WOODBRIDGE, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lightwave Dental (Lightwave) has experienced significant growth as a leading management services partner for top dentists in the mid-Atlantic region. The company currently consists of 76 dental practice locations across Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama, with more than 1,800 team members, up from 800 a year ago. With growth expected to continue, Lightwave today announced the addition of Chris Suscha as chief development officer. He is responsible for leading organizational growth and expanding the company’s network of affiliated dental practices.
Suscha joins Lightwave with more than 20 years of experience in healthcare services as well as mergers and acquisitions. Most recently, he served as vice president of business development with National Veterinary Associates (NVA). During Chris’s tenure with NVA they grew from 250 to 1,000 offices in the United States. His experience also includes serving in leadership roles with the healthcare investment banking division of Houlihan Lokey as well as Deloitte & Touche.
“We are delighted to have Chris Suscha join Lightwave,” said Justin Jory, Lightwave founder and chief executive officer. “Chris has an extraordinary track record of relationship development in healthcare services and is a terrific addition to our rapidly expanding organization. His leadership and commitment to our team values make for an excellent cultural fit with Lightwave as we continue to grow our footprint of dental practices.”
Putting people first and empowering doctors to lead the way has established Lightwave as the preferred partner for high quality dental practices. Founded in 2016 with eight distinct practices, the company grew to 20 locations within two years. Lightwave doubled in size to 40 offices and $98 million in collections by 2019 and grew to 72 offices and $190 million in collections by the end of 2021.
“I’m excited to join Lightwave and help further expand the organization’s role in support of dental leaders,” said Suscha. “This is a tremendous opportunity to lead the way in group dentistry and team up with top doctors to help them reach their goals. I look forward to my strategic role in driving Lightwave growth and building upon the momentum the company has achieved to date.”
Lightwave is a Dental Leadership Organization that provides a clear professional growth plan for associate dentists and a roadmap to retirement for experienced dental practice owners. Lightwave is committed to customized support for every practice in its network, preserving their local identity while strengthening it with best practices, access to financing, and leadership training. Lightwave removes the financial burden of debt and small business operations such as recruiting, human resources, information technology, accounting, marketing, revenue cycle management, and other administrative tasks. As a result, dental practice owners and their teams have the freedom to focus on patient care and growth.
About Lightwave Dental
Founded in 2016, Lightwave Dental is a high-growth company building the group model for the future of the dental industry. As the industry’s first Dental Leadership Organization, Lightwave focuses on partnering, training, and developing dentists as the natural leaders of the dental practice. The company helps dentists launch their careers, supports those leading high-growth dental groups, and assists with preserving their legacy as they transition into retirement. Lightwave is solving the big problems in dentistry around retirement, management, reimbursements, and partnership by providing the benefits of a group while preserving the essence of private practice. The company currently supports 76 dental offices in four states with 170 dentists and more than 1,800 active employees.
