Dr. Kati Hetrick

Dr. Kati Hetrick is a general dentist with more than a decade of private practice experience, a holistic worldview, and a particular passion for airway-centered care. She approaches every appointment the way a great teacher approaches a lesson, with patience, clarity, and genuine interest in the person sitting in front of her.

A Kansas native, Dr. Kati earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Kansas before moving to Buffalo, New York, where she received her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University at Buffalo in 2009. Eager to deepen her clinical skills, she went on to complete a rigorous two-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency, training alongside specialists across every major area of dentistry. That broad foundation sparked a lifelong love of learning that still shapes her practice today through ongoing dental meetings, study clubs, and advanced workshops.

At Raleigh Dental Arts, Dr. Kati brings a special focus on airway-centered dentistry, which looks at the mouth as part of a larger system affecting sleep, breathing, and overall wellness. She is especially passionate about guided growth and development for children, helping young patients achieve proper jaw development and healthy nasal breathing from an early age. She also works with adults and children who struggle with sleep apnea and sleep-disordered breathing, and she provides gentle infant lip and tongue tie revisions that support feeding and bonding for new families.

A self-described “crunchy mama,” Dr. Kati lives a holistic, health-focused lifestyle that carries naturally into her care. She believes oral health cannot be separated from whole-body wellness, and her warm bedside manner makes her a favorite with children, nervous patients, and families who simply want a dentist who truly listens.