PDS Life February 2014

PDS life the

AWARD WINNERS!

Message From the PRESIDENT

HELPING OUR SUPPORTED ASSOCIATE DENTISTS SUCCEED

Congratulations on a strong finish in 2013! With your November and December push helping patients get the care they need (and using those oh-so-valuable dental benefits!), we came back from a large deficit and just barely missed both top- and bottom-line budget, 99.73 percent and 98.7 percent respectively. It was a valiant effort after a tumultuous summer where the bickering in Washington and the government shut down made for anemic growth for about five months. Still, many offices had break-out years. Good work!

And through all this economic upheaval, you stayed focused on serving others, raising over $1.3 million to build water wells in Ethiopia. Your hearts are amazing. Through your efforts, nearly 33,000 people will now have access to clean drinking water, changing their lives forever. Hopefully many of you will be able to experience Ethiopia in the coming years and see the water wells for yourself.

Serving others is in the DNA of PDS ®. It is woven into the fabric of all we do. Helping patients get the dentistry they need must continue to be our #1 goal because that’s what we do! Whether it’s executing the PPE®, the BC Handoff, starting the day off with an inspiring morning huddle, providing a vast array of financial choices, helping patients save time using CEREC ® , providing comprehensive care through our integrated specialties programs, using

proven technologies that help deliver Clinical Excellence, supporting each other throughout the day with team spirit that makes others envious, all are bound together with the sole purpose of helping our supported dentists do more of the dentistry they diagnose so that they in turn, can serve their patients' needs and help restore their teeth and gums to optimum oral health.

As we continue to grow, it is vital we continue to stay aligned around our priorities. 2014 (and most likely 2015), is going to be focused on helping associate dentists succeed. For two years, we have experienced increased turnover at the associate position, primarily due to our inability to help them be as productive as they want to be. When they aren’t as productive as they think they should, it is only natural that they would choose to go practice dentistry somewhere else where they can achieve the level of productivity they expect from themselves. It is time that we reverse this trend and help each associate dentist be more productive than they could at any of our competitors or out of their own private practice. We have the patients coming into our offices, and the dentistry is being diagnosed by the dentists; it’s simply that we aren’t doing a good enough job helping the dentists do the dentistry they diagnose and/or helping the patients accept the dentistry their dentist diagnosed.

Through Clinical Excellence and comprehensive care, we are committed to patient-centric care focused on long-term clinical outcomes that create Patients for Life™. Our job is to create the systems and structures that help dentists be more efficient and more effective than they could anywhere else in this entire world. When patients allow their dentist to care for them by doing some dentistry, that patient usually becomes a Patient for Life; and when a practice is dedicated to Patients for Life, that practice will create long-term growth in continuing care, the most important factor in creating practices that grow year after year.

So here’s to an incredible 2014 for each of you, and here’s to growth in continuing care!

Blessings,

Stephen Thorne IV, President

Dear PDS Teammates,

WHAT’S INSIDE

2013 YEAR IN REVIEW

We provide you with a complete snapshot of all the great PDS ® accomplishments achieved last year. Learn the stats for specific departments and how we are looking to expand for the upcoming year and beyond.

OFFICE OF THE YEAR: PERRIS

This office in the fast-growing Southern California community of Perris is a PDS ® favorite for a reason. So what does Perris do to keep winning the elusive Office of the Year title? Read on to find out.

REGION OF THE YEAR: SOUTHWEST

Members of the Southwest Region, led by Regional Partner Joanna Rodgers, dish out how their focus on daily excellence, collaboration and fearlessness helped them to win Region of the Year.

REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: JEREMY FULS

Jeremy reveals some interesting details about his personal life and his working style and how he has instilled a culture of being better than the best.

100 WELLS FOR ETHIOPIA: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Here we recount what a challenging, but amazing journey it’s been as the entire company joined together to raise $1 million to bring 100 wells for Ethiopia.

R.I.P. PFM?

Check out the pictures and all the fun activities captured by many of the regions during their annual holiday parties. 02 08 09 12 14 16 22

Dr. Charles Rodgers, Dr. Brad Guyton and Dr. Mike Ditolla share their thoughts on why they believe milled monolithic blocks are here to stay.

HOLIDAY PARTIES

2013 Year in Review

Last year, we experienced significant growth with the opening of 56 offices, bringing us to more than 350 PDS®-supported dental offices in 13 states. There are many reasons to which we can attribute our achievements. This “Year in Review” will give you a glimpse into all the exciting developments that PDS experienced in 2013.

FINANCIALS

PDS closed out 2013 with strong results across the board. Company revenues grew significantly, and overall margins were improved.

INCREASED YEAR-OVER-YEAR EFFICIENCIES

QFEs | PATIENT RETENTION CEREC® CAD/CAM RESTORATIONS

3.5%

OPERATING MARGIN IMPROVEMENT

REVENUE GROWTH BY

PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

Clinicians choose us for the opportunity to partner in our owner dentist model, our focus on modern dentistry and our culture of Clinicians Leading Clinicians in Clinical Excellence™

PROFESSIONAL RECRUITING:

We exemplified the Clinicians Leading Clinicians in Clinical Excellence model with PDS-supported dentists, and we ended 2013 with a strong brand presence and an all-time high on brand awareness.

550 MIL

10.5% LESS THAN

2012 OF CLINICAL APPLICANTS HIRED

2,600 UNIQUE APPLICATIONS 262 DENTISTS HIRED INTO PDS-SUPPORTED PRACTICES

2013

2,822 UNIQUE APPLICATIONS 295 DENTISTS HIRED INTO PDS-SUPPORTED PRACTICES

CLINICAL EXCELLENCE:

Clinical Excellence is about helping the dentists complete more of the dentistry they diagnose today in order to restore their patients’ oral health and prevent future disease. Throughout the year, 545 supported dentists completed a two-day PPE® workshop.

• Since inception, 660,000 CEREC restorations completed

• In 2013, 78% of CEREC restorations were single units

• Blue Block Bridges introduced for premolar forward

• 67% of CEREC completed same day

• 25% of patients started dentistry at their initial appointment

• QFE score 8.9 with 87% referral

• In 2013, 164 associate dentists attended 5,400 ICEE courses

OWNER DENTIST DEVELOPMENT:

INDIRECT RESTORATIONS

RESTORATIONS COMPLETED MORE THAN

660,000

In 2013, 48 additional dentists became owner dentists, bringing the total of PDS-supported owner dentists to more than 205 clinicians. The number of associate dentists practicing at PDS-supported offices also grew to more than 550 clinicians. In 2013, 22 articles were authored by PDS-supported owner dentists and were published in leading industry magazines, raising awareness for the supported clinicians and their practices.

205 PDS-SUPPORTED OWNER DENTISTS

OPERATIONS SUPPORT

Expansion into a new region, new PDS-supported offices, and continued growth in specialties... these are just a few of the 2013 highlights from Operations Support.

NEW OFFICES & EXPANSION INTO A NEW REGION:

PDS and our supported dentists opened up 56 offices in 2013 – the most offices opened in one year in PDS history! This included expansion into one new region, Georgia, and opening PDS-supported offices in Kansas and Washington. Plans for 2014 are to enter a new region, Minnesota, and to open 60 additional PDS-supported offices.

SPECIALTIES:

Specialties continue to have strong performance. In 2013, total revenue from specialties constituted 44% of the organizational service mix!

4 4% OF TOTAL REVENUE!

56 NEW OFFICES

13 TOTAL STATES

NEW REGION EXPANDED INTO ONE PDS-SUPPORTED OFFICES

REVENUE OPERATIONS CENTER (ROC):

Continuing to raise the bar!

• Collections up 0.16 points to 95.83%

• Adjustments up 0.11 points to 3.50%

• Over 90s down 0.63 points to 8.32%

• Non-orthodontic credit balances down 0.50 points to 10.80%

MARKETING OVERVIEW

The Marketing Department expanded brand guidelines to include Smile Generation® and MKD/EKD brands; supported the 100 Wells for Ethiopia program with 200+ customized campaigns; and developed and beta-tested the em[brace]™ orthodontic experience.

319,972

TOTAL NEW PATIENTS

499,956 TOTAL CCX PATIENTS

5.9 MIL

TOTAL PATIENT TRANSACTIONS

HUMAN RESOURCES & TALENT DEVELOPMENT

Our supported dentists are able to focus on their patients confidently because they trust the reliable business-support team who backs them.

HUMAN RESOURCES:

In 2013, the National Support Center (NSC) conducted a QFE survey to learn how NSC team members can be more effective in supporting the Operations teams. Overall, the survey results scored 8.47 out of 10.0, almost a full point higher than in 2012, and the highest in six years.

TOP 3 DEPARTMENTS

WE SERVE | LEGAL | TAX

$ 9.9 MIL TOTAL EMPLOYEE 401K CONTRIBUTION

TALENT ACQUISITION:

For the second year, PDS was recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the top job creators in the United States.

110,000 APPLICANTS IN 2013 MORE THAN

ORGANIZATIONAL & TALENT DEVELOPMENT:

In 2013, O&TD was instrumental in facilitating the successful roll out of the New PPE® across all regions. All new associate dentists were trained on the PPE during their week-long doctor orientation. A total of 282 new supported dentists went through this program. In addition, supported dentists had two days of PPE training as well three one-hour followup PPE study clubs.

