PDS Life Fall 2018

PDS life the

SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF ONE PATIENT AT A TIME

HEALTHIER, HAPPIER PATIENTS®

Dear PDS ® Teammates,

Message From the PRESIDENT

THE BEST CHOICE FOR PRACTICING DENTISTS

Two dozen years ago, I founded PDS. Our company is dedicated to the success of dentists, with a mission “to provide the best choice for practicing dentists through our development of efficient dental practices, dedication to effective management services and their commitment to maximizing individual and professional God-given potential.” Some may recognize this language - it’s still used for our on-hold message at our National Support Centers.

I believe we are the best choice for practicing dentists. In fact, our PDS platform is now trusted by nearly 500 owner dentists to support them in making their patients healthier and happier. We understand there are plenty of choices out there now. 1,000 + DSOs. However, our patient-centric platform will stand the test of time. I’m confident there is no other support structure quite as robust and holistic as ours to help clinicians provide accessible and comprehensive oral health care. In addition, we’re transforming the industry with innovative, state-of-the-art technology. It’s why we’re on track to realize our vision to be the Greatest Dental Company in America! ®

In this edition of PDS Life, we’re highlighting some of the ways the national and regional support centers are here to help our Owner Dentists. The support structures that comprise the PDS platform are industry-leading and world-class, providing operational excellence, experimental innovation, centralized

processes, and a strong balance sheet with an eye on the future. I am proud of the breadth and depth to which we support our clinicians, because I believe that patient centricity can only reign true in an office that is a well-oiled machine.

We’re almost at the end of 2018, and we’ve opened up a new region, 40+ offices and brought on hundreds of supported dentists, dozens of whom have become owners.

We continue to hold fast to our beliefs as an organization and drill down into the day-to-day responsibilities. I am confident that our growth potential is endless and over time, we will learn with even greater precision and excellence to support one another as we realize our potential together. I am grateful for how far we’ve come, but I’m confident with how much further we can go because we’ve invested in a strong foundation of support.

Sincerely,

Stephen Thorne IV, President

WHAT’S INSIDE

CHANGE A SMILE... CHANGE THE GAME

The Pacific Dental Services Foundation provides $75K in donated dentistry to Special Olympic athletes at the 2018 USA Games.

HOW DOES SUPPORT SUPPORT YOU?

Learn about the departments at our National Support Centers and their role in the PDS ® Platform.

ARE YOU

ADDICTED

TO YOUR PHONE? NO, NOT ME!

Why you should get off your phone and more from Doug Fields.

NEW OWNER DENTISTS

Adding 41 supported owners.

NEW OFFICE OPENINGS AND SUPPORT CENTER

Including two new health care practices and a best-in-class support center for new markets on the east coast.

This year’s President’s Club winners took an incredible trip to the one and only Chileno Bay Resort and Spa in Los Cabos, Mexico. Read all about the trip from the supported dentists themselves, and check out the photos from their amazing trip!

“It was an amazing resort with a great environment! We got to spend time on the beach paddleboarding, snorkeling and relaxing. It’s so rewarding being able to rub shoulders with the most successful docs in the company and learn from them.”

Dr. Todd Vincent

“This was my first time at President’s Club, and I was very honored to be part of it. I would like to thank PDS® team members who worked so hard to plan such a memorable vacation for us. And I hope to go again real soon!”

Dr. Amy Latshikyan

“Thank you Steve and Pam for another memorable getaway. It motivates me to do even better every year. We really get quality time to relax and reflect back on things, including how blessed we are to be part of PDS®.”

Dr. Deepika Dhama

“What an amazing weekend in the sun. The accommodations, service and food at Chileno Bay were top tier. However, the truly best part was sharing the relaxed and genuine experiences with some of PDS’s finest.”

Dr. Steven Alvarado

“The trip was so much fun and made all the hard work that was put in the year before worth it. Being surrounded by so many great doctors, awesome entertainment, and amazing food; couldn’t have asked for more.“

Dr. Kevin Tan

“My wife and I loved every second. There is just something special when you’re around all these successful hard working doctors. All the crazy hours and stressful days rewarded with paradise makes it all worth it. Once you have this experience you want to work even harder to do it again.”

Dr. Ali Jadali

“When I got back, I told my team that I’m pretty sure I know what it feels like to be a Kardashian for a few days! The experience was incredible.”

Dr. Bart Stears

“Cabo was great! Beachside workouts, poolside tacos, massage appointments, drinks with new friends and great conversations about future growth was the perfect way to come back pumped and ready to go!”

Dr. Karim Zaklama

“President’s Club was an amazing experience for my husband and me. We loved getting to go sea kayaking and snorkeling at the arch in Cabo! Thanks for the memories!”

Dr. Ashley Hopkins

Change a smile. . . CHANGE THE GAME!

By Kyle Guerin

Director, Pacific Dental Services® Foundation & Corporate Social Responsibility for PDS®

This year's 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle took place at the University of Washington and marked the 50th anniversary of the Special Olympics, the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The Pacific Dental Services® Foundation was on hand during the event as the only mobile dental clinic providing oral health care to athletes competing in the event. As part of its Healthy Athletes program, our Foundation partnered with Smile Generation®trusted clinicians to provide comprehensive dental care to 118 Special Olympics athletes, and donated nearly $75,000 in oral health services.

According to Dr. Perlman, “The ability to provide emergency care at the site was invaluable to the athletes, and the empathy, compassion, and quality care that was given was heart wrenching. From the bottom of my heart, I thank the PDS Foundation for their support and helping deliver care to the Special Olympics athletes.”

So many amazing stories came from our days at the games. We had the pleasure to meet Richard, an athlete from New Jersey who complained to his coach of dental pain on his flight to Seattle. His coach brought Richard to be screened by Special Smiles volunteers, where he was immediately referred to the PDS Mobile Dental Clinic. After an X-ray confirmed that the decay in the tooth had reached the nerve, it was determined that the tooth needed to be extracted. The extraction was done onsite and Richard was all smiles afterward, seen here with Dr. Perlman!

Another athlete in immediate need of care, Tyler Schuster from Virginia, broke his tooth while competing in his first softball game while in Seattle. Luckily for Tyler, he was able to be seen by Dr. Bolak, a Smile Generation volunteer, who was onsite at the Mobile Dental Clinic. Tyler's X-rays revealed that in addition to the root canal and crown needing to be treated after the accident, he would also need two fillings, a comprehensive cleaning and a fluoride varnish application. Dr. Bolak treated Tyler and he was back to competing the next day! (see before and after pictures with Dr. Bolak and Tyler).

It’s a privilege to have this incredible opportunity to support the Special Olympics for their 2018 USA National Games by providing our mobile dental clinic for the athletes attending the event. As part of our mission to provide access to dental care for the special needs community, our partnership with the Special Olympics exemplifies our commitment to service.

NATIONAL SUPPORT CENTERS

This issue of PDS® Life is focusing on the theme “business support,” to give you an in-depth view of all the ways the PDS Platform can support you! Take a look at the articles showcasing various departments and their support services.

PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

OWNER DENTIST DEVELOPMENT

BY KEN DAVIS, VP OF OWNER DENTIST DEVELOPMENT

The Owner Dentist Development team is focused on developing the process for associate dentists to transition into ownership in a supported partnership. This process includes guiding them through the financing and legal documentation that is part of every transaction. We have the pleasure of working with a large number of associate dentists and their regional management teams every day to make the transitions as smooth as possible. We also provide this support to pediatric dentists as they become involved in ownership on the Kids’ Dentistry platform.

2018 started off with a very exciting pace for the Owner Dentist Development team. With the promotion of Jeff Longfield to the Regional Partner position in Massachusetts and Ashley Goldberger getting the opportunity to stay home with her newborn, Leah, we welcomed two new team members late last year. Kim Brozovich (BrozovichK@pacden.com) is our Director of Owner Dentist Development, and came to us from the University Relations team, which she led. Kim has a great background in dentistry, with over 10 years’ experience as a consultant with a leading dental consulting group. She is digging into her new role with great enthusiasm, initially supporting the Rocky Mountain region, as well as a number of the new regions. Kaitlyn Lackey (LackeyK@pacden.com) is our new Administrator, Owner Dentist Development, and is very involved in communicating with regional teams and potential owners as they maneuver through the process. Kaitlyn transferred from the facilities team at NSC.

The number of new owner dentists is reaching a frenetic pace, as more opportunities are made available through new office openings and partnerships in existing offices. We are

currently averaging almost 10 new owner dentists a month, which means we will exceed 500 owner dentists by the end of the summer. This rapid growth shows continued confidence and excitement about the model, and the strength of the platform that is available to every owner dentist. There continues to be a lot of opportunity to join the owner dentist group as we continue to expand the number of offices. Speaking of the platform, a much anticipated change to the new owner onboarding is being rolled out this summer. Our department has traditionally been responsible for leadership training for the new owners and we are partnering with Dr. Carolyn Ghazal as we transition the way leadership education is provided to new owners. In the past, new owners attended three new owner meetings spread out over the year that taught the three owner dentists leadership competencies: clinical leadership, team leadership and business leadership. With the increase in the number of new owners, and the realization that a year was too long for completion of the material, we decided it was time to condense the instruction into a three-day course offered four times a year. This will allow us to decrease the gap between the time of the ownership transaction and completion of the leadership competencies, and provide a smaller group format for increased learning. Our first group went through the program in July, so we look forward to their feedback on the new format.

CONTACT: Kaitlyn Lackey | LackeyK@pacden.com

ASSOCIATE DENTIST SUCCESS

BY DR. CAROLYN GHAZAL, OWNER DENTIST AND CHAIR OF ASSOCIATE DEVELOPMENT

Associate Dentists (ADs) are vital team members of each PDS ®supported practice. Their success and long-term engagement are key contributors to the success of a practice. The AD Success Team is focused on developing innovative ways to support associate dentists and to empower them to maximize their opportunities. Our goal is to respond to the needs of the field and enhance the support provided to the regional partners, regional managers, operations managers, and owner dentists. This allows each practice team to leverage the platform and follow our roadmap to success.

The first step in an associate’s journey with PDS is their onboarding experience. It is our job to create awareness around the tools and resources available to the associate for their role, as well as those available to support the team. The Associate Dentist Playbook, Chapter 1: Onboarding “is a collection of standards and best practices to improve clinical confidence and competence.” Once on board, each associate dentist should partner with their regional manager to create a 120-day calendar. This 120-day calendar should include in-office orientation, training activities, shoulder-to-shoulder coaching days, financial and metric reviews, and the Introduction to Clinical Excellence (ICE) orientation week. Creation of such a calendar should empower the associate to stay organized and be intentional about reaching their goals.

