Katherine Paret

Katherine Paret is a general dentist in South Portland, Maine, whose career has been shaped by a deep interest in whole-person wellness, community, and the connection between human health and the natural world. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biology with a minor in Classics from Bowdoin College in 2008 and her Doctor of Dental Medicine from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 2013, followed by an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency at the VA Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2014. After years of clinical practice, including founding and leading her own integrative dental practice, Paret recently transitioned from private practice and now serves as a general dentist at a nonprofit. She is also mentoring with an archaeologist as she explores a new professional direction centered on archaeology, human wellness, and humanity’s relationship with nature.

Paret’s approach to healthcare extends well beyond traditional dentistry. She became a Registered Yoga Teacher in 2017, completed doula training through Warm Welcome Doulas in 2018, and pursued an apprenticeship in herbal medicine, reflecting her longstanding interest in complementary approaches to health and well-being. She is a Qualified Dentist through the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and maintains memberships in the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, Academy of General Dentistry, and American Dental Association. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys foraging, growing medicinal plants, creating herbal preparations such as tinctures and infused honeys, and spending time outdoors hiking, kayaking, and swimming. She also values the close friendships and relationships that have been an important source of connection throughout her life.

Community service is an equally important part of Paret’s life and reflects her belief in interdependence and the responsibility to care for others. She serves on the board of the South Portland Land Trust and volunteers with organizations supporting people experiencing intimate partner violence, as well as food pantries and animal shelters. Paret attributes her success to the strength of her relationships and her ability to imagine a better world while taking small, consistent steps toward creating it. She encourages others to remain grounded in their values rather than feeling pressured to conform to established career paths. Guided by authenticity, kindness, creativity, and connection to self and others, Paret continues to build a life and career that integrate healthcare, community, nature, and a lifelong curiosity about what it means to live well.