To put the tremendous growth of the company into perspective, the number of course completions has grown from fewer than 2,000 five years ago to almost 100,000 in 2013 – 50 times more volume of training! # 10 IN THE U.S. # 1 IN HEALTHCARE # 2 IN CALIFORNIA # 10 IN THE U.S. # 1 IN HEALTHCARE # 2 IN CALIFORNIA # 10 IN THE U.S. # 1 IN HEALTHCARE # 2 IN CALIFORNIA

50 × MORE TRAINING

5,010 EMPLOYEES IN 2013

4,388 EMPLOYEES IN 2012

COURSE COMPLETIONS

2.27 MIL UNIQUE VISITORS TO PDS-SUPPORTED OFFICE WEBSITES

5.8 MIL

MAILERS SENT

263,000 UNIQUE VISITORS TO SMILEGENERATION.COM

58,000 + LIKES ON THE SMILE GENERATION’S FACEBOOK PAGE

8.2 MIL+ EMAILS SENT

927,246 VIDEO VIEWS

2,000+ COMMUNITY/ REGION EVENTS @

Throughout 2013, you served locally and internationally through efforts, including: Smile Generation Serve Day; providing clean water for the people in Tigray, Ethiopia in partnership with charity: water; and building a playground during Braveheart.

In 2013, we set a goal to raise $1 million to fund 100 Wells for Ethiopia... We exceeded that goal, raising $1.3 million, funding 131 wells and serving nearly 33,000 people!

SERVE INTERNATIONALLY:

In 2013, PDS family members participated in dental mission trips to Fiji and Ethiopia and provided donated dentistry to those without access to dental care.

15 TEAM MEMBERS

30 TEAM MEMBERS CONTINUED TRAINING AT MEKELLE UNIVERSITY

2,000 PATIENTS SERVED DENTAL SCHOOL

800 PATIENTS SERVED

RACE FOR THE CURE:

PDS team members joined thousands of Susan G. Komen supporters, donating $80,000 to this worthwhile cause.

$80,000 DONATED

315 PARTICIPANTS

SMILE GENERATION SERVE DAY:

More than 240 PDS-supported offices participated in the third annual Smile Generation Serve Day.

2,700 VOLUNTEERS

BRAVEHEART:

$2.4 MIL IN DENTISTRY DONATED

1,600 PATIENTS SERVED

PDS team members and supported clinicians volunteered their time to build a new, safe playground and treat 167 patients at the Redeemer Learning Center in Denver.

BUILT 4TH PLAYGROUND & SERVED 167 PATIENTS

200 VOLUNTEERS

300 VOLUNTEERS

$67,000

BUILT 3 RD PLAYGROUND & SERVED 91 PATIENTS IN DENTISTRY DONATED

$75,000 IN DENTISTRY DONATED

What we need to accomplish in 2014 THE YEAR AHEAD

A New Year is here! Each year brings a new opportunity to define priorities and goals, which when executed properly and with continued energy, will ultimately define our 2014 accomplishments. There has never been a year more important than the 20th anniversary of Pacific Dental Services® – the year of accomplishments!

Clinical Excellence and comprehensive care remain the cornerstones for the health of our supported practices, our reputation within the communities we serve, and the growth of our supported offices year-over-year.

Clinical Excellence, defined by our owner doctor partners, is instilled within our culture. Regardless of region, Clinical Excellence encompasses a commitment to case acceptance of quality dentistry built to last, proper diagnosis and treatment of periodontal conditions, and comprehensive care provided by quality referrals to specialists when appropriate.

Pacific Dental Services, through and with your Regional Partner, work to provide our supported owner doctors the systems, tools and best practices to support their continued efforts to achieve Clinical Excellence.

The two top 2014 Company Priorities revolve around our collective continued commitment to associate doctor and operations manager success. These are further defined through PDS® imperatives focused on goals specific to associate doctor turnover, CCX growth and offices

achieving their individual budgets. Regardless of the size, maturity or demographics of your region, your Regional Partner has created imperatives that align with these priorities and define the key opportunities for their specific region.

There are six key accomplishments that will define this year:

• Collectively and individually achieving our 2014 budgets

• Open “X” more offices (and a new region/Minnesota!)

• Reduce associate turnover through a commitment to their success

• Maintain our focus on CCX growth and the value of retention

• Create environments for development of strong clinical cultures enhancing collaboration that support each other’s success

• Provide partnership and career growth opportunities across the nation that benefit the individual and Company, all while living out our We Believes

Your Regional Partner team is dedicated to their region and the collective growth of Pacific Dental Services. We agree that alignment and the ability to streamline our focus to the patient – one by one – is the key to our success. We are committed to the environment where we protect the viability of our practices, our partnerships and the PDS brand.

- Your Regional Partner Team

And the 2013 winners are…

OFFICE of the Year CROSSING DENTAL GROUP AND ORTHODONTICS

No other PDS ® -supported office has the bona fide reputation that Perris has made for itself. And that reputation is something Perris should be proud of: hard working, fun and a multiple Office of the Year winner! Here, Dr. Minh Pham, Dr. Justin Mercer and Operations Manager Kimberly Haag candidly share their individual thoughts about what it took to win yet again and why they think their team works so well together. Offices vying for the top office spot next year should take really good notes!

You have won this award more than once. What did you have to change up to win again?

Dr. Minh Pham: Keep the exact same team that got us where we were last year. Then improve yourself and everyone on that team. It wasn’t about fixing what’s broken or focusing all our energy on the weak spot, but rather improving and excelling at everything we are already good at to become even better or the best. For example: man-power efficiency improved because we reduced overtime by staffing smartly; we improved on our lab and supplies by being more clinically efficient and focusing on NO REDOs; and we rallied on our strength – our strong GP and hygiene program.

Dr. Justin Mercer: We didn’t change anything. Each month we focus on our goals, have regular huddles to discuss GP/ hygiene, specialty schedules. We are flexible and fair with our pricing and payment arrangements. We will stay late, open early, work on Sunday... do whatever it takes to accommodate our patients. We compete with ourselves, setting impossible goals that we make possible.

OM Kimberly Haag: We are very competitive with ourselves and everyone else.

How does Perris work toward Patients for Life™?

Dr. Pham: Implementing PPE® and really connecting and understanding each patient’s individual needs and wants.

Dr. Mercer: Patient satisfaction is our highest priority in Perris. As our practice matures, we have grown our “CCX seen”. What good is 100 percent CCX booked if you’re only seeing 20 percent of them?

KH: Everyone in the office naturally focuses on PPE. They are always efficient, friendly and genuine.

What keeps your team motivated to roll up their sleeves every day?

Dr. Pham: Leading by example from top down. ODs, OMs,

hygienists, and ADs. When everyone is on the same page, and the office is humming, it’s an amazing feeling to be a part of.

KH: I am lucky that I am surrounded by the most selfmotivated people ever!

What kind of challenges has Perris had to overcome?

Dr. Pham: Year-over-year growth and tweaking every aspect of our practice to improve upon an already great last year. We are going to have the same challenges this year.

Dr. Mercer: Initially we were worried that Dr. Pham cutting back days would affect our bottom line, but, instead we have actually increased revenue and NOI by growing hygiene and specialty.

KH: Losing Dr. Pham quite a few days in the middle of the year because he is working down in San Diego. The entire team was worried about the effect it would have on the office. I have to say, Dr. Mercer stepped up; the team rallied together; and I am very proud of them for the accomplishments they’ve had since.

If your office had a motto, what would it be?

Dr. Pham: “We did all that dentistry with just us chickens?”

Dr. Mercer: “Nothing is impossible; the word itself says “I’m possible!”

KH: We basically have a motto now; anytime we have to get by with the supplies we have on hand, or we have to recycle birthday candles, we all will say, “That’s how you do it in Perris.”

What does the future look like for Perris?

Dr. Pham: Hopefully another successful year with zero turnover!

KH: Increased NOI; increased retention; happy employees; happy doctors.

Tina Duffy, Cesar Macias, Maha Said-Shariff, Natalie Macias, Marlinda Nunez, Corina Bautista, Dr. Sohal, Nancy DeCesaris, Lindsey Gonzalez, Eddy Thounskane, Kimberly Haag, Mike Butler, Dr. Pham, Dr. Mercer, Not pictured: Maricela Diaz, April McCluskey, Brenda Oceguera, Araceli Carlos, Jufer Librando, OS: Dr. Philip Seim & team, Perio: Dr. Yun & team, Ortho: Dr. Adams & team, Endo: Dr. Vahabi & team.

SOUTHWEST REGION of the Year

Tenacity, integrity, a can-do attitude AND visionary Regional

Partner Joanna Rodgers

are a few of the driving forces that led the Southwest Region (SW) to its consecutive Region of the Year win from last year. We sat down with several of the SW Region’s leadership team to dig a little deeper into what makes this competitive region tick.

What are some of the accomplishments you and your region made in 2013?

Armando: The specialty team and I focused our efforts on improving and growing ortho. By restructuring and identifying the needs of individual offices and their patients, we added 360 production days to the ortho department in our region.

Mike: Every team has superstars on it, but not all teams’ superstars act like everyone else. My top performers didn’t get a big head or try to separate from the rest of my people; they circled back to help those at the back of the line.

Erica: As a region we brought our consumable cost down to 2.1 percent for the year – lower than last year and lower than any other region. This has taken a lot of attention and has involved a lot of hard work and focus from our lead assistants. We have also done a great job in having CEREC ® become a major part and embedded in the culture of our offices.

Jack: This team continues to excel at driving YOY efficiencies and maximizing NOI and OD distributions. The region was able to achieve over $1,000,000 in NOI growth versus 2012 within the same group of offices.

James: From a learning and development (L&D) standpoint, we are constantly collaborating and focusing on how we can strategically and incrementally bridge the various skill gaps

across the region from leaders down to frontline staff. Our focus is making sure the learning is practical, hands-on, and timely and that we are capitalizing on our current resources, talents, and opportunities within various roles that are responsible for supporting L&D throughout the region in a timely manner.

