PDS Life Summer 2023

Message from the FOUNDER & CEO

Dedicated to Revolutionizing Primary Health Care

Just one month ago, I welcomed my sixth grandchild, a beautiful baby girl. Moments like these bring everything into perspective. As she gets ready to begin her first adventures in life, I am reminded that the years go fast.

In March, I was invited to speak in Cologne, Germany on behalf of Ivoclar’s 100th anniversary at the 2023 International Dental Show (IDS), an event that draws international leaders in the dental community (pictured below). In preparation, I began reflecting on the historic eras that have defined dentistry since the 1980s and the importance of innovating not only to survive, but to succeed.

This new and exciting period is based on three fundamental macro trends converging in a unique way at the same time:

1. Patient demand due to the increased awareness and understanding of the of the importance of the Mouth-Body Connection®

2. Advancements in technology and science

3. The growing aging population and its potential impact on oral health care

Now is truly the most exciting time to be in dentistry. Dental-medical integration has become a reality for our industry and PDS is leading the way.

Stronger Together

Shortly after speaking in Germany, I was inducted into the inaugural Hall of Leaders at the 2023 Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO) Summit in Orlando, Fla. sparking another trip down memory lane. In the early 2000s, I gathered with other dental industry leaders to discuss the challenges we were experiencing and opportunities on the horizon.

Together, we formed the Dental Group Practice Association (DGPA), forging a new practice model for dentists and patients across the country. While competition is strong, we also understand that when DSOs work together, we provide more benefits to dentists and better outcomes for patients.

By 2014, the DGPA grew to about 30 members and our focus shifted to elevating clinical excellence and increasing access to care. Just one year later, the DGPA officially changed its name to the ADSO to reflect the evolution of the DSO model.

All industries (and companies) experience evolutionary change, sometimes in decades or even centuries. For example, the automotive industry created the combustion engine in 1860. It took 150 years to evolve into electric vehicles and self-driving cars. Conversely, other industries (think video tape/disc rentals, Polaroid film and waning newspaper publishers) chose not to innovate and ultimately faded into history.

The Eras of Dentistry

The health care industry has historically evolved in 20-year cycles. In 1994 when PDS was founded, dentistry was in the era of esthetics (1980s-1990s) when patients were primarily focused on cosmetic treatments. From 2000 to 2020, dentistry experienced a period of innovation when patient records, scans and radiographs, once generated on film and paper, became digitally integrated in the era of digitization.

Today, we are on the forefront of the next generation of oral health, or what I call the era of convergence, a period where the dental and medical communities are coming together, driven by science and new technologies to better serve patients and meet increasing demand. This isn’t just happening in the United States but across the globe.

In 2023, the ADSO represents 100 DSOs, 15,000 dentists, 8,500 practices and 175 industry partners nationwide, including leadership from more than a dozen dental schools and professional associations, as well as key opinion leaders in dentistry.

It’s incredible to reflect on this timeline. There is a genuine shift happening in dentistry (and overall health care). As we continue serving patients and creating awareness and understanding of the Mouth-Body Connection, more patients across the world will become healthier and happier as they age. How awesome is that?

You Make Us Smile

None of this would be possible without every PDS team member and clinician working together to improve clinical best practices, operational efficiencies and patient care and outcomes. It seems especially appropriate that we are celebrating PDS Appreciation Week June 5-9. I would like to take this moment to thank you all for your contributions to dentistry and DEDICATION to your work. I am so grateful and honored you choose to be a part of the PDS family—it feels like we are just getting started. You truly make me smile.

Stephen Thorne IV, Founder and CEO @SteveThornePDS

Pictured left to right: Oris Dental CEO Eirik Aasland Salvesen, DDS; Ivoclar Head of DSO EMEA Cher-Marie Scott; PDS Founder and CEO Stephen Thorne; Women in DSO CEO Aman Kaur, DDS; Ivoclar Vice President Special Marketing & Global Director Key Accounts Martin Frontull; Colosseum Dental Group CMO Eddie Coyle, DDS; and Clove Dental CEO Amar Singh

Have a story to share?

We’d love to hear it.

PDS Life magazine is lovingly curated and produced by the PDS Communications department. We are always looking for unique, heartwarming stories that share the PDS culture inside and out of work, highlight clinical excellence, recognize our team members and clinicians, provide business or department updates, showcase our force for good initiatives and more. We would love to hear from you. Please send your ideas to PDSConnect@pacden.com.

WHAT’S INSIDE

02 Dedicated to Clinical Excellence

A recap of the 2023 XP Gala event and awards presentation

22 Dedicated to Creating Healthier, Happier Patients

Improving patient outcomes with dental implants

26 Dedicated to a Culture of Service

Connecting future health care leaders to international service opportunities

28 Meet the PDS Family: Dedicated

Get to know a few talented PDS team members on a more personal level

41 Dedicated to Patient-Centered Care

Hear what patients are saying about you

42 Dedicated to Hiring the Best and Brightest

A look at the top priorities for Recruiting and University Relations in 2023

44 Dedicated to Investing in You

An exciting update about the College Advancement Program

Meet the Communications Department

Heather Reger Sr. Manager, Organizational Communications

Rebecca Karlous Communications and Public Relations Specialist

Vicki Miars Copywriter

Scott Nichols Communications and Marketing Specialist

An Inside Look at the 3-Day XP Gala Event

More than 1,300 Pacific Dental Services-supported clinicians and team members, including regional managers, support directors, executives and their guests gathered at the Hyatt Regency Dallas for the 2023 XP Gala themed “Dedicated to Clinical Excellence.”

In addition to the much-anticipated annual XP award presentation, the team came together to do more than celebrate. The purpose of the event is to allow cross-collaboration with owner dentists, regional and support leaders to share operational best practices and support clinical excellence (and to have a little fun).

Internal and external industry experts shared how to pave the way for future success through educational breakout sessions and keynote presentations provided by Jason Dorsey, generations and behavioral researcher, Chip Conley, author and American hotelier, and Scott Bloom, event emcee and comedian.

Key clinical topics included implant restorative fundamentals, socket preservation techniques, creating healthier patients with salivary diagnostics, interpreting CBCT images, common abnormalities and when to consider a second opinion to name a few. On the operations side, breakout sessions focused on time management, real estate, driving healthy business, leadership, and how to assess talented people and the candidate’s journey.

Following two days of hard work, the gala culminated in the evening’s highest honor—the XP Awards recognizing extraordinary performance across the organization in 10 categories. Additionally, PDS recognized 100 team members from thousands of peer-submitted nominations for their extraordinary performance and who contribute to PDS’ vision to be The Greatest Dental Company in America.

From the 100 winners, 26 were selected as Platinum winners and eight as Diamond winners. The Award of Distinction is the highest honor and awarded to a single recipient.

Congratulations to the award winners and nominees. You truly are extraordinary performers.

Dedicated to Clinical Excellence and the Power of Teamwork

Fridayfeaturedthewelcomeandopening presentedbyStephenThorne,founderand CEO,RegionalManagerandSpecialtyRegional ManagerChargeandclinicalbreakoutsessions coveringeverythingfrominterpretingCBCT imagestoincorporatingarterialhealthinto dentalpracticesandeverythinginbetween. Spousesandguestsenjoyedapaint-and-sip eventwhileownerdentistandattendeesheard fromkeyinternalandexternalspeakerssuchas JasonDorsey,authorofZconomy.Participantsall receivedacopyofthebooktotakehome.The dayofhardworkendedwithawell-earned cocktailhouranddinner.

