PDS Life Spring 2012

Message

From the

PRESIDENT Inspired

Dear PDS® Teammates,

I want to say how INSPIRED I was during the last six weeks of 2011.

It proved to me that PDS® has the best people in the dental industry! Records were being set almost daily. Patients were getting the treatment they needed because of your attention to the Perfect Patient Experience®. We have people with HEART, and your patients could feel it! We have people who CARE, and your patients got to experience it. We have the best business model in the industry, centered on Private Practice+™ and Clinical Excellence. We have proven technologies, and we are financially strong. The future is so bright!

We are leaders in our industry. Leaders who are impatient for change. Leaders who abhor the status quo! Leaders who have a preoccupation with creating a better future! Yet, as leaders, we have to be cognizant of what happens too often to leading companies. They become riddled

with layers (fat) that separate management from the customer - whether it be clinicians or patients. It is the leader’s job to stay focused on the main thing and fight the tendency to add layers whenever it rears its ugly head! We must keep our noses to the grindstone while also raising our eyes to the horizon. Our RP model addresses some of this tendency to add layers, but it does not solve it. In the history of PDS, we have never been more decentralized,

and offerings PDS provides, it is pretty amazing. The quality of these systems and keeping our organization flat will be the glue that holds the organization together over the long haul and will make PDS the Greatest Dental Company in America.

What’s Inside... Spring 2012

I am INSPIRED when I think about the organization we have all built.

but we still have a way to go. If we truly want to minimize layers, minimize bureaucracy, we have to continue to build systems and structures that SUPPORT, not hinder, the people closest to the customer; owner dentists, GP dentists, specialists, hygienists, clinicians, and employees.

I am INSPIRED when I think about the organization we have all built. When we think about the systems

Sincerely,

Stephen Thorne IV, President

AND THE IS

Looking forward to what we can accomplish in 2012! Regional

2

And the Winner is...

Read about all the winners and find out what makes each one successful!

8

Parties

Check out all the fun had by each region at their holiday party!

11

Myths & Questions

Dr. Buehler sets the record straight by clarifying misunderstandings and common questions from his colleagues.

12

A first-hand look at how water changes everything.

Office Of the Year

Montecito Town Center Dental Group in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This is the first non-California PDS-affiliated office to ever win office of the year. We sat down with the Owner Doctor, Cari Callaway; the Operations Manager, Anna Grimley; and the Regional Director, Terri Yannone to learn more about their incredible year.

What made 2011 such a successful year for Montecito?

Dr. Callaway: In January, we set a very clear and specific goal, set a BHAG goal of production, and set a timid goal for office of the year. At the time, it was a pipe dream, but when we got office of the month in January, it gave us the confidence that we could be office of the year. From there we vocalized it, it was intentional, and we talked about it at meetings. It was our focus.

Dedication and focus; their BHAG goal was to be office of the year, and they talked about it at their monthly meetings and in their morning meetings.

Describe the culture at Montecito?

We want to treat our patients like VIPs; we want to be a part of the community; we want patients to feel like friends and family; we call them by name; we remember them; it’s not dentistry as a number; we’re people who care about them, but in caring for them, we want to be exceptional clinically. Congruently, my staff needs to be a cohesive team that cares about each other.

Definitely patient-centric; their patient retention rate is at 39%. Team-oriented, great communication, and teamwork.

When I first came here, I learned from Dr. Callaway the importance of connecting to the patients, listening to the patients, and ultimately having true compassion for the patients. So, we’ve

taken that patient compassion and my “driving/operator” mentality and really made it a great combination. We’re a family here — the team enjoys working together. I have to tell them sometimes to go home; they just enjoy being together. We have an AWESOME team.

KG: This is the first office of the year award to go to an affiliated office outside of California. How does it make you feel?

Dr. C: That makes me feel really proud. I know PDS started in CA, and that’s been the heart and soul, and now we’re expanding to multiple states. So a little old office in Las Vegas being recognized is wonderful. I hope it makes the core docs, Dr. Ghazal and Dr. Sharifian and Dr. Linda Watanabe, who came out here and started Vegas proud, because we couldn’t have done it without them.

Terri: Wow, I didn’t know that — it brings tears to my eyes. It will be six years that Vegas is in existence, and this team has grown so much in six years.

Anna: I can’t even explain how it feels; it doesn’t even feel real. We’re shocked that this really happened. I can’t even put it in words. This team has really done it; I can’t even explain. It’s a big deal to win this—it’s like getting a grammy. It’s huge.

KG: What makes your doctors so special?

Anna: The doctors here really believe in themselves, work really well with their assistants, and take ownership of their patients and their schedules. Dr. Callaway is a story herself and this is her office. She is an incredible mentor for her doctors, and she wants them to succeed. She wants her docs to become owner doctors and move forward and succeed. Her main goal is not

to look at the numbers, but to take care of her patients—her passion is her patients. “We cannot allow one patient to leave upset; it is all about the patients,” she always says.

Terri: Dr. Callaway is an example for owner doctors everywhere. She is passionate about her team and her practice. She is always growing and always looking at ways to improve. Dr. Azad and Dr. Radmall have stepped in and been great additions to the team. Dr. Norton was a big part of Montecito getting office of the year and although the office was sad to see her go, they were happy for her to become a new owner doc.

KG: What is your number one focus?

Dr. C: Excellent care of our patients; taking care of the patients’ needs to the point where the office staff is so focused on taking care of our customer (patients) that we have become critical of other business’s customer service. I have people on my team telling me I’m not going to that doctor’s office or that restaurant anymore because they didn’t receive the customer service that they expect.

KG: How did your partnership with Communities in Schools help this year?

Terri: Patients were very happy that we were an advocate for something in our own community. It brought more patients in the door and really was one more thing to bring the office together and connect it to the community.

Interview by Kyle Guerin "We Serve" Manager

This is the fourth time in seven years that Dr. Minh Pham has been Top-Producing Doc!

We’ve already asked him about his office, his secret to success, his culture, his team, the PPE®, specialties, and PFLs. So now we’re just going to ask him anything.

Kyle Guerin: Dr. Pham, if you were a superhero, what superhero what would you be?

Minh Pham: Obi-Wan Kenobi

KG: When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing?

Back to your question – what's left to accomplish? Hmmm. Good question. Maybe PDS® has to come up with more criteria and awards so I can go after them. Hehe.

KG: What’s your biggest regret?

MP: That Perris was co-office of the year for 2010. Who likes sharing?

KG: If the office was burning to the ground, what is the one thing you would grab?

MP: My behind and high tail it out of the burning building.

KG: This next one is a two-part question. Do you think you’ll ever not win? And will the reason be just so you don’t have to do this interview anymore?

MP: I love these interviews with you Kyle - so I will keep on winning so it makes your job harder to come up with interesting questions. I am sure you got help from Hosier and other peeps on some of these questions.

KG: Last year you came across a little arrogant in the article. Was that my fault?

DOctOr in the SpOtlight regiOn Of the Year

MP: No. I own that one. But if I sound like a pompous you know what this time, it's all on you, Guerin.

KG: Again, here is a two parter. Do you think you’re a better dentist or a better dancer? How would your Regional Partner, Joanna Rodgers, answer this question?

MP: Tough question. Depends on how many Grey Goose and cranberry/pineapple drinks Joanna and I have had. Before six glasses, Joanna would definitely say better dentist. After the seventh one, definitely better dancer. As long as I don't pick her or my work partner, Dr. Ghazal, up off the dance floor and drop them.

KG: Dr. Pham, this has been enlightening and entertaining. appreciate your time. What do you say we do it again next year?

MP: It would be my pleasure.

MP: In no particular order:

I enjoy strategic planning and ops meetings with the best regional partner on the planet, Joanna Rodgers. Followed by ops and budget meetings with my RM and OM, and then if there’s time, sleeping and tennis.

KG: Which Hollywood superstar do you most resemble?

MP: I hear Tyler Perry but more when he is dressed as Madea.

KG: You know I met Tyler Perry at the charity: water ball, and I felt like I had met him before. It must have been you I was

KG: Is it true that you use Jedi mind tricks on patients so that they will like you as much as they do?