As the associates progress through their career in the PDSsupported environment, the support they receive from their team is crucial. Operations managers, regional managers, and owner dentists play a key role in supporting the success of their teams. The AD Success Team strives to further develop the platform by leveraging field knowledge so that clinicians can serve as subject matter experts for other clinicians, a process that also fosters the growth of the regions. As the platform improves and continues to be leveraged by those team members that support the associate, the associate will likewise develop in ways that lead to Healthier, Happier Patients®

Our most recent project is soon to be tested with a broader audience of associates. The “My PDS” application is an introduction to our core clinical culture of CEREC CAD/CAM and The Perfect Patient Experience ® (PPE) in a digitized format. Associates will receive key clinical content that is easily accessible at their fingertips at the time of hire. This application will promote peer-to-peer collaboration, including the collaboration between owner dentists and their associates.

Additional 2018 AD Success Team projects include:

• Strategy and content for New Owner Dentist Orientation and ICE Orientation

• Weekly Associate Dentist webinars

The success of our supported associate dentists is vital to the success of our business. We are committed to innovating and improving the platform to help associates achieve their financial, professional, and personal goals.

CONTACT:

Dr. Carolyn Ghazal, DDS | GhazalC@pacden.com

Orthodontics and Pediatrics & Clinical Quality

Stay tuned for the next issue of PDS Life!

HOW PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS SUPPORTS THE FIELD

BY JOSEPH FELDSIEN, SVP OF PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

Professional Partnerships exists to advocate for PDS ® -supported clinicians. Advocacy takes the form of the structure and strategy used to create awareness of the supported environment, training and development tools and programs, systems to support clinical excellence, quality and National Dental Advisory group(s) facilitation, patient engagement systems and tools, and the facilitation of the Owner Doctor transactions. The primary vehicles differentiating the PDS platform are: 1) Owner Dentist model, which separates PDS from the majority of DSOs 2) Business Bootcamp, which helps dentists prepare for life after dental school 3) Dentists In Training program.

The following are some of the ways Professional Partnerships supports our clinicians:

• Dr. Brad Guyton and the University Relations team recruits at GP dental schools across the country. As the Dean of the PDSU™ - Institute of Dentistry, Dr. Guyton oversees the structure that supports Introduction to Clinical Excellence (ICE), Warm Up and Transition (WTR) and Specialty Mastery (STM).

• Jan LeBeau, the leader of hygiene, works with Barbara Krueger to lead the HICE program, builds out the PDS platform support for hygiene, and works closely with Steve Thorne on the Mouth-Body Connection® initiative that represents a significant part of our future.

• Ed Loonam and Deb Packard play a similar role in the specialty recruiting space. They visit the dental residencies across the country meeting residents and educating them as to the potential to grow a thriving specialty business within the PDS-supported environment.

• Dr. Carolyn Ghazal is responsible for the content and programs to develop GP dentists, both new Associate Dentists and Owner Dentists. Her team has initiated a number of successful tools, including the DIT program and the OD and AD playbooks.

• Dr. Charles Rodgers owns the role of Quality Systems, much of which is supported by QISS metrics. Additionally, he oversees the facilitation of the National Dental Advisory Board, supports Dr. Eric Ellis with the Pediatric Dental Advisory Board, and oversees the PEER Review program.

• Dr. Jaleh Pourhamidi oversees the Kids space inclusive of Pediatrics and Orthodontics. She works with Sheila Bracker to ensure the systems and infrastructure represent the best in Kids’ Dentistry. She also works directly with Dr. Lisa Bienstock on all aspects of the business related to Pediatric Dentistry.

• Mark Laramore oversees Surgical Services. He specifically drives the implant strategy and has developed a very scaleable solution that will drive success in implants for years to come. As the primary advocate for the surgical specialties, he works with Oral Surgeons, Periodontists, and Endodontists to help them grow their business within the PDS environment.

• Ken Davis oversees the process of all owner transactions in the company. Ken’s time in the dental field and knowledge of the environment inclusive of the financials, OD success, and legal contracts makes him highly credible with dentists.

Photo below: Nearly 45 students representing 26 different dental schools attended the July 2018 Dental Business Boot Camp at the PDS National Support Center.

PDS UNIVERSITY™INSTITUTE OF DENTISTRY

BY DR. BRAD GUYTON, DEAN OF THE PDSU – INSTITUTE OF DENTISTRY

UNIVERSITY RELATIONS

BY BECKY SORCI, UNIVERSITY AND CLINICIAN COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

The PDS University™ - Institute of Dentistry is the learning community of Clinicians Leading Clinicians in Clinical Excellence ® We journey together with the commitment to improve lives, inspire one another, and build the model for “education in practice.” Our team is responsible for the three phases of development: ICE, WTR and STM designed for GPs, dental hygienists and pediatric dentists. Topics within these three phases range from the Perfect Patient Experience ® to restoring implants with CEREC. The PDSU™ – Institute of Dentistry currently has 30 faculty and chairs, offers over 600 hours of unique CE content for clinicians, and collaborates with vendor partners that are world leaders in education. The Institute looks forward to providing content that allows PDS ® -supported clinicians to increase their confidence and competence as they ramp in the PDS-supported environment. This allows clinicians to access the very best education which induces action, builds confidence, and helps make tangible, positive change in their practices. The Institute team partners with regions to foster ideal clinical education programs within their markets. The team welcomes you to the Institute, and looks forward to serving your educational and developmental needs!

CONTACT:

PDSInstitute@pacden.com

The PDS University Relations team partners with dental schools in events and education to attract and develop practice-ready dentists, so that opportunities with PDS-supported owner dentists (ODs) become the top choice for these graduating dentists. We differentiate ourselves from other DSOs by partnering with schools in education and leading with PDS-supported ODs as the brand. This “clinicians recruiting clinicians” approach helps build long-term relationships between PDS-supported ODs and potential future associates. We also provide an ongoing speaker development program to support clinicians speaking at these events. Our team facilitates regional autonomy in engaging with the schools in their state and supports the dentist recruiters with the tools and best practices for successful student engagement, including lead collection and ongoing nurture campaigns. We invest and partner with the American Student Dental Association and schools that are producing practice-ready dentists. Through these partnerships, we utilize educational events and boot camps to target highly influential student leaders. Our team partners with dentist recruiters to promote the dentist-in-training (DIT) program for conversion of the top graduating dentists. We strive to provide impeccable field support, and look forward to serving the needs of new and vintage regions.

CONTACT: UniversityRelations@pacden.com

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

BY JOSH WHIPPLE, DIRECTOR OF LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The key to developing great leaders is personal development. You can’t develop others until you know how to develop yourself!

PDS ® team members are thankful for every day’s opportunity, but know that constant learning and adaptability are part of our individual responsibility. This responsibility is not only a part of our job, but also a means to something better. The PDS University™ (PDSU™ ) is a structured vehicle providing team members with access to learning and development opportunities that will help propel you forward. PDSU provides you with assigned learning opportunities that prepare you to perform your job. However, there are many more learning opportunities for you to access!

As each of us go through our careers, we come into contact with people whom we consider to be mentors or coaches. Those people usually have several things in common: they inspire us. They share their successes and failures. They allow us to explore our own capabilities. Most importantly, they have mastered the ability to develop themselves.

This is important for a number of reasons:

1. It demonstrates a high level of self awareness – we are often our own best friend and worst enemy. Cultivating an ability to see ourselves clearly, warts and all, is vital to continued progression. We know what we want and must be willing to change those parts about ourselves that require change to get better. We can also accept the best parts of ourselves and hone those to be stronger. If we cannot see and accept our own strengths and growth opportunities, we cannot coach others on how to do it for themselves.

2. It cultivates a Growth Mindset – every day, every problem is an opportunity in disguise. We can continuously learn and grow. As we go

through this process repeatedly, we improve our ability to do so more effectively every time. Carol Dweck’s book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” is a great start to understanding this principle better.

3. It shows you can hold yourself accountable –positive change requires energy and planning. Ultimately, we have to hold ourselves accountable to these personal development plans. The less we rely on others to keep us on track, the more capable we are of continuous positive change.

I encourage each of you to look inside and find that spark that gets you excited to change and improve. These rules apply to us personally and professionally, no matter your current position, situation, or circumstance. So, here is the challenge! Find something about yourself that you want to be better tomorrow than it is today and get to work! Be sure to write your plans and goals down and share them with a friend. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you and lift you up as you struggle through the change. We are all capable of greatness.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, do not compare yourself to anyone else. Focus instead on being a better version of yourself tomorrow than you are today. You are unique. You have intrinsic value and we, as a team, are stronger for the contribution of each individual team member. Personal development is about bringing the best you to every interaction.

Please reach out to Organizational & Talent Development if you would like help on getting started.

CONTACT: Josh Whipple | WhippleJ@pacden.com

Another resource for your self-development is the PDS Library. The library has a robust collection of books and media chosen to promote the professional development and working experience of PDS team members, supported doctors, and clinicians. There you can find the Founders Select 8 — books hand selected by Steve Thorne. These eight books cover topics ranging from leadership and managing conflict effectively to building a cohesive team. Along with the Founders Select 8, there are many additional titles available to all team members for check-out from our PDS library at no charge. More information about the Library can be found on PDS Connect’s Organizational & Talent Development department page, under Tools & Resources.

LEARNING AND TRAINING

BY JOANN CUNNINGHAM, DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

PDS ® knows your career is a journey and we want to be on that journey with you. This is one of the many reasons PDS is committed to having the best learning and training program in the industry. We are dedicated to adapting, evolving, investing and changing as the needs of our learners change. We have the ability to partner with the regions and provide structure and support for continued learning and development in pursuit of the common goal of creating Healthier, Happier Patients®

The first component of the team is Learning Operations Coordination (LOC). This team is assigned to specific regions to support instructor-led training (ILT) and learning process management, which includes managing all changes to scheduled events, sessions, workshops, webinars, and any other training-related classes housed in the MY Success Center. Each LOC team member maintains accurate records for attendance and tracking in accordance with the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) guidelines, which supports the regions in managing the training calendars and training events within the Pacific Dental Services University™. As part of the People team at National Support, the LOCs assist the regions in finding the answers they need so that PDS-supported offices can focus on their patients.

The second component of the team is Instructional Design. The Instructional Design team’s goal is to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive and world-class learning and development catalog of programs that support the growth of the organization. Their responsibilities include analyzing the learning needs of all PDS team members and creating a cost effective, audienceappropriate learning experience that communicates and reinforces the core function and leadership skills that drive organizational performance.

Each Instructional Designer works with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from not only the regions, but also within National Support to determine specific learning objectives for each project; then, each designer uses instructional design techniques that best appeal to the learner. The Instructional Design team’s skill set also includes editing, formatting, and graphic design expertise, which allows the team to provide constructive feedback and recommendations on copyright and trademark polices, as well as feedback designed to enhance materials submitted for publication to both the organization and My Success Center.

The Learning and Training team approaches each day with a “can-do” attitude and continually focuses on finding proactive and progressive solutions and always maintains the value of PDS training programs.

We truly believe that quality performance at every job, every hour, every day is required, and we are privileged to perform beyond what is required in ensuring that PDS team members and PDS-supported clinicians are provided the learning tools and resources that lead to creating Patients for Life™ !