Regional Manager / Specialty Regional Manager Charge

Paint & Pour with Spouses and Partners

Owner Dentist Breakouts

Smile for the Camera

Saturday Morning Session

XP AWARD RECIPIENTS

Lindsey AlexanderVarghese, DMD

Gulf Coast Region

Kimberly Anaya

New Mexico/Southern

Colorado Region

Jose Arellano

Gulf Coast Region

Danny Bickel

Gulf Coast Region

Kelly Bliss, DMD

Massachusetts, Virginia and Maryland Region

Lauren Brown

Reno Region

Jarron Brunn

Georgia Region

Alina Cepernich

Greater Sacramento Region

Victoria Chang, DMD

Washington/Oregon Region

Marcy Comer Dack

North West Arizona Region

Patrick Connely

Midwest Region

Angela Delmar, RDH

San Diego Region

Trevor Devoy

National Support Center

Itzel Espinoza

North West Arizona Region

Whittney Greenleaf

Eastern Arizona Region

Chelsea Gresham, RDH

Gulf Coast Region

Cesar Gutierrez

Orange County Region

Candace Henderson

Central Valley/Bay Area Region

Alex Herrera

Washington/Oregon Region

Sean Herring, LDA

Carolinas Region

Matthew Hornbeck

Midwest Region

Julia Jacobi, DMD

Eastern Arizona Region

Brian Kapur

Massachusetts, Virginia and Maryland Region

Melanie Knupp

National Support Center

Michelle Krotzer, LDA

Washington/Oregon Region

Amanda Lillis, LDA Midwest Region

Stephen McComas, DMD

Southern Arizona Region

Matthew McCurley

San Diego Region

Jeff McGrew

Washington/Oregon Region

Justin Mercer, DDS

Inland Desert Region

Chelsea Mills

Central Florida Region

Luis Moran

North Inland Empire Region

Jen Moss

Gulf Coast Region

Kassi Murphy

Idaho/Utah Region

Deeann Myers

Eastern Arizona Region

Kimberly Nardi, RDH

Washington/Oregon Region

Carlos Nevarez

Chavarria, DA

Northern Colorado Region

Toreano Norris

Central Valley/Bay Area Region

Kirsten Okhanes

North Los Angeles Region

Cristal Orozco, Specialty DA

Southern Arizona Region

Adrian Paredes

North West Arizona Region

Vishal Parmar, DDS

Ohio/Kentucky Region

Veronica Parnell, DMD

North Dallas Fort Worth Region

John Parsley, LDA

New Mexico/South Colorado Region

Carla Preciado

South Inland Empire Region

Ryan Ramos, DA

South Las Vegas Region

Armando Reyes

National Support Center

Aura Rodriguez

North Los Angeles Region

Stephen Saephan, DA

Greater Sacramento Region

Anna Shahinian, DDS

Inland Desert Region

Richard Simpson

South Dallas Fort Worth Region

Sonal Singh, DDS

San Diego Region

Sharmane Soriano, RDH

South Las Vegas Region

Nathan Stark

Dallas Support Center

Shannon Stewart, LDA

San Diego Region

Logan Swain, Specialty LDA

Central Florida Region

Lalitha Vadlamani

National Support Center

Virginia Vince

North West Arizona Region

Lauren Whitlow

Louisiana Region

Wai Yin Wong, DDS

Greater Sacramento Region

Marita Wright

North Las Vegas Region

David Yang, RDA

Minnesota Region

Inyoung Yeam, DMD

North Las Vegas Region

Johana Zuniga-Bernal

South Los Angeles Region

XP Awards Gala and Ceremony

From Extern to XP

As a clinician, Megan Grocke, RDH, cares deeply for all her patients and engages with them at the highest level. The same can be said for her as a team member. Her journey with PDS has taken her from extern to dental assistant to lead dental assistant. That alone is impressive. She took it to the next level by going back to school to become a dental hygienist. Megan’s passion is dentistry and her goal required her to invest in herself so she could invest even more time with her patients. Leaving for a short time to complete her education, she returned in 2021. The team at Loveland Modern Dentistry (office 524) was all too happy to welcome her back.

“I’ve seen Megan grow so much since I started working with her in 2018. She takes feedback to heart and applies it directly to her personal and professional development. Megan overcomes challenges and sees opportunities in disguise to turn them into assets,” said Ernest “Garred” Gomez, DMD, owner dentist.

“You don’t see that very often in people—she deserves this award. She’s also very humble. After winning the Award of Distinction, she told the team that her success is our success— that’s just who she is.”

Not only does Megan provide exceptional care and put her patients first, she is also a top performer with some impressive statistics. In 2022, she achieved $431,446 in total production, had 64% retention after SRP, 77% retention after PMV and educated more than 1,300 patients about the Mouth-Body Connection®

On winning the XP Award of Distinction, Megan said, “I came back because I love this company. I love my office. I love my owner dentist. He’s been so inspiring along the way to my growth… I just want to keep challenging myself and keep growing.” From all of us, Megan, the feeling is mutual.

AWARD OF DISTINCTION

Megan Grocke, RDH

Northern Colorado Region

Presented by: Stephen Thorne, Founder & CEO

REGION OF THE YEAR

South Florida Region

Fun, Fierce and Focused: Executing the PDS Platform at the Highest Level

When asked how the South Florida region nudged out the competition (Orange County and Tennessee regions) for Region of the Year, Territory Partner Jacob Kramer and Regional Clinical Partner and multi-owner dentist Minh Pham, DDS, both agreed: “Our clinical partnerships set us apart. We have the most amazing owner dentist partners, the best operational team dedicated to their success, and we have amazing families and spouses that support us in achieving the aggressive goals we set,” Jacob said.

Additionally, the South Florida team sets the tone when it comes to executing PDS’ platform for success while changing the way dentistry is delivered in its supported practices.

“It really is one of the region’s biggest accomplishments of 2022,” said Dr. Pham, who has achieved many accolades

for top performance over his 19-year partnership with PDS including Award of Distinction in 2011 and multiple Office of the Year awards. “We were able to work with our ODs and teams to ensure they were successful. We all had the same purpose and goals.”

What’s next for the South Florida region? “We want back-toback wins!”

Congratulations to the entire South Florida region on an extraordinary performance.

Presented by: Stephen Thorne, Founder & CEO

Presented by: Carli Casey, Sr. Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility and Service

OFFICE OF THE YEAR

Mesa Modern Dentistry

Eastern Arizona Region

Presented by: Minh Pham, Regional Clinical Partner and Owner Dentist

Leveraging the PDS Platform for Success

With close to $4.7 million in revenue, a growing top line at 16%, NOI of 33.4% and NOI growth 12 months trailing at 25% year-over-year, Miran Ho, owner dentist of Mesa Modern Dentistry (office 262), had nothing but inspiring words to say about winning this accolade.

“Even though our office developed three owner dentists and lead dental assistants who left our practice to serve in leadership roles at other locations, we worked together as a team and overcame those challenges.” When asked what advice she would give to other offices that aspire to achieve this honor, Dr. Ho reiterated the effectiveness of the PDS platform which includes patient quality outcomes, proven business services, professional development, peer interaction, practice culture, personal brand building, patient value proposition and working hand-in-hand with the regional partner.

“If you follow the platform and apply the tools to your practice while drawing a clear clinical culture around it, the results will follow,” she said. “When team members utilize the platform, they understand it was designed to produce results. The message we want to deliver is that vision, awareness, repetition and mastery of the platform will produce results. Everyone in PDS wants to lift and collaborate with one another. We are not alone and we can choose to succeed.”

Fun Fact: In 2017, Dr. Ho and her operations manager, Tiffany Amistoso, were so determined to win Office of the Year at an upcoming XP awards ceremony that they posed on the XP stage with the award hoping to manifest their dream. Six years later, they wore the exact same dresses they wore in 2017 hoping it would result in a win. Call it visionary, luck or happenstance. Either way, the dresses worked.

PEDIATRIC OFFICE OF THE YEAR

My Kid’s Dentist & Orthodontics Midwest Region

Presented by: Joel Collins, Regional Clinical Partner and Owner Dentist

Operations Manager Tiffany Amistoso and Miran Ho, DDS. 2017 (left) and at the 2023 XP Gala (right).

‘A Turnaround Story of All Time’

Everyone loves a good comeback story, and Eagan Smiles Dentistry (office 874) doesn’t disappoint. In spite of amazing patient flow, the clinic had its challenges. Closer inspection revealed a familiar scenario—the right people at the right place at the right time can make all the difference. In this case, one of the keys to success was Owner Dentist Jacob Kerkering, DDS.

Dr. Kerkering had a series of significant challenges at Office 872, Chaska Commons Dental Group. But with a little training and reinvestment, he was soon ready for action at Eagan Smiles Dentistry. Within six months, the office turned around and broke $200,000 with top line growth of almost 75%—the best the office had executed in its five-year history.

Accepting the award for Most Improved Office of the Year was an experience Dr. Kerkering described as “humbling, inspiring, rewarding, exciting and motivating.” Mike Allwood, former office manager at Eagan Smiles Dentistry and now a regional manager in Minnesota, added, “We had a team that wanted to work together to deliver quallity care to our patients. We rallied around a common goal and we made it happen.”