MP: True. Jedi Master I am

KG: With the numbers that you produce, do you think sometimes people get confused and think your practice is in Paris, France not Perris, California?

MP: You stumped me... hmmm. I don't know. I'll start asking around. Wait a minute; you mean I’m not in France?

KG: Is Sherrie Seward the greatest receptionist in the history of the world?

MP: I can't say either way because it may get to her head. But I don't plan on replacing her this year. Ask me again next year.

KG: Let’s talk about your history. You were part of the office of the year in 2006 when Menifee won, your office in Perris was co-office of the year in 2010, you were the 2011 XP Award of Distinction winner, and now for the fourth time in seven years, you are the top-producing doctor. What’s left to accomplish?

MP: You left out...

• 2009 Office of the Year Runner Up: Perris

• Office of the Month: March 2009, June 2009, August 2009, November 2009, and October 2010

• Runner Up: January 2009, April 2009, September 2009, and April 2010

• Honorable Mention: July 2009 and March 2010

• 2 Diamond Award winners:

• Sherrie Seward –Insurance/Drama Queen/Receptionist

• Maricella Vallardares - RDAEF

• 11 Platinum Award winners

• 16+ Gold Award winners

• #1 NOI Office for 2011: Menifee 2

• #2 NOI Office for 2011: Perris

• #3 highest-producing hygienist for 2012: Joy Rathnam

• #8 Ian MacKenzie

• #11 Jessica Macias

• #2 oral surgeon: Dr. Phillip Seim Etcetera, etcetera ... But who's counting? Certainly not me. ;)

(Since we conducted this interview, Dr. Pham and his team won five 2012 XP Awards.)

Paula Larson knows a

thing or two about winning awards,

so we sat down with the two-time Region of the Year winner to learn more about what makes her region so successful.

Kyle Guerin: First off, I hear your region has a new name; can you share it with us?

Paula Larson: Yes, we are the Pacific South Coast Region.

KG: What made 2011 such a successful year for your region?

PL: People ask what the secret is. Where does the magic come from; is it a secret pill? It’s very simple; it’s just focus and hard work. We focus on this day, this week, this month, this goal. I have 51 Private Practice+™ offices and everyone at every level is focused. Each individual office loves being a part of PDS®, but they love having successful offices even more, and they are all focused on growing their individual offices. It helps that 94% of our offices have a practicing owner doctor.

In 2010 when PDS set the imperative to focus on year-overyear growth, we really took that to heart, but we knew that it would be a real challenge because we had some of the oldest practices in the company. But we saw how important it was to the company, and we got excited about it. We take a lot of pride in being part of the PDS team, but our team is really focused on their individual practice. The success of the region is really a sum of the parts.

KG: How does it feel to win back to back?

and cents in revenue or ROI; the region takes pride again in how we do things.

KG: Describe the culture in your region?

PL: Of course it’s awesome. The whole team was holding their breath. There were some incredible teams that got incredible results.

KG: It really is a big deal to win, isn’t it?

PL: It is; it really is a big deal. It’s validation that the culture we are building and “how” we do things are working and that others are recognizing it. The pride of the region is defined not by dollar

PL: We have a culture of one month at a time; for our OMs, it’s one schedule at a time, but we really look at everything one month at a time. We are a region that genuinely cares about our region and our team. There is a lot of quiet pride in the region. We’re not constantly looking at the scoreboard, but we are maniacally focused on the fundamentals that will get us to the end result.

KG: Describe your style of leadership?

PL: Do we really have to talk about me in the region of the year? I would say I’m purposeful; I would hope that my people would

Interview by Kyle Guerin "We Serve" Manager

say that they’re glad to be on my team. I’m very opportunityfocused. I don’t have one individual style. People are all different, and I try to work with each individual person to find the best way to help those individuals become successful. I’m obviously very competitive.

KG: What makes your doctors so special?

PL: 2011 was the first year that we as a region were able to come up with clinical imperatives. In years past, we just couldn’t tackle it as a region just due to pure size. But this year, the docs all came together and achieved every clinical imperative that they set for each other.

KG: What is your number one focus?

PL: Year-over-year growth was our biggest focus and

sometimes our biggest challenge; how do we get offices that are 5, 6, 7 and sometimes 12 years old to continue to grow?

KG: What were some of the other challenges you had to overcome to win Region of the Year?

PL: The challenge of getting 51 offices to be maniacally focused on their business but also getting them to realize that they can help out the other offices in the region. Finding the time to help each other out.

KG: Paula, thanks again for taking the time to sit down with us, and congratulations on a well-deserved Region of the Year Award.

regiOnal Manager Of the Year

We

sat down with Jack Knudsen, Regional Manager of the Year,

to learn about how he drives success in his region and what kind of leadership style he practices.

Kyle Guerin: What made 2011 such a successful year for your region?

Jack Knudsen: An intense focus on GROWTH from day one. All of our business planning, staffing, marketing, and provider decisions were made with the intent of improving our position from the prior year. This team represents an enormous amount of both operational and clinical experience as well, and I believe we had a high level of collaboration that allowed us to effectively share and implement best practices across the region.

KG: Describe the relationship you have with your docs. JK: I’ve tried to build a relationship with our doctors where I am primarily perceived as a resource. Joanna’s SW Region has put a lot of effort behind developing a strong clinical culture and as a result, I spend a lot of time driving alignment between our owners’ clinical goals and operational necessities. The region has a fantastic group of owners, associates, and specialists, and I know if they are properly supported, growth is the natural result.

KG: Describe the culture in your region.

JK: “One Team, One Fight”… the concept being that we are either holding each other together or tearing each other apart; you can’t do both, and only one leads to success.

KG: Describe your style of leadership.

JK: This is probably a better question to ask my Ops Team … I can tell you what I’m going for though. I believe in “leading as you want to be led,” which for me manifests in providing clear goals, issuing my intent or vision for achieving those goals, and being available to support those goals effectively. Equally important is ensuring that you are consistently celebrating success and actively demonstrating appreciation for hard work …. (my team is still developing me on this one).

KG: What makes your offices so special?

JK: Our people. I have a team of doctors, managers, and staff that not only have a wealth of experience, but are highly competitive and invested in the success of their offices. We have also been working on building a depth of talent so we can provide better support within individual offices and across the region.

KG: What were some of the challenges you had to overcome to win Regional Manager of the Year?

JK: 2011 was my first full year in the role of RM. My biggest challenge was building trust with a veteran group of managers and clinicians – it took awhile, as it should. I think we’ve made a lot of progress and we have nothing but open road in front of us.

KG: How did specialties impact your office performance?

JK: How much of an impact is $7,780,263 - an irreplaceable one, I’d say. I would need to double the number of GP days in my region to make up that revenue, but first, I would need to double the number of opportunities. I’ll stick with a strong specialty culture, thank you very much.

KG: What advice do you have for other Regionals gunning for you?

JK: Advice comes at a price … I do take cash, but I don’t finance.

full liSt Of awarD winnerS

Office of the Year: Montecito

Runner Up: Phoenix 4

Rookie of Year (DeNovo): Surprise 2

Runner Up: RSD

Most Improved Office of the Year: Shadow Mountain

Runner Up: Moreno Valley

Support Department of the Year: Legal

Runner Up: CBO

Regional Manager of the Year: Jack Knudsen

Runner Up: Samantha Adams

Region of the Year: Pacific South Coast

Runner Up: Arizona

Hygiene Office of the Year: La Quinta

Runner Up: Queen Creek 1

Endo Office of the Year: Oceanside

Runner Up: Hemet

Oral Surgery Office of the Year: Hemet

Runner Up: Phoenix 4

Ortho Office of the Year: Chino Hills 1

Runner Up: Fontana 2

Perio Office of the Year: Chino Hills 1

Runner Up: La Quinta

Pediatric Dentistry Office of the Year: My Kid's Murrieta

Runner Up: My Kid's Manteca

Interview by Kyle Guerin "We Serve" Manager

Interview by Kyle Guerin "We Serve" Manager

HOLIDAY PARTIESRegional 2011

PACIFIC SOUTH COAST Region

Thank you to everyone for making our region’s holiday celebration at the Disneyland Hotel on December 16, 2011, a night to remember. Whether you were hitting the dance floor, enjoying the delicious food, or huddled around the irresistible candy table sneaking a sweet treat, it was clear that a great time was had by all. Some lucky guests even took home some exciting raffle prizes! And everything was captured by our professional photographer. What an awesome close to 2011!

