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DSO Spotlight
From starting her career as a registered dental hygienist to founding and leading Pure Health Dental Partners, Aziza Abed, RDH, has been a true trailblazer in the DSO space. As she launches her exciting new venture, Lotus Dental Arts, we had the pleasure of sitting down with her to hear about her inspiring journey and what lies ahead for this next chapter.
GDN: You’ve launched Lotus Dental Arts following your success with Pure Health Dental Partners. What inspired you to start this new DSO, and how does Lotus build upon or differ from your earlier venture?
AA: After selling PHDP, I was fortunate to be recruited by Evolution Capital Partners to serve as CEO of Empire Dental Arts in Ohio. Once I had stabilized the company financially, implemented systems, and completed a restructuring, Evolution decided to take the company to market.
It was a mentally and emotionally challenging year for my team and me. We endured numerous buyer meetings, extensive due diligence, and constant uncertainty about the future. Throughout that process, I never intended to start another DSO. However, when the sale ultimately fell through, I was offered the opportunity to acquire the company—and I embraced it wholeheartedly.
What truly inspired me was the incredible team at Empire. The thought of no longer leading them weighed heavily on me for over a year. When the opportunity came to continue working with such passionate professionals, alongside dentist peers I respect, I knew it was the right next step. That’s what led to the birth of Lotus Dental Arts.
GDN: Reflecting on the founding of Pure Health Dental Partners in 2018—at a time when female DSO founders were extremely rare—you’ve described DSOs as male dominated. What challenges did you face entering that space, and how did you overcome them?
AA: When I founded Pure Health Dental Partners in 2018, the DSO space was undeniably male dominated, especially at the founder and executive level. That reality came with its own set of challenges—being underestimated in meetings, having to work harder to earn trust, and often being the only woman in the room during key industry conversations.
I’ve always believed that consistent results, a strong work ethic, and genuine relationships transcend gender over time. I focused on growing the business and delivering outcomes that spoke for themselves.
It’s encouraging to see how much the landscape has evolved in just a few years. Today, we have an increasing number of women in C-suite roles, VP positions, and leadership across major dental groups. The industry is moving toward greater equity and inclusivity, and I’m proud to have been part of that early wave of change.
GDN: Please discuss your first acquisition, Empire Dental Arts and where their locations are.
AA: Empire Dental Arts was a well-established group of six practices generating over $6 million in annual revenue when we acquired it. What stood out was the professionalism of the doctors and teams, the strong culture of collaboration, and the compassion shown to patients. The organization had a strong foundation, with consistently performing practices and reliable EBITDA.
What made the opportunity especially compelling was the core infrastructure we had built—operational efficiencies, clinical guidelines, compliance protocols, and streamlined systems that made the platform highly scalable. This allowed us to focus on growth while maintaining quality and consistency. Empire was the ideal first acquisition for this new chapter—it had both heart and a solid backbone.
These locations are:
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Cuyahoga Falls Dental Arts – current location will be converting to specialty only when new location is completed
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Cuyahoga Falls Dental Arts – Denovo – GD – opening in October
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Parma Dental Arts – Denovo – GD – opening in November
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Lotus Dental Arts – Medina – Denovo – opening in September
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Dental Care of North Florida – will be changed to Lotus Dental Arts
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Lotus Dental Arts – Lancaster – Denovo – opened August
GDN: What strategic vision guides Lotus’s geographic and clinical expansion?
AA: Our strategic vision is centered on thoughtful, sustainable growth—both geographically and clinically. At the moment, we’re focused on expanding our footprint in Ohio and Florida, two markets where we see strong demand and alignment with our model of care.
Since acquiring Empire, we’ve added two more practices, including one that offers Orthodontics and Pedodontics. This reflects our broader goal of creating a comprehensive, full-scope dental offering under one umbrella. Looking ahead to this fall, we’re excited to bring on an Implant and Cosmetic specialist who will rotate through our Ohio and Florida locations to support larger, more complex cases.
We’re also finalizing two of our four de novo practices, bringing our total to 12 locations. We’ve invested in technology upgrades such as scanners, patient kiosks, CBCTs, and AI in both existing and new locations. Each addition is strategic—designed to enhance our clinical depth and operational efficiency while staying true to our patient-first philosophy.
GDN: At Pure Health, you emphasized strict regulatory compliance across CDC, OSHA, HIPAA, and dental boards. How are you applying those lessons in the standard operating procedures at Lotus Dental Arts?
AA: The same commitment to compliance is very much in place at Lotus Dental Arts. After attending the Dykema conference, I discovered more efficient ways to integrate our compliance programs into our onboarding platform, ensuring no training is missed.