REVENUE OPERATIONS

BY AMY SPAULDING, SR. MANAGER FOR ROC PROJECTS

Revenue Operations Center’s (ROC) mission reads, “While living out the We Believes, our team will enable clinicians and empower patients to engage in simple and effective interactions that maximize collectible revenue.” We serve out this mission by supporting the revenue-related processes through our centralized teams. From before the patients walk through the door, to long after they’ve left the building, ROC works hard to help offices achieve financial success, so they can continue creating Healthier, Happier Patients®

This diagram lists the ROC services that occur before, during, and after each patient’s appointment, as well as additional services that may occur outside of the appointment timeframe.

ROC SERVICES BEFORE

• Insurance Credentialing

• Patient Benefits

• Fees

Before Appointment

• Insurance Credentialing – Responsible for getting doctors and offices in network with participating insurance plans. ROC communicates with the offices regarding their supported clinicians’ credentialing status.

• Patient Benefits – Obtains benefits and eligibility information, and creates plans for patients seen in the office. Offices connect with the team regarding their patient benefits requests via the Eligibility Status Portal and ticketing system.

• Fees – Manages the Fee Database for all insurance plans (HMO, PPO, Discount, and Union) and ensures the correct fees are entered so accurate fees populate in the system. ROC communicates fee and coding changes to the field as we are made aware of them.

At Appointment

• Patient Payment Solutions – Specializes in setting up and changing existing SmartPay and Orthodontic payment arrangements, and assisting with Smile Generation Financial and Care Credit payment options.

After Appointment

AFTER ADDITIONAL

• Patient Payment Solutions

• SmartPay SGF CareCredit

• Insurance Claims Billing – Review claims, charges, and all necessary documentation to ensure proper reimbursement of claims and appeals. ROC and offices coordinate to submit any required or missing documentation via the Request for Information Portal.

• Claims Tracing – Insurance claims specialists contact insurance carriers on open insurance claims by giving the carriers information to get the claims paid or adjudicated.

• Audit – The Insurance Claims Auditing team reviews and adjudicates claims according to PDS ®’ claims processing criteria. Offices find information regarding claim adjudication on the Claims Portal.

• Insurance Payment Posting – Reviews, sorts, and posts insurance payments for patient claims. Payments posted daily will appear on your office’s daily deposit slip.

• Patient Collections – Assists with outsource and collections activity in the event that a patient defaults on his or her financial agreement.

• Billing • Auditing • Insurance Collections

• Posting

• Outsource/ Collections • Pediatrics

• Orthodontics

• Medical

• Regional Analysts

• Project Management Office

Additional Services

• Pediatrics & Orthodontics – Made up of billers and auditors, this team reviews claims, charges, and all documentation, along with auditing of insurance claims to ensure proper claim and appeals reimbursement.

• Medical – The ROC Medical team is made up of billers, certified coders, insurance collectors, and auditors who handle the medical coding, billing, tracing, and auditing of all medical insurance claims.

• Regional Analysts (Team Leads) – The Regional Team Leads ensure that billing, auditing, and collections are handled within the team in the most efficient way. Their main objective is to ensure that A/R is maintained to meet projected goals.

• Project Management Office (PMO) –The ROC PMO team is responsible for all ROC-related process improvements, new projects, and business analytics. They ensure that all requests for new and existing processes are charted for planning and deployment with the appropriate internal and external training.

CONTACT: Amy Spaulding | SpauldingA@pacden.com

FINANCE

BY KEITH KOOMAN, VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE

In order to support our vision to become the Greatest Dental Company in America®, the finance team works closely with PDS ®supported offices by establishing annual financial targets and assisting with the financial reporting and analysis that monitors and tracks the financial health of each supported office and region. Furthermore, we also support the Regional Partnership model by working closely with our Regional Partners to identify and model out possible equity transactions that have the potential to increase the stakeholder value throughout the organization. Finally, for all of the operating departments across our Support Centers, you are familiar with the finance team as the one that helps you establish your annual budget, as well as assist in the analysis of your monthly results.

Very simply stated, the Finance team at PDS is expected to drive a measured value for the organization while maintaining efficiency, effectiveness, accuracy, and control while performing its customary financial and reporting functions. We are a team that isn’t out looking for glory, accolades, or trophies; we simply work alongside our operating partners and deliver results for our supported offices, our functional departments, and our organization as a whole.

Three words that come to mind when I think of our finance department include: tenacious, flexible, and caring. Why tenacious? When you think of the broad responsibility surrounding the analytics of the financial results of our organization, it’s non-negotiable that we must be relentless in our pursuit of accurate financial reporting. Why flexible? As the organization approaches $1.5B in revenue

(and growing…), we aim to keep pace with that growth and we adapt our daily/weekly/ monthly/annual priorities in order to best serve the needs of a supported office, region, or department. Why caring? We are a department that prides itself on caring for, and serving, our customers. We never have been, nor will we ever be, a department that delivers data, spreadsheets, and reports, only to walk away until the next reporting cycle begins. We care to understand what the numbers mean and help others understand what underlying trends exist in the business in order to make better operating decisions in a supported office or functional department.

Speaking of those numbers, it may be easy to conclude that through all the data, reports, and analysis that the PDS Purpose of Healthier, Happier Patients® gets lost in the shuffle. That couldn’t be further from the truth. As a team, we recognize that every number we review, analyze, and account for is related to patients that walk through our supported offices. Any time that we spend analyzing numbers and explaining financial results saves time for those that are closer to our supported offices and are more directly responsible for delivering the Perfect Patient Experience ®

Never wanting to be known as a finance team that is satisfied with the status quo, we are currently in the midst of

implementing a new Financial Management System (FMS) that is expected to transform the way we account for, report, and analyze the financial results of PDS. FMS is intended to provide the financial infrastructure that will allow us to pursue the PDS vision of becoming The Greatest Dental Company in America. What makes FMS even more exciting (yes, believe it or not, it can get more exciting than shiny new financial reports…) is our intention to work alongside Operations and IT over the next 1- 3 years to match up the relevant financial and operating metrics to put even more analytical capabilities in the hands of those that are directly responsible for driving the business forward.

In closing, you should know that the PDS Finance team exists to help you. Should any team member across the organization at any point in time have a question about a financial or operational process, please don’t hesitate to stop by, call, or email us (our contact information is current and listed on pdsconnect.com

We’re looking forward to working with you.

CONTACT: Keith Kooman | KoomanK@pacden.com

MARKETING

BY XAVIER DAO, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

The Marketing department serves PDS ® -supported offices in three major aspects: 1) acquiring and retaining patients; 2) supporting the in-office patient experience; and 3) upholding brand integrity.

We support offices in patient acquisition and retention through cross-channel marketing, which includes digital marketing, offline marketing, and inoffice experience support. We also provide the framework and guidance to support regional marketing teams with localized marketing strategies and tactics. To help offices provide the best dentistry possible, Marketing also supports initiatives and programs such as the Mouth-Body Connection®, My Smile Dental Plan®, Smile Generation Financial ® , and recruitment marketing.

Providing systems for offices to monitor and manage patient touchpoints to achieve the Perfect Patient Experience ® is another vital function of our marketing team. The infographic below illustrates key touchpoints where we help offices connect with patients before, during, and after their visits.

Tailored messages and creative give Marketing a hands-on approach to governing office branding. Our creative team is dedicated to providing offices with industry-leading design and materials to uphold the patient-centric, quality, and modern brand identity. We support offices and clinicians in creating Healthier, Happier Patients® by developing marketing materials to help patients make informed decisions for their oral health.

Marketing helps offices achieve the aforementioned goals by providing relevant, proven, and cost-effective services. In 2018, we are excited to be focused on improving digital communication with patients, enabling offices to take advantage of online scheduling capability, enhancing the Kids’ Dentistry brand and in-office experience, as well as identifying price sensitivity through marketing research.

To get in touch with or request support from marketing, please contact your designated regional marketers.

CONTACT: Jin Kuo | KuoJ@pacden.com

PATIENT RELATIONS

BY CANDY TRESLER, DIRECTOR OF PLAN DEPLOYMENT

PATIENT COMPLAINT PROCESS

PRE-GRIEVANCE

Office opportunity to resolve

• Letter

• Email

• Attorney

• Any show of dissatisfaction

PATIENT LEAVES PRACTICE

GRIEVANCE

Reaches out to 3rd Party/Grievance

• Dental Board

• Insurance Plan

• BBB

• Attorney General

• Professional Associations

• Small Claims Court

UPSET PATIENT

With our goal at Pacific Dental Services® (PDS ® ) to become The Greatest Dental Company in America® and create Healthier, Happier Patients®, the Patient Relations Department supports dental offices with what are often difficult situations. These situations typically fall into two categories: pre-grievances and grievances.

We define a pre-grievance as a patient complaint that has not escalated to an external agency. This is where a situation may not have gone according to plan and/or a patient is dissatisfied in some way. When we can help your teams and fix the situation, you can win back the patient’s trust. Even when the right outcome is a parting of ways between the office and patient, how that is handled can be the difference between a negative social media post and/or a grievance. Complaints like these can be expressed in multiple ways, including, but not limited to:

• Emails or letters from a patient or his/her attorney

• Phone calls

• In-office conversation

We define a grievance as a complaint that is being investigated by an external agency. These agencies typically include insurance plan organizations, the Dental Board, small claims courts, the Attorney General’s office, and the Better Business Bureau. Simply put, it is when a patient

complaint has escalated outside of the PDSsupported environment. In these situations, the Patient Relations Department will work with the dental office team, owner dentist and regional manager to review the matter from all perspectives and draft a response on behalf of the office and/or dentist for approval. In many cases, the Patient Relations Department will also submit the approved response and records to the requesting agency, removing that administrative burden so that the office and dentist can focus on developing Patients for Life™ Patient Relations also tracks grievances with the primary goal of identifying trends. Insurance plans track grievances and certain trends which can jeopardize an office or doctor’s contract. Similarly, the Dental Board keeps an eye on complaint trends and can take action on a doctor’s licensure as a result. Patient Relations keeps a watchful eye on developing trends that may have a negative impact and will work with the office team and/or doctor if any such trends begin to emerge.

RESOLUTION

No matter how the complaint is received, Patient Relations is available to work with the office team, treating doctor, owner dentist and regional management team. The team will talk through the situation, and discuss any insurance or regulatory bearing, as well as potential risks, to identify

the most applicable resolution options. Upon a selected resolution path by the owner dentist, Patient Relations will walk down that path with the office team. As part of any resolution path, communication is required. When possible, the team will help talk through any difficult verbal conversations the office team may need to have with a patient. When appropriate, Patient Relations will draft written correspondence for the office or doctor. Examples of such correspondence include:

• Request for subsequent provider records

• Settlement and release documents

• Offer letters

• Denial letters

• Treatment compliance letters

• Custom consent letters

• Dismissal letters

• Letters clarifying clinical diagnosis

While pre-grievance and grievance situations are never easy, our PDS-supported offices don’t have to walk through it alone. Patient Relations is always here to assist our offices and clinicians with research solution identification, correspondence and, sometimes, just to listen.