by Leslie Polley Regional Marketing Specialist

Las Vegas

The Las Vegas region celebrated the holidays Vegas style on December 16, 2011.  With green, teal, and silver accents, the Veil Ballroom at The Silverton Hotel and Casino was delightfully decorated.  After Terri Yannone, Regional Director Las Vegas, thanked the region for their hard work and support, the party kicked off with a touching slideshow showcasing events and outings throughout the year.  Each employee and a guest were treated to dinner, music, over 40 donated raffle prizes, and a photo booth; even Santa showed up for some key photo ops!  Thanks to Terri, and the doctors and specialists for contributing to the party fund and to all the vendors who donated raffle prizes for our biggest holiday party yet!  Here’s to next year!

by Carisa Litzinger Regional Marketing Assistant

North L.A. Holiday Fiesta

On the evening of December 9, 2011, the North L.A. region came together at the Sage Brush Cantina for their first ever regional “Holiday Fiesta”. Located in Calabasas, California, the Sage Brush Cantina was the perfect backdrop for a fun-filled fiesta!

Three-hundred North L.A. employees and guests gathered to celebrate both the holiday season and the end of 2011. The evening included a full taco bar, hilarious photo booth, and an amazing array of raffle items. The Holiday Fiesta was a great way to spend time together as a whole TEAM and show appreciation for the wonderful people who work so hard in North L.A.!

A big THANK YOU to the North L.A. Owner Doctors and team of specialists! Because of their generous donations, there were over 60 raffle items at the Holiday Fiesta.

by Kelly Scott Regional Marketing Specialist

Pacific Northwest

It looked a lot like Christmas in the Pacific Northwest region! On December 15, 2011, employees and their guests got dressed up and headed out to the beautiful Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel for our inaugural Regional Christmas Party! It was a night of great food, dancing, mingling, and wacky pictures in the photo booth. Regional Partner Koert Takkunen thanked everyone for their contributions and service and then kicked off the raffle game with 20 exciting prizes, including ski lift tickets, a round of golf, and an iPod Shuffle. Thank you Koert, owner doctors, and specialists for making it all happen, and thank you to ALL those in attendance for making it a GREAT night! More fun times to come!

by Sarah Groft

Regional Marketing Specialist

Southwest California Region

The Southwest region celebrated the holidays in style at the Pechanga Resort and Casino ballroom in Temecula, California. Everyone arrived in their best holiday attire and joined in the festivities by taking fun photo booth pictures, packing the dance floor, and eating great food! The fun didn’t stop there; many guests left with one of 50 great raffle prizes, such as iPad 2s, cameras, spa gift certificates, iPods, televisions, and many more! The Southwest region definitely knows how to party!

by Andread Petty Regional Marketing Specialist

North Texas Holiday Hoedown

A big shout out to Team North Texas for making our “Holiday Hoedown” a fun-filled conclusion to an exciting 2011! Our Texas-style evening was complete with BBQ, cold drinks, and plenty of dancing—a great time was had by all at Austin Ranch! A special thanks to all who donated to the Toys for Tots drive that night; it was a memorable way to cap off a tremendous year!

by Aaron Ellis Regional Marketing Specialist

& Questions

In this month’s article, I will cover some of the most common questions and misunderstandings that I routinely hear from my colleagues here at PDS®.

“With CEREC®, we must remove much more tooth structure.” False.

Because we are typically using adhesive retention, in addition to mechanical retention, it is actually ideal to remove less tooth structure. The tooth structure we must remove is simply different. While it is true that “classic” blocks require close to 1.5mm of uniform occlusal reduction, preparation of radial surfaces can be much more conservative.

Any enamel that can be preserved will greatly enhance the strength of you restoration, provided it is selectively etched and has adequate dentinal support.

Just as our vision of a proper filling outline form has evolved as we transitioned from alloy to composite, so too must our vision of a crown or onlay form. Modern ceramics have opened a world of new possibilities. For instance, restorations may be part onlay and part veneer.

“CEREC restorations look vanilla and not like real teeth.”

Not if done properly.

CEREC proposals and final results are very much controlled by: The quality of the preparation

The quality of the image/data capture

The quality of design and finishing

“CEREC takes a long time.”

Not longer than a temporary and a subsequent seat appointment!

With experience, preparation is quick and easy. Design rarely needs to be more than five minutes – especially with 4.0 and a good central processing unit (CPU). Proposals now need very little alteration with good quality image capture.

It is true that with e-max, waiting 30 minutes for crystallization and cooling is unavoidable. However, with proper time

by

management, there is usually something else that can be accomplished in that window.

Always remember that the chances of post-treatment sensitivity go up steadily over time; the sooner you can seal the tooth, the better! And don’t be afraid to soak your preparations in Clorhexidine – it will NOT hurt bond strength.

“When do I need to onlay a cusp?”

When a margin will fall on a stamp or wear facet, it should be relocated in your preparation. A cusp need not be covered if adequate dentinal support is available – this can be defined as 1.7mm of lateral tooth structure.

“I don’t feel comfortable on deep root surfaces with a fat CEREC margin; I need to do a thin chamfer.”

Go for it!!!

Conceptually, we know that 3mm walls are adequate for purely mechanical retention. We also know that we can mill e-max as thin as 3/10mm and classic blocks to ½ mm. This means we can place thin veneers of ceramic on recession areas extending down the root surface, well beyond the 3mm threshold, with confidence!

“Usually I can’t use CEREC on 2nd molars.”

I always do and have not experienced any failures. The two important factors here are adequate ceramic thickness and adequate retention. Often on the distal wall where there is little or no vertical height, I simply do not prep the vertical wall. However, I do get an excellent bond to etched enamel and ensure 1.5mm of e-max thickness. By prepping less tooth structure, I typically have abundant bondable enamel and am well away from ligament. On the mesial, we typically get loads of wall height which fades to zero on the distal aspect. Of course the restoration must be well-bonded and have a very defined positivity of seat on try-in.

“I prepped enough!”

I’ll bet you lunch!!

The next time you have a proposal with horrible anatomy and lots of red, I challenge you to take a 1.5mm foam reduction checker and see if you actually have the space. I bet I’ll be eating well – I’ve never lost on this yet!!! Keep

Dr. Brian Buehler Owner Doctor

How Water Changes Everything

by Matt Hall Director of Marketing

Field Notes: Haiti Intro Day 1 Day 2

How do you begin to tell the story of the most impactful trip of your life? Less than two years after one of the biggest natural disasters of our lifetime (a 7.0 earthquake in a third world country), Dr. Paul Gebhart (multi-office owner who has done so many CAD/CAM restorations, he practically donated an entire well to charity: water) and I proudly represented Pacific Dental Services® on a trip to Haiti with our outreach partner, charity: water, who is represented on our trip by Christy Scazzero (one of the most kindhearted but determined people I’ve ever met – a blessing of a combo to have in an outreach partner). Our goal was simple: to somehow capture the impact 3,000 PDS® team members are having in a critical area of Haiti known as the “Central Plateau.” For it was the work of every person in this company that helped raise nearly $100,000 to bring clean, safe drinking water to many Haitian villages. Simple goal by definition only; how we had to achieve it was what we could have never expected.

Narrative Note from Kate at Partners in Health

Most of us heard the stats on the disaster: 300,000+ died; 300,000+ injured; approximately 300,000 buildings collapsed; 1.6 million people living in tents (only 10 million live in Haiti; so EVERYONE knew someone who was ravished by the quake). Imagine one in 10 people dying in your city immediately. Imagine three in 100 in your entire country! If that happened in the U.S., nine million people would have died. But while the numbers are staggering, the media seemingly ignored the economic impact for generations to come.

