other. That community has become one of the best parts of this experience.
The Part People Don’t See
Of course, it hasn’t all been easy.
I had some real struggles with tooth gem retention, and there were definitely times when I wanted to give up and sell all of my supplies.
I had spent so much time and energy learning my craft and building my business, along with a lot of money investing in myself and my equipment. I had clients who trusted me, supported me, and continued to believe in me.
There were a lot of tears. A lot of frustration. And a lot of questioning whether I was doing the right thing.
But one thing I know about myself is that I don’t quit. I don’t give up.
Instead of walking away, I reached out to Tegan’s Tooth Gems, a tooth gem retention expert. I knew there was more I could learn, and I wanted to figure it out. I was willing to put in the work because I cared about my clients, my business, and the craft I had worked so hard to build.
That decision ended up being a really important turning point for me.
I continued my education and recently completed a Master Training Course with Tegan’s Tooth Gems. I was also honored to be featured on her website as a Tooth Gem Technician “Success Story.”
For me, that was about more than another certificate or title. It represented taking something I had struggled with, refusing to give up, and becoming better at my craft because of it.
Where I Am Now
Today, I’ve shared my art with more than 200 clients over the past two and a half years. I’ve hosted Ladies Nights and worked more than 40 events, private parties, and pop-ups. I’ve built a group of amazing returning clients while continuing to meet new people all the time.
I’m now working out of Diamond in the Rogue Tattoo & Arts Studio, which has been an incredible and supportive place for me to grow.
My services have also grown quite a bit from those first two little clear hearts. I now offer 14k gold tooth gems, diamond gems, custom and more elaborate designs, permanent bracelets and anklets, hand chains, foot chains, toe rings, belly chains, and other forever jewelry.
But honestly, I wouldn’t be where I am without the people around me.
My family, my friends, the new friends I’ve made along the way, our local permanent jewelry community, local event planners, my trainers, and all of the wonderfully random people who have walked up to my booth looking for a little sparkle that lasts have all played a part in this journey.
Some people have been there from the very beginning. Some showed up somewhere along the way. And some were complete strangers who walked up to my booth, sat in my chair, and trusted me to make them sparkle.
I’m grateful for every single one.
And I’m not done yet.
My goal is to continue growing, eventually become a tooth gem and forever jewelry trainer, create completely one-of-a-kind designs for musicians and artists, and hopefully one day create permanent jewelry for models and people in the fashion industry and music world.
I started this business because I couldn’t find what I wanted.
I keep it because I believe in what I do and stand for: sparkle that lasts (inside and out).
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Please see story on preview page:
I Almost Gave Up
Of course, it hasn’t all been easy.
Additional: In the beginning, I “lost” potential customers who wanted to try tooth gems first to see if it is something that wanted long-term. To solve this problem, I researched temporary tooth gem companies and supplies and have been offering this service for the last year. Now temporary tooth gems are my biggest seller because we can create big, unique, and colorful designs, they can be worn for a single event or up to two-weeks, and you don’t have to be 16 years old to rock these.
I had some real struggles with tooth gem and permanent jewelry retention, and there were definitely times when I wanted to give up and sell all of my supplies.
I had spent so much time and energy learning my craft, building my business, and so much money investing in myself and my equipment. I had clients who trusted me, supported me, and continued to believe in me.
So giving up was not an option!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I create custom permanent jewelry designs with the highest quality sterling silver and gold jewelry: hand chains, belly chains, toe rings, foot chains, etc. I use a small welding machine to permanently seal the seam on the jump ring that joins both ends of the chain together.
I build unique tooth gems designs with clients: diamonds, 14k. gold designs, and crystals of various shapes, designs, and sizes.
I am known for my personalized customer service, friendly approach, funky, yet sexy and tasteful designs, and doing whatever it takes for customers to walk away happy and excited to return: even if that means losing money, because I believe in what I do and that I can and will build lasting, trusting relationships with people of all walks of life.
What are your plans for the future?
See “My Story”:
And I’m not done yet.
My goal is to continue growing, eventually become a tooth gem and forever jewelry trainer, create completely one-of-a-kind designs for musicians and artists, and hopefully one day create permanent jewelry for models and people in the fashion industry and music world.
I started this business because I couldn’t find what I wanted.
I keep it because I believe in what I do and stand for: sparkle that lasts (inside and out).
Pricing:
- Tooth gems start at $65
- Forever Jewelry starts at $25
- Student and educator discounts
- Temporary tooth gems start at $25
Contact Info:
- Website: https://toothgemzbyvictoria.glossgenius.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toothgemzbyvictoria/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toothgemzbyvictoria/
- Other: https://visitgrantspass.com/poi/tooth-gemz-and-forever-jewelry-by-victoria/