CONTACT: PatientRelations@pacden.com

DE NOVO AND NEW MARKET DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

BY MARK DEAN, VICE PRESIDENT OF DE NOVO AND NEW MARKETS

Becoming The Greatest Dental Company in America® takes strategic vision and planning. With our mission to become the provider of choice in all the markets we serve, it’s vital that we understand the pros and cons of the potential markets we may enter. Pacific Dental Services® is a trusted voice promoting Clinical Excellence throughout the United States. Because of this, the infrastructure and planning involved with the launch of new markets, as well as the onboarding of new PDS ® -supported offices, is an important component of our goal to create more Patients for Life™, becoming The Greatest Dental Company in America, one office and market at a time.

Let’s take a closer look at the De Novo and New Market Development Department to learn more about how our team is aligned with the PDS purpose to create Healthier, Happier Patients®

OUR TEAM

We have 25 team members whose primary focus is to support the field with the successful launching of all new office and market openings and to provide operational advisement during the first 24 months for new offices, and beyond for new markets. We support these new offices with the central goal to help them create the Perfect Patient Experience ® for all patients entering these new offices.

NEW MARKETS

We coordinate with the necessary National Support Center departments well in advance of opening in a new market in a new state, to ensure we understand the legal, tax, and compliance landscape that may be unique to the new state we’re entering. The new Regional Partner is consulted and informed during all facets of the new market set-up, as part of their ramp-up process.

Once a market has opened its first office, we support the development of the market through experienced Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and Operations team members. The overarching premise is that the team will transfer the knowledge and ownership of training and development to the region over time. The timeframe of transfer in most areas is typically between 24-36 months of the region’s existence.

DE NOVO

Launching a new office

Prior to an office opening, we work hand-in-hand with all necessary NSC departments including, but not limited to: Real Estate, Construction, Revenue Operations Center, Legal, Marketing, Accounting and IT, as well as the field operators of the new office. The coordinated organization of these various departments ensures their tasks are completed with the appropriate timing to create as patient-ready of an opening as possible for the field. Prior to opening, the goal is for the field operations team to spend the majority of its focus on the operational aspects of the office (i.e. hiring, training, coaching of personnel, marketing). To support the field, the De Novo Department lines out the logistics and organization around the final set-up of the office, while the field supplies the resources to perform the final set-ups (Lead Assistant, Regional Back Office Coach, etc.). Approximately six months prior to opening, the De Novo team conducts all necessary research for the naming of each office and submits the preferred suggestions to the RP.

In addition, we utilize the same systems to support the field with organizing the logistics of office expansions, office remodels, office relocations, and program closures.

Supporting De Novo Offices

During the first 24 months of operations, the De Novo Department continues to support new offices through consulting and advising on metric trends and best practices with the field operations. This is to help minimize the number of months of cash-burn the new offices experience, and to allow for consistency in best operational practices being reviewed, nationwide, on an office-by-office level.

CONTACT: Randi Mendoza | MendozaRa@pacden.com

REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION

BY CHRIS AGUON, VICE PRESIDENT OF REAL ESTATE

Why does a dental company have a Real Estate Department? Until we figure out how dentistry can be performed virtually, we need buildings. When I started working at Pacific Dental Services® (PDS ® ) in 2007, PDS supported approximately 120 offices. Today, PDS supports over 650 offices in 20 states. Last year, PDS added 70 new offices, and this year we are on track to add 87 more. Over the next five years, PDS will continue to increase its growth rate to the point where we are adding over 100 dental offices per year, which translates into more offices and therefore, more opportunities to create Healthier, Happier Patients®. In order to accomplish this incredible growth rate year after year, PDS has built a professional Real Estate and Construction Department that is responsible for everything real estate-related, from initial site identification and selection, to landlord communication and property management after the dental office is up and running.

The entire process begins with the PDS deal makers. “Deal makers” is the generic term we use to describe the PDS professionals who work with real estate brokers in each of our local markets to identify and select sites for future PDS-supported dental offices. The deal makers’ formal titles range from Real Estate Manager and Senior Real Estate Manager to Director of Real

Estate, depending on their experience, knowledge, and rank within PDS. Each deal maker is assigned to a number of regions and is tasked with supporting their respective Regional Partners in executing their PDS-supported office growth plans. Once sites are approved by the Regional Partner, the deal maker is responsible for negotiating the terms of each lease. After the initial terms are agreed upon by the landlord and PDS, the deal maker works with outside legal counsel to negotiate the final terms of the lease, as well as work with the PDS Real Estate Process Manager to get the deal announced to relevant team members and added to the PDS Real Estate Deal Log. The Deal Log provides relevant information about the prospective new dental office so that other PDS Support departments can align to ensure the dental office opens successfully and on time.

After a deal is announced, the Real Estate Process Managers work with the prospective landlord to obtain all of the necessary construction plans for the building and then delivers the plans to the PDS Construction Department. The team then prepares the plans for the new dental office and ensures that the landlord’s delivery schedule remains on time. As part of this process, the Construction Department selects the contractors in each market

and makes sure the dental offices are constructed to meet PDS’ quality standards. They also procure all the major dental equipment for each supported office.

After an office opens, the Maintenance and Real Estate Property Management teams handle any real estate and/or facilityrelated issues that may arise. The Real Estate Property Management team also ensures that rent for all of the supported offices are paid timely and accurately. The team performs annual reconciliations and/ or audits of every landlord’s common area maintenance charges to ensure that they are not overcharging PDS. With over 650 offices and growing, this is a monumental task. Over the last 10 years, the Property Management Team has saved PDS close to one million dollars in miscalculated common area maintenance charges by landlords.

Over the past decade, as PDS has continued its exponential growth, it has cultivated an incredible team of real estate and construction professionals who deliver a level of performance that is second to none in the industry.

CONTACT: Chris Aguon | AguonC@pacden.com

FACILITIES AND EVENTS

BY PAM HOSIER, DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES AND SPECIAL EVENTS

The Facilities & Events Department provides support to departments and team members in areas that include facility service requests, event coordination, and other support as requested. Our team culture is characterized by teamwork, respect, and trust. Since we have constant interactions with team members throughout the day, we do our best to serve everyone with respect and a friendly smile.

HOW WE SUPPORT YOU

FACILITIES

We have three national support centers strategically placed throughout the USA to serve the needs of our PDS ® -supported owner dentists. In addition to our flagship support center located in Irvine, CA (NSC), we expanded to Henderson, NV (HSC) in 2017 and in April of this year, we added Dallas, TX (DSC) to the mix to help serve the central and east coast time zones. In total, that is 170,000 square feet of dedicated space to support our mission of being the Greatest Dental Company in America®

RECRUITING

BY JENN JENSEN, DIRECTOR OF RECRUITING

Each one of these support centers is equivalent to running a small town. A town mayor is needed, along with a dedicated staff of ambassadors, to provide all our PDS team members and affiliated clinicians with end-toend service: greeting those who walk through the doors, checking in visitors, providing a constant upkeep of all building maintenance and requirements, and managing the thousands of pieces of mail that flows in and out of each building. And let’s not forget all the catering needs we provide for ICE, HICE, OMT training, and more.

SPECIAL EVENTS

We’re proud to manage and execute memorable events for PDS’ team members. Some of these events include:

• PDS XP and XP Gala

• Presidents Club

• OM Champions Club

• Pinnacle Club

• Logistics for NSC Lead Assistant Meetings

In support of Pacific Dental Services®’ (PDS) vision to become The Greatest Dental Company in America, the Recruiting Department’s vision is to be the employer of choice in all the markets we serve. Our goal is to deliver a best-in-class recruitment platform the field can leverage. By supporting the goal of attracting top-tier talent, we help to empower our PDS-supported offices to create Healthier, Happier Patients®

We have an enhanced recruitment platform that encompasses the recruiting strategy, processes and systems that allows us to

provide a positive candidate experience for incoming team members:

• Recruitment Center

• Background and reference checks

• Intranet and assessment tools

• Interview guides

• Offer letters and contracts

In addition to the Recruitment Center, the Recruiting team also concentrates on search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM), as well as oversee the talent messaging. These strategic tactics help

REWARDS & RECOGNITION

We support all monthly, quarterly, and annual awards for all of our team members and affiliated clinicians. Managing the award properties and issuing of all the service awards is just one of many programs we support. Other programs include:

• March Madness

• XP Award Winners

• Career Champion

• Office of the Year

• Specialty Offices of the Year

Our small but mighty team has served over 6,000 people throughout the company so far this year. We believe that it is our obligation to provide the best services possible to each and every team member throughout the PDS Family.

CONTACT: Pam Hosier | HosierP@pacden.com

PDS extend our footprint to a wider market. As our owner dentists focus on delivering a Perfect Patient Experience ®, we focus on building strong relationships with educational institutions, as well as internship and externship programs. As PDS continues to open new offices and grow into new markets, the Recruiting department will continue to identify and onboard the best talent to serve the organization’s needs.

CONTACT: Jenn Jensen | Jennifer.Jensen@pacden.com

PEOPLE SERVICES DEPARTMENT

BY TRISH ELLIOTT, VP OF PEOPLE SERVICES AND SYSTEMS

I often get asked why our department is called the People Services Department instead of Human Resources. Generally speaking, HR is a term individuals know and understand. So again, why does PDS ® intentionally use language that is not common place? PDS has a lot of differentiators – the modern look of the supported-practices, the best in class technology, but what really sets us apart from other dental organizations is our great people. It’s the caliber of our PDS people that make us the Greatest Dental Company in America®. Therefore, we align ourselves and our programs to center around the great people of PDS.

Across our People Services departments, our initiatives are focused around improving the team member experience and we guide the organization in order to achieve the growth plans. Every initiative we take on centers around three themes:

1. Process simplification: let’s make it easier to get people-related tasks completed

2. Automation & innovation: let’s remove manual processes and bring fresh new ideas

3. People analytics / trend analysis: let’s analyze and improve the team member experience

The People Services Department encompasses a dedicated team of professionals in the following areas of expertise: Compensation, Benefits and Payroll, Employee Relations, Data Analytics, and Information Technology. Wait. What? Information technology in HR? Yep!

As part of the PDS mission to be the provider of choice in all the markets we serve, the People Services Department supports team members with the following services:

People Relations: Tricia Sprowell leads this team to ensure we implement and administrate employment policies, programs, and practices in line with state and federal labor laws. This includes onboarding, performance management, leaves of absence, worker’s compensation claims and separations of employment. The People Relations team also provides a consultative approach to team members and their leaders in preventing liabilities from employment actions.

People Systems: Erica Felix leads a team of information technology professionals, analysts and coordinators in the oversight of the technology for people-related transactions that occur throughout the employment cycle (such as title and salary changes and employment status changes). This includes system management of The People Services Center, My Success Center, and all other systems that impact people data. The People Services Center is the company’s System of Record for people data and as such, feeds the financial system and other core systems that support the PDS Platform.