MOST IMPROVED OFFICE OF THE YEAR

Eagan Smiles Dentistry

Minnesota Region

Presented by: Karim Zaklama, Regional Clinical Partner and Owner Dentist

DE NOVO OF THE YEAR

Union Village Modern Dentistry

South Las Vegas Region

Presented by: Ali Shahrestani, Regional Clinical Partner and Owner Dentist

REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Brian Taylor

Orange County Region

Presented by: Jennifer Judge, Regional Clinical Partner and Owner Dentist

REGIONAL SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR

Jessica Garcia

New Mexico/Southern Colorado Region

Presented by: Roberto Benavides, Regional Clinical Partner and Owner Dentist

DIAMOND AWARD WINNERS

North Dallas Fort Worth Region

Presented

Tennessee Region

Presented by: Cathie Wild-Pappas, Regional Partner

National Support Center

Presented

Midwest Region

Presented by: Shyanne Boike, Regional Partner

South Inland Empire Region

Presented by: Lionel Clayton, Regional Partner

Eastern Arizona Region

Presented by: Vicky Dyck, Regional Partner

South Florida Region

Presented by: Larry Hoy, Regional Partner

North Inland Empire Region

Presented by: Stephanie Wootan, Regional Partner

Heather Greidanus

Savannah Robbins

Donna Sollecito

Rachel Cardin

by: Stephanie Ross, Regional Partner

Carmen Del Rivero

by: Dan Rodriguez, Regional Partner

Kyle Poulsen, DDS

Tiffany Smith, LDA

Karim Zaklama, DDS

PLATINUM AWARD WINNERS

Sara Allen

Gulf Coast Region

Alexa Hansen

Central Colorado Region

Beth Arbiso

North Los Angeles Region

Jhonatthan Arcos, LDA

South Los Angeles Region

Karin Bolton

Central Florida Region

Dylan Chen

National Support Center

Esmeralda Chiang, DMD

Gulf Coast Region

Kaitlyn Craig

National Support Center

Crystal Esquivel, LDA

Gulf Coast Region

Klaudia Freitas

Central Valley/Bay Area Region

Rachel Genet, RDH

Orange County Region

Nathaniel Gonzales, DDS

South Florida Region

Lana Gonzalez

North Los Angeles Region

Breanna Hernandez

South Inland Empire Region

Lillian Lambert

South Florida Region

Briana Lopez, RDA

San Diego Region

Emily Pirzynski

Central Colorado Region

LeRoy Quinn, LDA

Orange County Region

Alexis Rodriguez

Central Colorado Region

Karyn Rodriguez

Inland Desert Region

LaShaundra Ruby, RDH

Georgia Region

Lupe Santos

North Inland Empire Region

Nicole Shelby

Tennessee Region

Bart Stears, DDS

Southern Arizona Region

Lulu Tang, DMD

South Las Vegas Region

Karen Zanger, RDH

Central Valley/Bay Area Region

Saturday Night: And Now, We Party

“The greatest reward about being a supported owner dentist is the opportunity to help patients, mentor other dentists and having the help of an amazing supporting team.”

– Nathaniel Gonzales, DDS, Multi-practice Owner Dentist, South Florida Region

AWARD WINNERS

“I’m so honored to be recognized by my peers, who I respect, and my friends in the company—people who work so hard every day. Winning this award means everything.”

– Kyle Poulsen, DDS, Owner Dentist, Office 428, Menifee Lakes Dental Group, South Inland Empire Region

“With a little grit and a little hard work, it can be done. It’s not easy and it doesn’t happen overnight but winning this award will hopefully allow me to keep growing and elevate.”

– Brian Taylor, Regional Director, Orange County Region

“I’ve got to find a way to mount the [We Serve award] shovel in my office or in our regional support offices so everyone can see how great we are with service.”

– Dana Harward, Director, Talent Development, San Diego Region

Dedicated to Embracing the Fun

Dentistry is much more than simply fixing or cleaning teeth—we are in the business of creating healthier, happier smiles. And with smiles comes laughter, an infectious, humorous thread that connects us together. As a health care organization, our goal is to create the Perfect Patient Experience®. As an employer, our goal is to create a perfect team member experience through purposeful work and an inspiring culture that puts fun and laughter at the forefront.

With this in mind, can you match the smile with the names of these PDS leaders and executives? If you get all 12 correct, we will give you bragging rights (and something to smile about). Answers are located on the back page.

Lionel Clayton, Regional Partner

Alex Creelman, Regional Partner

Joel Collins, DDS, Owner Dentist

Vicky Dyck, Regional Partner

Trish Elliott, VP, People and Systems

Joseph Feldsien, SVP and Territory Partner

Carolyn Ghazal, DDS, Chair of Associate Platform Development

Michael Le, Executive Director, PDS Foundation

Rose Olague, Director, School Relations and Dental Assistant Programs

Jon Thorne, Chief Operating Officer

Stephen Thorne, Founder and CEO

Cathie Wild-Pappas, Regional Partner

When it comes to oral health care, sometimes laughter is the best medicine. (But wouldn’t it be great if we could cure periodontal disease with a smile?)

Dental Musings

“During one childhood visit to the dentist, the doctor inspected my pearly whites, backed up, and asked, ‘Do you chew a lot of ice?’ Puzzled, I replied, ‘Ummm… I don’t think so?’ He informed me that I had an unusual amount of deterioration from something wearing down my teeth, and I immediately knew the culprit. ‘I can play the drums with my teeth!’ I proudly exclaimed. Baffled, he stared at me as if I were a crazy person, so I told him to come closer, and he bent down, putting his ear just centimeters from my mouth. I proceeded to perform Rush’s ‘Tom Sawyer’ for him, my jaw moving back-and-forth at lightning speed, the sound of calcium and enamel being chipped away like a tap dancer on a brittle stage, and his eyes widened as he stepped back in shock, telling me that I might want to reconsider this strange and orally detrimental habit. But there was no turning back. I was cursed to a lifetime of orthodontic percussion.”

– Dave Grohl, lead singer of Foo Fighters and former drummer of Nirvana

“I told my dentist my teeth are going yellow. He told me to wear a brown tie.”

— Rodney Dangerfield, comedian

Dedicated to Creating Healthier, Happier Patients®

Improving patient outcomes with dental implants

JOE

A single-tooth solution to a single-tooth problem

The American College of Prosthodontists estimates that 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth and about 40 million Americans are entirely edentulous. Today, approximately 30% of adults ages 65-74 have no natural teeth and one of the most common reasons for losing one, multiple or even all teeth is periodontal disease, decay and trauma.

Introducing: the dental implant. Dental implants have had a long history. Around A.D. 600, the Mayans used seashells to replace missing mandibular teeth. Today, implants are made from alloplastic materials and patients who were

once missing one or multiple teeth could now smile with confidence, chew their food and enjoy an overall improved quality of life thanks to the advent of implants.

Demand for dental implants grows

As more patients become educated about the longterm benefits of implants, it makes sense they’re quickly becoming the preferred standard for treatment over dentures and bridges. In addition to looking and behaving like natural teeth, the benefits of implants include improved speech, further tooth loss prevention, reduced risk of periodontal disease and stability of adjacent teeth. They can also help deter facial sagging and premature aging.

FELDSIEN SVP and Territory Partner

CHARLES RODGERS, DDS VP, Clinical Quality

Josh Albright, Director, Specialty Operations and Development contributed to the reporting in this article.

U.S. Dental Implants Market

tooth, multiple teeth or are completely edentulous. It’s a straightforward procedure and the results are long-lasting.”

Methods for implant crown restorations

Fortune Business Insights previously valued the global dental implants market at $3.9 billion in 2021 and projected it to grow to $6.34 billion by 2029. PDS-supported practices have seen a five-year average trend of 28% growth in dental implants. It’s been projected that the PDS platform will outpace industry growth reaching an annual minimum of 50,000 implants by FY24. As the standard of care, supported dentists and specialists continue to complete more of the implants they diagnose year-over-year.

PDS Implant Growth 3-Year Projection

PDS-supported dentists have several options for implant crowns, but two of the most common options are CEREC® CAD/CAM and Nobel Biocare’s exclusive lab, Mahwah Labs. Since the preferred standard of care leans more towards screw-retained crowns, many clinicians opt to send these crowns out. Integrating CEREC remains a triedand-true part of that process for many PDS-supported dentists. “I prefer CEREC’s digital scanning and angled screw channel (cement-free abutment) crowns to the older technique of PVS impressions,” said Steven Alvarado, DDS, owner dentist of La Jolla Village Smiles Dentistry and Implants (office 91). “It offers great improvement in patient comfort as well as expedience and accuracy for the clinical team. There are very few reasons to revert to impressions.”

Clinicians who send their implant crown restorations to Mahwah Labs know they can expect digital scanning and genuine Nobel Biocare parts. Clinicians can count on a 7-8 day turnaround (depending on whether it’s a single unit or multiple units) as well as generous cost savings with the average PDS-supported practice saving approximately $2,000 a year (or $200 per case savings) versus other labs.

The future of implants

With continued clinical education made available to dentists encouraging them to become familiar and confident with restoring and placing implants and with more patients understanding its long-term benefits, it’s realistic to say that implants are a permanent fixture in the industry. The demand for implants will continue to spur its growth within the industry as they become more accessible in cost and accepted as the standard of care for missing teeth.

Driving that growth will be technological advancements, patient acceptance and more GPs actively placing and restoring implants within their practices.

In the last year, 40,000 implants were placed within PDSsupported practices, a 60% increase from 25,000 implants placed in 2019. There has also been a noticeable shift in the types of implant crowns dentists and patients prefer over the last 10 years with estimates showing roughly 90% of implant crowns being screw-retained as opposed to cement-retained.

