Dr. Kuntz graduated from Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska with her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2011. She returned to her childhood home of Polk County and has been practicing general dentistry locally for over a decade. Fascinated with our bodies innate ability to heal when given the right conditions, she sees the mouth as a window into the health of the rest of our body and enjoys educating patients on tangible ways to improve their oral (and overall) health that go far beyond good brushing and flossing habits.

A growing interest in sleep apnea encouraged Dr. Kuntz to take a course from airway medicine pioneer, Dr. Soroush Zaghi- ENT, sleep surgeon, and medical director at The Breathe Institute in California. This deep dive into sleep, breathing and airway medicine changed the trajectory of her career. She suddenly understood why nursing her babies was so difficult, why her son was falling off the growth curve and had trouble focusing, and why despite sleeping for 8 hours, she struggled to get out of bed in the morning. She realized her own medical and dental history perfectly illustrated the effects of unaddressed airway issues over time, and she could see her children heading down the same path. There are few things stronger than a mother’s urge to protect her children, and Dr. Kuntz set out on a mission to improve her family’s airway health. Many courses, seminars, and books later, helping patients sleep and breathe better became her sole focus. She developed a passion for treating infants and children and decided to dedicate her dental career to this branch of medicine. Thanks to the support of many family members, friends, and colleagues, in 2022 Breathe and Thrive was officially born.

Outside of her clinical endeavors, Dr. Kuntz and her family spend most of their time enjoying all that nature has to offer. They love to garden, hunt, fish, and forage in the forest. In the winter months, she and her husband Jake are busy cheering on their boys as they play for the local hockey league, the River Valley Eagles.