Payroll: Marcos La Porte and the payroll team provide support for all paycheck-related activities. In addition to producing your paycheck and your W2 at the end of the year, this team is structured regionally so they can focus on state-specific taxation expertise and keep up with wage and hour law changes that may impact PDS in our existing and future locations.

Compensation: Supporting the PDS Compensation Philosophy and Business Strategy, Brian Johnson and his team serve as the principal resource on all compensation matters pertaining to team members. This includes establishing and maintaining pay structures for base wages and incentives, incentive plan design, annual merit and incentive processing. In addition to ensuring our practices are in compliance with PDS policies and state and federal compensation laws, this team of analysts watch market compensation trends, conduct cost analyses and can provide guidance to managers to make the best compensation decision for their team members.

Benefits: Caring for the health and welfare of our team members, Denise Silva and the Benefits Team plan and administrate our various medical benefits and voluntary benefits so team members can choose programs that fit their lifestyles. In partnership with SageView, this team also maximizes your 401(k) investments for the best possible return, and offers consultation with individual team members to maximize all of their benefits. The team can also assist with team member medical claim disputes and advocacy.

How to reach the People Services Department:

• Submit a request through PDS Connect “Help Tickets/Requests” icon and then click “Payroll and People Services”. This is best used for Payroll, Compensation, Benefits and People Systems.

• People Relations: PeopleRelations@pacden.com or contact your People Relations Advisor

• Benefits Advocates: 877-536-8693

CONTACT: PeopleRelations@pacden.com

DID YOU KNOW WE OFFER THESE BENEFITS?

• Back Up Child Care

• Elder Care

• Legal Assistance Programs

• Traumatic Event Support Programs

• Student Loan FInancing

• Auto and Home Insurance

• Pet Insurance

• Discount Buying Programs

For more information: PDS Connect>Departments>People Services>Team Member Benefits

LEGAL

BY GARY PICKARD, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY AFFAIRS

The Legal Department is an integral component of the platform of services PDS ® provides to supported clinicians and their practices. The team also provides support to the Executive Leadership team, the regional partners, and all support center staff. The Legal Department consists of: government and industry affairs, business and legal counsel, compliance, contracting, and litigation.

The Legal Department supports the field by providing comprehensive legal advice that helps team members comply with applicable laws and make decisions based on the We Believes. As part of these responsibilities, the Legal Department delivers advice regarding patients, team members, regulatory issues, and legal issues. In addition, the department also provides guidance to our supported offices in the following ways:

• Support with managing legal proceedings, such as malpractice suits and other litigation.

• Develop and negotiate required agreements for provider relationships with offices, including comprehensive specialty agreements.

THERE ARE 10 TRAITS WE ADHERE TO: HONESTY

Demonstrate honesty, integrity, and ethical behavior.

PERSONAL BEHAVIOR

Maintain a positive attitude, show maturity and emotional stability, and be flexible to new ideas.

SERVICE

Provide effective and efficient service to internal clients in a timely and strategic manner.

WORK HABITS

Prioritize according to tasks and deadlines, act professionally, support management decisions and contribute to the greater good of the company.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

LEGAL SKILLS

Adapt to new demands. 1 6 2 7 3 8 9 10 4 5

Communicate positions and ideas in the best possible way. Written material should be concise and easy to understand.

Technical legal skills are vital.

RESPONSIBILITY

Take responsibility for projects and bring to punctual and complete conclusion.

ENTHUSIASM

Be eager to take on new work opportunities.

COLLABORATION

Share information with other members of the Legal department. Teamwork!

FLEXIBILITY

We encourage individuals to reach out to us early and often, before they need us, and most assuredly after. We’re here to help support PDS’ phenomenal growth and hope to be known as a “department of know,” utilizing our extensive experience and knowledge.

- Taken from the PDS Life, December 2017 issue

CONTACT: Legal@pacden.com

COMPLIANCE AND ETHICS

BY MIKE WILLIAMSON, SR. DIRECTOR OF COMPLIANCE AND ETHICS

•

•

Become a CIA Agent! In addition to the opportunities to create Healthier, Happier Patients®, participate in world class service events, and otherwise make your mark on the Greatest Dental Company in America®, PDS ® also gives you the opportunity to become a CIA Agent.

You read that right – a CIA Agent! Here is what you need to know for this not-so-topsecret assignment. First, it is important to recognize that each one of us makes a unique and valuable contribution to the culture of a practice, a department, or a team; and that each of us can make a meaningful difference in that culture.

To foster an effective culture of compliance and ethics, the PDS Compliance & Ethics Program must be like a strand of thread woven into the greater fabric of practices, departments, teams, and the company as a whole. Every team member has a part in that. When one thread is pulled out, the entire fabric weakens and frays. It is important for everyone to understand that our greatest contribution is to be Collaborative, Informed, and Accountable (CIA). We all have the opportunity to become a “CIA Agent”.

Collaborative: Our Compliance & Ethics Program must be a partnership to be effective. True partnerships are inclusive, supportive, and mutually-reinforcing. Everyone has a role in a “do the right thing” culture and those roles need to always support each other. Together we are better. Collaboration is also a demonstration of respect for colleagues. It shows that we value the skills and knowledge each person brings to the team. As the We Believes remind us: We fail or succeed together because we believe in the power of teamwork. The Framework reminds us that in order to live this We Believe, we must collaborate, proactively set each other up for success, and recognize and encourage one another.

Informed: We need to remain informed of the expected standards and potential risks to supported practices, patients, team members, ourselves, as well as to PDS’ purpose, mission, and values. To remain informed, we must participate in training and learning opportunities provided within expected timelines. We need to recognize the value of this learning and how it helps us reflect on, recall, and apply the standards, their importance, and the consequences of every action. Learning opportunities give us the knowledge that helps us identify potential concerns and compliant ways to respond. The We Believes tell us that constant learning and adaptability are part of our jobs.

Accountable: There are times when doing the right thing is unpopular and difficult. Sometimes, the right thing may have to be done in the face of reluctance or even fear. Fear is never a good reason to disregard something. When a concern is identified, it is important to report it so that it is assessed and properly addressed. After all, how

would you feel if you didn’t promptly report a safety issue that later resulted in harm to someone? When we identify an actual or potential compliance or ethics violation or concern, it is helpful to remember that not reporting those concerns makes us complicit in the consequences that result. We need to hold each other accountable to the We Believe Behavioral Framework’s desired behavior under WB#04 – I speak up when I see what appear to be lapses in ethical or moral behavior and support each other in doing the same.

Each one of us contributes to the compliant and ethical culture at PDS, as well as to the effectiveness of the Compliance & Ethics Program, by our choices to be Collaborative, Informed, & Accountable – to become CIA agents. Will you accept your not-so-top-secret mission?

CONTACT: Mike Williamson | WilliamsonM@pacden.com

We Believes Behavioral Framework

COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

BY WENDY BELLEVILLE, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

In support of the PDS ® mission to become the provider of choice in all the markets we serve, the Communications and Public Relations Department’s vision is to engage internally and inform externally. Through a multitude of internal channels, we strive to connect with team members across the company’s growing geographic reach through effective two-way communications. The objective of every communication, whether it’s a comprehensive project deployment or a straightforward company announcement, is to unite team members around PDS’ common values and to align with our purpose to create Healthier, Happier Patients®

Externally, we promote the incredible work our supported offices are doing in their communities, the many ways PDS is leading in the industry by enabling clinicians and empowering patients, and the impact the Smile Generation is making locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

The Communications and Public Relations Department’s goal is to help team members in the dental offices, the field, and the Support centers to deliver the most effective internal and external communications to:

• Reinforce the company’s vision

• Provide effective communications and resources

• Strengthen existing relationships and establish new partnerships

• Extend our reach to increase the patient population

• Elevate the PDS and Smile Generation brands with positive recognition, enthusiasm and support

CONTACT: PDSConnect@pacden.com

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS CHANNELS

Internal

• Daily XP

• PDSConnect

• NSC Weekly eComm

• DSC Weekly eComm

• HSC Weekly eComm

• PDS Life

• Video Communication

External

• Press Releases for PDS and its brands

• Media Interviews

• Video Communication

C ONFER: Establish a two-way dialogue

L ISTEN: Understand who, what, when, where, why and how

E NGAGE: Tell the story through strategic narrative

A LIGN: Articulate the call to action

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

BY DAVID BAKER, SVP CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

R EPEAT

With our vision to be the Greatest Dental Company in America®, the IT department is in full deployment mode, developing the tools and systems you need to enhance the patient experience and drive quicker and easier modernday digital services at the office. Our focus has always been to implement technology that improves patient outcomes by helping you do your job with as much ease as possible. So much of what we do is behind the scenes, including updates to the infrastructure to improve security and speed, as well as enhancements in data integrations and analytics to make practice management, internet and phone connectivity more reliable. The following summarizes how we’re supporting you:

• RingCentral: we’re nearing the end of the RingCentral phone deployment in over 600 offices, bringing better connectivity and voice quality to the field. We have also enhanced the support centers with RingCentral Meetings and have decommissioned outdated Polycom systems.

• Online Scheduler: patients will now have the ability to book their own appointments online. This is live in 100+ offices, with a phased deployment to be completed by region in Q4.

• Guest WiFi: we can now offer an enhanced patient experience by connecting patients to the world while they wait for their appointments with free WiFi. Currently, we are finishing up the alpha stage and will begin rolling this out to offices in Q4.

• PC Refresh: in order to ensure functionality, reliability and security, we’ve already started updating the PCs in many offices with more up-to-date equipment to help you navigate your daily operations. We plan to complete this project in phases with much of the work to be done by Q4 2018 and Q1 2019.

Epic - Literally an Epic deal! In the next issue of PDS Life, we’ll have more updates on our collaboration with Epic and how this vanguard partnership will define the next generation of Dental Practice Management software, what it means to you, and how QSI will be retired.

CONTACT: IT@pacden.com

WE SERVE

BY KYLE GUERIN, DIRECTOR, PACIFIC DENTAL SERVICES ® FOUNDATION & CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PDS ®

The vision started with a sunrise service in Hawaii where President, Founder and CEO Stephen Thorne heard a message that gave him an idea of a department he wanted to create. The original objective of the We Serve Department was to help each practice we support get involved in an activity, charity, or event and then support that office in serving that cause within that particular community. Who would have thought all these years later what a culture of service we would have?

Today, the We Serve Department’s mission internally is to provide a transformational experience through opportunities to serve. Externally, we want to be that trusted dental office and organization that truly is a part of the community and we build that trust through service.

It starts with our commitment to the 3D’s: Dentistry, Drives, and Do Something, and how you can get involved serving your local community.

Dental opportunities to serve include participating in Smile Generation Serve Day, providing donated dental services with Dental Lifeline, or volunteering on an international trip with the Pacific Dental Services Foundation.

Drives are your opportunity to connect with a local charity and collect items to help support that charity. Drives can also include the incredible impact we’ve been able to make with the non-profit charity: water. Just this year through the Together We Give drive, we were able to provide clean drinking water to nearly 20,000 people.

