Kari A. Cunningham, DMD, FAAPD, FICD

Kari A. Cunningham, DMD, FAAPD, FICD

Dr. Kari is a Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Fellow of the International College of Dentists, and owner of Panther Pediatric Dentistry.

She graduated Valedictorian from Euclid High School in 2002 and later attended the University of Pittsburgh. Both schools had blue and gold colors and panther mascots so Dr. Kari knew right away what she wanted to name her practice. Dr. Kari is excited to practice in her hometown of Euclid, OH where she helps all patients and guests S.M.I.L.E. with Panther Pride!

At the age of twelve, Dr. Kari began to consider dentistry as a career. Her father, who was a trained dental assistant in the U.S. Air Force, encouraged her to “Go be the doctor!” Years of shadowing dentists and participating in summer programs throughout high school and college reaffirmed her decision to become a dentist. After graduating Valedictorian from Euclid High School in 2002, Dr. Kari received a full academic scholarship to attend the University of Pittsburgh.

In 2004, Dr. Kari enrolled in Pitt’s Semester at Sea program during which she experienced many communities around the world with little or no access to dental care. Upon visiting an orphanage in Tanzania, she was overwhelmed at the sight of children with no parents and limited access to basic oral health care. Later during their tour of the Khayelitsha township in South Africa their tour guide said, “when someone in our community ‘makes it,’ they don’t just leave to better themselves, they return to reinvest in the community so that someone else can have a chance.” Those words stuck with Dr. Kari and began to shift her personal and professional goals. Her semester at sea awakened a deep love for Africa, a passion for community dentistry, and servant leadership. She made a promise to the children and to herself that she would one day return to Africa as a dentist.

After college, Dr. Kari earned several scholarships to return home and attend Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine (CWRU) where she earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in 2010 and completed her specialty training at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital (RB&C) in 2012. She has been an adjunct faculty member at CWRU and RB&C since 2012 and served as the Dental Director of the Rainbow Center for Women and Children in Cleveland’s Midtown neighborhood.

In 2014, Dr. Kari was able to keep her promise and return to Africa as a volunteer pediatric dentist with the Global Dental Relief non-profit organization. She spent two weeks in Kenya at the PCEA Kikuyu Hospital Dental Clinic where she was once again touched by the number of children suffering from a lack of dental care but this time, she was able to serve and help them. In four service visits to Kenya, Dr. Kari has administered dental treatment to over 2,000 children, ensuring that every child has a happy, healthy, and confident smile.

The words of her tour guide from South Africa during the Semester at Sea experience still rang through Dr. Kari’s head. The concept of reinvesting in the community you came from resonated with Dr. Kari and inspired her to return to her hometown of Euclid, OH to establish Panther Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Kari is honored and overjoyed to provide quality, comprehensive dental care to children in and around Northeast Ohio. Dr. Kari is married to Mr. Vincent, whom she met on the many service trips to Kenya. He is a dental assistant in the office as well as a licensed massage therapist. From time to time, Mr. Vincent offers his mobile chair massage therapy services to the parents/guardians of children who are receiving dental sedation. When Dr. Kari is not taking care of children’s smiles, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, planning an event, teaching health care professionals about pediatric dentistry, helping her travel clients travel and experience the world, and enjoying some of the many gems around town in Northeast Ohio.