Consider that three million of Haiti’s 10 million people live in PAP (Port-Au-Prince), which was basically the epicenter. PAP is the capitol of Haiti, and all “knowledge workers” flock to PAP as if it were their shot at “making it big.” The earthquake couldn’t have hit a worse place for this impoverished country. The people building Haiti’s future were precisely the ones who were lost: hospitals, government buildings, business headquarters, etc. And all their workers, officials, and aids were suddenly gone. That’s not all! The timing of the quake couldn’t have been worse. It happened in the late afternoon while people were still at work in PAP and college and high school were still in session. Rarely does a Haitian go to high school or college, but because there are so few teachers in Haiti, they have to go in the afternoon after the teachers are done teaching grade school. You can put the pieces together as to why it’s a disaster that will ripple for generations to come.

The flight in to Port-au-Prince is a roller coaster of emotion. At first sight, you would swear you are in paradise. Yet as the plane approaches the ground, you can’t help but be fixated on the first “tent city” you’ve heard so much about. You step off the plane, the humidity hits you like a wall, and then you enter the chaos of customs. We hand our passports to some guy who speaks no English, but he’s holding a sign with our names on it; he parts the crowd like Moses. We’re out of the airport and into an off-road vehicle in no time. I guess we’re safe until this guy hits 100 mph in the outskirts of PAP, and kids are diving behind parked cars as we jet down the road.

Outside of PAP is confusing. Confusing because how could a place with so much beauty be so barren? Deforestation. Imagine looking at the Rockies with no trees. Seriously, mountains with zero trees. And then you go over the top and gaze upon the Central Plateau. It’s amazing. Lush. Beautiful. We pull up to the Wozo (the place we’re staying) and drive up to a narrow entrance guarded by 12foot walls topped with barbed wire. Two guys with M16s walk up to the car, talk to the driver, and wave us in. After dropping off our gear in our rooms, we head to our welcome dinner (rooms sometimes have electricity, sometimes running water, never hot water, always crawling or flying roommates, but there’s a roof and a bed. So, no complaints considering our complex has multiple guys with machine guns).

Upon arriving to dinner, the local music school orchestrates the worst sounding best rendition of The Star Spangled Banner that I’ve ever heard! These kids spent months learning our national anthem in anticipation of this moment – the best “THANKS” they could imagine. It was incredible!

We start out day 2 as rookies. Timid. Amazed. Still shocked. Full of life. Excited. We head to PIH’s (Partners In Health) headquarters located at the Zanmi Lasante project located in the village of Cange in Haiti. The compound is beautiful (keep in mind, we’re still in Haiti); it is built into the hillside of a lush tropical forest. We head straight to the hospital for a tour, and your heart sinks from room to room. Dr. G is clearly the man in here as he discusses treatments with the docs that none of us can – the Haitian docs love it and light up with Dr. G’s interest. …I suggested we just leave him there to help for a few days (just joking). But seriously, without getting into the details, we see things you only see in the movies: intensive care, internal med, isolation, etc.; people are suffering, but clean water is helping. First stop on our remote tour is Kampech, our main village. After an eventful and wet hike (except for Dr. G and his fancy waterproof hiking boots – I joke, but seriously they’re awesome and we’re all jealous as we slosh around in our shoes/boots), we transcend the top of a hill where villagers welcome us, waiting in their “Sunday’s best” and singing songs. That moment will last forever, and it makes you proud to be a part of PDS. The people are so happy. They sing. They dance. They give speeches thanking Pacific Dental Services and the Smile Generation®. It’s simply amazing. They show us the well that is saving lives. We hike to the spring cap so they can show us how they are taking care of all we’ve given them. They embrace us as part of their family!

The next stop is nuts. To get to Caracol, we take the hairiest off-road trail I’ve ever seen and then hike a couple miles in and out to this very, very remote village. The drive is something out of Jurassic Park; through trees, along mountain ridges, next to sheer cliffs, and even through a tricky river. The hike is equally mesmerizing. And it’s not easy at all (trust me; I had just finished a half Ironman the week before). It’s hot. Crazy hot. Humid. Crazy humid. But we arrive to yet another village singing, dancing, and celebrating our arrival; the exhaustion and heat seem to disappear. In celebration, they break out a delicacy, coconuts! Not only are we stoked on the celebration, but we’re stoked on the nutrition! We then pack up, hike out, and sleep (very well) back at the Wozo after an extremely “full” day, physically and emotionally.

It’s only been two days, but we feel well-seasoned now. We know people, we have a tad of French and a tad of Creole in our vocab, and we’ve been baptized by fire so-to-speak. We started day 3 at the Zanmi Agrikol project. This is an amazing symbol of resolve in a people determined to make Haiti thrive. This is a center for building an agricultural economy. Because of lacking infrastructure, the country wastes an exuberant amount of valuable agricultural product. It’s saddening. But Zanmi Agrikol is out to change that. They’ve partnered with some top U.S. universities to harvest each product correctly (namely Harvard, Yale, V-tech, Florida, LSU, Georgia, Montana, etc.). They’ve also been able to convince U.S.-trained and educated Haitians to return to their homeland to architect needed facilities, like my new friend Brucely –a stud who’s USF-educated and felt the calling to go back to Haiti to help. He’s building the first peanut butter plant ever in Haiti. Anyone who knows me knows I love peanut butter, and this is the best peanut butter I’ve ever had! There’s a future for Haiti; I guarantee it.

This day then brings three village visits: Corporant, Blanchard, and Roche Pab. Time is limited at each because it’s a full day and we have to beat the rain. Not that the rain is a problem for us; we’ve had it pour on us every day. But the rain is a problem for getting out of Roche Pab, which is our last stop. We had to cross a huge river just to get there; crossing back is impossible once it rains. Hikes, celebrations, even Haiti’s version of Broadway, but the best of all is Roche Pab. A crazy hike only individuals from PIH make, such as Dr. G, Christy, Brucely, Marie Flore (an icon in every village we enter), and Jeanal (the biggest, studliest dude on the island; it’s good to be on his side).

At the top, we’re greeted by the now customary, “Thanks.” But this time it’s different; the village requests that I speak to them! Through interpretation by Marie Flore, the village bursts into applause after every few sentences (I’m sure Marie Flore is making me sound good); it’s incredible. These people are so thankful for us helping them provide safe, clean drinking water. Seems so simple, but it’s simply not! I wish everyone could be there in that moment to know that what we did as a company will resonate for generations to come.

Day 4

Community Drives

Have you ever wanted to give back to your community but just weren’t sure how?

A DRIVE is the simplest way your team and patients can get involved and make a huge impact on your community!

What can we do? Your office can hold a drive for anything from donating blood to donating backpacks. Here are four common drives:

Toy Drives: Collect toys for children’s hospitals, group homes, or family shelters.

most likely you cannot hold a blood drive in your office, you will need to specify that a mobile unit is required.

Tip: Make sure you get the necessary approval from your landlord to have the mobile unit.

How do we do it? It’s simple with the 3 C’s.

Connection: Connect with your team and decide who you want your drive to support. Next, contact the local organization or group. Find out what they need and any specific requirements for donated items.

It’s the last day and it’s been an unbelievable journey. We’ve seen things I’ll never forget and experienced things I’ll unlikely ever have the opportunity to do again. But I hope I’ve captured a glimpse of the work we’ve done as a company to positively influence a group of people who are trying to rebuild their world. They desperately need our help. Even the last day is anything but smooth because protesters threaten our departure; they’ve taken over the roads, people are stuck (we are stuck). Our SUV can’t even get to us. And then when our SUV picks us up, we get stuck further down the road due to more protesting. Our car is surrounded by other cars, and people, and blockades, and craziness. I have no pictures to show because other outsiders have been shot for taking pictures. So, yes, our help is still needed. Never underestimate the help everyone in the PDS family has already provided. These people appreciate it more than you’ll likely ever know. And they truly thank you all with all their hearts!

Tip: There are usually specifications for what kind of toys will be accepted; be sure to ask.

Supplies Drive: Collect anything from art supplies for an elementary school to socks for a shelter.

Tip: For this type of drive, it’s very important to find out what the organization really needs. Often, essential items are best.

Food Drive: Collect food for homeless shelters, church pantries, or food banks.

Tip: It’s best to donate food with a long shelf life, like canned food and dry goods.

Blood Drive: Several organizations make blood drives very simple, including the American Red Cross. Since

Choices: After you know who you want to support, choose the best type of drive for them. Next, set up a time line long enough to give people an opportunity to participate but short enough that you won’t lose momentum.