Natasha : With great accomplishments, comes great leadership. Our Regional Partner Joanna Rodgers has cultivated an environment of ‘We Can’ and ‘Will’ be successful. The operation managers commit on a daily basis to excellence in the service and dedication they provide to their patients. Our GPs and specialists have consistently dedicated themselves to merge relationships to ensure GP to specialty referrals remain at the upmost quality. Our accomplishments are collaborative in all roles and continue to be on the forefront of our minds.

Andrea: Led the region in planning/attending 180 community events, 23+ Smile Generation ® events and booked over 1,400 patients at our Benefits Remaining call parties.

Sue: Back-to-back Region of the Year, the best ortho program in the company, an incredible roll out of the new PPE® with follow up and accountability from our ODs and operators, which led to the results we achieved.

MAHA SAID-SHARIFF

ANDREA RODRIGUEZ SUE RUDOW

NATASHA O’KEEFE

MIKE BUTLER

JACK KNUDSEN JAMES NEFF

LUIS GUTIERREZ

CAROL GARNER

MARLA BODDY ERICA DEVLIN

ARMANDO BORROEL

JOANNA RODGERS

Region of the Year continuation…

Maha: The passion that fueled so many accomplishments and success in 2013 started with a vision of advancement in associate development, CEREC ® and hygiene, which was not only led by our Regional Partner Joanna Rodgers, but embraced by our owner dentists, regional team, operations managers and the entire team. We were unstoppable in our journey to raise the standard of our own daily best. The insistence by our team to fearlessly command and conquer the new PPE infected our supported specialists to heighten their own modus operando and raise both pre- and post-op care to a new standard.

You have won back-to-back. What’s your secret behind winning Region of the Year?

Marla: Not just meeting expectations, but exceeding them. We have a target on our backs, and that’s where we’d like to keep it.

Armando: Talented people in the right roles with Joanna Rodgers leading the charge.

Mike: Our leader Joanna holds us accountable! The entire regional team understands what has been put before us, and we know that we are going to be held to that standard. I believe that we have a group that will continue to be successful because no one is afraid to set the expectation initially and later isn’t afraid to go back and make sure it got done. That attitude starts with our leader Joanna.

Erica: I have to say, Joanna is great at putting a team together (and leading the team). It’s all about the teamwork.

Carol: We successfully opened Clairemont Smiles in San Diego; hired and developed a new grad associate under the leadership of Dr. Minh Pham; Dr. Le joined a PDS-supported office in September of 2013, and he ended his first four months with an average ADP of $2,875.

Luis: We knew that to repeat as Region of the Year the only competition we had was ourselves. If we concentrated our effort in being better today than we were yesterday we would succeed.

Jack: The SW Region has an outstanding core of experienced operators and ODs. Our regional partner has worked hard to ensure the Ops team and our supported ODs are well aligned and engaged in the continual growth and development conversation.

Natasha: In our eyes there is no secret. We are led by an RP who continually looks ahead in an ever-growing and changing market. We collectively adopt the belief “We fail or succeed together”, therefore working together with our teams is one of the SW Region’s best practices.

Andrea: I honestly believe we have the best team in the company. The regional team is a solid group of leaders who are focused on the right things. They hold their teams accountable to PDS’ standards and processes and are engaged in what we know works. Our OMs are some of the most hard-working managers I know; they’re competitive, driven, and know their business. Our ODs are really invested in the development and the success of their associates. Of course, this is all under the leadership of our leader, Joanna Rodgers. She runs a tight ship, but her direction is clear. She pushes us all to be the best we can be… being the best in the company is just the bonus.

Sue: The leadership that Joanna brings to the team with a vision and strategy that is a winning formula. A solid operational team, including: RMs, SRMs, OMs, as well as OD leadership.

Maha: The secret is that it’s not a secret as we are led by a regional partner that intrinsically believes in the power and responsibility to help support new and emerging regions, so we remain driven by a purpose and desire to not only support one another, our ODs and teams, but maintain a national consideration and responsibility to give back. This isn’t just an extraordinary team, but a team that collectively believes in exceptional outcomes with every encounter.

What kind of culture makes your region unique?

Marla: Shoulder-to-shoulder mentorship and coaching. Alignment and trust.

Armando: A winning culture!

Mike: I can tell you for my 15 offices we do a lot of things right, but every one of my OMs and me can look at our offices and see where improvements can be made. That’s the job: go out execute, do the best you can, then look at other things and attack them until you get them going too. Our culture helps us to keep that focus with a group of team members that understand no one has arrived, and we can all find ways to improve.

Erica: I really think the teamwork in this region makes us unique. We all try to be very intentional about our communication so we all have the same goals, and we all work together to accomplish them.

Carol: We have strong alignment with the OD team. The ODs work hard on creating offices that will be both profitable and educational for their associates.

Luis: Leadership from the top! From our regional partner to the RDs to the SRM, the senior leadership in the region has worked their way from the bottom to the top. We have sat in the chairs of our teams and have done their jobs at one time or another. This hands-on experience has allowed us to set realistic

expectations and hold the teams accountable to realistic goals because we have walked in their shoes.

Jack: I believe this region excels due to its strong OM/OD partnerships at the office level. Cohesiveness and alignment at the office level between an owner operator and an operations manager is a winning combination that can’t be replaced.

James: A results-driven, coaching culture.

Natasha: Our region’s uniqueness grows in the continuation of Clinicians Leading Clinicians and clinician to patient excellence. Our RP and ODs are consistent in their dedication of the development of our ADs, and this shines through throughout our perspective offices.

Andrea: Being one of the older regions in the company, it would be easy to become complacent. Instead, Joanna drives our fiercely competitive and innovative culture that constantly strives to be different and to be better. We also know how to let go, have fun and appreciate one another’s successes.

Sue: That we won’t accept mediocrity, and we won’t allow excuses. We will support each other to ensure we are successful and win together.

Maha: An excellent and quality-driven clinical culture remains cornerstone and fundamental, but the lasting power and stamina of our region remains interlaced with diversity, invention, and a seemingly limitless courage to take risks in ourselves and our people.

What makes you (an) effective leader(s)?

Marla: Joanna cultivates leaders and gives her direct reports the autonomy to make decisions.

Armando: Understanding of the role and impact each team member has on our overall success as a region.

Erica: I think the fact that I do know that it’s all about the teamwork, and I can’t accomplish anything without the hard work and input from others. I am here to help, not just tell them what to do.

Carol: I care about the success of my managers.

Luis: Team building and the ability to identify talent are keys to being successful. It’s consistency in our standards and best practices that have gotten us over the top.

Jack: Recognizing and promoting talent within my team of leaders.

James: Put my heart where my mouth is followed by skillfully focusing on leveraging strengths equal to incrementally growing upon opportunities. Everything we do has to be in line with helping people achieve their workforce passion and life’s motivations.

Natasha: That one is simple; we have the leadership of a leader in its finest, our RP Joanna, who encourages an environment to succeed and sets forth the tone that our best of our present will be our worst of our future. My hope is to exceed expectations, raise the bar, and make my RP, ODs/ADs, specialists, OMs, SBCs, and regional team proud. Their success is my success.

Andrea: Joanna’s direction is clear. I know what is expected of me. She supports my growth and doesn’t stand in my way. I also work with a great group of RMs and SRMs – we motivate one another and share in each other’s successes.

Sue: Setting clear expectations, being supportive and developmental and having accountability to results.

Maha: That’s easy – we are led by a leader, Joanna, who both encourages and inspires a preoccupation to imagine, believe and achieve. We lead ourselves with integrity, honesty and responsibility, and never for a moment do I feel confined by any insecurities of failure… the only insecurity I have is that I am not doing enough, so I do more.

What does the future of your region look like?

Marla: Continued growth, more offices, more challenges –can’t wait; bring it on!

Armando: Brighter than ever! Not only are we an established region, but we’ve learned a lot along the way of the hard work it takes to be #1.

Mike: My goal is to have my ODs and OMs be the highest paid in the company over the next 10 years. You may be able to get results for a year or two, but the ones that do it correctly, and with integrity, will show the results over a long period of time.

Carol: A great deal of De Novo growth.

Luis: Three-peat! With continued same-practice growth and a few De Novos in 2014, there will be no stopping us.

Jack: I believe this region will continue to set the standard in driving the best NOIs in the organization, and as a result, the most aligned and profitable owner dentists.

Natasha: With the belief, Only God knows what tomorrow holds. We remain focused on best practices to continue to grow beyond our current state and successes.

Andrea: Three-peat baby!

Maha: Very exciting! We are not simply participants waiting for the “next best thing”, but rather inventors creating and supporting the next best thing.

Region of the Year continuation…

If your region had a motto, what would it be?

Marla: Back to Basics. Do the Right Thing! Innovative Thinkers! (Any of the 3.)

Armando: Keep it simple and focus on the experience!

Carol: ROAR!

Luis: Just like the Six Million Dollar Man: Better, Stronger, Faster!

James: Leave nothing behind… go all in and take no prisoners!

Natasha: Teamwork! We fail or succeed together, and failure is not an option.

Sue: To WIN and to WIN and to WIN!

Maha: The Power of Us (the Southwest Region) is Us and Makes Us Unbeatable!

REGIONAL MANAGER of the Year

JEREMY FULS

by Jaclyn Taroc Copywriter

First-time winner Jeremy Fuls is the kind of regional manager who knows how to drive all his people in a straight line and with smiles on their faces. Hard work, friendly competition and a whole lot of positivity are just some of the things that Jeremy encourages within his team. Read on to learn other secrets Jeremy spills about himself and about how he and his region worked toward the ultimate win together.

What made 2013 a great year for you and your region? What made 2013 a great year for us was our drive to get to the vision. Everyone knew the goal and kept their eyes focused on it. We ended the year with 80 percent of the offices hitting both topline production and NOI budgets. We also ended with 80 percent of the offices hitting production and NOI growth as well. With most offices over five years old and most ending with over 10 percent year-over-year growth – that’s a huge achievement!

