Delta Dental of California announces $5 million investment in Series D funding of LightForce Orthodontics

Delta Dental of California today announced it invested $5 million in LightForce Orthodontics, a 3-D printing company that provides orthodontists with fully customized, 3D-printed braces.

Delta Dental’s investment is part of a $80 million Series D funding round that will enable LightForce to expand its workforce, further develop its software and scale production capabilities with a new manufacturing facility in Wilmington, MA. The funding was led by Ally Bridge Group, Transformation Capital and CareCapital and other partners.

“This investment reflects our purpose of improving health by providing access to quality care and supporting advancements in oral health care through better outcomes, experiences and efficiencies for patients and providers,” said Sarah Chavarria, president of Delta Dental of California. “We are pleased to play a role in promoting digital innovation and technologies that lead to more personalized and effective treatment opportunities.”

“We are excited to have Delta Dental of California as part of the incredible syndicate of investors supporting our journey to transform orthodontic care,” said LightForce CEO and Co-Founder Alfred Griffin III, DMD, Ph.D., MMSc. “With this funding, LightForce will continue to attract key talent, innovate through our incredible community of orthodontists and scale operations as we seek to elevate the standard of care for teen orthodontic treatment.”

LightForce launched its first product to the market in 2019 – the world’s first and only fully customized 3D printed bracket system and digital treatment software. A recent peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Clinical Orthodontics showed that Lightforce cases finished 45% faster with 41% fewer scheduled appointments than conventional bracket cases.

Delta Dental is a licensed trademark of Delta Dental Plans Association (“DDPA”). DDPA does not endorse or sponsor this product.

About Delta Dental of California

Since 1955, Delta Dental of California has offered comprehensive, high quality oral health care coverage to millions of enrollees and built the strongest network of dental providers in the country. The Delta Dental of California enterprise includes its affiliates Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania, Delta Dental of New York, Inc., as well as the national DeltaCare USA network, and provides dental benefits to more than 45 million people across 15 states and the District of Columbia.* All are members of the Delta Dental Plans Association based in Oak Brook, Illinois, the not-for-profit national association that through a national network of Delta Dental companies collectively covers millions of people nationwide. For more information about Delta Dental of California, please visit www.deltadentalins.com.

*Delta Dental of California’s operating areas encompass Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

About LightForce Orthodontics

LightForce Orthodontics is a digital platform providing orthodontists with fully customized, 3D printed tooth-moving tools. Founded in 2015 by Dr. Alfred Griffin, DMD, PhD, MMSc, along with Dr. Lou Shuman, DMD, CAGS, LightForce is revolutionizing the specialty through advanced manufacturing and technology. After five years of extensive research and development, LightForce launched its first product to the orthodontic market - the world’s first and only fully customized 3D printed bracket system and digital treatment software. Today, LightForce cases are improving the orthodontic experience, proven to finish cases 45% faster with 41% fewer scheduled appointments than conventional bracket cases. Learn more at https://lf.co/.