Chamber Insider Blog

Congratulations to Northern Virginia Orthodontics & Dr. Zack Casagrande for being a finalist this year for the 25th Anniversary of the Loudoun Small Business Awards! View the full list of finalists here. These awards will be held on November 8, 2019 at The National Conference Center. Register Here!

Dr. Casagrande is a finalist for Loudoun’s Top Entrepreneur of the Year award, and the practice is nominated for Technology Innovator of the Year. Post submitted by Dr. Zack Casagrande.

1.  Tell us your story of how your business evolved into what it is today.

After finishing my orthodontic residency at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond in 2006, my wife and I knew we wanted to move to Loudoun County. We both grew up nearby, and were aware of the planned residential growth, excellent schools, and the fact that Loudoun would be a great place to raise our kids and open an orthodontic practice. We settled on Brambleton Town Center, centrally located in Loudoun, to both live and work. With my vision to make an impact on patients, my team, and my community, I opened Northern Virginia Orthodontics in February of 2008. We saw just two patients that day, and despite the economy crashing in 2008 and 2009, NVO continued to grow thanks to our dedication to treating patients like our own family, over-delivering on top-notch service, and changing lives both inside and outside our office.

Since opening our doors in 2008, we’ve expanded our Brambleton office to add the East Coast’s first, adult-only Invisalign Center, built three more offices in Reston, One Loudoun and Tysons Corner, earned the title of Washingtonian Magazine’s Top 50 Places to Work, treated the most Invisalign patients in the state of Virginia, and in 2017 became the #2 Invisalign provider in the entire country.

Despite all these incredible accomplishments, what I’m most proud of is NVO’s impact on the local community. To date, NVO has donated over $1.3 million to local schools and organizations, as well as to pediatric cancer research and awareness. Through our 501(c)(3) non-profit, The NVO Foundation, we have been able to do even more this past year for those in need, right here in Loudoun County. It’s been an incredible ride going from just two patients that very first day to now seeing over 100 patients on a daily basis, but NVO is just as committed as ever to changing smiles and impacting lives.

2.  What would it mean to you and your company to win a Small Business Award?

Winning an award of this magnitude would serve as affirmation that Northern Virginia Orthodontics is impacting and improving the Loudoun County community, and would serve as fantastic recognition for our entire team.

3.  What is the smallest thing that has made the largest impact on your business?

Having no fear of change. It’s absolutely essential to assume risk, and to be open to change as your business grows.  We are currently the only orthodontic practice in the state with “Invisalign Studios,” which are retail locations open 7 days a week, 24/7 with no scheduled appointment necessary to be seen!

4.  Who is the one person that has influenced you the most in your career?

There are so many people that have influenced me along the way, but my older brother has definitely influenced me the most. He has a solution for every problem. He is an attorney by trade, but is always there when I need an opinion on anything business-wise and has been a huge part of NVO’s success.

5.  What is your favorite thing about running a business in Loudoun County?

The growth and success of the county, and the pro-business mindset of its leaders.

6.  How do you see your business evolving in the next 10 years?

We are now living in an on-demand world, and the newest generation of consumers wants everything to be digital and instant. NVO has to evolve to keep up with this new generation, and we see our traditional model of only treating patients in the office changing rapidly to keep up with this demand. We’ve already begun implementing changes that will propel NVO into the digital space, including virtual consultations and appointments with HIPPA-compliant software to make our doctors accessible to busy patients at their home or the office. We were also the first orthodontic practice to develop a product that provided a safe alternative to the traditional at-home orthodontic kits, and we’re proud to have helped over 300 patients transform their smiles with just two in-office visits. In the next 10 years, I believe our business will continue cater to the busy, on-demand lifestyle of Loudoun County residents with more convenient treatment options like Smiles Express by NVO and Nightlign by NVO, and less traditional offices like our retail Invisalign Studio locations. It’s a very exciting time to be a business owner and I look forward to continuing to transform NVO’s services to meet the changing needs of our patients.

7.  If you’re not in the office where can we find you/what is another passion you have?

At my son’s baseball game, my daughters’ soccer games, a local winery, a D.C. sporting event, teaching the orthodontic residents at MCV (Medical College of Virginia), or out helping others.

8.  What did you want to be when you grew up as a child? 

A professional baseball player. Baseball was my passion growing up, and remains a giant part of my family. My oldest son is currently plays baseball at the University of Arizona, and my wife and daughters love the sport as well.

9.  If you have 24-hours off, and your family was out of town, what would you do?

I’d work out, eat a healthy breakfast, then look for a D.C. sporting event to attend, like a Nationals or Capitals game. Then a good glass of wine with dinner and call it a day – but I’d rather be with my family!

10.  What is one book that you would recommend everyone read?

Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss. It’s a compilation of tools, tactics, and habits of 130+ of the world’s top performers including elite athletes and business people.

Congratulations to the entire Northern Virginia Orthodontics team! Good luck at the Small Business Awards this year.