What is your typical day to day in the offices like? I like to spend all day in an office. This allows me to spend time with the OD and OM throughout the day. The docs are so busy with patients that I want to be flexible and work around our patients’ needs. I like to watch trends and track each category (GP, hygiene and each specialty), as well as the controllable costs in the offices, so that I know what the opportunities are in each office and can speak directly to them. I have a very good relationship with all of the regional support team, and they are a big part of the success that we had in 2013.

Name one surprising fact about yourself that nobody knows about. I have four kids. Noah is 11; Jack is 10; Alora, who’s our only girl (and definitely a diva), is 7; and Max is 4. I love hanging out with my kids. My boys love going to the Diamondbacks’ games with me and were very excited this year to be out on the field to help present a check from The Smile Generation®

What is the culture you help instill in your offices? The culture I try to instill in the offices is to be the best. We talk about being better than average or better than good. As I mentioned earlier, we set a vision early in 2013, and everyone knew that vision, and we talked about it all the time. The culture in the offices was (and continues to be) based around that vision. One of my mantras is, “When you believe it, you will see it.”

What advice do you have for other regions? Have a clear vision and work toward that vision every day. Know your results, speak to specifics and utilize the tools that you have available. We have a great support structure with PDS®. Use the strengths of those around you to approach your vision as a team effort.

AWARD WINNERS and Runners Up! Congratulations

OFFICE OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Perris

RUNNER UP - Fontana 2

REGION OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Southwest Region (Joanna Rodgers)

RUNNER UP - Pacific South Coast Region (Paula Larson)

REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Jeremy Fuls

RUNNER UP - Mike Butler

PERIODONTIC OFFICE OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Murrieta

RUNNER UP - Lake Elsinore

ENDODONTIC OFFICE OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Oceanside 2

RUNNER UP - Montecito

HYGIENE OFFICE OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Arvada

RUNNER UP - Chandler

ORAL SURGERY OFFICE OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Manteca

RUNNER UP - Elk Grove 1

ORTHODONTIC OFFICE OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Elk Grove 1

RUNNER UP - Menifee

PEDIATRIC OFFICE OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Buckeye 2 EKD

RUNNER UP - Hesperia 4

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Fountain

RUNNER UP - Ft Worth 2

MOST IMPROVED OFFICE OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Oceanside 2

RUNNER UP - Riverside 1

SUPPORT DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR

WINNER - ROC

RUNNER UP - Accounting

100 WELLS FOR ETHIOPIA MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

In May 2012 a challenge was set. The challenge was we, as an organization, were going to serve the people of Tigray, Ethiopia by raising $1 million for charity: water, providing safe, clean drinking water. We were going to fund 100 wells, each costing $10,000 (equaling the $1 million.) This was something that we as an organization had never done, and with nervous excitement the challenge was accepted.

We had over 254 teams set up campaigns, and the creativity on raising those funds was inspiring. We had teams host karaoke contests, yard sales, art shows, bake sales, chili cook-offs, poker tournaments, rock concerts, big parties at homes and at concert venues; some even dunked dentists in dunk tanks! The PDS®supported offices got their patients involved and provided discounts on treatments for their generous donations. The teams did whatever it took to hit their goals.

The final results are mind blowing. We were able to raise $1,314,864, funding 131 wells and changing 32,862 lives with clean, safe drinking water. When you look at the math, every 11 minutes throughout the course of the campaign someone was getting water. This $1.3 million was generated from 12,199 unique donations.

The stats and the accomplishments are impressive, but most amazing of all was the generosity of the PDS team members, friends, family members, supported office patients and everyone else involved in the cause. I think the words of Mother Teresa sum it up best, “Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.” This campaign for all involved was a labor of love.

By Dr. Charles Rodgers, Vice President of Clinical Quality, Dr. Brad Guyton, Dean of Dentist Development and Dr. Mike Ditolla, Director of Clinical Education, Glidewell Laboratories

R.I.P. PFM?

IS THE DEATH OF THE PFM FINALLY UPON US?

Could

the PFM and PFG be going the way

of the gold foil restoration? Are we actually approaching a day where full gold crowns are no longer the “gold standard”? There has been a remarkable shift in dentistry over just the past decade.

While there may be situations where it is still desirable to have the PFG and FGC as choices, data now supports that U.S. dentists are choosing a different direction in most cases. When PDS ® -supported dentists chose to pursue CEREC ® CAD/CAM dentistry as a strategic focus less than a decade ago, not even we could have predicted how quickly the market would change or how fast PDS-supported dentists would be at the forefront of an industry shift. While we all know that PDS-supported dentists lead the world in number of CEREC CAD/CAM units designed and delivered, we want to take a moment and ask ourselves, why has the industry outside PDS begun to follow suit?

There are five reasons why we believe this shift has occurred: 1. Technology finally caught up with what all dentists were demanding from CEREC CAD/CAM. While CEREC has been and continues to be the market leader in this space, the improvements from the Redcam to the Bluecam and now with the Omnicam have been long anticipated, and are nothing short of extraordinary. With the introduction of the Bluecam, the dental industry began singing the praises of CEREC CAD/CAM technology. We began hearing from dentists all over the country that chairside-milled restorations were as good, if not better, than PFMs.

2. Layered restorations (e.g., zirconia plus superficial porcelain) were shearing and less predictable than initially thought. Dentists became frustrated and began to demand esthetic, strong, monolithic restorations. e.max was developed in direct response to this demand. Monolithic zirconia restorations soon followed suit. As the 2013 chart from Glidewell Laboratories shows, dentists across the country are now choosing monolithics over PFMs for the first time in our careers – and in astounding numbers.

CROWN BREAKDOWN

This chart (below) of single units produced that we received from Dr. Mike Ditolla of Glidewell Labs clearly illustrates where the industry is headed. While these numbers represent only Glidewell, they depict over 94,000 single units and reflect trends going on in the overall market. When we questioned Dr. Ditolla about the fact that there may be a confounder in these results, possibly because dentists may be seeking a greater percentage of e.max and PFMs at other labs, he said while that may be true to a minor extent, it would definitely not be enough to negate these trends.

At Glidewell, 100% of the crowns are CEREC CAD/CAM based, even the full cast and PFMs because the metal coping is 3D printed. What surprised us most was the number of dentists who are using zirconia in both the anterior and posterior when we believe lithium disilicates to be a superior restoration with regards to esthetics, ease of use, and eventual retreatment – with the exception in some heavy bruxism cases.

3. Gold prices skyrocketed to over $1,500 an ounce during the recent recession. This encouraged dentists to consider other alternative restorative choices.

4. Many dentists and manufacturers were concerned about dental lab work in the United States being sourced over borders and overseas. CEREC CAD/CAM and centralized milling have slowed this outsourcing trend and have brought many lab procedures back to the United States.

5. PPO insurance plans have outpaced and replaced traditional indemnity plans. This trend has led to most dentists being reimbursed less for restorative work than they were even a decade ago. Increased competition for PPO and HMO patients has even led to a decrease in existing PPO fees in some states. This increased pressure has forced dentists to search out more cost-effective approaches for crown and bridge restorations, while not sacrificing quality.

As Dr. Ditolla stated, “I have been hearing for over two decades how this or that all-ceramic crown was going to replace PFMs, but all those systems failed. IPS e.max and BruxZir are a different breed, however, and this change looks like THE one.”

We would agree; milled monolithic blocks are here to stay. They are cost-effective and highly esthetic restorations.

By Dr. Brian Buehler, Owner Dentist

The Future of ABUTMENTS AND HYBRID CROWNS

On Wednesday, Jan. 29, Ivoclar finally released its abutment and hybrid crown blocks. This will be a big leap forward for all of us.

Pricing is not yet available, but what we do know is that we will be able to deliver a superior restoration at less cost to our offices.

One-piece posterior crowns have a distinct advantage in that they eliminate the possibility of cement sepsis and resultant periodontal failures. Retrieavability is also very easy if the need were to arise. There is a bit of a learning curve, but it is easily managed.

These photos demonstrate one such case using Sirona TiBases, Ivoclar 16L implant blocks and Ivoclar MultiLink Hybrid Abutment Cement.

Intraoral view

Bonded TiBase to e.max hybid crown

Final placement with no cement margins

SHINING THE LIGHT ON PERIODONTAL DISEASE

By Jan LeBeau, Chair of Dental Hygiene

Key insights into non-surgical management of periodontal disease with the three-step process: scaling & root planning, anti-microbial irrigation and bacterial decontamination.

I am often asked how laser light energy helps in the management of gum (periodontal disease) on a cellular level. Following initial scaling and root planing with laser bacterial decontamination, clinicians using the laser see greater healing as evidenced by reduced inflammation, reduced bleeding on probing, reduced periodontal pocket depth and clinical attachment level gain1. What is happening at the cellular level to achieve this type of tissue response? To better understand the effect of light energy in the periodontal pocket, a basic understanding of periodontal disease and disease management is necessary.

It is well established that periodontal disease is a result of a bacterial infection. Bacteria initially attach to the crowns of teeth and quickly organize into plaque or a bacterial biofilm. Over time, this bacterial biofilm becomes more complex and migrates down the root surface, destroying bone, and a periodontal pocket is formed. As the process continues, this bacterial biofilm extends so far beneath the gums that the patient is no longer able to reach it with a toothbrush or floss. Additionally, the bacterial biofilm solidifies to form hard deposits or calculus on the tooth root surface and also infects or embeds into the adjacent gum tissue of the periodontal pocket. The patient’s immune system attempts to fight the infection, but without physically disturbing or removing the bacterial biofilm attached to the root surface of the tooth and embedded into the soft tissue, the patient’s own immune reaction further destroys the bone and other supporting tissues.