Do Something is our way of saying, “Get out and volunteer. Pacific Dental Services team members have eight paid hours to volunteer during their normal work week, so we’re here to help you get involved finding that perfect opportunity through the We Serve HQ. That opportunity can be serving food, cleaning a beach or park, reading to kids or whatever your passion is. We’re here to help.

At We Serve, our goal is to not only help create Healthier, Happier Patients®, but also healthier, happier team members; healthier, happier communities; and a healthier, happier world.

As a team, we want our passion to serve to be infectious. We want to inspire you to get involved and through it all we want you to have a blast doing it. So if I had to describe the We Serve team in three words, they would be: Passionate, Authentic, and Fun. If you gave me another word, it would probably be LOUD.

As we continue to grow, we will never lose sight of our original mission, but will continue to efficiently and effectively create a culture that allows those offices and team members to serve.

We will be always be an organization that takes care of the world, but also each other.

CONTACT: WeServe@pacden.com

Are you addicted to your phone?

(NO, NOT ME!)

By Doug Fields | Director of Strengthening Relationships

Steve Jobs was introducing the first iPhone in 2007 when he said, “Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything.” More than a decade later, we all know he was so right with his prediction of the Smartphone—it has changed so much… for better, and for worse.

A recent USA Today article relays the story of a 2nd grade class that was given a writing assignment on bad inventions. One boy wrote, “A phone is a bad one [invention]. I hate my mom’s phone and I wish she never had one.” Later in the article a teacher describes a discussion about Facebook and states, “Every single one of the students said their parents spend more time on Facebook than they do talking to their child.”Ouch!

I’ll be the first to admit that there is so much good in our world as a result of technological changes. I’m a big fan of the type of technical advances we’re introducing into our PDS® climate. But, I’m also a big fan of healthy relationships, and we can no longer pretend that mobile devices and screen time aren’t having a negative impact on our relationships.

Obviously, the phone is no longer a new invention and it’s such a normal part of our daily existence that we don’t give it much thought. And, unfortunately, that’s part of our problem: we don’t give it much thought. We don’t think about our use-behavior and, as a result, the phone has slowly morphed into a digital companion that we don’t want to live without.

You don’t have to go too far to see the “new normal” in restaurants where people are sitting knee-to-knee… but, no longer eye-to-eye. Their heads are down and their eyes are locked on a screen. This new normal has those who study relationships quite concerned about relational health. Most therapists are willing to admit that extended phone use is adding strain to existing relational tensions and feelings of being unwanted… as well as creating emotional distance within significant relationships. The most common relational complaint is feeling less important than one’s mobile device.

Whether it’s marriage, parenting, friendship, or co-workers, if we are to pursue healthy relationships with one another we must be mindful of the role that technology plays in our relationships.

Without an inspection and reflection on our own personal phone use, we’re just kidding ourselves to think our phone use isn’t problematic.

In a recent survey:

72% 66% 20%

report being within five feet of their smartphones the majority of the time sleep next to their phone

would rather go shoeless for a week than temporarily release their phone

Many claim to experience “separation anxiety” when they’re not within striking distance of their phone. Yet, most people don’t want to believe they’re addicted to their phone because “addiction” is a word packed with so much negativity and most known addicts have a difficult time maintaining healthy relationships.

To keep your digital companion from becoming the object of your affection, I would encourage you to experiment with a digital detox. Give your grip a rest. Put your phone in time-out. Begin with a 30-minute separation twice a day, and then gradually add more time building up to a longer duration. Note what happens when you unplug, and un-connect from the “world” for a few minutes. While it will be painful and even seem impossible, it’s actually a healthy discipline for both yourself and for your primary relationships.

My guess is that as you’re reading this you might even be thinking, “He’s right. A little time away from my phone might be good in a lot of different ways.” But, don’t fail to underestimate how very difficult this is to actually do on a daily basis.

The American Psychological Association's yearly Stress in America report (from 2017) noted that two-thirds of American adults agree that periodically “unplugging” or taking a “digital detox” would be good for their mental health. And yet, barely a quarter of those people have actually done it themselves. Taking healthy actions are often the most difficult and courageous steps to take.

There are many of us who are spending excess time connecting to the entire world when our “entire world” (spouse, children, friends, co-workers) is right next to us feeling like a foreigner because we’re putting our phone first.

Put people first. Start detoxing. Be more present. There’s just too much at stake.

[If you’re wondering if you might have an addiction, you could start by taking a free test at: http://virtual-addiction.com/smartphone-compulsion-test/]

i https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/nation-now/2018/05/24/2nd-graders-tell-teacher-wish-momphone-wasnt-invented/640059002/

ii From Markelytics: your Global Research Partner (see “nomophic” graphic)

iii How To Break Up With Your Phone. Catherine Price. Ten Speed Press. 2018 Page 7.

CONGRATULATIONS NEW OWNER DENTISTS

FEBRUARY 2018

DR. NGHI DO The Dental Office of Prosper Desert Plains Region

DR. TORRI FINDLAY (Pediatric Owner) Water Town Dental Group and Orthodontics Midwest Region

DR. ALI HEJAZI College Grove Dentistry San Diego Region

DR. KATINA MAGDOS First Street Dental Group and Orthodontics Pacific South Coast Region

DR.

JUNE

2018

DR. ANTHONY AZADI Davie Modern Dentistry South Florida Region

DR. LEIA JACKSON Spring Market Dental Group and Orthodontics Gulf Coast Region

DR. JOHN HOLMES Belton Modern Dentistry Midwest Region

DR. TIMMY POLUMBO Highland Dental Group Northern California Region

MAY 2018

DR.

DR. KAMRAN PIRASTEHFAR Bernardo Heights Dental Group San Diego Region

DR. KELSEY MAJORS Modern Dentistry of Northfield Rocky Mountain Region

MARCH 2018

DR. CHRISTINE GOODELL West Jordan Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics Rocky Mountain Region

DR. RAGAN NEWLAND BluHawk Dental Group Midwest Region

DR. MARISOL KING Cottonwood Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics Rocky Mountain Region

DR. KATHRYN EGAN Dentists of Highland Park Group and Orthodontics Minnesota Region

DR. MICHAEL HOLUB Peach Tree Dental Group and Orthodontics Desert Plains Region

DR. SUNG NAM Nona Dentists Central Florida Region

DR. ANDREA WILLIAMS Pearland Dentists Gulf Coast Region

APRIL 2018

DR. BUKI BOLURO-AJAYI Gateway Dental Group and Orthodontics Pacific South Coast Region

DR. KENT LAU Encinitas Smiles Dentistry San Diego Region

DR. BRENDA APPIAH Plano Modern Dentistry Desert Plains Region

DR. JAMES KANG Reno Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics Desert Plains Region DR. KYUNG KIM (Pediatric Owner) Henderson Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics Nevada Region

DR. RAKESH PEMA Goodyear Modern Dentistry Desert Plains Region

and Orthodontics Desert Plains Region

DR. STELLA BONNER Acworth Smiles Dentistry Georgia Region

DR. GRIFFIN PARK Heritage Modern Dentistry Desert Plains Region

DR. KATHERINE LOZADA-FLYNN

Park Modern Dentistry South Florida Region

DR. JUSTIN BORTZ Oracle Modern Dentistry

DR. SANDRA LEE Flamingo Smiles Dentistry Desert Plains Region

DR. ANDY KO (Pediatric Owner) Anaheim Hills Dental Group and Orthodontics Pacific South Coast Region

DR. EUN SHIN Dentists of Mill Creek Washington Region

DR. SUGANDHA MOHAN Norterra Dental Group and Orthodontics

HENDERSONVILLE

Tennessee. Opened 2/5/18. Hendersonville Smiles Dentistry

2 ANAHEIM HILLS 2

ALIANA Texas. Opened 3/19/18. Dentists of Fort Bend and My Kid's Dentist ®

California. Opened 2/6/18. Dentists of Anaheim Hills DURANGO HC

3 LEXINGTON 1

South Carolina. Opened 2/6/18. Dentists of Lexington

HENDERSON

LAKE CHARLES Louisiana. Opened 2/19/18. Dentists of Lake Charles

Nevada. Opened 3/27/18. Durango Health Group

Louisiana. Opened 4/12/18. Millerville Dental Group

Texas. Opened 5/1/18. Dentists of Montgomery

Florida. Opened 5/1/18. Oviedo Smiles Dentistry

2 Washington. Opened 5/8/18. Dentists of Mill Creek

BUENA PARK

California. Opened 6/6/18. Dentists of Buena Park

ST PAUL

Minnesota. Opened 6/13/18. Dentists of Highland Park

California. Opened 6/18/18. Modesto Smiles Dentistry

WORTH Texas. Opened 6/18/18. Dentists of Lake Worth

DALLAS SUPPORT CENTER (DSC) Texas. Opened 4/4/18. Pacific Dental Services

AND GROWING STRONGER

Around the PDS® FAMILY

“Bonney Lake takes their office decorating seriously“

“Riverside 1 at a local radio event“

“Happy Valentine's Day from Clermont“

“Kelli from Lakewood showed appreciation to the local Police Department“

“Pacific Highlands 1 celebrating April birthdays“

“West Cobb at the West Cobb Family Festival“

“Members of the NorCal team gathered to serve patients of the San Francisco Salvation Army“

“Frisco 2 was voted the Best Dentist in town by their local community“

“Miami Shores team is proud to be the National DeNovo of the Month for February“

“Oregon Region Timbers and Smile Generation® sponsorship booth“

"OM Amy assisting Dr. Song with a special patient"

“Kelly, RDH at La Mesa with the cutest new patient“

“Oro Valley 2 hiked Catalina State Park for a team building outing“

“San Diego Region's marketing team Tabitha & Mindi representing Smile Generation at Genentech's health fair“

“Redondo Beach 2 sharing their love for charity: water with the community”

“Hemet had fun raising money for Red Nose Day and charity: water in May“

“Dr. Sarah Johnson in Alpharetta with a very special patient“

“Anaheim 1 and 2 at the Angel's 5K“

“Las Vegas 3 celebrating Star Wars Day“

“The team at Oakland Park says the harder we work, the luckier we get“

“Dr. Phillips getting silly at their morning huddle“

“PSC Team having a blast volunteering for SOSOCAL“

“Beaverton office OHI day“

“Vista 1 team building at Disney“

“Dr. Rice from Tucson 6 read stories to children at a local library“

“A ribbon cutting with the local Chamber to celebrate the opening of Chatsworth“

“Chesterfield wears red noses in support of Red Nose Day“

“The team at Ladue wears blue in honor of Autism Awareness Day“

“Our SDA's Kat and Alyse always bring smiles to the offices they visit“

“Tualatin office team night out“

“Visalia 2 shows up to the office early to cheer on team Mexico“

“The Durango team is having fun with their new props“

“The Maple Valley office is growing and is happy to welcome new team members“

“Christina and Ally from Rainbow having a blast at their grand relocation celebration event“

“PSC and Wild Wing getting ready for the game“

ANNIVERSARIES

YEARS

BEA GOMEZ

Operations Manager

5/8/1998

Bea is an outstanding leader at her offices–well respected and knowledgeable. She always leads her team with a can-do attitude and patient focus. Congratulations, Bea!