Commitment: Commit to making your drive a success. Promote it through word of mouth. Tell your patients what you’re doing, and invite them to participate. Not only will this increase your donations, but it will strengthen your relationship and bond with your patients (think PFLs)! Flyers are also a great promotional tool to distribute in and around the office. Keep in mind that you can add an incentive for your patients to donate and start dentistry today!

Your “We Serve” Team is here to help! If you have any questions or need help with your drive, please contact me, Rachael Parker, at parkerr@pacden.com. In addition, we want to hear about your outreach projects! Please send us stories, pictures, and comments about how your office is getting involved.

by Rachael Parker "We Serve" Assistant

XP 2012 Award Nominees

Congratulations to the following list of people who received a qualifying nomination for the XP Awards. Keep striving for eXtraordinary Performance.

Dentists:

Hamid Abedi, Billie Adams, Katayoun Afshar, Lindsey Alexander, Rebekah Ballard, Reymond Bautista, Martha Berman, Priya Bhatia, Esmerelda Chiang, Faria Chohan, Joseph Choi, Todd Cockrell, Jennifer De La Paz, Erin Deedy-Lee, Carlos Delgado, Michelle Distefano, Diana Do, Gautam Dogra, Baha Duraini, Eric Ellis, Aletha Ensminger, Carl Fleischmann, Barbara Gaffino, Paul Gebhart, Carolyn Ghazal, Amardeep Gill, Jack Gorman, Kristina Harris, Ashleigh Harrison, Nicole Hartmann, Jessica Hetcko, Rachel Hollander-Fine, Phi Huynh, Sheila Inalou, Walter Jefferson, Inaksh Johal, Amanda Jozsa, Taline Kotchounian, Dean Lambridis, Frederick Lee, Stephen Lee, Shahin Madi, Thomas Markle, Katie McCann, William McGlashan, Justin Mercer, Neda Mobasher, Berween Mourady, Robert Nakaki, Brian Nelson, Henry Nguyen, Jenna Nicholson, John Nosti, Bradford O’Neill, Brian Ozenbaugh, Joorok Park, Don Parker, Mitra Partow, Hiren Patel, Charles Patterson, Minh Pham, Huy Phan, Bobby Raber, Noor Rahimi, Darin Reagan, Christopher Reid, Marjan Rogers, Scott Sauer, Bryan Schelin, Katayoun Setareh, Jeremy Sewell, Ali Shahrestani, Troy Slade, Nicole Smith, Iyad Sood, Ross Stokes, Karen Street, Bruce Thompson, Joan To, Ricky Tran, Cheryl Tran, Hien Tran, Scott Tuchklaper, Linda Vanson, Christine Vian, Lynda Watanabe, Elena Waxler, Jeffrey Wong

AM/OM/OMT:

Samantha Adams, Florence Anaya, Tiffany Awayan, Erica Bailey, Meg Blakiston, David Boger, Lisa Bradley, Ginger Brammer, Kelly Brookbank, Nicole Brown, Lindsey Bunch, Amanda Cajuste, Melissa Calumpit, Rachel Cardin, Tara Castanada, Lisa Chatwood, Tracey Coates, Marc Couch, Kim Crall, Olivia Dasso, Kimberly Desouza, Aracely Diaz, Vicki Dyck, Tim Elienko, Debbie Elstad, Juan Esquivaz, Venissa Fowler, Jennifer Franks, Tara Frost, Alexis Garcia, Cynthia Grado, Tiffany Grotts, Alisha Guerrero, Margaret Gutierrez, Jackie Guy, Michelle Hallmark, Dawn Hannah, Michelle Hart, Camie Harvey, Gloria Hernandez, Jennifer Horrocks, Tracy Kaus, Greg King, Scott Kingslien, Michelle Krasch, Phil Litzinger, Lucy Lopez, Melissa Louie, Christina Lowe, Ryan Lucio, Jessica Maldonado, Samantha Mastreno, Brian Matherly, Cynthia Mcavene, Joanne Miles, Veronica Munoz-Estrada, Rosa Nevarez, Michael Nguyen, Deb Noonan, Karoline Novac, Meri Parker, Eileen Prieto, Shuan Pryor, Jacky Quintara, Joyce Ramirez, John Redmon, Jerilyn Riley, Stephanie Riordan, Daniel Rodriguez, Marcella Ruiz Gomez, Andy Schreiner, Liz Scota, Nicole Shelby, Nick Sorbel, Erica Stapleton, Riley Tate, Crystal Thompson, Sherrie Wallace, Kari Walters, Chris Willey, Tammy Woods, Anne Wuren, Michelle Ylizaliturri

BC/SBC:

Ashley Anselm, Katie Bangham, Krystal Barajas, Rebecca Battistoni, Venus Bedros, Resha Benny-Hirmiz, Ashley Browning, Heidi Bruce, Medelyn Bueno, Carrie Burke, Melba Castillo, Melanie Castro, Cynthia Castro, Karisa Cunningham, Ali Daugherty, Chassatie Davila, Linda Davis, Nancy Decesaris, Gabriela Delcastillo, Jennifer Elliott, Suzie Faucet, Katie Fay, Veronica Frausto Gomez, Vanessa Gale, Vanessa Gallegos, Pretti Ghandhi, Lisa Gloyd, Allison Gonzales, Jenica Gonzalez, Lisa Greer, Angela Gregorio, Eric Grover, Jinny Hahn, Jennifer Hatfield, Adrianna Herrington, Darlene Hinajosa, Jenny Husted, Terri Irvin, Mayra Jimenez, Jennifer Johnson, Maria Jose Rosel, Jennifer King, Tiana Krenkel, Laurie Lane, Shayna Lauer, Alma Lazarit, Mary Le, Sue Leverette, Cherri Lundquist, Sarah Luther, Lori Mackenroth, Dena Mancha, Sima Manning, Daniella Marquez, Terri Marsh, Denise Martinez, Susan Mathes, Wendy Maxwell, Savannah McCall, Adrienne McCray, Monique McKay, Tony Meza, Jr., Cherie Milan, Jessica Monson, Jacqueline Morales, Rania Murad, Theresa Murphy, Shelly Myers, Taunya Novak, Chanel Nungary, Kellie Odenthal, Susan Orloff, Kimberly Orozco, Nadyne Padilla, Cindy Parsick, Rene Perez, Dorena Ramirez, Heather Richards, Valerie Robledo, Charlotte Rodriguez, Stacey Rodriguez, Danielle Romeo, Azuhara Romero, Susan Ruiz, Jessica Salas, Liana Salazar, Anna Sanchez, Sirrene Schoenwetter, Nikki Segura, Amina Sinkfield, Sylvia

Smith, Catherine Spence, Ashley Stephens, Rikki Tensley, Jennifer Thomann, Sylvia Velasquez, Sarah von Sydow, Sierra Wagner, Sherrie Wallace, Dustin Weigers, Melissa Whitley, Becky Wilbur, Wyoming Wood, Shavon Wurster, Chaquella Younger, Corrie Zuker

DA/RDA/LA:

