Dr. Kaitlin Cox Comes Home to Practice Dentistry Alongside Her Dad

Dr. Kaitlin Cox, DMD, can remember being just two or three years old and already knowing what she wanted to be when she grew up.

A dentist.

More specifically, she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her father, Dr. Todd Cox, owner and founding dentist of Braelinn Village Family Dentistry in Peachtree City.

“I remember being two, three years old, and I remember saying, ‘I’m going to be a dentist when I grow up,’” Cox said.

Now, after years of school, dental training, and service to patients in underserved communities, that childhood plan has become reality. Cox joined her father at Braelinn Village Family Dentistry this summer.

And within days of this story’s publication, another part of her life will change: Cox will marry her longtime fiancé, Izaiah Flores, and professionally become Dr. Kaitlin Cox Flores.

Coming home to dentistry

Cox grew up in Newnan and graduated from The Heritage School, but her family’s connection to Kentucky runs deep.

Both of her parents are originally from Kentucky and met at the University of Kentucky, where Todd Cox attended dental school and her mother was earning her master’s degree. The family remained devoted UK fans after moving to Georgia.

So when it was time for their daughter to choose a college, Kentucky was a natural fit.

Cox earned her undergraduate degree in 2022 in agricultural and medical biotechnology from the University of Kentucky, graduating magna cum laude. She said the program is essentially molecular biology with an emphasis on laboratory technologies to address the challenges faced in agriculture and healthcare. 

She stayed at UK for dental school, earning her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in May of 2026.

Dentistry appealed to Cox because it combined two parts of herself that might not seem immediately connected: her love of science and her artistic side.

“I always thought dentistry was so fascinating,” Cox said. “You get to be artistic. You get to use your brain because it’s very science oriented.”

She has always loved painting and drawing, and today she sees that same creativity at work when developing treatment plans for patients.

“You really just have to be creative in figuring out the best solution of what’s going to provide your patient with the best care,” Cox said.

Learning to care for the whole patient

Dental school also gave Cox opportunities to use her skills beyond the classroom.

For two years, she served as president of a women’s organization that provided dental care to women living in a shelter after experiencing domestic violence. Cox said the organization raised more than $20,000 to provide free dental care.

During the final two years of her education, she also volunteered with Remote Area Medical in rural Eastern Kentucky.

“We served in Appalachia and people would travel hours to come see us,” Cox said.

Now back in Georgia, she hopes to find opportunities to continue that kind of service locally.

Her Kentucky training also emphasized the connection between oral health and a patient’s overall health, something Cox now incorporates into the way she works with patients.

“My dental school education placed a lot of emphasis on being able to understand a patient’s systemic health. We link that back to oral health, and explain to the patients why their dental care can impact their heart, for example,” Cox said.

For Cox, that means giving patients enough information to understand their condition, their options, and what could happen if a dental problem isn’t addressed.

“Patient autonomy is extremely important, but it’s also important that we provide them with that information so that they can make the best decisions for themselves,” she said.

Practicing beside her dad

Cox began seeing patients at Braelinn Village Family Dentistry at the end of June. After wanting for years to practice alongside her father, she now gets to work just down the hall from him.

“It’s the best,” Cox said. “He’s always been a big role model for me. So it’s definitely rewarding to be able to work right next to him.”

She also values working alongside Dr. Alicia Frank, another dentist at the practice, and having experienced colleagues nearby as she begins her career.

The transition from dental school to treating patients every day has taught Cox that dentistry requires more than clinical knowledge. Every patient arrives with different needs, questions, fears, and sometimes pain.

“You really just have to be able to adapt each second of the day while you’re working,” she said, “because you don’t know exactly what each patient’s going to need until you see them, and each hour might be different from the next.”

Making patients comfortable is one of her highest priorities, particularly for those who are anxious about dental treatment or who haven’t seen a dentist in years.

“We see those patients almost on the daily,” she said. “It’s okay that you haven’t been to the dentist in many years. We are here to truly help you and work with you, and get you back to the best health possible.”

“The first step is always coming to see us,” she added. “It’s always about teamwork.”

Making a difference in a day

Because Cox is building her patient base, Braelinn Village Family Dentistry currently has room for new patients. She said next-day appointments may be available, and the office can sometimes see a patient the same day, particularly when someone has an urgent dental problem.

A few weeks ago, Cox saw a patient with an abscessed tooth that had been infected and decaying for some time. She was able to remove the tooth that day and help relieve the patient’s pain.

“Sometimes it’s even instant relief that patients feel, and that can just make the world of a difference for them,” she said.

On a different day, Cox was able to do six crowns on one day, giving a woman her smile back. 

Dr. Cox is quick to give credit to the entire Braelinn Villege Family Dentistry team, saying, “Our staff goes above and beyond to accommodate patient needs. They are extremely kind and professional, and it’s a pleasure to work alongside them every day.” 

A new home and a new name

Cox’s professional homecoming coincides with some big changes in her personal life.

She and Flores have established themselves in the community, and recently purchased their first home together in Newnan, not far from where Cox grew up. Flores, whom Cox met while they were students at the University of Kentucky, is now a counselor at Starr’s Mill High School.

While Cox continued through dental school in Lexington, Flores earned his master’s degree through Campbellsville University and remained in Lexington until she graduated. The couple then moved to Georgia together.

The couple, who have been together for about six years, will marry in Newnan in early October in front of about 215 guests at the church she grew up in. After the wedding, Cox plans to use the professional name Dr. Kaitlin Cox Flores, although patients may continue seeing Cox on practice materials for a while as the office makes the transition.

Outside dentistry, Cox enjoys cooking, skiing, traveling, hiking, and biking. She is also a fourth-generation member of P.E.O., a philanthropic organization supporting educational opportunities for women, which she joined at 18.

For now, Cox is settling back into the community where she grew up while building her own place in the family practice. Braelinn Village Family Dentistry is accepting new patients, including those who have put off dental care and those who need urgent treatment.

“We are here to truly help you and work with you,” Cox said.