Initial or non-surgical management of periodontal disease is delivered in a three-step process; scaling and root planing, anti-microbial irrigation and bacterial decontamination. Scaling and root planing removes the hard deposit attached to the root surface of the tooth that harbors bacteria; anti-microbial irrigation flushes free-floating bacteria and debris from the pocket, and the laser light energy decontaminates or disinfects the adjacent soft tissue, greatly reducing the high levels of bacteria so the patient’s immune system can successfully fight the infection and heal the pocket.

When a laser is calibrated for decontamination, the light energy is absorbed into the intracellular fluid of target cells and bacteria, raising the overall temperature of the periodontal pocket to a level that disables or kills the bacteria free floating in the pocket and embedded in the soft tissue wall. Incidental to decontamination, a thin layer of infected tissue is also removed from the soft tissue wall. Removal of the infected soft tissue allows for tiny fibrin blood clots to form between the tooth root surface and the soft tissue, bringing forth the growth factors necessary for reattachment or sealing of the periodontal pocket.

Following this three-step process, the periodontal pocket generally heals by a long junctional epithelium attachment 2 This type of attachment seals the soft tissue to the clean root surface much like a fabric fastener. Evidence of healing is expressed in reduced inflammation, reduced bleeding on probing and reduced pocket depth. Recent clinical studies suggest the possibility of a new connective tissue attachment, but more research is necessary to confirm the predictability of a new attachment apparatus. At best, the research suggests a mixed attachment.

Bacterial decontamination using laser light energy, in combination with scaling and root planing, has been shown to have superior results over scaling and root planing alone 3 . As dental health professionals, it is imperative that all members of the dental team understand the basics of disease management so we can help patients understand and make educated decisions about their health care choices.

Sources:

1. Kreisler, M., Al Haj, H., and d’Hoedt, B. (2005). Clinical efficacy of semiconductor laser application as an adjunct to conventional scaling and root planing. Lasers Surg. Med. 37, 350-355.

2. Newman,M., Takei,H., Klokkevold, P., Carranza,F., 2012. Carranza’s Clinical Periodontology.

3. Joanna J. Kamma, D.D.S., Ph.D., Vassilis G.S. Vasdekis, and George E. Romanos, D.D.S., Ph.D. The Effect of Diode Laser (980 nm) Treatment on Aggressive Periodontitis: Evaluation of Microbial and Clinical Parameters. Photomedicine and Laser Surgery Volume 27, Number 1, 2009 Pp. 11–19.

2014 – A NEW YEAR, A NEW YOU!

FROM HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL FAMILY HEALTH GUIDE

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is a cornerstone of good health. Eating fruits and vegetables helps control blood pressure and cholesterol, keeps arteries flexible, protects bones, and is good for the eyes, brain, digestive system, and just about every other part of the body. Many of us though have trouble putting that knowledge into practice and getting five or more servings a day. One big barrier to tapping into the power of produce is the perception that fruits and vegetables are expensive. That’s not necessarily true. You can buy three servings of fruits and four servings of vegetables for well under $2 a day, according to a survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Here are some other helpful tips to introduce more greens into your diet for a healthier you!

SNEAK MORE FRUITS AND VEGGIES INTO YOUR DIET

• Microwave an egg and your favorite diced veggies for a quick omelette.

• Top oatmeal, granola, cold cereal or yogurt with fresh berries or sliced bananas.

• Substitute lentils for half (or all!) of the ground beef in tacos, pasta sauce, stews, etc.

• Make a smoothie with two cups of fresh/frozen fruit, half a cup of juice, and half a cup of milk or soy milk for protein.

• Bring apples or celery and peanut butter to work for a filling snack.

• Chop lettuce, grate carrots and wash grape tomatoes at the beginning of the week. Having the ingredients ready in your refrigerator makes it easier.

• If you snack while watching TV, substitute pepper spears or edamame for popcorn or chips.

• Add lettuce, sprouts, cucumber slices or tomato slices to your sandwiches.

• Use the week’s leftover veggies to make soup. Add canned or frozen vegetables, lentils and beans for an easy and filling meal.

• Top pizzas with mushrooms, peppers, tomato slices, artichoke hearts or spinach instead of meat to boost the nutrition value.

BEST-BET FRUITS AND VEGGIES

If you’re already a produce-lover, these heavy hitters deliver big health benefits1 :

• Sweet potatoes: Substitute these for white potatoes when possible. They’re loaded with vitamin C, carotenoids, potassium and fiber. Eat them mashed with unsweetened applesauce, sliced and baked into fries, or baked with a crushed pineapple topping.

• Mangos: Eat a cup of mango in salsa or with yogurt to get 75 percent of your daily vitamin C, as well as vitamin A, potassium and fiber. Mangos are among the fruits least likely to carry pesticide residue.

• Broccoli: Broccoli is a great source of vitamin C, carotenoids and folic acid. Eat it raw, boil it for 4-7 minutes or steam it so it is still firm, then add lemon juice. You can also stir-fry it in olive oil and chopped garlic.

• Garbanzo beans: Also called chickpeas, these canned beans are part of every well-stocked pantry. Drain them, rinse them and toss them on a salad for added protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Add them to vegetable soup or pasta sauce for a high-protein meat substitute. Or make them into hummus for a filling veggie dip or sandwich spread.

• Watermelon: Popular with both children and adults, watermelon has vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. Bored with watermelon slices? Make it into salsa or a chilled soup for a twist.

• Butternut squash: Rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and fiber, butternut squash makes a tasty soup. It can also be baked and mashed as an alternative to mashed potatoes.

• Leafy greens: Don’t get stuck in an iceberg rut. Kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, Swiss chard and other leafy greens provide vitamin A, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, calcium, iron, lutein, vitamin K, folate and fiber. Use them as a salad base or serve them alone with lemon juice or red wine vinegar.

The information contained here is provided for educational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as medical advice. Please consult your doctor for medical advice about changes that may affect your health and before taking any medications or beginning any lifestyle program. Some services may not be covered under your health plan. Please refer to your Group Certificate and Schedule of Benefits for details concerning benefits, procedures and exclusions.

Sources: (1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Healthy Weight (2011): cdc.gov.

TWO PDS ® -SUPPORTED DENTISTS AWARDED FELLOWSHIP in the American College of Dentists

by Joe Feldsien VP of Professional Partnerships

Dr. Brad Guyton (PDS Dean of Dentist Development, Irvine) and Dr. Michael Meru (PDS-supported orthodontist, Utah) were both recently awarded Fellowship in the American College of Dentists.

The American College of Dentists is the oldest major honorary organization for dentists. Its members are recognized for their individual contributions to dental excellence, ethics, professionalism and leadership in dentistry. The American College of Dentists was founded August 20, 1920 by the then leaders of dentistry to elevate the standards of dentistry and to grant Fellowship to those who have done meritorious work. Today, membership is by invitation only and is typically granted to dentists at the end of their career to recognize outstanding service and contribution to the profession. Only 3.5 percent of dentists are Fellows of the American College of Dentists. More information on Fellowship can be found at ACD.org. This recognition of PDS-supported dentists is yet another indication of the impact that PDS-supported dentists are having in dentistry.

We are proud that dentists of this caliber are choosing the PDS environment to live out their career aspirations. If you are a supported dentist seeking this kind of recognition, these gentlemen should give you the hope you need to passionately pursue such opportunities.

CONGRATULATIONS

Dr. Guyton & Dr. Meru!

PDS SERVE FOUNDATION ™

by Barbie Vartanian, Foundation Manager

“To do more for the world than the world does for you – that is success.”

- Henry Ford (1863-1947) Founder of Ford Motor Company

As we close the books on 2013, I would like to take a reflective look back on when President Stephen Thorne first shared his plans for the inception of the PDS Serve Foundation. He talked about two key initiatives that would drive our efforts and focus. Those initiatives were to 1) serve communities with improved oral healthcare and 2) to help PDS family members enjoy more successful relationships, marriages and families. Flash forward to where we are today, in the seven months since the Foundation has come to life, those initiatives are still relevant as ever.

In 2013, the PDS Serve Foundation Mobile Dental Clinic (MDC) was able to serve 342 adults and children while providing $148,000 in donated dentistry. A few of our collaborative efforts included teaming with a local council member in Colorado and in Mesa, Arizona, the Salvation Army’s Hope for a Home project and CARE Partnership. As we expand our reach locally, nationally and internationally, it would not be possible without the generous commitment and ongoing collaboration of the PDS Family.

In addition to the MDC, the Foundation’s other programs include our International Serve Trips, Dental Assistance Scholarships, Marriage and Relationship Experiences and Special Needs Advocacy and Training. Through the development and sustainability of these five key programs, the Foundation can and will make a difference in the lives of those we touch.

The PDS Serve Foundation is committed to serve the underserved, to provide access to those without, and to administer opportunities to serve for those willing to give their time, talent and treasures. Our goal is simple – to expand upon the dedication to service that has been at the core of Pacific Dental Services ® from the very beginning.

If you would like to become a volunteer of the Foundation or if you are interested in getting additional information regarding any of our programs, please contact me directly at vartanianb@pacden.com or call 714-845-8757

REGIONAL

Holiday Parties

PACIFIC SOUTH COAST

by Leslie Polley, Regional Marketing Manager

To celebrate another year of hard work, dedication and teamwork, the Pacific South Coast Region held its annual holiday party on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Pasadena Convention Center. The event was a great opportunity to show appreciation for our amazing team and the incredible work they do throughout the year.