“Implants are the best treatment we have in the industry,” said Periodontics Health Group Owner Dentist and periodontic specialist, Zulema Valdivia, DDS. “Patients understand implants are a permanent solution to what should be a temporary issue, whether they’re missing a single

PDS continues to develop clinical education specific to implant restoration and surgical placement with two new courses available as of this year through the PDS University® Institute of Dentistry, “Implant Restorative Continuum” and the “Implant Live Surgical Preceptorship.” Contact your regional training teams to learn more.

10.3% Compounded Annual Growth Rate (2023-2030)

Source: GrandviewResearch.com

Dedicated to Mouth-Body Connection® Education

The link between brain health and oral health

Throughout the year, Pacific Dental Services highlights oral-systemic health links related to the Mouth-Body Connection (MBC). In Q2, PDS is featuring brain health content for consumers and team members alike focused on this important and powerful part of the body. MBC training modules are available to all team members in PDS University (PDSU) to help you increase your knowledge and better educate your patients on the importance of understanding how oral health relates to overall health.

Healthy Aging Starts with a Healthy Smile

About 1 in 9 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s disease – a staggering 6.7 million people, with the number rising every day. What does dentistry have to do with dementia? As it turns out, quite a lot.

“Bacteria in the mouth have toxins that cross the blood-brain barrier,” said Cooper Bolak, DDS, owner dentist of Snohomish Modern Dentistry (office 353) in Snohomish, Wash. “These toxins create inflammation which plays a role in brain health and overall health.”

Testing

A simple OralDNA Labs® salivary diagnostic test can help detect and quantify pathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) which may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, and determine your genetic risk of developing systemic disease. If you or your loved one is suffering with Alzheimer’s disease, your dentist can partner with you to maintain good oral health habits that may slow the progression of the disease.

Salivary testing can help patients and team members better understand their condition and treatment choices. The Alert 2™ Combination test, a combination of MyPerioPath® and MyPerioID®, is part of the PDS Team Member Dental Plan with a copayment of $10. Visit the Dental tab on the Benefits homepage to learn more.

Prevention/Risk Reduction

Research continues to show that Pg is a strong risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Staying on top of your cleanings will reduce the risk of periodontal disease and periodontitis – keeping this bacterium at bay.

Oral Health Care and Alzheimer’s

Studies have found that Alzheimer’s patients with periodontal disease declined more rapidly than those who did not have gum disease. That is why it is so important for patients with Alzheimer’s to be vigilant with their oral hygiene. If you are caring for someone who has Alzheimer’s disease, it is important to help them develop a routine, including methods of brushing and flossing, and schedule regular dental appointments in the morning to avoid “sundowning” or late-day confusion.

Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that affects patients and family members alike. Because studies have found that older adults with signs of gum disease are more at risk of developing Alzheimer’s, keep brushing, flossing and seeing your dentist regularly.

G-FRNT331

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Additional MBC Resources:

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month in May and Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month in June, this issue is focused on mental health. Read it today!

We invite you to access a digital copy of the book. Please share your thoughts by emailing Nina Robinson, VP, Marketing, Digital and Experience at Nina.Robinson@ pacden.com

Dedicated to Being a Force for Good

Because of you, the 2023 charity: water campaign raised more than $1.1 million, exceeding our goal by more than $480,000.

CARLI CASEY Sr. Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility and Service

This year’s charity: water fundraising campaign marked our return to supporting Ethiopia, where over 65% of the population still lacks access to basic water services. Together with your help, Pacific Dental Services raised over $1.1 million, the most raised in our 15-year partnership with charity: water.

Supported offices and regional teams across the country engaged patients in this year’s campaign and hosted competitions like Fill the Fridge or Pie Your RP. Support center departments competed with each other to raise donations through ice cream, taco pockets, Italian lunch and snack sales. The results were astounding:

$24,400

Canyon Springs Dental Group (Office 48)

Top Offices

$21,650

San Jacinto Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 163)

$16,320 Menifee Smiles Dentistry (Office 211)

Top Support Departments

$12,775 Accounting/ Finance/Tax/ROC

$9,098 Legal

$5,730 Maintenance & Construction

All these efforts combined have made an incredible impact since our partnership with charity: water began in 2009 and provided:

239,000+ People with access to clean drinking water

$8+ million Raised

Countries supported by the numbers:

Despite living in a world with cryptocurrencies, NFTs and self-driving cars, there are still 771 million people in the world living without clean water, one of our most basic necessities. That’s nearly one in 10 people worldwide, or twice the population of the United States.

Access to clean water means education, income and health— especially for women and kids. That’s why we are working with charity: water to help put a stop to the global water crisis because we know water changes everything. Thank you for being a force for good by supporting this year’s charity: water campaign and helping to change the lives of thousands in Ethiopia. Your efforts are creating a healthier, happier world.

Watch this “Thank You” message from charity: water CEO, Scott Harrison.

Dedicated to a Culture of

2023 International Service Trips Update

MICHAEL LE Executive Director, PDS Foundation

In March, the PDS Foundation welcomed 16 students and faculty from the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry (pictured below) to serve at the PDS Foundation Clínica Dental in Xenacoj, Guatemala. The trip’s purpose was twofold—provide dental services free of charge to patients in Guatemala and enhance the dental students’ clinical confidence while investing in their hearts to serve. The trip marked the third time PDS has hosted a trip in partnership with the University of the Pacific.

“What an amazing experience to serve at the dental clinic in Guatemala with my son! It was so rewarding to help support the clinicians delivering much needed basic and restorative dental care to those that might not receive it otherwise. Can’t wait until next April,” said Brady Aase, SVP, Strategic Market Development and Support.

Dedicated to Mouth-Body Connection® Education

One recent enhancement the PDS Foundation made at the Clínica Dental was adding and providing Spanish-translated Mouth-Body Connection® resources, educating patients on the connection between oral health and systemic diseases in their native language.

“The explanation for patients is much more didactic,” said Rodrigo Letona Barillas, DDS, a full-time dentist at the PDS Foundation Clínica Dental. “When I gave the information prior, patients had difficulty understanding. With these posters, the explanation is far simpler, and the patients sometimes take a photo to read later.” The clinic also offers flyers and brochures in Spanish which patients can reference to help maintain their oral health at home.

Thank You to Our Volunteers

A special thanks to the following volunteers who graciously served during Guatemala trips in February and April 2023:

“We had a wonderful experience,” said Kayla Hunt, D2 student from University of the Pacific. “On the third day of our trip, I performed procedures on the upper anterior teeth of both a daughter and her mother. At the day’s end, my patients found me to express their gratitude and take pictures. I felt fulfilled and grateful to have made such an impact on the lives of others through dentistry.”

We are thrilled to continue connecting future oral health care leaders who share our values with service opportunities at the PDS Foundation Clínica Dental. If you know of a school interested in serving in Guatemala, please contact Carli Casey at KingsleyC@pacden.com.

In April, 10 PDS team members and clinicians traveled to the clinic and served 90 patients, some who took four-hour bus trips just for the opportunity to have access to oral health care. In some cases, the treatment received was lifesaving.

February: Crystal Hines Becerra, RDH; Ashley Bell, RDA; Jared Bell, Guest; Christina Donnelly, DMD; Michael Nguyen, Regional Director and Heidi Sayegh, DDS

April: Brady Aase, SVP; Hudson Aase, Guest; Michael Beluch, DMD; Bryan Graziano, DDS; Marisol King, DDS; Andrea Ladson, RDH; Michelle Symonds, RDH; Madeline Witte, DDS and Kimberly Zelaya, LDA

Service

Dedicated to Making a Difference

Access to care, oral health literacy and the lack of local dental professionals are urgent challenges in Guatemala. The PDS Foundation Clinica Dental in Xenacoj aims to improve oral health outcomes by providing continuous care and empowering local clinicians to be trusted professionals in their community.

To help bring awareness to the clinic’s important work, the PDS Foundation has partnered with ASUBAGRI, an all-female coffee producer co-op and women-owned roaster Owlvericks Coffee. Coming this summer, a limited edition coffee supply will be available for purchase by PDS team members, supported clinicians and the general public.

All net proceeds will support the PDS Foundation’s international dental program. Stay tuned for more information coming soon.

On the road with Taylor Swift

Thanks to a generous donation by Stephen and Pam Thorne, team members had the opportunity to participate in a raffle and silent auction to win Taylor Swift tickets to her Las Vegas show in March. Through your collective contributions (and Taylor Swift fandom), $20,574 was raised for the PDS Foundation, advancing its mission to improve overall health by improving oral health locally, nationally and internationally. Thank you to everyone who participated and for consistently being a force for good.

The winner of the silent auction package, which included a pair of VIP tickets and twonight stay at Palms Place Resort, was Territory Partner Maha Said-Shariff. Maha gifted the tickets to her twin daughters Daria and Danielle and shared that Steve and Pam’s donation has awarded her the new designation of “Mom of the Century.”

