Dr. Ryan Richards - Oral Surgeon in Chevy Chase

Dr. Ryan Peters is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Nuvia Dental Implant Center in Chevy Chase, MD. He earned his dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2014 and completed his four-year oral and maxillofacial surgery training at Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, MD. Following residency, he served four years in the military—practicing in El Paso, TX, and as an attending surgeon back at Walter Reed, where he ran his own clinic and mentored oral surgery residents. He transitioned into private practice in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area in 2022, and has now been in oral surgery for just over a decade.

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Dr. Peters grew up in Wisconsin and originally studied architectural engineering before realizing he wanted a career focused on helping people. Oral surgery brought all of his interests together—he often describes the work as being an architect and engineer of the mouth and face, designing and building something new for a patient each day.

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Why Nuvia

Dr. Peters joined Nuvia for the team approach used at each Nuvia Center. Having a restorative dentist, CRNA, and surgical team under one roof allows him to consult on design and implant placement, coordinate on patient safety and comfort, and lean on his colleagues in the way he did during his hospital training. He sees it as a more efficient, safe, and enjoyable way to practice.

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Outside of the Office

Outside of work, Dr. Peters spends time with his wife in the DC area, where they enjoy traveling, hiking, bike rides, and catching a good dinner, concert, or sporting event. He played collegiate golf and still plays today, and he’s a lifelong, loyal fan of every Wisconsin sports team.

Dr. Wells is originally from Arizona and is excited to get to know the Maryland area. 

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Growing up, Dr. Wells went to the dentist a lot. Over the years of procedures to help fix a tooth that never grew, she realized that she wanted to help others get the smiles they want. 

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Dr. Wells attended dental school at Midwestern University and has been living her dream practicing as a dentist for the past 10 years.

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Why Nuvia

Over the past decade of working in dentistry, Dr. Wells recognizes that oftentimes when patients are getting dentures, it’s not because they want them. Between the various visits required to get them and the toll she has seen them take on some people’s confidence, she would much rather see patients enjoy a permanent solution like full mouth dental implants.

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At Nuvia in Chevy Chase Dr. Wells is able to help patients restore their smile with permanent teeth in 24 hours. Instead of wearing a temporary set of teeth (made from the same material as dentures) for months, she can get patients their final, zirconia teeth the day after their dental implants are placed.

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Outside of Dentistry

When she isn’t working as a restorative dentist, she loves spending time with her husband and daughter. She loves going on walks with her family and enjoys cooking.

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Dr. Ryan Richards is the oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Nuvia Dental Implant Center in Chevy Chase, MD. He grew up in a small town in upstate New York, where strong community values and family played a big role in shaping who he is today.

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His interest in dentistry began during college after he needed extensive dental work himself. That experience led him to dental school at NYU College of Dentistry in Manhattan, where he discovered a strong passion for oral surgery. Dr. Richards has been practicing for about 10 years and enjoys helping patients who may have delayed care finally move forward with confidence.

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Why Nuvia?

Dr. Richards joined Nuvia after seeing how complicated implant care can be in traditional settings, where patients often wait months for their permanent teeth or move between multiple offices. That process can add stress and uncertainty for people who are already nervous about treatment.

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At Nuvia, everything happens in one place, on a clear timeline—surgery one day and permanent teeth the next. For Dr. Richards, that simplicity makes it easier to care for patients and deliver results they can feel confident about right away.

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Outside of the Office

Outside of work, Dr. Richards enjoys spending time with his family, listening to music, and following sports—especially baseball. Growing up near the Baseball Hall of Fame made him a lifelong New York Yankees fan. He brings the same sense of teamwork and dedication he learned through sports into his everyday work with patients.