Riordan Clinic Welcomes Dr. Stacy Dunn to its Overland Park Location

By Melody Spurney

Dr. Stacy Dunn, ND, LAc, FABNO, FABORM, brought unique skills and credentials to Overland Park when she joined the Riordan Clinic on July 31.

The credentials behind Dr. Dunn’s name reveal a combination of specialties that include naturopathic care, acupuncture, integrative oncology, and fertility and women’s health care. She is a key addition to our integrative oncology team that also includes Dr. Ron Hunninghake, MD; Dr. Kirsten West, ND, LAc, FABNO; and Laura Vasquez, MSN, APRN, NP-C.

Dr. Dunn has worked in the health, nutrition, and fitness field for more than 25 years. She began her path into healthcare at the University of Kansas where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology.

She initially thought she would follow a conventional path to medicine as an orthopedic surgeon. After a conventional shadowing experience, she realized that while she was still interested in a career in medicine, she wanted to take a different path. A friend suggested she consider the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon, the oldest accredited naturopathic medical college in North America. While there, she embarked on a six-year graduate program from which she earned her Doctorate in Naturopathic
Medicine and a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine.

“I wanted a deeper connection with patients and to care for them more holistically,” Dr. Dunn said of her decision to pursue a degree in naturopathic medicine.

From there, Dr. Dunn specialized in both integrative oncology and women’s health and fertility. She holds double board certification and is a Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology (FABNO) and is a Fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (FABORM).

“I have always been interested in taking care of people and helping them feel better,” she said.

Dr. Dunn’s interest in acupuncture began at the National University of Natural Medicine, where an introduction to acupuncture course was required. She connected with the concept, and added a master’s degree to her studies.

“I fell in love even more with the holistic approach,” Dr. Dunn said of her experience with acupuncture, adding that she sought acupuncture treatment for herself, as well.

Midwestern Roots and Riordan Connections

Dr. Dunn is a native of Oklahoma, and she said that returning to the Midwest is one of the things that made the Riordan Clinic an attractive destination. While she grew up in Oklahoma, she spent a few years in Wichita during high school and is familiar with the area.

After graduating from the National University of Natural Medicine, Dr. Dunn returned to the Midwest and began practicing in Dallas as the owner of a naturopathic and Chinese medicine clinic, where she offered acupuncture and naturopathic care for a variety of conditions including digestive disorders, women’s health and infertility, endocrine dysfunction, autoimmune conditions, and integrative cancer care.

Dr. Dunn said that she was drawn to integrative oncology in part because of her family’s history of cancer diagnosis, and also because of the number of her patients in Dallas who were coping with a cancer diagnosis.

“I was interested in oncology because I have a strong family history of cancer, and when I started practicing in Dallas, those were the patients who came to me. Caring for them was really meaningful,” she said.

After five years in Dallas, Dr. Dunn moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and worked as a naturopathic oncology consultant at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. It was there that she truly integrated her oncology practice, working extensively with conventional practitioners including radiation oncologists, surgeons, hospitalists, nursing staff, psychologists, and dietitians to improve patient safety and quality of life.

Dr. Dunn believes strongly in the body’s inherent ability to heal, and she works alongside her patients, encouraging them to take an active role in their health.

In Pennsylvania, Dr. Dunn was supervisor for Dr. Kirsten West, ND, LAc, FABNO, during her residency. Dr. West joined the Riordan Clinic last year and recently celebrated her one-year anniversary.

“It’s hard to believe that I have known Dr. Dunn for over 10 years now. She was my attending at Cancer Treatment Centers of America while I was in residency. In short time, she became a friend and is now a colleague and also a dear friend. I am thrilled to welcome her to Team Riordan as we work together to create a positive and lasting change in the practice of integrative oncology for our patients,” Dr. West said.

Dr. Dunn returned to the Midwest in 2012. She continued her tenure with the Cancer Treatment Centers location in Tulsa. She also worked with Tulsa Spine and Rehab as a naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist. She served as Director of Acupuncture for a year at Pulling Down the Moon in Chicago before accepting her most recent position at Pacific Integrative Oncology and Tiny Dragon Acupuncture in Eugene, Oregon, in 2017.

Help for Women and Families

In addition to her work in integrative oncology, Dr. Dunn uses her training and experience to help grow families. While in Chicago, she oversaw one of the first multidisciplinary, holistic practices dedicated to fertility and pregnancy.

Dr. Dunn said acupuncture can assist with a variety of treatments, including stress and hot flashes, and it is well known to be beneficial for infertility.

She said that helping people to start or grow their families is something she is passionate about.

“It is meaningful to help someone have a family. Fertility treatments can be really stressful, but there’s so much we can do to support the process,” she said.

Settling In

Dr. Dunn has relocated to the Overland Park area with her husband, James, and daughters Amelia and Lola, who will continue high school in Kansas.

Dr. Dunn enjoys kayaking and hiking. The family enjoys watching lacrosse, volleyball, and music theater as well as watching Marvel movies and playing Mario cards.

She said the family is looking forward to getting to know the Kansas City area better and getting to know more about the community and cultural opportunities.