Longtime Swiftie and Associate Dentist Alexander Pollock, DMD (office 40), was the winner of the raffle and second set of VIP tickets, making an impossible wish, possible. “I’ve been a Taylor Swift fan and have followed her since high school. When this tour came out and the chaos with the ticket distribution ensued, I assumed I wouldn’t be able to make it to a show this time around. After I found out I won, that all changed. I was so excited to be able to make it to one of her shows with my amazing and wonderful girlfriend, Diana,” said Dr. Pollock.

Their reactions to the concert? They said they had “The Best Day.”

Meet the PDS Family

Dedicated

The work we do both in and outside of our supported practices and support centers is what helps provide purpose, meaning and harmony in work and life. The common threads that connect us all are the human elements and stories shared that create our unique company culture.

Here are a few stories to help you get to know your fellow team members and clinicians on a personal level. Who we hire says a lot about who PDS is as an organization. And we are so happy you chose PDS—you make us smile.

If you would like to be featured in the next issue of PDS Life, please submit your story idea to PDSConnect@pacden.com.

Making Dreams Come

True - One Stitch at a Time

Margaret Domingo

Sr. Marketing Manager, Field Support

National Support Center // Employed at PDS: 13 years

Rio Rancho to the Rescue

Michael “Ross” Conner, DDS

Picture this: Three weeks to crochet 50 Minnie Mouse beanies for the Disney Christmas Fantasy Parade, a challenge designed only for Margaret Domingo, Sr. Marketing Manager of Field Support.

Some may call it Disney magic, she calls it being “crafty, a perfectionist and a little extra.” Known as The Yarn Mermaid on Instagram and Etsy, she has captured the attention of thousands with the photos of adorable newborns dressed as beloved Disney characters. From The Little Mermaid to Buzz Lightyear and anything in between, Margaret crochets ideas into a real-life dream come true one stitch at a time.

Her crocheting story began in 2016 when she took maternity leave for her first child.

“I was bored and decided to take up a new hobby,” Margaret said. “I thought I’ll make him cute little things and we can do a newborn photoshoot.”

After learning from YouTube, she posted her crocheted creations on Facebook – this would become the origin story for her Etsy shop. Ironically, she never captured newborn photos with her first baby but did with her next two children.

Pregnant with her daughter, she wanted to capture the precious memories. Enter her greatest crochet challenge: fruits and vegetables to document the pregnancy journey. From weeks six through 40, she managed to illustrate the growing baby – starting with a sweet pea and growing to a watermelon.

“I’m really proud of that, the fact I actually followed through with it,” she says with a laugh.

Her talents don’t stop there. Last year, Margaret contributed to the charity: water fundraiser by crocheting Harry Potter bookmarks for the Marketing department’s book sale. This year, she made adorable taco keychains for the fundraiser.

Celebrating a finished project and receiving pictures of people enjoying her crocheted pieces is the rewarding part. Although balancing life and hobbies poses its own challenges, she holds onto this: push your passion to the limit, but don’t push it so far it becomes unenjoyable.

Owner dentist, Rio Rancho Modern Dentistry (Office 568) New Mexico/Central Colorado/Southern Colorado Region Partnered with PDS: 8 years

It was a Monday morning in Rio Rancho, New Mexico and Michael Conner, DDS, and his team were preparing for the day ahead when they heard a troubling crash from outside the office (Rio Rancho Modern Dentistry is on the corner of a major intersection). Dr. Conner sprinted to the front office to look outside the window. What had sounded like thunder was a car flipped upside down only 20 feet away from his practice. Without hesitation, Dr. Conner ran to the injured driver with dental assistant Tabitha Torres at his heels. Through the power of teamwork, Dr. Conner and Tabitha worked together to unbuckle the passenger, put pressure on the main laceration and keep her pulse and alertness levels high until the paramedics arrived.

Rightfully deserved for their heroic actions, Dr. Conner and Tabitha were awarded the Rio Rancho Police Department’s Citizen Commendation Award. “The award meant a lot. It was an honor and something I’ll always remember,” Dr. Conner said.

Dr. Conner humbly shared that they may not have been able to save the woman’s life had Tabitha not been there to help. “I couldn’t get to the seatbelt, but Tabitha was able to fit.” He continued, “I didn’t even know Tabitha was behind me as I went out there. Nobody told her to, she just did it. It’s a true testament to who she is and her heart for people.”

Through this accident, Dr. Conner and Tabitha were challenged to take action, eliminate all second-guessing and trust their training. When asked what Dr. Conner hopes team members would take away from this story he shared, “We have a lot of great clinicians at PDS. Not only are we called to be leaders of our practices, but leaders of the community.”

“ There wasn’t a question in my mind of what to do. It was pure action.

—Michael Conner, DDS

Best Boy Bandanas: Finding Happiness in Giving Back

Angelica Aube, RDH

Shrewsbury Dentistry (Office 939)

Massachusetts, Virginia and Maryland Region

Employed at PDS: 4 years

Working Professional by Day, Professional Cookier by Night

Alexa Benz

Regional Manager // Midwest Region

Employed at PDS: 6 years

Could dog bandanas save the world? Well, no – but Best Boy Bandanas just might.

Motivated by her drive to spread more positivity, Angelica Aube a registered dental hygienist at Shrewsbury Dentistry, started Best Boy Bandanas (@bestboybandanas on Instagram). The handmade on-the-collar dog bandanas are not only fashion-forward for canine friends, but 30% of all profits go toward supporting local dog shelters.

With the help of her motherin-law and husband, she manages her dog-loving booth at events late summer through December each year. One of her most rewarding events was the Douglas Oktoberfest in her hometown in Massachusetts. The donation made from the single event totaled $200. Today, her donations have reached over $2,000. And for her, this is only the beginning.

“The biggest reward is helping the shelters. Their eyes light up when I make the donation,” she said. “That’s the best part about this. That’s why I do it.”

Knowing how her donations directly impact shelter dogs now has a deeper, more personal connection. In July, she and her husband adopted their rescue dog, Maka, who was diagnosed with nystagmus, or involuntary eye movement, due to past trauma.

“Every single time I look at her, I think about the bandana business. I’m doing it for dogs like her.”

If you are interested in spreading happiness in your community, you can order your very own Best Boy Bandana by emailing Angelica at bestboybandanas@gmail.com.

In perfect conjunction with her upbeat, positive personality, Alexa Benz, regional manager (RM) in the Midwest region, beams joy in all that she does. Avidly watching baking shows and YouTube tutorials quickly evolved into earning a profit from a passion she loves. Alexa established her own bakery business, Bright Batch Bakery, in 2020.

“I wanted to offer something that would bring joy to people and be the bright spot in their day,” she says. A mom of 17-month-old triplets, Alexa appears to be on her way to a full baking staff. “I can’t wait for Christmas this year. Though they’ll probably make more of a mess, I’m excited to try and make sugar cookies with them.”

Persistence and patience are the two lessons that Alexa has taken away from baking and has applied to her work as an RM. “Baking and managing people are both art forms in their own right,” Alexa said. “You learn by trial and error and you’re going to make mistakes. The key is to learn from them and not repeat the same mistakes.”

Luckily for the Midwest region, Alexa’s team members and clinicians have been her taste testers (clearly not by force). From mastering recipes ranging from sugar cookies, to fudge, to cakes, we asked Alexa’s recipe to balancing her many life roles. “It took time to navigate, but it’s all about time management. It’s about being intentional with your planning and time. Make sure that you’re setting time aside for things and the people that are valuable to you.”

The Golden Investment: People

Joshua Golden, DDS

Owner Dentist // West Sunrise Dentistry (Office 998) South Florida Region // Partnered with PDS: 6 years

Elegant Curves and Purposeful Script

Why do you choose to shine a light on people? For owner dentist Joshua Golden, DDS, of West Sunrise Modern Dentistry, the answer is easy. “It’s all about the community. At the end of the day, it’s not about me, it’s about we,” he says. For Dr. Golden, his day isn’t over after he sees his last patient. Dr. Golden is also a mentor, active community volunteer, podcast host, social media guru (with an impressive 13.2k followers on Instagram) and marketing professional. With the dream of his own late-night talk show, he began an Instagram Live video series called “Chairside,” focused on interviewing individuals that propel the dental profession forward. (Think Jimmy Fallon or Conan O’Brien but with a focus on dentistry.)

Dr. Golden’s passion is to celebrate others. He interviews fellow PDS-supported dentists about their careers and discusses their dental journeys. “I want to put these individuals in the spotlight, inform the viewers of who they are and show that they’re human, just like the rest of us. It might inspire someone to do the same or something similar.”