– Christine Roberts

MARIO ORTEGA

Lead Dental Assistant

6/1/1998

Mario has been a contributing factor to the success of our office and staff. Mario is dedicated to his team and always goes above and beyond for the patients. Congrats on 20 years with PDS.

– Julie Delgado

DR. ALEX SHARIFIAN

Owner Dentist

5/1/1998

Dr. Sharifian’s career with PDS has grown to be one of the most multi-faceted contributions within the PDS family. Dr. Sharifian is a multi-office owner in the Pacific South Coast region – his support of the region and leadership of his teams are appreciated by all of us. His support extends well beyond the PSC region through his leadership as Chair of Owner Doctor Development within the PDS Institute and as a Founding Doctor in Arizona, Nevada, Virginia, South Carolina and the Midwest regions. Dr. Sharifian holds himself and others to high standards – an attribute that has earned him respect throughout the organization. Congratulations on 20 years!

– Paula Larson

JANET AGUSTIN-ABELON

Registered Dental Assistant, Extended Functions

6/24/2003

Janet’s extended function RDA brings many years of experience, knowledge, and talent. She utilizes a combination of her skills to provide the best memorable experience and is very patient centric. When she is with patients, she puts them at ease because every patient is part of Janet’s family. She is very hardworking, is always challenging herself, and her main priority is to take care of patients. I can trust that she will always give 110%.

− Dr. Alexander Tran

ROSA BARAJAS

Registered Dental Assistant, Extended Functions 6/6/2003

It has been my great pleasure to have worked directly with Rosie the past five years. Rosie is both hard-working and shows true empathy to our patients. As Dr. Vu’s primary RDAEF, Rosie exemplifies both clinical excellence and willingness to mentor our many externs. Rosie is a key contributor to our office enjoying a stellar community reputation!

− Chip Rawlings

PETRINA CURTIS

Registered Dental Assistant, Extended Functions

5/27/2003

I had the pleasure of meeting Trina when I first started with PDS ® over ten years ago. She is a dedicated and very skilled assistant and a pleasure to work with! The patients and staff love her free-spirited personality, always singing and dancing. She is a lover of dogs and food, and definitely someone you would never forget once you’ve met her. Thank you, Trina, for your years of dedication and contribution to our Rancho Mirage team!

− Dr. Carol Cabanas

MARICELA FROMM

Lead Dental Assistant

4/7/2003

Most would call her the mom of the office. Dedicated to training the back office assistants year after year, Maricela has maintained an environment of efficiency and organization. Always reliable and able to handle the front and the back, she is a great asset to the team. Her experience as a long-time RDA makes her someone you can count on! Congratulations and thank you for upholding the We Believes and representing PDS to the fullest!

− Tamara Brooks

RODOLFO FLORES BARROSO

Registered Dental Assistant, Extended Functions 5/27/2003

Rudy is the heart of our office. With his 15 years of commitment to the practice, he has been the friendly face patients count on seeing. His attention to detail makes him an excellent RDAEF, and our go to “fix it” guy. We love Rudy and are so lucky to have him part of the AHDG Family.

− Brian Taylor

NATALIYA KARPUK

Dental Assistant 6/1/2003

Nataliya always brings sweetness to the office, regardless of whether it’s her bright smile or a box of chocolates! She’s always willing to go above and beyond for her coworkers and patients! Congratulations on your anniversary – we are so lucky to have you!

− Diana Bustillos

DR. RITESH KUMAR

Owner Dentist

6/1/2003

I’ve had the pleasure of supporting Dr. Kumar and his practices for many years. From new dentist/AD to multi-office OD, Dr. Kumar has created meaningful relationships along his journey. He is appreciated by his teams and has earned respect within the communities he serves. Congratulations on 15 years, Dr. Kumar!

− Paula Larson

THOREN LEMING

Pediatric Manager 4/14/2003

Thoren has worked with me for four months, and she came from Moreno Valley, California. She is great! I love her positive attitude, and she is such a hard worker. Now let me tell you about her organization skills – they are top notch, and she consistently goes above and beyond and never complains. I love having her on my team – we have so many goals, and I can’t wait to achieve them together.

− Regina Yanez

DR. STEVEN LYNN

Owner Dentist

6/6/2003

His vast uniqueness is only matched by the commitment and devotion Dr. Lynn extends to his patients and team. Ever a respectful Champion of the We Believes, Dr. Lynn works tirelessly in efforts to embody and bring them to life in his supported practices. He is an incredible partner to the regional team in working selflessly to improve, develop and frame his operational and clinical teams for success. We cherish and value our partnership with Dr. Lynn and extend a great big “Happy Anniversary” and wish you many more years with PDS in support of a culture that cultivates Healthier & Happier patients for life!

− Maha Said-Shariff

MAGDA PARRA

Registered Dental Assistant Extended Functions

6/23/2003

Magda “Carol” has been a valued member of our team for 15 years. Carol has supported many clinicians over the years and has contributed to the introduction and development of many back office team members. Carol can always be counted on for excelling at her role as RDAEF and assisting in building our team. Thank you, Carol!

− Tawny Power

ISANDRA PICAZO

Lead Dental Assistant

5/14/2003

Isandra is more than a coworker, she is family! Working together the last five of our fifteen years with PDS ® together has been a true honor. Isandra exemplifies commitment to family and it overflows into her relationships with her work family and patients. As our Lead Dental Assistant, her team truly knows her care and leadership. Congratulations, Isandra!

− Chip Rawlings

VALERIE ROBLEDO

Specialty Benefits Coordinator

6/23/2003

Valerie brings such a calm, friendly, professionalism to the office that will always stand out. She is such a hard working individual who always puts the office and patients’ needs before her own. Her commitment to her professional growth has helped with our everyday success in our office.

− Angela Davis

DR. LANCE RYGG

Owner Dentist

4/10/2003

Dr. Rygg’s impact to the region has been significant over the years. He was one of the first OD’s in this market. We are thankful for all that he has done in the past and excited to see what the future may bring. Congratulations, Dr. Rygg on so many years of service.

− Mike Butler

SHARON TABUYO

Registered Dental Assistant Extended Functions

5/5/2003

Thank you, Sharon, for all you do for us after all these years. It has been a pleasure to have you on our team. We appreciate all the hard work, and all the good food you make us, too. We appreciate you, Sharon – we couldn’t do it without you.

− Theresa Ortega-Gomez

CHRISTINE WITT

Dental Assistant

6/20/2003

Christine is a valuable asset to our entire team! Her willingness and positive energy contribute to our office efficiency. She has an infectious smile, and her warm personality are amazing attributes that we all try to emulate in our daily lives. Thank you, Christine, for always being the light of our day!

− Monica Cabral

CHIP RAWLINGS

Operations Manager

6/2/2003

Congratulations, Chip! You have continued to rise to every change and obstacle we face and have certainly become an asset to the organization. I appreciate the selfless service you’ve given for so many years. Without the loyalty and hard work of experts like you who continuously support the growth of the region and organization, we could never achieve our current stature. May we continue to grow together and may you enjoy the fruits of your labors for years to come!

− Stephanie Gleason

VERONICA RODRIGUEZ

Dental Assistant

4/22/2003

Veronica is an amazing teammate and overall human being. She is a dedicated mother and wife as well as a very strong asset to this office. Veronica deserves to be recognized for this wonderful achievement and we feel so honored that she is a part of Office #160.

Congratulations, Veronica! Thank you!

− Adriana Gomez

DR. KATAYOUN SETAREH

Owner Dentist

6/23/2003

I have seen Dr. Setareh truly grow as an Owner Dentist and as a leader in the practices she serves. Patients come from all over and will often return to see her even when they move away. She has supported and mentored associate doctors as they grew into ownership themselves. Dr. Setareh builds strong relationships with her operations team, while also leveraging the platform to create enduring patient-centric practices. Thank you for everything you do, Dr. Setareh. − Dan Rodriguez

STEPHEN TRICE

Specialty Dental Assistant Orthodontics

6/9/2003

Stephen is an amazing orthodontic assistant. There is never a dull moment when he’s around. Stephen goes above and beyond to ensure our hectic days run smoothly and most of all, he is great with our patients. Our orthodontics team would not be the same without him. Thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication. CONGRATULATIONS!

− Berneice Aguirre

HEATHER AMES

Lead Dental Assistant 4/23/2008

JANE BAEZA

Lead Dental Assistant 6/18/2008

RENEE GALLEGOS

Specialty Dental Assistant, Oral Surgery 4/24/2008

TIFFANY AMISTOSO

Operations Manager 5/14/2008

Operations Manager 4/2/2008

VIRGINIA GUTIERREZ

Registered Dental Assistant 5/14/2008

DR. ADAM BLOCK

Owner Dentist 6/25/2008

NADYNE GOMEZ

Operations Manager 4/16/2008

JANETTE FIGURACION-FRENCH

Specialty Benefits Coordinator 5/7/2008

GUILLEN

Dental Assistant 4/30/2008

SHARONLYN GUZOWSKI

Benefits Coordinator 5/9/2008

MARJAN JAFARYAZAR

Lead Dental Assistant 4/30/2008

DR. PHI HUYNH

Owner Dentist 4/21/2008

SHARON LOUTON

Operations Manager 5/21/2008

KRYS ARRIOLA

MICHAEL

ANNABELLE LUANCING

Specialty Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 4/16/2008

REYNA NAGEL

Insurance Collections Specialist

6/4/2008

DENA ORTIZ

Sr. Manager, Asset Management 4/16/2008

KRISTIN MCKENNE

Specialty Dental Assistant, Endodontics 4/9/2008

NGUYEN

Enterprise Applications Manager 4/23/2008

VANESSA POTTS

Benefits Coordinator 6/18/2008

DR. GRACE MIN

Owner Dentist

5/5/2008

Registered Dental Assistant 4/23/2008

MEAGAN PRYOR

Operations Manager 4/30/2008

DR. GAIL RAETHER

Owner Dentist

6/25/2008

RENEE WIGGIN

Lead Dental Assistant 5/7/2008

DR. ROBERT SEYMOUR

Owner Dentist 6/25/2008

JEANI SPENCER

Regional Manager 4/2/2008

LAURENT

GABRIELA OROZCO

DESERT PLAINS

ANGELA ACEDO

Specialty Benefits Coordinator 5/8/13

EMMA EVERETT

Lead Dental Assistant 6/19/13

LINDAROSA ACUNA Specialty Benefits Coordinator 4/1/13

LINDSEY BALFOUR Specialty Lead Dental Assistant 5/6/13

DIANE CARPENTER Specialty Benefits Coordinator 4/19/13

DR. MARCIE CHAMBERS Associate Dentist 4/8/13

ANDI FRANKLIN Registered Dental Assistant 5/28/13

CATHY GOODMAN Operations Manager 6/24/13

DR. ANDREA JANIK Owner Dentist 5/27/13

KIRSTIN JOHNSON Operations Manager 6/3/13

DR. JANA KUBICEK

Associate Dentist

6/10/13

GENE SCHLEGEL

Lead Dental Assistant 5/6/13

TORI NORMAN Dental Assistant 4/1/13

VERONICA PEREZ Lead Dental Assistant 5/20/13

SHELLY PERRY Operations Manager 4/29/13

JENNY SANCHEZ

Specialty Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 4/5/13

DAVID YOUNGS

Specialty Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 5/28/13

GULF COAST

DR. VERA AVKSHTOL Owner Dentist 6/10/13

DR. PRESTON SCHRAEDER Owner Dentist 5/27/13

DR. BEATRIZ SPRINGER Owner Dentist 5/27/13

DR. BART STEARS Owner Dentist 5/30/13

TAMMY VELMA Assistant Manager 6/21/13

CHRISTIANE ESKER

Regional Marketing Assistant 4/22/13

SHONNY BELLARD Lead Registered Dental Assistant 4/1/13

ZENIA CASTILLO Operations Manager 4/22/13

NADIA DELL Dental Assistant 6/24/13

KIMBERLY FARROW Specialty Lead Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 6/10/13