Guests enjoyed a sit-down dinner, dancing, picturescreen photo booths, incredible raffle prizes, plus the extremely popular candy bar. A newly added gaming area that included billiards, foosball, air hockey, shuffle board and video games rounded out the entertainment nicely. The regional team also presented Regional Partner Paula Larson with a special gift to show its appreciation for her remarkable leadership throughout the year.

This special event couldn’t have happened without the generous donations from our owner dentists, as well as Dr. Abedi and Dr. Soleiman. With more donations from PDS®, the regional team and our specialists, we were able to raffle off many prizes, including an iPad ® mini, Lakers tickets, Disneyland tickets, weekend excursions and more! Paula Larson noted, “It was great seeing everybody come together to ring in the New Year and reflect on all the accomplishments we made in 2013.”

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

by Melanie Duval, Regional Marketing Specialist

The Northern California Region came together and celebrated the holidays in grand style this year at Thunder Valley Resort Casino in Lincoln. Five hundred employees and their significant others spent the evening dancing, enjoying wonderful food and celebrating their achievements over the past year.

As guests entered the holiday pavilion, they were given raffle tickets and got their photo taken underneath the dazzling Christmas trees. Snowflakes hung from the ceiling, and the entire outdoor ballroom was lit up and decorated in white and red.

The party atmosphere included raffle prizes with one OM winning an iPad mini! Guests were also treated to a slide show that featured each office and their We Serve and community event photos from the past year, as well as office team-building events.

All in all, it was a magical evening that brought together all of our offices from different parts of Northern California and showed us not only how much our region has grown, but how engaged our employees are in their work and with each other.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN

by Linda Ryan, Regional Marketing Manager

In December, the Rocky Mountain Region hosted a super fun holiday party at the Marriott Denver Tech. There were over 325 people in attendance. The theme was an “Ugly Sweater” contest, and boy did this get everyone’s creativity going! Quiara Scrima from Cherry Creek Modern Dentistry was the winner of the contest and was awarded a $500 Best Buy gift card for her efforts. It was extremely difficult to choose a winner as everyone looked so awesome!

We had a great dinner, dancing, a photographer on site taking fun commemorative pictures of everyone, and even a surprise visit from Santa and his adorable elf helper from the North Pole. There were plenty of prizes, large and small, to raffle off during the night too. We even gave away three iPads. How about that for party gifts to take home?

All in all, it was a wonderful night of celebration, holiday spirit, awesome friendships and great fun!

A special thanks and shout out to Joe Saporito, our amazing RP, who is passionate about his people and PDS! We are very lucky to have such a great leader at the helm, and we appreciate all he does for our region! THANKS JOE!

The Rocky Mountain Region and PDS ROCKS! Here we come 2014!

SOUTHWEST

by Andrea Rodriguez, Regional Marketing Manager

The Southwest Region (SWR) arrived in style – white style – to Pechanga Casino on Saturday, Dec. 14. To complement the party’s theme, “A White Christmas”, the Grand Ballroom was adorned in elegant white décor; each table had custom centerpieces of glass vases filled with several types of white candy; all the tables and chairs were covered in silky, white cloth; and the Southwest Region logo floated above center stage.

Approximately 800 SWR employees and spouses arrived in their classy white attire. Dr. Rygg and his wife even made an appearance in their fancy snowman costumes! While enjoying dinner, guests were entertained by a hypnotist who helped some of the uninhibited (and unsuspecting) show us their best model poses and dance moves. It was definitely a sight to remember!

The United States Marines were present to collect Toys for Tots donations. SWR team members who donated a toy were entered in a raffle. Prizes were given throughout the night, including new iPads, Lakers tickets and vacation packages. In total, the SWR collected over 600 toys for Toys for Tots!

At the end of dinner, the dance floor quickly filled with guests to celebrate the holidays and the end of a successful year together. A big “THANK YOU” to Regional Partner Joanna Rodgers and the owner dentists, specialists and regional management team for hosting a fun and successful party.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

by Amin Neghabat, Regional Partner

The Pacific Northwest Region (PNW), made up of seven offices from Oregon and Washington, got together at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel on Dec. 14 for its annual holiday dinner.

This was our second annual holiday party. Specialists, GPs, ODs and their respective teams, made up of about 100 people, including spouses, had a chance to get together and celebrate the holidays and a wonderful year.

The leadership team from the PNW distributed Regional Awards for the Office of the Year (Tigard), OM of the Year (Molli Grayson), HYG of the Year (Jane Moreno), AD of the Year (Taeyong Kim), Clinical Service Award (Rachel Middlebrooks), and Rookie of the Year (Rachelle Willie).

Guests enjoyed a dinner, DJ and a silent auction for charity: water. The team held its quarterly business meeting on the same day at the Courtyard Marriott to finalize its clinical and business imperatives for 2014. All ODs, OMs and ADs were present. As an emerging region with a goal of doubling the number of open offices to 14 by the middle of 2014, the PNW Region is poised for GREATNESS! The holiday party proved to be an inspiring end to 2013 and a highly motivating team-building activity for the future.

DESERT MOUNTAIN

by Valerie Carlborg, Regional Marketing Specialist

The Las Vegas and Henderson offices in the Desert Mountain Region had a fabulous time showing their holiday cheer at their regional party that was hosted at the Silverton Hotel and Casino. We had nearly 200 attendees join the festivities. We had amazing food, drinks and music. Each office also donated a themed basket to raffle off throughout the night. To top the evening off, we had a photo booth at the event to take fun pictures with our team members. Overall, it was a wonderful night!

GULF COAST

by Julie Franks, Regional Marketing Assistant

Well the weather outside may have been frightful, but the Gulf Coast Region party was delightful. We had a great time celebrating at The West End Bar in the Galleria area. We had over 200 attendees there to celebrate a successful year. We had great music from a DJ and a photo booth to document the evening. We look forward to all of the opportunities in 2014.

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS

by Aaron Ellis, Regional Marketing Specialist

The North Central Texas Region celebrated the holidays and kicked off the New Year with not one, but two fun-filled Texas-sized parties! The Central Texas team gathered in San Marcos for a Texas party like no other. They say what happens in San Marcos stays in San Marcos, so we can’t elaborate any further. We can say that the Dallas/Ft. Worth group kicked things off with a Casino night, dancing and some delicious food. It was a memorable way to cap off a tremendous year! Cheers to an even better 2014!

GEORGIA

by Chris Zacharewicz, Regional Partner

We held our first Georgia Region Holiday Party in December. With only two offices open, we were able to accommodate staff and guests at the Zacharewicz household. Several staff members decided it would be fun to have an ugly sweater contest. Although not everybody participated with the sweater idea, we did get a good laugh from those who showed their creativity. Everyone also enjoyed the cookie exchange, holiday drink choices and hors d’oeuvres. Candied bacon and hot-buttered rum were crowd favorites. It was a fun evening with a great group of people. Best of all, we got to unwind from the chaos of opening a new region and enjoy each other’s company.

14 NEW OFFICES

Opened in the Last Two Months

Opened in December Opened in January

COTTONWOOD

Arizona. Opened 12/2/13. Cottonwood Modern Dentistry

PHOENIX 7

Arizona. Opened 12/3/13. Arcadia Modern Dentistry

ALAMO

California. Opened 12/10/13. Alamo Smiles Dental Group

O’FALLON

Missouri. Opened 12/16/13.

O’Fallon Modern Dentistry

OVERLAND PARK

Kansas. Opened 12/18/13.

Overland Park Modern Dentistry

TURLOCK

California. Opened 12/27/13. Turlock Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics

DAVIS 1

California. Opened 12/27/13. Davis Smiles Dentistry

HOUSTON 8

Texas. Opened 12/30/13. Champions Modern Dentistry

UTC

California. Opened 1/6/14.

La Jolla Village Smiles Dentistry and Implants

SEAL BEACH (ROSSMOOR)

California. Opened 1/6/14. Rossmoor Dental Group

CLACKAMAS 1

Oregon. Opened 1/7/14. Clackamas Square Dental Group

DENVER 2

Colorado. Opened 1/7/14. City Park Dental Group and Orthodontics

GARLAND

Texas. Opened 1/7/14. Firewheel Modern Dentistry

FAIRFIELD

California. Opened 1/28/14. Fairfield Dentists

Around the PDS® FAMILY

“Best office photo goes to Natomas 1“

“Conroe 2 celebrates their Grand Opening with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony“

“Happy Holidays from Vacaville“

“Dr. Terri Nguyen was all smiles at Santa Clarita's Community Appreciation Event“

“The San Marcos girls enjoying their pajama call party“

“Canton's Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting“

“Palmdale MKD got into the holiday spirit at Frosty's Fun Fest at the Antelope Valley Mall“

“Manteca had best attendance at the holiday party“

“Las Vegas dentists get dunked for charity: water“

“Dr. Tobler from Durango participates in the Summerlin Art Festival“

“West Sacramento Happy Holidays“

“Gulf Coast Smile Generation's Julie Franks and Karen Rosson with Sheryl Crow at the Houston Ten Man Jam“

“Elk Grove 2 gets the award for best halloween costume“

“Mira Loma enjoys their day at a local community event“

“The Camarillo MKD team gets into the Halloween spirit“

“The Moorpark team had a blast at their Communitiy Appreciation Event“

“The Woodlands wins the Gulf Coast Halloween costume contest“

“Halloween fun with the Norco ortho team“

“The Pacific South Coast Region, a proud sponsor of the LA Clippers, had a blast hanging with the team at their first sponsor table“

“The N. Rancho Cucamonga orthodontic crew“

“Dr. Nicole Smith and the team at Irvine 2 celebrate their Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony“

“The team at Rancho Santa Margarita gets into the Halloween spirit“

“It's a regular day in the office for Southwest Region's traveling

“Rancho

“Murrieta 2 strutting their Halloween costumes“

“Riverside 5 is ready for their Red Ribbon Week community event“

“Balloon fun at MKD Murrieta for breakfast with Santa“

ortho assistants Cassandra and DJ“

Cordova Christmas card at Thunder Valley“

Employee

ANNIVERSARIES

JON THORNE

Senior V.P. of Operations 3/15/94

Jon Thorne has been a tremendous asset in guiding the growth of PDS. He has a strong work ethic, and I admire his dedication. Congratulations on your 20-year anniversary!

