The dental industry is a fascinating space with regional and national dental service organizations growing rapidly.
Below is a list of 10 leaders who have made a positive impact on their organizations and have their sights set on future growth.
Contact Cameron Cortigiano at ccortigiano@beckershealthcare.com to recommend a leader for future lists. To learn more about the dental industry and engage in lively debate about the future, join us at the Future of Dentistry Roundtable in October - register here.
Ronald Abaro, DDS. Chief Clinical Officer of Huntington Park Dental (Huntington Park, Calif.). Dr. Abaro took over Huntington Park Dental earlier this year when John Choi, DDS, retired. Huntington Park Dental offers a variety of services, including general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics. Dr. Abaro has helped expand Huntington Park Dental to more than 10 sister locations across California.
Jeff Burg, DDS. Chief Dental Officer of Speciality Dental Brands (Nashville, Tenn.). Dr. Burg has been the Chief Dental Officer at Speciality Dental Brands since 2021. He is a part of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association and the Utah Dental Association. Before coming to Speciality Dental Brands, Dr. Burg was the founding owner and president of Burg Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics, the largest privately owned children’s dentistry company in Utah.
Stephen Canis, DMD. Chief Dental Officer of Progressive Dental Concepts (Camp Hill, Pa.). Dr. Canis has been the chief dental officer at Progressive Dental Concepts since 2021. He is an entrepreneurial executive that provides industry knowledge and insight to the company. Progressive Dental Concepts is a DSO that is owned and operated by dentists, which means they care greatly about clinical autonomy.
Sherry Cauley. Founder and CEO of Upward Smiles (Farmington, Mo.). Ms. Cauley founded Upward Smiles in 2012. Upward Smiles is the leader in nonprofit, comprehensive dental care for children and pregnant women. Since opening, they have helped nearly 25,000 children and are the main source of dental care for underserved children in the region.
Mark Dake, DDS. Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer of Rock Dental Brands (Little Rock, Ark.). Dr. Dake has been the chief clinical officer at Rock Dental Brands since 2012. He is responsible for driving both practice and business development as well as ensuring clinical excellence, effectiveness and regulatory compliance. Dr. Dake is also a delegate to the American Association of Orthodontics.
Paul Holt. Executive Vice President and CFO of Western Dental (Orange, Calif.). Mr. Holt has been executive vice president and CFO at Western Dental since 2021. He leads all financial operations for the company, including financial reporting, planning, analysis and purchasing. Mr. Holt also works with the equity and lending partners and credit reporting agencies for the company.
Arwinder Judge, DDS. Chief Clinical Officer of Aspen Dental (Naples, Fla.). Dr. Judge has been the chief clinical officer at Aspen Dental since 2008. He is responsible for creating and implementing programs to help Aspen Dental practices provide superior patient care and business results. Dr. Judge also serves as a clinical liaison to Aspen’s professional community.
Steven Kizy. President of Midwest Dental Supply (Livonia, Mich.). Mr. Kizy has been the president of Midwest Dental Supply since 2016. He is skilled in business planning, customer service, sales, medical devices and cold calling. Mr. Kizy has helped Midwest Dental Supply grow to the fastest growing full-service dental supply company in the country.
Peter Swenson. CEO of Park Dental Group (Minneapolis, Minn.). Mr. Swenson took over as the CEO at Park Dental Group after serving as the chief administrative officer for 15 years. Mr. Swenson has helped to grow the company to having 140 general dentists at over 50 locations. Park Dental Group has focused on providing patient-centered care since opening their first practice in 1972.
Andy Young. Chief Clinical Officer of Five Point Dental Specialists (Fort Worth, Texas). Andy Young is the chief clinical officer at Five Point Dental Specialists. The company is a fast growing DSO with several locations across Texas and Oklahoma. Five Point Dental Specialists focus on providing orthodontics, oral surgery and pediatric dentistry.