Ana Acosta, Elizabeth Aguilar, Berenice Aguirre, Sharonlynn Allen, Britta Allen, Sylvia Alonzo, Beena Ambaram, Cynthia Aporto, Elvia Aquilar, Cynthia Arce, Octavio Arizaga, Dianna Armijo, Maxette Arney, Alona Atento, Malcolm Atkinson, Rosie Avila, Natalie Baca, Rainell Baker, Rosa Barajas, Maria Barragan, Mangune Bayalina, Carla Bermudez, Ivona Birdsell, Marie Blankenship, Sarah Bornert, Sameena Bregman, Marisa Teresa Bribiesca, Roy Bryant, Storrie Burns, Rachel Busch, Imelda Carbon, Lisett Carrasco, Jaime Carrera, Brandon Carvalho, Mary Jane Castaneda, Christina Castillo, Anabelle Castro, Besmira Celmeta, Dulce Chavez, Denise Cline, Chris Cook, Marvin Cortez, Kadie Davenport, Karol Dayana Romo, Angela Del Mar, Heather Des Jardins, Maricela Diaz, Alisha Dickinson, Rocio Dominguez, Sarona Dunn, Kristen Dunn Sanchez, Cassandra Ehrig, Heather Elliot, Erin Escamilla, Garbriela Espinoza, Alecia Estes, Clara Estrada, Crystal Evans, Jessica Farr, Terry Fausto Flores, Susana Flores, Nicholas Ford, Geraldine Francisco, Carrie Fry, Roxana Galvez, Maria Lina Garcia, Gaby Garcia, Rocio Garcia, Darcy Gaston, Deanne Gerhart, Ashley Gianelli, Melissa Giddens, Jamie Goddard, Jesus Godina, Alma Gonzales, Diego Gonzalez, Rose Gronewold, Tiffany Grotts, Michael Guillen, Leticia Henninger, Cindy Henslee, Mai Her, Gregg Hernandez, Pamela Hernandez, Martha Hernandez, Maria Hernandez-Garcia , Cocoya Herndon, Jason Hewitt, Kaity Hoff, Lanette Horan, Christina Householder, Lorena Huerta, Benjamin Ioanca, Lois Jenkins-Wallace, Anah Joffroy, Debby Johnson, Nichole Juarez, Courtney Jupiterwala, Alla Kambur, Holley Kempson, Lisa Kikuchi, Holly Kimbraugh, Lisa Knight, Holly Krigbaum, Elizabeth Larios, Jessica Lazo, Suzanne Lee, Kelly Lemoine, Veronica Lespron, Rebecca Lewis, Derik Long, Claudia Lopez, Sylvia Lozano, Stephen Mallipudi, Marisol Marquez, Tabitha Marquez, Camie Martin, Gerry Matousek, April McCluskey, Jodi McDonald, Viktoriya Melnychuk, Adriana Mendoza, Jose Mendoza, Maria Mercado, Christian Mondy, Susie Montiel, Carlos Moran, Paula Morel, Sandy Moreno, Richard Morillo, Anya Moskalyuk, Christian Mundy, Ashley Musseau, Lasha Nisogi, Alfonso Ochoa, Anthony Oddo, Julietta Oliver, Gabby Orosco, Lucia Orozco, Bianca Orozco, Janet Ortega, Minerva Ortiz, Miranda Osier, Michael Pace, Corine Padilla, Magda Parra, Melissa Paynew, Antraneva Pearson, Margie Pell, Leticia Perez, Reyna Perez, Nian Perion, Isandra Picaso, Kelsey Prince, Jennifer Putney, Leslie Quionez, Magaly Ramirez, Norma Ramos, Charlotte Ramos, Noemi Rivas, Rocio Rodriguez, Prisila Rodgriguez, Dayana Romo, Stephanie Rondeau, Marina Roper, Voldymr Roxvodovskyy, Mary Ruiz, Victoria Ruiz, Lori Saenz, Nasrin Safian, Julia Salanga, Angie Salazar, Raquel Sanchez, Luis Sanchez, Veronica Sanchez, Marisa Schooley, Bonnie She, Adriana Siquerios, Matthew Siragusa, Valerie Smith, Vina Smith, Lisa Smithyman, Terra Snap, Karina Solis, Nancy Solorio, Josh Spencer, Inna Staskeno, Nichelle Stinson, Gilberto Sumaya, Leah Susbilla, Kathy Swink, Eva Szekely, Sharon Tabuyo, Ana Liza Tapalla, Jerry Taylor, Alejandro Tena, Ravi Thach, Jennifer Torguson, Lorena Trejo, Cathy Turang, Brenda Valdez, Leia Vanhoozer, Amanda Vargas, Dominoe Velasquez, Maribel Benegas, Juan Ventura, Laura Villanueva, Tammy Vo, Camille Walgrave, Melissa Walker, Cindy Weatherwax, Tiffany Welling, Sabrina Westphal, Amber Wheeler, Katherine Whitney, Jennifer Wiles, Erin Wilson, Windy Winland, Summer Yubeta, Kypssy Samora, Alisha Zehnalik

Hygienists:

Amber Atkins, Tiffany Anderson, Kristen Arizmendez-Chittwood, Ellie Arvand, Jennifer Baker, Sonja Bell, Brandi Brandenburg, Elizabeth Brutus, Wanda Croft, Eiman Dawud, Ana Esteso, Matt Feeney, Stephanie Feldhut, Hope Fong, Chris Garcia, Blair Hanosh, Carolann Henning, Jessica Macias, Ian Mckenzie, Arlene Miran, Kristy Pecina, Lori Poisson, Robin Ramsey, Joy Rathnam, Quiara Scrima, Partima Sharma, Samantha Sturges, Vitruc Tran, Melissa Tucker, Darlene Turbes, Nicki Wanoreck

REC/EC/FC/CC:

Jennifer Bahr, Tanya Bell, Kimberly Buckingham, Monica Cabral-Jasso, Apollonia Camacho, Cecile Cueto, Selina Davis, Merelise Davis, Elizabeth Downey, Candice Dunegan, Zoraida Fleischer, Josephine Francisco, Demi Fryer, Tina Garcia, Roxana Gonzalez, Jessica Gurtiza, Kimberly Jaramillo, Sara Kramer, Tresa Mays, Ruth Noval, Chanel Nungaray, Yesenia Ochoa, Roxana Otero, Maria Pacheco, Lizet Perez, Kirra Pope, Ruby Reyes, Dawn Rogers, Lisa Romero, Sherrie Seward, Francene Simons, Lampho Sonhlavonh, Raghda Suliman, Felisha Tamagotchi, Felisha Tarango, Isabel Tiznado, Crystal Velasquez, Mike Wolfe,

National Support:

Sam Acosta, Lori Baer, Matt Borack, Michael Bourgeault, Kellie Brown, Jennifer Bryant, Johanna Carillo, Corinne Castrillon, Severino Catipon, Louise Coniglio, Michael Cook, Janine Corwin, Robyn Cross, Fabiola Deleon, Johathan Erum, Irene Figueroa, Sean Gahan, Erendira Gonzalez, Selena Gough, Jose Guillen, Nuria Hidalgo, Valerie Kendrick, Melanie Knupp, Phillip Krauss, Chelsea Krcek, Jan LeBeau, Michaele Lopez, Julie Margetich, Mario Mariscal, Joe Mazzei, Cathie McGowan, Sally Menchaca, Aracelly Montenegro, Christine Moore, Stephanie Palmer, Sheila Parkinson, Vanessa Perez, Sarah Petty, Gary Pickard, Mona Ramirez, Denise Raya, Heather Reed, Laura Rod, Emmylyn Salomon, Lacey Schicker, Amy Spaulding, Kathy Sullivan, David Swanson, Jessica Takata, Kathy Taverner, Francisco Valladares, Ninette Valladares, Tony Vichai, Dave Ward, Jason Ward, Laurie Winston, Candy Witron, Valerie Zazueta,

Regional Support:

Marla Boddy, Cassie Dodd, Haila El-Kerdi, Alicia Estes, Sarah Groft, Cassie Hughes, Karen Johnson, Jennifer Maybury, Audrey McCoy, Brandi Mortensen, Mary Nakaki, Leslie Polley, Ashley Reich, Linda Ryan, Kelly Scott, Staci Smallwood, Pearl Vaca, Kimrae Vura

CEREC® 4.0

You may have heard of a few different interpretations of what CEREC is, but the actual letters describing CERECare within its description.

CEREC = CEramic REConstruction

Keep in mind that the intentional purpose of CEREC is to utilize CAD/CAM technology to fabricate chairside ceramic restorations. The focus is patient centric with same-day delivery of restorations and no temporaries or impressions.

Of course, with the new technology, the original "three p’s" are still relevant: prep, powder, and picture.

Image Guidelines

The continued adherence to existing recommended protocols for imaging is critical (i.e., smooth powdering for an accurate digital model surface, soft-tissue retraction to obtain a complete image of the margin, a well-defined path of insertion to ensure visual access to all margins and adjacent contacts).

CEREC 4.0 Tools

The following are the six main tools for use during the design phase:

The Form tool to can be used to “Add, Remove and Smooth” the restoration and see how it affects a crown design.

