Photography by Brandi Stage Portraiture
If Dr. Catherine Bruni weren’t a dentist, she probably would own an art studio inhabited by resident rescue cats.
She also may have run a company that rents tablescapes for events, or perhaps her own antique store. Working for an art museum, preferably in the Wedgwood collection at the Birmingham Museum of Art, would have suited her, too.
“If you can’t tell, I’m actually 70 on the inside,” jokes the 30-year-old Bruni, who lives in Pass Christian with her four felines: Bae, Bubba, Possum and Francine.
As it happened, Bruni chose a career that combined her two passions: medicine and creativity. Since July of 2022, she has been practicing at Waveland Dental Center, which she purchased in March of 2023.
“I love to help people, and I’ve always been the person to stick up for other people,” Bruni says. “I work to treat all my patients fairly, no matter their background, financial status or what their teeth may look like at the present time.”
‘THIS SOUNDS JUST LIKE YOU’
Although Bruni is the first dentist in her family, she is related to several doctors and always planned to pursue medicine.
“Seventh-grade science class reinforced that career path when we were studying organ systems in the human body,” she recalls. “At that time, I thought I wanted to be a cardiologist.”
Then while attending Gulfport High, she took every studio art class possible. During her sophomore year at the University of Alabama, she went to a fateful meeting, where she heard from the dean of admissions of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s dental school.
“He was discussing how dentistry is a mix of science and art,” Bruni recalls. “I had just added studio art as a major, and my roommate started elbowing me, saying, ‘This sounds just like you.’
She started shadowing several local dentists and knew she’d found her calling.
“I realized that I loved the flexibility and autonomy dentistry gave me while being able to work in the medical field, create beautiful things with my hands and positively impact people’s lives,” Bruni says.
FINDING STRENGTH IN LOSS
Bruni spent her college summers taking classes and waiting tables. Following graduation, she went on to the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s School of Dentistry and graduated in 2022, going to work for Dr. Hal Jones at Waveland Dental Center soon after.
Three weeks later, Bruni and her family were devastated by the sudden loss of her brother, Christopher.
“I was in such mental despair that I would get to my office in the morning and cry in my car for 20 minutes before going inside to ‘put on a face’ for seeing patients,” she recalls. “I had so much stress emotionally that it started taking a physical toll that caused many health problems.”
What helped her endure that season was a network of people who supported her personally and professionally, including Jones, a mentor whom Bruni jokingly calls her “second dad”; empathetic office staff; confidantes from Bible study; her parents, Jeff and Angela; and her brother, Jeff. Countless friends reached out when she wanted to talk or sent “thinking of you” notes while her large, strong extended family stuck together and held each other up.
“I cannot name everyone who got me to where I am today,” Bruni says, “but I know I would not be who I am without the village of the absolute best people whom I am blessed to have in my life.”
‘EVERYONE HAS TO START SOMEWHERE’
Bruni is paying that positivity forward and gets great satisfaction from helping others grin again. One recent patient had significant decay on her front teeth, which was affecting her confidence, but she couldn’t afford crowns. Bruni utilized fillings — which changed everything.
“When I showed her the work, she started crying, saying, ‘I finally have my smile back,’” the dentist recalls.
Another patient needed crowns on her top front teeth and came in afterward with her husband, exclaiming how happy she was with her new smile.
“Even if you think your teeth are ‘so bad’ or there’s ‘no hope,’ everyone has to start somewhere,” Bruni says, “and we will always get you on a path to health.”
To have a healthy mouth, the dentist adds, flossing is non-negotiable. Bruni also advises against opening things with your teeth or biting your nails.
“And please do not play hide-and-seek or tag in the dark,” she says. “Only bad things happen to your teeth when you do that.”
Another fact she emphasizes: Oral health is directly related to overall health.
“Loose teeth, bad breath and receding gums could all be signs you may be at a higher risk of cardiovascular issues like heart attacks or strokes,” she says. “If you do have heart disease, keeping your gums and teeth healthy is essential to lowering your risk of heart failure or other major problems.”
SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT
While dentistry proved an ideal fit for Bruni’s gifts, she hasn’t abandoned her other interests. She’s now training for a half-marathon and learned to sew at the beginning of the year.
“My all-time favorite pastime is going to estate sales and thrift stores,” she says. “I have a collection of china and enjoy hosting parties.”
As Waveland Dental prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, Bruni prioritizes staying on the cutting edge of her field — namely the exciting developments in artificial intelligence. For instance, software now integrates AI into radiographs to reveal the location of decay, bone loss and abscesses.
“I enjoy taking continuing education courses and going to conventions to learn about all the new technology available and to improve my skills as a clinician,” Bruni says.
For the dentist, perfecting pearly whites is only the surface level of what makes a practice successful. The true measure is rooted in trust, compassion and serving the people in her chair.
As she knows well, the biggest turnarounds often start with something as simple as helping someone smile again.