–Stephen Thorne

DEANN GERHART

Dental Assistant, Lead 3/1/94

DeAnn Gerhart is the picture of a perfect PDS employee. DeAnn is passionate about dentistry and committed to her team. DeAnn is a wonderful lead assistant, mentor and person. We want DeAnn to stay with us for another 20 years.

–Jessica Maldonado

DEBBIE BRENTON

Accounts Receivable Clerk 1/17/94

Debbie is an asset to our team and works hard to ensure collections for the region. We appreciate all her efforts! Congrats on 20 years!

–Mona Ramirez

SUSAN CARVER

Insurance Claims Auditor

3/26/99

Susan is a great asset to the ROC department. She is always eager to help out wherever she is needed most, and she does it with a great attitude. We really enjoy having her on our team. Congratulations Susan!

-Natalia Udroiu

DR. LOUIS STROMBERG

Dentist-ENDO-IC

3/1/99

I am pleased to recognize Dr. Stromberg for his 15 years of service with PDS and wish to thank him for the time and effort spent in support of our organization.

Congrats on 15 years!

-Dr. Robert Nakaki

ERIN ANDERSON

Rgst Den Assistant, EF 1/7/04

It has been a pleasure to watch Erin grow, both personally and professionally, during the past 10 years. She is a dedicated, loyal and committed employee (and now a proud mommy too!) who has found her calling in pediatrics. She does a fabulous job connecting with the kiddos and has a knack for comforting the parents as well. Congratulations on your 10-year anniversary!

-Melanie Smith

DR. LINDA BANG

Dentist-GP-EE-OD

1/23/04

Dr. Bang has a connection to her patients that few dentists develop. They trust her, and that has given her steady patient referrals for the past 10 years. She delivers quality care to her patients, and that has developed a loyal team to help her continue to care for her patients.

-Paula Larson

DIANA PALKIEWICZ

Regional Manager

3/15/99

Diana has been the cornerstone of the Hi-Desert area of Southern California throughout her career. She has been instrumental in the PDS-supported practice growth of the area and has earned relationships with trust and respect as the foundation. I am proud to have her on the Pacific South Coast team and as a friend.

Congratulations on 15 years!

-Paula Larson

LINDA WILLYERD

Dental Assistant, Lead

3/1/99

Linda is very committed to her patients and represents our ortho program by providing PPE® at all times. Linda greets the patients by name and makes them feel comfortable with Dr. Le by supporting his decisions and following his directions. Linda’s judgement is unquestionable! Dr. Le loves her, and I do too!

-Sharon Torres

DR. JULIET APIN

Dentist-GP-EE 3/8/04

It is an honor to have Dr. Juliet Apin as a valued member of the Winery Estate Dental Group Team.

A recent patient comment: ‘Always a pleasure to see Dr. Apin’s staff and their care are always excellent! We are lucky to have such a committed dentist here at Winery Estate Dental Group.’

-Dr. John Hsieh

RHONDA CHAGOLLA

Receptionist

3/22/04

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Rhonda for many years. Her beautiful smile and warm engaging personality make our patients feel welcome to our office. Her peers enjoy her humor and the wealth of wisdom that she shares with all. With her dedication and work ethic, she’s now taking on a greater role with our specialty team, and has been a huge help to our specialty coordinator. Thank You Rhonda for your loyalty to the Riverside 5 Team! Looking forward to many, many more years!

-Nohemi Rivera

MONICA DACUMOS

Rgst Den Assistant, EF

1/15/04

Monica is a real pleasure to work with. She is always willing to help in whatever she can. She is a real team player, and we really enjoy having her on our team!

-Mimi Tavakoli

VENISSA FOWLER

Operations Manager II

3/9/04

First and foremost, I would like to congratulate Venissa for her well-deserved promotion to the SW Regional Manager team. Venissa truly embodies the spirit of going above and beyond, and yet has the ability to hammer through the daily details while producing outstanding results for her team, her owner dentists, and to the region at large. Venissa’s ability to develop talent under and around her will serve her and her new region well in the months and years to come.

-Jack Knudsen

BEATRIZ (CHRISTINA) GOMEZ

Assistant Manager - SA

1/5/04

I’ve been working with Christina for 10 years now. Christina shows pride in her job and displays loyalty and honesty. She is always helping develop new ideas and is willing to change and help where needed. She always shows a desire to improve and set personal goals. Thank you for your dedication Christina!

-Gloria Hernandez

ELSA GUADARRAMA

Dental Assistant, Lead 2/5/04

Thank you for the energy you bring to RSM and for your years of dedication!

-Morgan Recely Goetz

MARIA (SUE) MANDIGMA

Rgst Den Assistant, EF 3/8/04

I have had the pleasure of working side by side with Sue for the past 10 years, and I consider her my right hand. Sue is a very hard worker, and it’s apparent to me and the patients that she loves her job. Sue is amazing when it comes to patient connection. She always makes my patients feel cared for and appreciated. I feel so lucky to have Sue as a part of my team!

-Dr. Darren Do

VICTORIA DEMARY

Receptionist

2/4/04

Victoria, thank you for your 10 years of service. You have demonstrated hard work, commitment and loyalty to your team and the patients you serve. You are a crucial part of our Menifee family. Your daily performance exceeds my expectations. Thank you for always going above and beyond. You are truly the multitasking queen! WE LOVE AND APPRECIATE YOU!

HAPPY 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

-Erica Stapleton

GUADALUPE

FRANCO

Rgst Den Assistant, EF 1/2/04

Lupe is an essential part of Burbank’s success; his energy and spirit make it a pleasure to work with him. Lupe is a team player and is always willing to lend a hand or a smile. We think he’s wonderful, and our patients would agree! Thank you Lupe for 10 years of dedication. Looking forward to many more!

-Heather Lopez

SABRINA GOMEZ

Supervisor, Billing Operations 3/25/04

Sabrina, congrats on your 10 years! Sabrina is an extraordinary individual as my Billing Operations Supervisor. Thank you for the dedication and hard work that you bring daily to the ROC department. Your experience truly makes you a valuable member of Revenue Operations!

-Vanessa Perez

LESLIE LARSON

Executive Assistant 3/1/04

Words can’t express what a pleasure it’s been working with Leslie for the past 10 years. Leslie’s anticipation of what is required before asked is impressive. Her professionalism, positive attitude and creativity has been a huge asset for myself and the finance and accounting team. I look forward to the next 10 years.

-Brady Aase

DINA NELIPOVICH

Rgst Den Assistant, EF II 3/29/04

Dina has been working as Dr. Hoang’s right hand for many years, and she is a very loyal employee. She is always flexible and willing to go the extra mile for our patients. Dina is extremely hard working and is constantly looking for ways to help everyone. I have been very impressed with her dedication to our practice and her level of professionalism. Dina takes her job very seriously and takes pride in everything she does.

-Marcela Truxal

YEARS

DR. HOLLY NGUYEN-IAU

Dentist-GP-EE

3/18/04

Dr. Nguyen-Iau has been instrumental in the success of Rancho Dental Group. She gets to know her patients on a personal level and treats each one as she would her own family members. She is an integral part of our team and, when not providing Clinical Excellence, is always willing to help out in any capacity, big or small.

-Dr. Darin Reagan

MICHAEL PINKERTON

Maintenance Ops Manager

1/7/04

Mike began his career with PDS as a maintenance technician, and now 10 years later, through lots of hard work and dedication to his job, he is our Maintenance Operations Manager and continues to do outstanding work. Thanks Mike, and congratulations on 10 years of service!

-Don Webb

JOSE PRECIADO

Dental Assistant, Ortho

1/19/04

Jose has transferred from GP and has been a great addition to the ortho team. He’s a hard worker and dedicated employee who we can count on day in and day out, whether its ortho or even covering to help GP when needed. We are fortunate to have him on the ortho team. Congratulations on your 10 years and many more to come!

-Victor Valadez

ROSALINDA RAVADAN

Operations Manager 3/22/04

Rosa’s warm welcome to those that walk into her office is one that should be emulated by all. She genuinely cares about her ‘patients’, and it shows in all that she does. She goes above and beyond to help those around her and is a big part of our team’s overall success.

Congratulations on 10 years Rosa!

-Jeremy Fuls

NEELAM SANGROY

Rgst Den Assistant, EF 1/13/04

Neela Sangroy has been part of our family at CHDG for 10 years now; we all love working with her. Neela can perform a variety of duties and handles many situations with ease. She has always been a responsible and reliable team member and is always willing to help everyone. Thank you Neela for all of your hard work and dedication.

-Gloria Hernandez

DR. MINH PHAM

Dentist-GP-EE-OD-Multi

2/25/04

Top 10 reasons how Dr. Pham mocks mediocrity: In 2004, he became an associate dentist; in 2007, he becomes a partner at Crossings Dental Group; in 2008, gained multi-ownership status with Menifee 2; Top Doc honors five out of the last eight years; in 2010, Perris ties for Office of the Year; in 2011, he wins the coveted Award of Doctor Distinction; Perris wins 2012 Office of the Year; he is always building great Owner Partners for tomorrow; moonlights as PDS’ next top model; and the #1 reason he mocks mediocrity: he doesn’t slow down!