The Move tool on a crown design can be used to “Position and Rotate” the restoration and see how it is affected.

by Dr. Charles Rodgers VP of Clinicians

Maintenance Review

The Shape tool on a crown design can be used to change the anatomical features of the restoration and see how the shape of the final restoration is affected.

The Recalculate tool can be used to recalculate the restoration at any point during the Design Phase.

The Biogeneric Variation tool can be use to change the overall anatomy and morphology of the restoration.

The Contact tool on a crown design can be used to adjust the mesial and distal contacts.

Why Fluoride Varnish?

by Jan LeBeau Director of Hygiene

While integrating the new software, don’t forget to continue with proper maintenance of both units (block chuck; calibration of the camera and milling unit; and required burr, water, and filter replacements). Also, be sure to continue with documentation in the weekly MCXL Maintenance Schedule and Log.

CEREC Connect

The new CEREC 4.0 can be used with the CEREC Connect (Lab Connect) process as well. This process may be an alternative for cases that need outside lab fabrication, such as bridges or anterior cases that demand a high level of esthetics. The images are taken in CEREC Connect, margins defined, and then the case is sent to the lab via computer and internet connections. All approved CEREC Connect labs and their pricing are posted on PDSconnect on the CAD/CAM tab under Operations.

Let’s face it; fluoride is not a subject that too many people get excited about any longer.

We have been successfully fluoridating community water and using in-office fluoride treatment for more than 60 years. The efficacy of fluoride for caries prevention is well documented in the clinical literature and well accepted by the general public as part of a child prophylaxis, but what about our adult patients?

Are we as preventive health care professionals doing everything we can to ensure our adult patients understand the benefit and have the opportunity to receive this valuable service we provide?

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that tooth decay affects more than 25% of U.S. children ages 2-5 and 50% of children ages 12-15.¹ The stats are even more concerning for adults estimating that 84.7% of adults aged 18 or older experienced tooth decay.²

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends a fluoride varnish treatment following hygiene therapy for children and adults who are moderate to high risk for decay. The ADA defines moderate risk as patients with no incipient or cavitated caries lesions during the last three years but presence of at least one risk factor for increased caries. Patients considered high risk are defined as any incipient or cavitated carious lesion within the last three years combined with multiple risk factors such as poor diet, poor oral hygiene, low dental knowledge, etc.

Fluoridated water and toothpaste may provide adequate protection for patients considered to be at low risk for decay. Whether or not to apply a topical fluoride varnish in such cases is a decision that balances the practitioner’s professional judgment and the individual’s personal preference.

However, any patient who is receiving or who has had any restorative work within the last three years is considered at risk for decay and could benefit from fluoride varnish every six months.

Are you talking to your patients about fluoride varnish?

PDS® Family Around the

Norco Staff - Lorraine Fanthorpe, Melanie Smith, Christine Marcelo DDS, Cong Ton DDS, Erin Escamilla, Evelyn Hiatt, Corine Padilla.

Tempe 4 celebrates their Grand Opening.

Missouri City 1 on We Serve Day.

Riverside 5 Red Ribbon Event.

Hesperia MKD got in the spirit of Children's Dental Health Month and visited over 400 children in the month of February.

Woodlands 1- The Breast Cancer Charities of America.

Wildomar 2 Community Appreciation Event.

Lone Tree has some fun at their Ribbon Cutting ceremony in November.

Art Jazz and Wine with the Team in Pleasant Hill.

Meg and Melanie at the Wildomar Coat and Blanket Drive.

Sugar Land 1 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

All smiles at the Avalanche game on November 23.

December 4th Avalanche game. Go Avs!

Colorado region Tebow-ing

Thousand Oaks had a blast at a local Mud Run in October.

Murrieta 5 Blanket Drive.

Wildomar 2 Coat and Blanket Drive.

Dr. Jefferson reads a Dr. Seuss book to 45 kindergarteners at Sierra Lakes Elementary School

Hanging out with some of the crew from Upland 2 at their BBQ.

SD Race For Cure 2011.

Chino gets ready to ring in 2012!

Dr. Nicole Smith of Huntington Beach 2 dressed as the Tooth Fairy

Temecula 3 Coat and Blanket Drive.

Hesperia 4 MKD got a special visit from Santa.

Wildomar Coat and Blanket Drive.

Riverside 5 December Food Drive.

Temecula 2 Coat and Blanket Drive.

The SCV Smile Gen offices were all smilles at a local Health Fair.

PDS® Employee Anniversaries

NORMA SOTOLONGO

RDA Hired: 1.1.97

"Norma is an amazing Orthodontic assistant. Norma always provides excellent care to her patients and fellow co-workers. Norma has a vast amount of knowledge and is always willing to train a fellow co-worker."

-Jessica Maldonado

10 years

THUAN LE

Orthodontist Hired: 1.1.02

"Dr. Le SETS realistic expectations and then delivers. What a beautiful smile these patients have at the end of their treatment. On behalf of his patients, We thank you!! Congrats on 10 years!"

-Sharon Torres

ROBERT HOU

Oral Surgery Hired: 1.1.02

"Our Desert Valley Dental Team is confident Dr. Hou will provide the appropriate treatment for our patients. He addresses any concerns the patient may have prior to beginning surgery so the patient will be comfortable and have a good experience. Congrats on 10 years!"

-Sharon Torres

Hired: 1.10.02

"Hygienist Anna Le has always been "laser" focused in her patient care. She is ever mindful of the need to arrest(in) the periodontal conditions of her patients as well as measuring the depths of their pockets (and purses). She uses her profession to "inject" energy and financial support for the benefit of the office team and her family."

-Dr. Charles Rodgers

JANET ORTEGA

LAURA VILLANUEVA

JAVIER DE LEON

DESIREE VENEGAS

ESTELA (MARGIE) GUINTO

Ortho Dental Assistant Hired: 1.2.07

"Margie is an essential part of our ortho team. Margie is a great assistant. She is reliable, enthusiastic and energetic. Margie treats all her patients with care and is known to go that extra mile for her patients, offices, and doctors.

Congratulations Margie on your 5 years with PDS! "

-Pearl Vaca

JEREMY TOFTE

RDA

Hired: 1.8.07

"Jeremy has grown so much with our team, he’s worked his way up to be an RDA-EF. Dr.’s are always requesting to work with him. Besides him being an amazing Asst. for the Dr.’s, patients love him! We have patients requesting to have Jeremy assist when they come in, he continuesly gets great QFE’s and Yelp reviews! You can tell he LOVES WHAT HE DOES!"

-Gloria Hernandez

ERIKA BARBOSA

Spec. Ben. Coordinator Hired: 1.3.07

"Erika is a great asset to our team. She is dependable, motivated, and a great team player. She is always there to help the team and do whatever it takes to make us as a team successful.

Thank you for all you do!!"

-Marc Couch

RYAN LUCIO

Operations Manager Hired: 1.10.07

"Ryan joined PDS in SoCal and did so well there that RP Joe Saporito invited him to join the launch team here in Colorado 3 1/2 years ago! Since then, Ryan has won many denovo and runner up awards. In addition, Ryan is always quick to lend a hand in training staff at other offices too just because he enjoys helping his fellow OM’s. Ryan has also been part of one the region’s success stories."

-Ron Bergioff

FELISHA TARANGO

Receptionist

Hired: 1.3.07

"Felisha is an amazing asset to the dental practice. Felisha is a pleasure to work with- she has a positive attitude and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Felisha is the back bone of Rancho Cucamonga Dental Group."

-Jessica Maldonado

TAMMY BLACKBURN

Legal Assistant Hired: 1.10.07

"The Legal Department is very happy to have Tammy recently join our team. Hard-working, extremely courteous and service-oriented are only a few of the many wonderful things can say about her. Everyone loves working with you, Tammy. Congratulations on 5 years with PDS!"

-Melanie Knupp & Christi Kulpa

RUIZ

RDA

Hired: 1.3.07

"Mary is an excellent Dental Assistant. Mary always has a smile on her face and makes the patients happy and comfortable in the dental office. Mary makes sure she is always one step ahead of the Dentist she is assisting."

