A raise nobody asked for

The average payout for a lost tooth climbed from $5.01 to $5.84, per Delta Dental's 2026 Original Tooth Fairy Poll. No performance review, no return to office required.

“There was no performance review, no awkward conversation with a manager and no requirement to return to the office.”

It is a payments business

Parents set prices, source the money and deliver on time to customers who take missed payments personally. It is often a kid's first brush with how money moves.

First teeth pay a bonus

The poll surveyed 1,000 parents of kids aged 6 to 12. First teeth averaged $7.17, and 38% of parents said they paid extra for that milestone.

“Apparently, the signing bonus survives even in an industry where every employee eventually runs out of inventory.”

Your zip code sets the rate

The Northeast led at $6.45, then the West at $5.99, the South at $5.89 and the Midwest at $5.27. Rich households can go low too: Kim Kardashian's daughter got $2.

“A national average is a reference point, not an invoice.”

Midnight liquidity crisis

A tooth shows up on its own schedule, usually after the stores close. The parent's phone can move money and unlock the car, but the wallet holds three cards and a coffee receipt.

The transfer labeled tooth fairy

The Financial Times found British parents sending digital transfers to kids' accounts marked "tooth fairy." Even the CEO of NatWest Rooster Money pays under the average, and his wife is contesting it.

“Even the executive running a children's money app faces an internal pricing committee.”

Cash theater versus a balance

Cash gives tangible proof that something vanished and money appeared. An app gives a record, a balance and a path toward a savings goal, minus the hunt for small bills.

Do not ask for a rating

For banks and family money apps, the win is turning a small moment into a talk about saving. The tech should stay out of the way of the surprise.

“Customers are delighted to discover money arrived while they slept.”