Also, a podcast co-host with dental hygienists, “Dental-ish,” is the first podcast from the minority perspective in the dental industry. When asked what his dream is, Dr. Golden shared that he hopes to see cultural representation in dentists increase. “I didn’t have a mentor after residency that I could culturally and personally connect with. That solo journey has propelled me to never want someone to graduate from residency or dental school and feel alone or misunderstood. My goal is to mentor and open doors for people.”

Michelle Symonds, RDH

Shrewsbury Dentistry (Office 939)

Massachusetts, Virginia and Maryland Region

Employed at PDS: 1.5 years

Few of us naturally draw a connection between a calligrapher and dental hygienist. Hint, the secret is in the grip.

Six years ago, Michelle Symonds, a registered dental hygienist at Shrewsbury Dentistry, attended her first Sip-and-Script class—a community of artists who teach modern calligraphy hosted at local breweries and wineries. What once started as a meditative hobby quickly transformed into a delightful passion. Today, she teaches a class of six to 30 people, four to five times a month.

“I get a lot of joy from teaching people. I love seeing the little spark in them,” Michelle said. “I love it when people practice and tag me in their posts. People do amazing things—they’re so creative.”

With elegant curves and purposeful strokes, calligraphy is used for more than everyday moments. It’s quite the opposite. Most of the people who attend her classes are celebrating milestones: bridesmaid activities, wedding invitations, homeownership and even proposals.

“A gentleman came with his girlfriend, learned how to write, ‘Will you marry me?’ and proposed during the class.”

Calligraphy, which means “beautiful writing,” is an artistic expression. The perfect, yet oftentimes imperfect, personalized touch to otherwise significant moments. A simple way to make basic, everyday moments a little more beautiful.

“What makes it special is it’s not perfect,” said Michelle. “If it was going to be perfect, you could print it on a laser printer. Calligraphy is unique to you.”

To connect with Dr. Golden, follow @thegoldendentist on Instagram. You can find the “Dental-ish” podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Dental Assistants Recognition Week

March 5-11, 2023

PDS joined the American Dental Assistants Association in celebrating Dental Assistants Recognition Week in March to honor the hard-working, multi-talented dental assistants who make a difference in the lives and smiles of our patients. This year’s theme, “The Love of Dentistry Through Education, Passion and Safety,” highlighted the commitment and integral roles dental assistants provide as educator, confidant, comforter, communicator, organizer and overall leaders in the office, strengthening each of our supported practices. From everyone at PDS, thank you to our 5,000+ dental assistants for going above and beyond to serve your practice and your patients.

a. Hilllsboro Modern Dentistry (Office 307)

b. Dentists of Lexington (Office 972)

c. Santa Anita Dental Group (Office 158)

d. Orange Village Dentistry (Office 413)

e. Sparks Modern Dentistry (Office 341)

f. Dentists of Eastgate (Office 767)

g. Mission Hills Dental Group (Office 423)

h. Rancho Cucamonga Smiles Dentistry (Office 151)

i. Marketplace Smiles Dentistry (Office 112)

j. Rancho Palos Verdes Dentistry (Office 430)

k. My Kid’s Dentist & Orthodontics (Office 7629)

l. Cypress Crossroads Dental Group (Office 620)

m. Aspen Hill Modern Dentistry (Office 682)

n. Belton Modern Dentistry (Office 801)

o. Land Park Modern Dentistry (Office 457)

p. Chaska Commons Dental Group (Office 872)

q. Murfreesboro Modern Dentistry (Office 848)

r. Summit Modern Dentistry (Office 839)

s. El Dorado Modern Dentistry (Office 155)

t. Murrieta Modern Dentistry (Office 115)

u. The Dental Office on Red Hill (Office 11)

v. Dentists of South Jordan (Office 589)

w. Mansfield Smiles Dentistry (Office 717)

x. Layton Smiles Dentistry (Office 586)

y. The Dental Office of Prosper (Office 702)

CAROLINAS REGION

a. Shay Ladson, RDH, supporting the PDS Foundation Clinica Dental.

CENTRAL COLORADO REGION

b. Edgewater Modern Dentistry (Office 537)

CENTRAL FLORIDA REGION

c. Davenport Modern Dentistry (Office 892)

EASTERN ARIZONA REGION

d. Gilbert Crossroads Kids’ Dentists & Orthodontics (Office 7485)

GEORGIA REGION

e. Cartersville Dentist Office (Office 925)

GREATER SACRAMENTO REGION

f. Sierra Smiles Dentistry (Office 245)

INLAND DESERT REGION

g. Grove Dental Group (Office 38)

h. Jeffrey Kramer, DDS, celebrating at Riverside Plaza Dentistry (Office 442)

KABOOM!

KABOOM!

In honor of winning Region of the Year during the pandemic, PDS recognized the South Inland Empire and Inland Desert regions (formerly known collectively as the South Inland Empire) with a special opportunity to build a playground within the area. For the planning and organization of these events, PDS partners with KABOOM!, a national nonprofit that works with communities to build play spaces for those who have less access to play where they learn and live.

On Saturday, Jan. 28, PDS team members demonstrated the power of teamwork by building a playground in just one day for the First Community Church of God in Homeland, Calif. This was the 18th playground build in partnership with KABOOM! since 2010. Thanks to the help of more than 150 PDS team members, this will have a tremendous impact within the community and inspire healthy play for generations of children.

LOUISIANA REGION

a. Metairie Modern Dentistry (Office 693)

MINNESOTA REGION

b. Regional Hygiene Meeting

c. Chaska Commons Dental Group (Office 872)

NEW MEXICO/CENTRAL COLORADO/ SOUTHERN COLORADO REGION

d. Castle Rock Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 538)

e. Santa Fe Modern Dentistry (Office 566)

NORTH DALLAS FORT WORTH REGION

f. Roanoke Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 739)

NORTH INLAND EMPIRE REGION

g. Monet Dental Group (Office 223)

h. My Kid’s Dentist & Orthodontics (Office 7183)

i. Winery Estate Dental Group (Office 15)

a

d

b

c f

American Heart Month

In observance of American Heart Month, PDS joined the nationwide effort to raise awareness about heart health and disease prevention, including heart disease and stroke. As part of this effort, PDS also highlighted the significant link between oral health and heart health, emphasizing the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene for overall heart health. Team members and supported practices further helped spread this crucial message by participating in the American Heart Association’s National Wear Red Day on Feb. 3 with a focus on raising awareness about heart disease in women.

a. Dentists of Richmond (Office 219)

b. Desert Crossing Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 51)

c. Summerville Smiles Dental Office (Office 788)

d. Chelmsford Modern Dentistry (Office 869)

e. Dentists of Fort Bend (Office 655)

f. Dentists of Miami Gardens (Office 766)

g. Prominent Point Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 512)

h. Las Vegas Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 202)

i. Henderson Support Center

a

d

g

g

b

c f i

NORTHERN COLORADO REGION

a. Brighton Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 539)

b. Washington Plaza Dentistry (Office 672)

ORANGE COUNTY REGION

c. Beach Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 32)

SOUTH FLORIDA REGION

d. Dentists at Midtown (Office 979)

e. Dentists of Port Charlotte (Office 866)

SOUTH INLAND EMPIRE REGION

f. Menifee Lakes Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 428)

SOUTH LOS ANGELES REGION

g. Brentwood Modern Dentistry (Office 343)

SOUTHERN ARIZONA REGION

h. Tangerine Dental Group (Office 212)

WASHINGTON/OREGON REGION

i. Tacoma Smiles Dentistry (Office 381)

j. SLU Dental Group (Office 914)

National Dentist’s Day

PDS recognized our more than 2,700 supported and contracted dentists on National Dentist’s Day. The work they do every day not only impacts their patients’ oral health but improves the overall health of their communities. Thank you to all PDS-supported dentists for bringing your passion to work and creating Healthier, Happier Patients® one smile at a time.

Cypress Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 641)

Dentists (Office Bear Creek Dental Group (Office 40)

c

f

g

b

d

a

Dentists of Bellevue (Office 853)

Henderson Dental Group (Office 187)

Hillsboro Modern Dentistry (Office 307)

Laveen Modern Dentistry (Office 258)

Sugar Land Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 639)

Dedicated to Purpose-Driven, Passionate Work

A letter from PDS dental assistants

Our dedication to clinical excellence is exhibited through passion and purpose— delivering quality dentistry, ensuring patient safety and supporting clinicians in educating patients on the Mouth-Body Connection®. We understand that personal and professional growth results from continuously strengthening abilities, owning one’s behaviors and taking initiative to grow as a leader in the health care profession. An ongoing desire to learn paired with an exceptional clinical skill set allows us to deliver the highest level of care and provide solutions that best fit patient needs and concerns.

Carrissa Lewis (pictured lower right), Specialty Dental Assistant Endodontics for the Orange County region, decided to pursue the PDS College Advancement Program, an invaluable program available to dental assistants at PDS to advance education.