PAOLA FIGUEROA Specialty Dental Assistant, Pediatrics 5/28/13

DEBRA FLORES

Lead Dental Assistant 5/21/13

BETH DUTTON Regional Front Office Manager 6/10/13

DR. KRYSTAL GALATIAN Associate Dentist 4/8/13

GULF COAST

KRISTINA GLOVER

Lead Registered Dental Assistant 6/19/13

PATRICE LE Registered Dental Hygienist 4/16/13

EMMA GURULE Specialty Benefits Coordinator 6/3/13

DR. LEIA JACKSON Associate Dentist 6/10/13

DANIEL JALOMO Dental Assistant 4/8/13

DR. DANIEL KRENZ Owner Dentist 4/8/13

WENDY LOPEZ Specialty Lead Dental Assistant 5/16/13

SAMI MALAS Specialty Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 4/24/13

CINDY MOY Operations Manager 5/28/13

BRIELYN PERRY Lead Dental Assistant 6/17/13

MELISSA REYES

Specialty Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 4/1/13

MIDWEST

DR. JEFFREY ANDERSON Associate Dentist 6/6/13

DIANA RIVAS Pediatric Manager 6/18/13

MICHELLE ROSS Specialty Benefits Coordinator 4/17/13

ALBERTO VILLARREAL Registered Dental Assistant 5/21/13

DR. JEFFREY ANDERSON Associate Dentist 6/6/13

STEPHANIE OXFORD Regional Back Office Trainer 5/28/13

WESLEY RIGGS Regional Manager 5/8/13

DR. MATTHEW YIP Owner Dentist 6/3/13

NATIONAL SUPPORT CENTER

RAELEA APOLITO Executive Assistant 4/8/13

TREY (JAMES) CHAPEL Real Estate Manager 4/8/13

JEFF MCHUGH Field Service Maintenance Technician 6/24/13

RANDI MENDOZA Administrative Assistant 4/2/13

TIFFANY NGUYEN Sr. Accountant 6/3/13

BECCA ORTIZ Insurance Collections Specialist 6/12/13

NICHOLAS PHILLIPS IT Field Service Technician 4/16/13

REBECCA SORCI University and Clinician Communication Manager 5/31/13

NEVADA

NICK SOTTOSANTO Claims Processing Manager 4/23/13

CARMEN TRANDAFIR Biller 4/15/13

MARTIN VALENTE AGUILAR Technician, Field Service Maintenance 4/1/13

VANESSA BETIONG Lead Dental Assistant 5/21/13

STEVIE BOOTE Dental Assistant 6/24/13

DR. LYNH CHON Associate Dentist 4/18/13

NEVADA

ASHLEY FOREMAN

Specialty Benefits Coordinator 4/22/13

NORTHERN CA

DR. RUCHI ARORA

Owner Dentist 6/18/13

LAUREN KUKS

Registered Dental Assistant 5/22/13

BRANDON KAECKER Benefits Coordinator 6/17/13

DR. BREANNA KING Owner Dentist 6/17/13

DR. ZARINA SICAT Owner Dentist 4/1/13

PACIFIC SOUTH COAST

VERONICA ALTAMIRANO

Registered Dental Assistant 5/22/13

JENELL BELL Specialty Benefits Coordinator 5/13/13

DR. LOREN CADELINIA Orthodontist 6/3/13

MARK NICOLA Operations Manager II 5/13/13

RAQUEL VILLA Specialty Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 6/4/13

RACHEL GLENN Operations Manager 4/15/13

TIFFANY WATERS

Registered Dental Hygienist 4/3/13

MICHELLE STAVES Specialty Benefits Coordinator 4/1/13

ELIZABETH ARBISO Specialty Benefits Coordinator 4/1/13

NAYIRY CHARSHAFJIAN Associate Dentist 5/1/13

OLIVIA GARZA Specialty Dental Assistant, Endodontics 6/3/13

DR. VICENTE KNIGHT Owner Dentist 5/1/13

OREGON

RUTHANN ANDERSEN

Specialty Lead Dental Assistant 4/10/13

MARIO HERNANDEZ LUNA Specialty Dental Assistant, Periodontics 5/1/13

DR. MEGHANNE KRUIZENGA Pediatric Dentist 5/28/13

NICHOLE MILLER Lead Registered Dental Assistant 4/17/13

DR. THUY-HIEN NGUYEN Associate Dentist 5/14/13

ROBYN PARMELEE Specialty Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 6/10/13

MONA ROSADO Specialty Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 6/3/13

ELLIE SALAMANCA Specialty Benefits Coordinator 4/15/13

AMBER SANTERO CUPA Registered Dental Hygienist 6/13/13

MARGARITA SHARP Registered Dental Assistant 6/20/13

CHELSEA THOMPSON Benefits Coordinator 6/3/13

FABIOLA VASQUEZ Registered Dental Assistant 4/8/13

WASHINGTON

KELSEY WOOD

Registered Dental Assistant 5/17/13

DAVID GASPAR Regional Partner 6/3/13 RACHELLE TETHEROW Specialty Regional Manager 6/3/13

ROCKY MOUNTAIN

YESSICA AMANCIO

Specialty Dental Assistant, Pediatrics 4/1/13

APRIL HOFFMAN

Specialty Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 5/9/13

JACKIE CRUZ Dental Assistant 6/7/13

DERHAE LACOTA

Specialty Dental Assistant, Pediatrics 4/30/13

DR. MATTHEW GAWLAS

Owner Dentist 6/10/13

DR. RYAN PFEIFER

Owner Dentist 5/13/13

ASHLEY SANCHEZ

Lead Dental Assistant 6/3/13

LESLIE MERAZ RODRIGUEZ Dental Assistant 4/2/13

MEGAN GIOIA Specialty Benefits Coordinator 5/28/13

DANIELLE GOODELL

Specialty Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 6/24/13

DR. JANETTE WELDON

Owner Dentist 6/10/13

SAN DIEGO

JACKIE BUCHANAN Registered Dental Hygienist 5/9/13

SUSAN SEIDMAN

Regional Specialty Back Office Manager 4/15/13

APRIL NIELSEN

Lead Dental Assistant 6/26/13

LILLIAN OYINATUMBA

Registered Dental Hygienist 4/1/13

ALEXA THACKER

Registered Dental Hygienist 4/8/13

DR. DANA VILAR

Owner Dentist 6/10/13

CARLOS COLLINS

Lead Dental Assistant 6/10/13

NIKI D’AMORE Registered Dental Hygienist 6/24/13

CLAUDIA GUERRERO Operations Manager 4/29/13

JAMIE HUYNH Registered Dental Hygienist 6/11/13

TIFFANY MAST Pediatric Manager 5/6/13

JORDAN SCHWAGER Specialty Dental Assistant, Orthodontics 6/3/13

BRITTANI SPIGELMIRE Specialty Benefits Coordinator 5/30/13

SOUTH INLAND EMPIRE

ADRIAN GARCIA Registered Dental Assistant 4/10/13

STEPHANIE GLEASON Regional Manager 6/24/13

ADAM HUFF Operations Manager 4/8/13

JAMES NEFF Talent Development Manager 5/28/13

STEPHANIE RIVAS Assistant Manager 5/6/13

LAURA RIVAS Assistant Manager 6/24/13

CHAMATH SIRIWARDENA Operations Manager 6/26/13

EDDY THOUNSKANE Registered Dental Hygienist 5/24/13

QUENTIN WILLIAMS Lead Dental Assistant 5/13/13

LINDSEY WOOD

Registered Dental Hygienist 4/8/13

What’s New with Organizational & Talent Development

Support Center Departments

ACROSS

1. People Services is focused on improving the team member ____.

5. Legal facilitates compliance with ____ and federal laws, and aggregates information about membership organizations like dental associations.

7. ____ ____ is key in PDS®’s culture of social responsibility, and plans community service initiatives.

9. ____ ____ gathers market data to advise possible real estate acquisitions and oversees existing PDS-affiliated real estate.

11. Communications/PR develops and manages internal and external ____ for PDS, The Smile Generation, and PDSsupported owner dentists.

12. Compliance & Ethics can aid you in complying with the complex ____, rules and regulations governing the healthcare industry.

14. The ____ department handles notices from government tax agencies and provides ad hoc tax services as needs arise.

16. The National Support Center (NSC) building facilities provide overall building and maintenance services, like conference room scheduling, ____ guidelines, and emergency evacuation.

18. ____ Management supplies important injury and safety information.

19. ____ focuses on the many dental specialties within the PDS Owner Dentist model by providing information about specialty resources like referrals and the IC Recruitment Hiring Training.

20. IT protects organizational resources and data on the ____ by establishing procedures for asset control.

C-ORTHO901: Clear Aligner Therapy Fundamentals

The goal of the Clear Aligner Therapy Fundamentals for GP Overview is for dentists to become familiar with the practical application of treating patients with Invisalign® and other clear aligners.

DOWN

2. Professional Services manages the AD and OD ____.

3. Events and Travel organizes meetings for new owner ____, lead assistants, and others.

4. Organizational & Talent Development sponsors, develops, plans, implements and oversees professional ____ programs for supported clinicians and PDS team members.

6. Professional ____ seeks to facilitate the Perfect Patient Experience® and commitment to clinical excellence by recruiting the best in dentistry and providing resources for their continued development.

8. Patient Relations provides documents and guidance for escalated patient ____.

10. ____ handles financial reporting and budgetary concerns like expense, invoice, and reimbursement requests.

13. ____ helps offices with branding.

15. ____ manages key financials for team members, including forms and schedules relevant to pay, benefits, taxes, and bonuses.

17. Alignment & Improvement ensures PDS improvement initiatives align with our long-term objectives, strategies and ____ to help PDSsupported offices in the pursuit of Healthier, Happier Patients®

17000 Red Hill Ave. Irvine, CA 92614