-Joanna Rodgers

ALISSA POPE

Regional Support Manager

2/2/04

Alissa has been a huge asset to our region and a pleasure to work with for certain. Her passion for PDS and our region is contagious and is reflected in the high-quality work she does every day!

-Kevin Lawton

MONA RAMIREZ

Regional Collections Specialist

2/2/04

Mona is instrumental to the Pacific South Coast region. Her knowledge, approachability and genuine passion for the results of the region – office by office – make her one of the most widely appreciated and in-demand resources of the region! Congratulations on your 10-year anniversary, and THANK YOU for all you do!

-Paula Larson

AMY RIVERA

Operations Manager 1/26/04

Amy’s wealth of experience, professionalism and can-do attitude are an enormous resource to me, the region, and her owner dentist, Dr. Lynda Watanabe. Amy runs a tremendously productive team at the Riverside 5 location, and year after year proves she has what it takes to continue to grow a thriving practice to the next level. Amy continues to demonstrate outstanding leadership with her operational team as well as her clinical team and consistently contributes above and beyond her role.

-Jack Knudsen

DONNA SIMIEN

RDH 2/16/04

Donna Simien is an amazing person and excellent hygienist. Donna, thank you for 10 years of dedication to your patients and team. Donna is the backbone of NRCDG.

-Jessica Maldonado

WILFRED SOLIZ

CPS Support

3/1/04

I am privileged to speak for the team and thank Wilfred for his 10 years of service to PDS. He is constantly going the extra mile to ensure that our systems are up and he is an absolute bulldog in taking on support issues and seeing them through to resolution.

-Erik Jackley

EVA SZEKELY

Rgst Den Assistant

2/20/04

Eva comes in with a smile on her face every day and always works her hardest. I, as well as her team and patients, love being around her. We appreciate all of your hard work and dedication to our office. We love and congratulate you on your 10 years. Keep up the good work!

-Kari Walters

ERIKA VASQUEZ

Rgst Den Assistant, EF

3/29/04

Erika is an excellent dental assistant! She really loves her job, and it shows! We all really appreciate all of her hard work and dedication to our team.

-Guadalupe Santos

JAMIE WALLANDER

Assistant Manager - SA 1/2/04

Jamie launched her career at PDS as an SBC; her unwavering dedication to our specialties has allowed us to flourish and expand, not once, but twice in the past decade! Now, in her role as assistant manager, her fanatical attention to detail and work ethic make her indispensable to our team.

-Nicole Oftelie

PATRICIA SUAREZ

Receptionist

1/5/04

Patty has a heart of gold and genuinely cares about each patient and staff member she sees every day. In fact, if she is off for even just one day, the patients are asking where she is. Congratulations on your 10 years with PDS. We are blessed to have you on our team.

-Kristen Gephart

DIANA VALES

Specialty Benefits Coordinator 2/16/04

Diana is an important part of the Irvine team. I have appreciated all her help and effort throughout the years. Thank you for all that you have done for the office. Congrats on 10 years of commitment and hard work.

-Julie Delgado

DR. CHRISTINE VIAN

Dentist-GP-EE

3/5/04

Dr. Vian is central to the success of Anaheim Hills Dental Group, and her schedules abound with Patients for Life™ ! Her sense of humor and approachable demeanor have made her both a patient and a staff favorite. Soon to be a mother of four, we applaud her dedication to both of her families! We are lucky to have her working with us, and we look forward to her impact in the future.

-Nicole Oftelie

TIM AGRELIUS

Programmer 03/11/09

DR. PRIYANKA BHALLA

Dentist-GP-EE 03/30/09

REBECA CAMORLINGA

Dental Assistant, Lead 02/25/09

RACHEL CARDIN

Regional Manager 02/10/09

DAVID CORREA

Regional Manager 03/11/09

CANDICE DIAZ

Benefits Coordinator 02/25/09

CECILIA GAMBOA

RDH 02/16/09

KRISTEN ALGER

Dental Assistant 03/17/09

KEN BLAISDELL

Vice President, Tax 01/15/09

YVETTE CANO

Receptionist 02/16/09

TERESA CASAS Receptionist 01/14/09

RICARDO CUADRA

RDH 03/04/09

JENNIFER DIETHRICH

Receptionist 02/25/09

DR. ERIC GENENBACHER

Dentist-GP-EE-OD 02/16/09

KEELEY ARIAS

RDH 03/10/09

ANNETTE BUHR

Property Manager 02/11/09

ELIZABETH CAPILLA

Receptionist 02/25/09

BESMIRA CELMETA

Dental Assistant, Lead 02/16/09

NANCY DECESARIS

Benefits Coordinator 01/12/09

CHERYL FORD

RDH 02/13/09

MAUREEN GEORGE

Prof Development Coach 02/02/09

CARLEENA GORDON

Dental Assistant, Ortho 02/25/09

CYNTHIA HENSLEE

Rgst Den Assistant 01/05/09

JENNIFER JUSTICE

Assistant Manager - SA 03/25/09

ALMA LAZARIT

Specialty Benefits Coord 02/11/09

MARC LOMIBAO PERUELO

Dental Assistant 03/25/09

DR. KELSEY MAJORS

Dentist-GP-EE-OD-Multi 01/15/09

DR. JACK MOSS

Dentist-GP-EE-OD 02/18/09

DR. JAMES GUINN

Dentist-GP-EE 01/23/09

GABRIELA HERNANDEZ

Benefits Coordinator 03/10/09

ROCKY KAO

Senior Accountant 02/25/09

EILEEN LE

Specialty Benefits Coord 03/04/09

ELIZABETH LOPEZ

Dental Assistant, Lead 03/25/09

ASHLEY MARTINEZ

RDH 03/12/09

LORI NEUHAUSER

Specialty Benefits Coord 01/11/09

DR. ASHLEIGH HARRISON

Dentist-GP-EE-OD-Multi 01/02/09

LENA HO RDH 03/31/09

SCOTT KINGSLIEN

Operations Manager 02/25/09

JANET LOERA

Rgst Den Assistant 02/03/09

DR. GERALD LOPEZ

Dentist-GP-EE-OD 02/16/09

CASSANDRA MORENO

Receptionist 03/04/09

TOFFEE NOPHAENKHAM

Accts Payable Specialist 03/16/09

YEARS

DR. BRADFORD

O’NEILL

Dentist-GP-EE-OD-Multi 03/18/09

KATHERIN PARKIN

Dental Assistant 01/14/09

SALLY QUINN

Dental Assistant, Periodo 01/19/09

BEVERLY ROSS

RDH

02/19/09

VERONICA SINGH

RDH 01/02/09

MELISSA TUCKER

RDH 03/02/09

LUANN WHITE

Operations Manager

01/07/09

DR. DAVID PARK

Dentist-GP-EE 02/17/09

ROMELIA PASTRANO

Rgst Den Assistant 03/04/09

DIANA RIVERA

Dental Assistant 03/11/09

DR. GREGORY SAUER

Dentist-GP-EE-OD 02/02/09

CAROLYN TAN

CallCenterRepresentative 01/06/09

DORA VARGAS

Rgst Den Assistant 03/25/09

MELISSA WICKERD

Dental Assistant 03/25/09

DR. JOOROK PARK

Dentist-ORTHO-IC 01/05/09

VERONICA PRADO

Receptionist 02/16/09

CHARLOTTE ROBLES

Biller 03/04/09

DR. JONATHAN SHAPIRO

Dentist-GP-EE 01/16/09

DR. SCOTT TUCHKLAPER

Dentist-GP-EE-OD 01/01/09

SAMANTHA WARE

Benefits Coordinator 01/27/09

MICHAEL WILLIAMS

Operations Manager 02/23/09

What’s New with Education Development

Around the Mouth

Need hints? Check out the Terminology page in the LearnCenter!

ACROSS

2. Tooth with broad surface for chewing, also called a premolar

6. Anterior tooth with sharp cutting edge

8. Name for anatomy where the mandible meets the maxillary, pt. 1

12. Surface of tooth that faces tongue

13. Chewing surface of a tooth

15. Name for anatomy where the mandible meets the maxillary, pt. 2

19. Tooth with four or more cusps, designed to chew and grind food

20. Surface of tooth that faces the midline of the mouth

21. Back portion of the mouth

22. Name for anatomy where the mandible meets the maxillary, pt. 3

23. Hardest tissue of the body, covers crown of tooth

24. Teeth designed for cutting and tearing food, located at the corner of each arch

CLN232 – Perfect Patient Experience Study Club #1

Let’s practice patient Connection using the Perfect Patient Experience®! This is one of three study clubs to be taken after attending CLN625 – Perfect Patient Experience: Patient Acceptance during New Doctor Orientation. Perfect Patient Experience Study Club #1 Connection focuses on the PPE® concepts of meeting and greeting your patients, discovering the Four Chiefs and understanding the readiness of your patients to start treatment. You will learn dialogues for Connection, the value of Connection and how to facilitate Connection with your patients through case study presentations and using role-playing techniques. After this study club, you will be able to confidently connect with patients to ensure successful patient acceptance. This workshop is available regionally and is open to all dentists, so visit the LearnCenter, locate the workshop in your region and enroll in the next class!

DOWN

1. Front portion of the mouth

3. The part of the tooth above the gum line

4. Surface of tooth facing the back of the mouth

5. Resilient tissue immediately surrounding a tooth

7. An imaginary line dividing the face

9. Surface of posterior tooth that faces the cheek

10. Biting/cutting edge of an anterior tooth

11. One of the four sections in the mouth

14. The upper arch in the dentition

16. Anatomic area at the end of tooth root

17. Portion of the tooth that lies beneath the gum line

18. Surface of an anterior tooth that faces the lips

21. Inner portion of tooth that contains blood vessels and nerves