“It’s been a life-long goal of mine to pursue higher education and the PDS College Advancement Program gave me this opportunity,” said Carrissa. “It’s such a blessing to work and go to school at my own pace. I’m grateful for PDS and the opportunity to have the financial support needed to further my education.”

Humble. Hungry. Curious.

As a dental assistant’s industry value ascends to new heights, we remain collaborative, championing each individual’s progress. We fail or succeed together as a team and through teamwork, our impact is vast. Every patient matters and seeking to understand other perspectives is a vital aspect in connecting and communicating. We strive to maximize

effectiveness in supporting clinicians to achieve clinical excellence and deliver quality oral health care to our communities.

Dental assistants play a vital role in keeping patients safe through implementing standard precautions, a keen awareness of risk and skilled expertise. Logan Swain, Specialty Lead Dental Assistant for the Central Florida region, is a staunch advocate that patient safety requires taking all the necessary steps to minimize risk of harm or injury to patients while they are receiving care.

“Patient safety is a top priority and a non-negotiable aspect of treating patients. When it comes to educating team members about patient safety, it’s important to ensure they are receiving routine training by our leads and management here at PDS,” he said.

Through dedication and passion, we bring purpose to our craft. The sky is the limit to our potential here with PDS and for that, we are thankful.

ROSE OLAGUE Director, School Relations and Dental Assistant Programs

It is a privilege to work beyond what is required and deliver quality performance at every job, every day, every hour.

Dedicated to PatientCentered Care

A high-performing, data-driven, results-oriented approach to digital marketing

For the last few years, the digital marketing team has been busy laying the foundation to create scale and efficiency across all digital platforms supporting the Pacific Dental Services, Smile Generation and local office (supported practices) brands. This includes everything along the digital patient experience journey from websites, email campaigns, text messages, online appointment scheduling, paid media and reputation management. Our mission: to meet consumers where they are.

We are making it easier than ever for patients and potential patients to find our supported practices through organic search terms to optimize functionality across search engines at a lesser cost to the organization. Additionally, we launched an enhanced a search tool on our websites to provide expanded data of what customers are searching for so we can create more tailored content. This resulted in a 23% year-over-year increase in local office site visits in 2022.

Once they do find a supported practice, we are streamlining the digital experience to enhance each interaction along their digital journey. From the email campaigns they receive featuring Mouth-Body Connection® education, appointment and treatment follow-up reminders and fundraising efforts, to online appointment scheduling, we are influencing and supporting the way patients engage with us. The data-driven content and delivery strategies resulted in a 48% increase in email open rates in 2022.

We connected Salesforce Marketing Intelligence with operational data so we can now measure key metrics such as Appointments Made, Appointments Showed, Show Percentage and Cost-per-Appointment, all important for understanding ways to improve the business health of each supported practice. Additionally, we reduced the cost-per-lead by 17.6% and the cost-per-appointment by 24.9%, ultimately saving local offices $1.5 million last year.

JOHN PHAM Sr. Director, Digital Marketing and

PDS-Supported Office Reviews

On the reputation management front, we have increased Google My Business (GMB) reviews by 77% by sending text message invitations to our patients following their appointments and increased star ratings by 6%. GMB helps establish and build trust between patients and local offices as consumers are more likely to trust a peer’s opinion rather than a business. If you don’t believe us, just read what a few of our Healthier, Happier Patients® are saying about you.

I can’t be any happier with the services rendered to me and my daughter. Danielle and Dr. Rolle were able to get my two-yearold to do a ‘big girl’ cleaning. Their calm demeanor made the visit smooth and went a step further when Haley made her a balloon animal.

Tooth infections aren’t fun especially when traveling for work. Reno Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics got my treatment started and shared the results with my Tucson office for future treatment. Best service, caring and efficient.

I’ve been through the gamut of dentists over the years, but I finally found my dental home. Dr. Baydoun and her staff are very professional, experienced and very welcoming. She listened to all my concerns and addressed each question with precision and solid information. This has been the best dental experience I’ve ever had.

Operations

Tranesha S.

Nona Kids’ Dentists & OrthodonticsCentral Florida Region

Myrna O. Reno Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics Reno Region

Jessenia G. Mira Mesa Smiles Dentistry San Diego Region

Dedicated to Hiring the Best and Brightest

Over the last few years, PDS has prioritized our recruiting, onboarding and retention strategies because we understand that our success is only as good as our talented people. In fact, one of this year’s organizational imperatives is to reduce turnover. You may be wondering, what does recruiting have to do with turnover? In a word—everything.

The concept is simple: If we assess and hire the right talent, then reinforce with a thriving culture, competitive benefits and long-term investments in personal and professional growth, candidates will not only be likely to join PDS, but they are also more apt to stay and thrive.

Top Priorities for 2023

1. Position PDS as the employer of choice in the markets we serve

2. Assess talented people

3. Hire, retain and support along their personal and professional journey

So, how do we ensure we meet these priorities with such a competitive hiring landscape?

Invest in Advanced, Proven Technology

PDS implemented CandidateID, an award-winning, artificial intelligence technology, through iCIMS to hyper-target the best, most engaged candidates with unique lead scoring and recruitment marketing campaigns.

According to iCIMS, “Recruiting teams are strapped with burnout, inability to hire at scale and undelivered technology promises – all while needing to hire more quality candidates, faster than ever before. New iCIMS data shows that job openings are up 44%, while job applications are flat, compared to January 2021. This means fewer candidates are available to fill more open positions. At the same time, candidates expect more from prospective employers, including personalized communications that leverage modern tools like video, social media and text messaging.”

CandidateID better qualifies candidates by only engaging the most promising applications at a faster rate, allowing us to save time and money.

Grow Company Visibility and Reputation

We have launched candidate retargeting campaigns to propel us to almost four million job views on Glassdoor so far in 2023 and have grown our company’s visibility on Indeed by 221% this year. To put this in perspective, our next highest competitor doesn’t even come close with 350,000 job views.

Invest in University and School Relations

So far in 2023, we have invested in 111 dental schools and specialty program events and 1,200+ D4 students have applied for jobs with our supported practices. To supplement this strategy, PDS and owner dentists partner with local dental assisting schools to offer unpaid externships to dental assisting students in the final phase of their programs. This allows PDS management, owner dentists and the dental practice teams to essentially conduct working interviews to evaluate the extern’s work ethic, personality traits and overall cultural compatibility with the organization during the process. So far in 2023, about 37% of the extern candidates were hired by PDS.

Listen to Existing Team Members and Clinicians

We launched a comprehensive engagement or “listening” strategy through pulse surveys in March to create better alignment across the organization and look for ways we can educate and improve outcomes as we unite around a common goal of creating Healthier, Happier Patients®. In Q1, regional managers were asked to complete a self-assessment

followed by surveys to the operations managers and owner dentists. Results were shared at the RM charge at the XP Gala in April and to regional partners in May. Thank you to all who participated. We will be announcing more exciting opportunities to provide regular feedback later this month.

How You Can Help (We Fail or Succeed Together.)

• Team Member Referral Program: Did you know PDS offers referral bonus awards ranging from $300-$500 depending on the role? Certain restrictions apply. Learn more by going to the Recruiting page on PDSConnect > Professional and Team Member Referrals.

• Share your 5-star experience: Websites like Glassdoor and Indeed are leading destinations for job seekers to research companies. Potential candidates consider reviews from current and former team members to be one of the most reliable sources of information and they help us recruit top talent (like you). If you have had a 5-star experience, please consider sharing on Glassdoor or Indeed.

• Follow @ExperiencePDS: As we continue our efforts to hire extraordinary team members, we encourage you to like and follow our Instagram and Facebook pages. Our goal is to strengthen our connections with those who are interested in joining the PDS team while broadening our reach and providing insight into our company culture. If you’d like us to share what you’re doing, remember to tag us at @ExperiencePDS

We Believe in the Power of Teamwork

The following is a testimonial about how a single social media post in 2019 was not only the catalyst for Samantha “Sam” Bernaldo, RDH, to join PDS but also helped her office become a top performer in the North Las Vegas region.

“Prior to becoming a team member, I worked at several private dental offices. In 2019, I was browsing hygienist groups on Facebook when I stumbled on a post from Specialty Regional Director Ashley Quezada about an RDH

incentive to relocate from California to Nevada. It caught my eye but I wasn’t actively looking for a job at the time. While I was not planning to relocate out of state, I kept the “you never know” mentality and began considering leaving private practice and applying for a PDS opportunity in San Diego.

Three years later, my husband received a job contract in Nevada. Ashley’s Facebook post popped into my head. I located her contact information and inquired about the opportunity to transfer to Nevada along with the relocation incentives. She said the opportunity was still available and connected me with Regional Director Michael Nguyen. I didn’t realize it at the time but looking back I would have never known about this opportunity if it wasn’t for that social media post.”