I remain strict about adhering to CDC, OSHA, HIPAA, ADA, ODA, Ohio State Board, and Florida Dental Board guidelines. In addition, I regularly update our periodontal and comprehensive care protocols to reflect the latest best practices.
GDN: Your career spans DentalOne Partners, North American Dental Group, Great Expressions, and Pure Health. What key leadership and operational insights from those experiences shape how you’re building Lotus Dental Arts today?
AA: I’ve been fortunate to learn from respected leaders in the DSO industry, including Doug Brown, Keith Miller, Andy McBryde, Dr. Chad Wise, Dr. Andrew Matta, Dr. Syed Kamal, and Dr. Sadeer Daood. Their mentorship shaped my understanding of how to grow and lead successful organizations.
At Pure Health, I had the privilege of working alongside my sons, Kam and Jimmy. Together with our teams, we combined our strengths, experience, and passion for patient care to build a DSO we were proud of. Since then, my sons have gone on to create their own thriving organization, AP Family Dentistry, with three locations in the greater Cleveland area.
Now, at Lotus Dental Arts, I’m fortunate to have a highly educated and well-rounded doctor partner, Hussein Elrawy, who shares our vision and brings a valuable long-term investment perspective. His insight has been truly inspirational. Drawing on my past experience in building and selling a DSO, and now collaborating with a partner who brings fresh strategic thinking, I believe we can take Lotus to new heights.
GDN: In scaling Lotus, what are your priorities in terms of team—clinical leadership, management structure, cultural values—and how are you recruiting to reflect them?
AA:At Lotus, I’m blessed to work alongside a management team—many of whom I partnered with during my time at Empire—who truly embody the principles of servant leadership. While our approaches to management may vary, we are united by shared core values and a common dedication to achieving our goals. I’m especially grateful to Rebecca, our VP of Operations, and Bethanny Langa, our Regional Director of Operations, whose loyalty, dedication, and trust in my leadership have meant more to me than words can express.
When it comes to recruiting, we focus on finding candidates who align with each practice’s unique culture. We build teams that complement each other’s strengths and can work collaboratively to overcome challenges. This approach ensures that our culture remains strong as we scale and that every team member feels empowered to contribute their best.
Looking ahead, I’m planning a fall retreat in Florida for our office leaders, along with team-building workshops—one in Cleveland and another in Florida—to bring all our team members together and strengthen connections across locations.
GDN: DSO founder and RDH is a unique background. How does your professional perspective as a registered hygienist influence the clinical ethos and patient experience model at Lotus?
AA: My background as a hygienist has given me a deep understanding of what it takes to deliver exceptional patient care and operational excellence. Early in my career at DentalOne and NADG, I helped build clinical and compliance platforms that supported scalability, reduced liability risks, and elevated the patient experience.
I stay up to date with changes from the ADA, AAP, and the Ohio and Florida State Dental Boards to ensure we’re always operating at the highest standards. At Lotus, I apply the same approach—protecting our providers, maintaining strict compliance, and creating treatment plans that support not only oral health but overall systemic health. For me, it’s about building a practice where clinical integrity and patient well-being go hand in hand.
GDN: As Lotus begins operations, what are your near-term benchmarks for success (e.g., number of affiliated practices, revenue targets, clinical metrics), and how will you track them? Likewise, what are your long-term goals?
AA: We currently operate 12 locations, including four newly built practices. Our primary goal for this year is to bring those new offices into positive cash flow by year’s end. In 2026, we plan to expand our presence in Ohio and Florida and launch an Implant and Cosmetic Institute to advance both patient care and professional training.
Long term, our focus is steady, sustainable growth—opening new practices, acquiring culturally aligned offices, and continually strengthening our clinical and operational excellence. We see Lotus not as a short-term venture, but as a lasting legacy that will support our teams, patients, and communities for decades to come.
GDN: You’ve served as keynote speaker, editorial board member at Group Dentistry Now, volunteer instructor, and been named among “Ten Best Women Leaders of 2020.” How does Lotus Dental Arts reflect your broader mission for industry leadership, mentorship, and representation of women in executive DSO roles?
AA: My passion for dentistry is rooted in the fact that it’s largely a women-driven profession. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting women at every stage of their careers—from single mothers seeking stability, to those starting new careers later in life, to team members progressing from hygiene assistant to hygienist. Seeing that growth is the most rewarding part of what I do.
Today, I mentor several women who are pursuing leadership roles, including a few who hope to follow a similar path to mine. I believe in being an open book, sharing both successes and lessons learned. I’m inspired every time I see women excelling in C-level roles, and at Lotus, I make a point of supporting women-owned businesses whenever possible. For me, it’s about creating opportunity, fostering confidence, and ensuring the next generation of women leaders in dentistry has both the tools and the encouragement to thrive.
