Dr. Walter Hunt

In 1977, Dr. Walter Hunt founded Personal Care Dentistry in a small office space with three employees on Hamline Avenue in Roseville. He had just graduated from the University of Minnesota’s School of Dentistry, and he was determined to build a different kind of dental practice, one that focused on what he calls the “Golden Rule of Dentistry” – caring for all of his patients the way he would care for his own family.

Now, almost five decades later, Personal Care Dentistry has grown to take up the entire third floor of the office building on Hamline Avenue, where he started his practice. Three dentists and more than 30 staff blend the latest technology with a gentle touch in a warm, caring, and compassionate atmosphere.

In 2024, Dr. Walter Hunt passed along ownership of the practice to his son, Dr. Kyle Hunt, who has worked at the practice since 2014. But Dr. Walter Hunt plans on working in the practice for many years to come.

Dr. Kyle Hunt shares his father’s never-ending quest for excellence in dental care, as do all of the dentists, dental assistants, hygienists, and office staff at Personal Care Dentistry. It has resulted in a chest full of awards from fellow dentists and consumers, including:

“Our patients truly feel we are an extension of their family and that they can always depend on us to provide excellent care based on compassion, respect, and personalized service,” emphasizes Dr. Walter Hunt. “We believe in a conservative approach to care, which means that we don’t recommend care that is not necessary at the time they come in for an appointment. Our motto is ‘We Serve the World’s Greatest Patients’, and we take that approach with each of our patients.”

Dr. Walter Hunt ’s approach to patient care and his “Golden Rule of Dentistry” have roots that go back much further than his 47-year dental career. Dr. Walter Hunt grew up in northwestern Indiana in a small town named Merrillville. By the time his family moved to Minnesota at the beginning of his junior year of high school, he had become an accomplished athlete in both football and baseball. It was then that he also reached a defining moment in his life, one that has influenced his approach to life and dentistry.

“My family didn’t have much money – we lived in a poor neighborhood in Merrillville – so I had a lot of friends who were also poor. But because I was a good athlete in football and baseball, I also had a group of friends who came from families with money. And I didn’t like the way the kids with money would treat the poor kids. It was then that I vowed that I would always treat everyone equally with the same amount of caring and respect,” emphasizes Dr. Walter Hunt . “The worth of a person should not be defined by what they have or how they look.”

For Dr. Walter Hunt , being a dentist and the founder of Personal Care Dentistry is not a job. It is a passion. He has had the same goal for almost half a century – treat people with dignity and respect, and as a dentist, provide them with the best care possible. “This is my passion, and this is how I can contribute to helping other people have better lives. Even today, I still feel like I get more out of caring for others than they do. I love being here at Personal Care Dentistry,” says Dr. Walter Hunt .

He also loves sports (especially baseball – he played as a pitcher and second baseman in a men’s over 35 league until a hip injury forced him to retire when he was 59), plays the guitar like you wouldn’t believe, enjoys traveling, and spending time at the cabin with his wife, Michelle, and his four grown “boys” and their families.