I would like to share my nightmare experience with Dr. Cunningham. I have started into the fifth year; I still do not have restored teeth. I went to Dr. Cunningham because I had a loose bridge in 2012; my expectation was that he would either section the area of the bridge that was loose or replace the entire bridge. I ended up buying into a MAJOR UPSELL, into implants. I trusted Dr. Cunningham knew how to do implants with restorations. I asked if I needed to go out to an oral surgeon, he said "no, that he was a one stop shop." He is NOT AN ORAL SURGEON, HE IS A GENERAL DENTIST! Do not make the same mistake I made, based on his pleasant demeanor. To date, my medical costs have reached $1,000,000.00, my out of pocket is $175,000.00, and I still do not have restored teeth.
I filed a dental malpractice lawsuit against Dr Cunningham, he was found guilty. Our trial was in October 2014, in SD court. I had to pay Dr. Cunningham 50% upfront in May 2012, which was a total of $15,000.00. My injury occurred during his initial procedure; but he kept over $5000.00 of my prepayment. He was willing to give my prepayment back if I did not file a lawsuit against him, but my injuries were/are so grievous I could not drop the law suit.
To date, I've had reconstructive 13 surgeries, 5 months of home IV therapy, 2 bone infections, massive bone & tissue loss, 50 hyperbaric treatments, numerous tissue grafts, major loss of my sinus wall. Failed implants because of permanent tissue damage. I will never be the same again. Here's the kicker! I went for a loose bridge. I had a decent smile before we started, but not anymore. BEWARE OF THE DENTAL UPSELL. Side notes; 25% of jurors were dismissed because they told the judge/attorneys they hated and mistrusted dentists because of their UPSELL tactics.
My life has forever been changed because of this doctor. He has ruined me financially, broken my spirit, caused not only dental disaster, but because of all of the ongoing stress, surgeries and inflammation, my heart has reached a point of grave concern. I had an emergency angioplasty in February 2016, because I was told I'd have a heart attack and go into heart failure without it. I am not operable for a bypass, as my vessels are too small. So possibly, I will die from what started as a loose bridge.
* *UPDATE : I just had to have another angioplasty with radiation on my heart on June 3, 2016.

I wrote Dr. Cunningham a letter a few months ago detailing how horrible my life has been since the trial in 10/2014. I asked him to reconsider refunding me the PREPAYMENT money he kept for work never done. He ignored my letter, until he read this review on line, then I received a call from him. He told me that he didn't realize that he kept the money; he thought he'd given it back, that he would refund it. He told me he was sorry he hurt me that he thinks about me every day. Well guess what? He did not refund the money, and magically my review has disappeared.
** I've tried to repost this review on Vitals, but every time I post it, Dr. Cunningham has it removed. Apparently, they do not value true reviews; if a doctor complains they must take down the review.

Submitted July 8, 2016