In Sam’s first month at El Dorado Modern Dentistry (office 155), she had an impressive average daily production (ADP) which allowed owner dentist Inyoung Yeam, DMD to focus on dentistry. As a result, Dr. Yeam’s ADP in that same month increased and the office was on track to have its new best month for a De Novo 10 months in with 4.8 opportunities per day. The result was Healthier, Happier Patients®

To learn more about upcoming career opportunities, please visit the Pacific Dental Services website and share on your personal social media channels. You never know who might be reading.

JOSH WHIPPLE Sr. Director, Talent and Leadership Development

Dedicated to Investing in You

Pacific Dental Services invests in its team members personally and professionally in a variety of ways including:

• Physical, medical, mental, emotional and financial health benefits, including 401(k) contributions

• Education goals through the PDS College Advancement Program, tuition reimbursement and professional development assistance

• General life and wellness support through the Employee Assistance Program

• Pet insurance (to help care for our four-legged family members)

• Future Moms and Dads Program

• Back-up child and elder care

• Adoption assistance

• Legal discounts

Regardless of where your life’s focus is, we have you covered. For additional information about these programs or other ways PDS invests in you, please visit the People Services Benefits page on the PDSConnect intranet

Pacific Dental Services College Advancement Program

The PDS College Advancement Program is a oneof-a-kind benefit to eligible dental assistants, healthcare coordinators and operations managers to provide 100% upfront tuition coverage to pursue a college degree of your choice through Arizona State University (ASU). The program was added in 2021 to our suite of education benefits available to team members including the Tuition Reimbursement Program, Professional Development Assistance and courses offered at no cost through PDS University.

This past Spring, the program welcomed its first graduate, Operations Manager in Training Deja Yslava, with her bachelor’s degree in community health from ASU. This is her story.

COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM STATISTICS

• 98% retention of total participating team members

• 96% of learners are proud to be participating in the PDS College Advancement Program

• 93% would recommend the PDS College Advancement Program

TOP 3 PROGRAMS:

• Business Administration

• Liberal Studies

• Health Sciences

Pictured L-R: PDS College Advancement Program participants and XP Award recipients Operations Manager Alina Cepernich, Operations Manager Beth Arbiso and Ryan Ramos, DA, pose with Trish Elliott, VP, People and Systems at the 2023 XP Gala awards ceremony.

Dedication at its finest

Deja Yslava didn’t always know what she wanted to be when she grew up, but she knew she wanted to earn a college degree. Her father, a self-made, hardworking man whose highest level of education was his sophomore year of high school, instilled this dream in Deja and her sister. His life’s greatest dream was for both of his daughters to graduate from college. This past May, his dream became a reality when Deja crossed the ASU stage in her cap and gown to collect her bachelor’s degree in community health, a feat made possible through the PDS College Advancement Program.

Deja’s collegiate journey started in 2015 when, ironically, she began attending on-campus classes at ASU. Due to life circumstances, she had to stop two years shy of graduating, in part due to the heavy financial burden. Deja grew up in a lower socioeconomic neighborhood and saw firsthand how this contributed to unhealthy community lifestyles through lack of access, education and often affordability. She became interested in dedicating her career to helping others through the field of community health.

After starting at PDS two and a half years ago first as a healthcare coordinator, then specialty healthcare coordinator, assistant manager and now operations manager in training, she feels she has found a home impacting community health through dentistry.

“I learned a lot about health literacy through my degree program and how every patient has a different understanding of his or her own health. Most adults have a fourth grade health literacy level,” Deja said. “In my work as OMT, it’s a good reminder to meet patients where they are as individuals and help educate them about not only their oral health but its connection to their overall health.”

When PDS announced the College Advancement Program in 2021, she truly felt like it was a message meant just for her. Call it God, fate or simply stars aligning, this was the opportunity Deja had been hoping for. With the financial investment covered, Deja could focus on her work and academics without worrying about how to pay for it.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cried. I really didn’t know if I would be able to go back to school again. I am so grateful for this opportunity and the support I received from my managers along the way,” Deja said. “I feel seen and heard and I have a strong sense of loyalty and appreciation for the investment PDS made in me.”

If Deja could give one piece of advice to anyone questioning whether to start an academic journey of their own, it is this: “I was so scared and doubted whether I could balance school while working

full-time. My husband was my biggest cheerleader every step of the way which gave me the confidence to just go for it. My biggest advice is to focus on the end goal (and all of the little rewards in between) and believe in yourself. You will always feel like you’re never ‘ready’ but sometimes you have to take a leap of faith.”

Deja’s future goals include developing herself with PDS, becoming an operations manager, growing into a regional role, spending time with her very proud father, buying a house, starting a family with her adoring husband, taking up yoga and maybe even a pottery class or two. But for now, maybe a little sleep.

Congratulations to Deja and the other expected 2023 graduates. You make us smile! If you are a dental assistant, healthcare coordinator or operations manager interested in the PDS College Advancement Program, visit pacificdentalservices.instride.com to learn more.

TRISH ELLIOTT VP, People and Systems

Congratulations

Nov.

NOVEMBER

New Owner Dentists

Sonam Agarwal, DDS Pleasanton Ridge Dental Group Greater Sacramento/Idaho/ Utah/Reno Region

Maryam Alubaidi, DMD Pleasant Hill Smiles Dentistry Greater Sacramento/Idaho/ Utah/Reno Region

Arturo Elias, DDS South Bay Modern Dentistry San Diego Region

Richard Huynh, DMD Mesa Valley Modern Dentistry Eastern Arizona Region

Harris Khattak, DDS Parkway Dental Group Greater Sacramento/Idaho/ Utah/Reno Region

Christina Kim, DMD Whittier Modern Dentistry Orange County Region

Umair Lakhani, DDS Dentists of Laguna Hills Orange County Region

DECEMBER JANUARY

Shalin Patel, DDS Hemet Modern Dentistry South Inland Empire Region

Saad Youssif, DDS Mesquite Dental Group South Dallas Fort Worth Region

Tina Akhavan, DMD Dentists of Oakland Park South Florida Region

FEBRUARY

Michael Carter, DMD Springdale Modern Dentistry Ohio/Kentucky Region

Jade Gilbert, DDS First Street Dental Group North Los Angeles Region

Rockey Rosser, DMD Cave Creek Dentistry Eastern Arizona Region

Khadijah Cheema, DDS Lake Houston Smiles Dentistry Gulf Coast Region

Hector Godoy, DDS Tomball Smiles Dentistry Gulf Coast Region

Scott Knapke, DDS Blue Ash Modern Dentistry Ohio/Kentucky Region

Annu Bhalla, DDS Tucson Spectrum Dentistry Southern Arizona Region

Katelyn Butch, DDS Dentists of Fort Myers South Florida Region

Amber

MARCH

APRIL

Zeyad

Gilbert, DDS Dentists of Canoga Park North Los Angeles Region

Megan Jones, DMD Smyrna Modern Dentistry Tennessee Region

Saloni Luckoor, DMD Queensridge Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics South Las Vegas Region

Timothy Luong, DDS Las Vegas Modern Smiles Dentistry North Las Vegas Region

Scott Rode, DMD Norterra Dental Group North West Arizona Region

Nailah Tillman, DDS Oak Forest Dental Group and Orthodontics Gulf Coast Region

Jessica TingstromSuarez, DDS Metairie Modern Dentistry Louisiana Region

Krista Koehler, DDS Stillwater Modern Dentistry Minnesota Region

Arfan Taba, DDS Turlock Smiles Dentistry Greater Sacramento/Idaho/ Utah/Reno Region

David Tobias, DDS Gilbert Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics Eastern Arizona Region

Alani, DDS Granite Bay Smiles Dentistry Greater Sacramento/Idaho/ Utah/Reno Region

Valentina Carrillo, DDS North Kendall Dentists South Florida Region

Jennifer Clement, DMD Rainbow Modern Dentistry South Las Vegas Region

Casey Dufurrena, DDS Murfreesboro Smiles Dentistry Tennessee Region

Halie Gulley, DDS O’Fallon Modern Dentistry Midwest Region

Aaron Mayberry, DMD Hub Plaza Dental Group North Inland Empire Region

32 New Dental Offices, 5 New Medical Offices

Nov.

a. Michael Le, Executive Director, PDS Foundation

b. Joseph Feldsien, SVP and Territory Partner

c. Trish Elliott, VP, People and Systems

d. Cathie Wild-Pappas, Regional Partner

e. Vicky Dyck, Regional Partner

f. Alex Creelman, Regional Partner

g. Lionel Clayton, Regional Partner

h. Jon Thorne, Chief Operating Officer

i. Joel Collins, DDS, Owner Dentist

k. Carolyn Ghazal, DDS, Chair of Associate Platform Development

j. Rose Olague, Director, School Relations and Dental Assistant Programs

l. Stephen Thorne, Founder and CEO