-Jessica Maldonado

ARIANA HAMMETT

RDH

Hired: 1.11.07

"You can always count on Ariana to brighten up your day with her quick wit and genuine concern for all those around her. Fun-loving and easy-going, Ariana is also a hardworking professional who means business! Her patients always leave happy and with a healthier smile; couldn’t imagine our dental team without her!"

-Junie Baldonad

FRANCINE SIMMONS

Receptionist

Hired: 1.3.07

"Francine is such an asset to our team. She is one of the most dependable and hard working team members you could ever ask for. Her knowledge of insurance plans is unmatched and I feel very lucky to have her on my team. Thank you for all your hard work!"

-Stephanie Riodan

RDH

Hired: 1.12.07

"Congradulations Diana!! You are truelly a great hygienist who cares very deeply for our patients in Temecula. And also, a major team player to our hygiene success. I wish you all the BEST for the years to come…even if it is in Hawaii."

-Lynda Watanabe

Receptionist

Hired: 1.14.02

"Dora is very reliable and always a pleasure to have in the office. She works well with her team and is great with the patients. Can we have you another 10 years!!!! Great Job!!"

-Sharon Torres

RDA

Hired: 2.4.02

"Doris worked in the Tustin office #55 for 9 years and came to Village Dental Group about 1 year ago. Doris is very reliable and great to work with. She works well with her team and truly loves her job! Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to PDS. Congratulation on 10 years!"

-Cindy McAvene

Lead Dental Assistant Hired: 2.4.02

"Janet is caring, fun, loving person to work with. She is reliable, hardworking team member who enjoyed working with these last 10 yrs."

-Beatriz Reyes (Gomez)

Lead Dental Assistant

Hired: 2.25.02

"Laura Villanueva 10 years! It has been a pleasure working with Laura these last 7 years! I recognize and appreciate her devoted efforts to San Marcos and her team. The service she provides always exceeds my expectations. Her dedication these last 10 years contributes to our success year after year!"

-Lisie Scota

RDA Hired: 3.11.02

"We are blessed to have such a wonderful asset such as Javier. His committment to our office and patient's is a great motivator daily to my team. He strives to ensure all patient's are comfortable and receive the best dentistry possible. Javier prides himself and making sure every visit is quick and memorable. It is a great pleasure and priviledge to have such a dedicated employee part of my team."

-Stephanie Maddox

Receptionist

Hired: 3.15.02

"Desiree is not only my Hygiene Coordinator but also the Check Out Clerk. She has the unique ability to drive the best PPE which creates our PFL's. She takes great pride in her job performance and the relationships she cultivates for PDS."

-Lorena Ponce

HAMID ABEDI

Endodontist

Hired: 1.16.07

"I've worked with Dr. Abedi for the last 5 years here in PDS. I've always found him to be sensitive to my patients' needs. He's always treated them in a very caring manner. He's able to make a root canal procedure a fairly comfortable one. Dr. Abedi is a very integral part of our clinical team. look forward to having him continue to lead the endo team in my practices."

-Carolyn Ghazal

CINDY MCAVENE

Operations Manager Hired: 1.17.07

"I have worked with Cindy in two separate offices in the four years that have been her RM, she is extremely talented in driving offices to success. She brings knowledge and enthusiasm to each office that she opens. look forward to many more. Congrats Cindy!"

-Carol Garner

ROSA (SUSY) CARRERA

Spec. Ben. Coordinator Hired: 1.24.07

"Susy plays an important role on our TEAM. She is the front runner of our specialties. She loves a challenge and will take on any competition. She is well liked among her peers and has gained the title as the Super Susy of the Team! "

-Florence Anaya

VO

Ortho Dental Assistant

Hired: 1.24.07

"I have had the great pleasure of working with Frank for the past 3+ years. Frank is a dedicated and valued team member. He is always wearing a "SMILE" and positive can do attitude. He willingness to help others has created a trust and respect within working with his team and doctors."

-Ashley Reich

RDA

Hired: 1.24.07

"Tammy is bubbly, vivacious, and committed person. She never has a bad day and ensures no one else has one either. Tammy exemplifies the PPE to a “T” and models that daily. If you're ever looking for her, she may be found running 3 rooms and looking for something else to do. We are truly blessed she is an integral member of our team."

-Jeanne Smith

DIANA NAKAO

TAMMY

MARY

FRANK HILTON

GERARDO (ALBERT) SAUCEDO

Lead Dental Assistant

Hired: 1.24.07

"Albert makes every patient feel comfortable, he goes above and beyond when working with the children. He is always focused on PPE. Great Job!!"

-Sharon Torres

MONICA MEZA

Dental Assistant

Hired: 1.31.07

"Monica is undoubtedly the heart and soul of the office. Personally she is my right arm and my "Gal Friday." She has helped take what began as a small office and helped develop it into a multi-provider, multispecialty mega office, all the while keeping her back running like a well oiled machine and on budget!! She is an incredible asset to my practice and a wonderful friend."

-Cari Callaway

QUIROZ

Spec. Ben. Coordinator

Hired: 1.31.07

"Viviana is one one the most valuable assets to our location. Both the staff and the patients love her great attitude and willingness to go above and beyond. Viviana truly puts her heart into her work, and it shows every day. Eastvale is blessed to have Viviana as our Specialty Benefits Coordinator."

-Nick Murray

CLAUDIA CARRASCO

Dental Assistant

Hired: 2.14.07

"Claudia has been such a joy to work with. She comes in ready to work. Claudia is committed to her team and patients. I cannot believe we have been through 5 years together! Keep up the great work Claudia!"

-Carmen Gonzalez

NOEMY RIVAS

RDA

Hired: 1.31.07

"Noemy's fun and lively personality shines day in and out, and brightens up the days for our patients and team! She is a true asset, and we are lucky to have her! Congrats on 5 years Noemy!"

-Alexis Garcia

MELANIE WANG

Orthodontist

Hired: 2.1.07

"Dr. Wang is a "power house" she was pregnant last year and worked right up until her due date then was back raring to go 2 weeks after she had her baby. That is dedication! Her patients love her as does the Staff here in South Oceanside Dental.

Dr. Wang opened our ortho practice here and has been an integral part of our team since."

-Lisa Lewis

KRISTEN CORONADO

RDA

Hired: 2.14.07

"I have worked with Cindy in two separate offices in the four years that I have been her RM, she is extremely talented in driving offices to success. She brings knowledge and enthusiasm to each office that she opens. I look forward to many more. Congrats Cindy!"

LAURIE LANE

Spec. Ben. Coordinator Hired: 1.31.07

"Laurie is an amazing employee and person. She has been a pleasure to work with, and an asset to the team. know that can count on her to be the first and the best. Thank you Laurie for all that you do and are everyday!!!"

-Kathy Ghaferi

CHRIS AGUON

VP of Real Estate

Hired: 2.7.07

"The skills and talents Chris developed as an attorney prior to joining PDS have been a huge asset to the company as we have added 135 locations since he has been here. He is passionate about family, friends, church and PDS, which have personally seen in him as have had the privilege of knowing him for over 20 years."

-Brady Aase

ANA APARICIO

Ortho Dental Assistant Hired: 2.14.07

"Ana is a wonderful assistant, we are so happy to have her on our ortho team. She's a great team player and always happy to go wherever she is needed. Thanks for your hard work Ana."

-Sheila Parkinson

SANDRA PALACIOS

Spec. Ben. Coordinator Hired: 1.31.07

"Sandra is a valuable member of our GREAT TEAM @ Valencia 1, we are happy to have her. Congrats on 5 years!"

-Nuria Koecklin

JENNY DE ANDA FAST

Spec. Ben. Coordinator

Hired: 2.21.07

"Jenny is very personable, excels PPE with each and every pt. She’s hardworking, dedicated and loyal team member. Extremely reliable and dependable, her specialty knowledge has lead the department to great success. Thank You Jenny you are an asset to the team! Congrats on your 5yr!"

-Jacqueline Patino

JOSE (JAY) BELTRAN

Biller

Hired: 2.12.07

"Jay is a great team player, always in a cheerful mood with a great sense of humor, and a pleasure to work with. Jay always gives 110% to make sure the CBO team and offices are completely taken care of. He is one of those people that will sacrifice for the need of another. Congratulations on five years!"

-Vanessa Perez

THUHA THAI

RDH

Hired: 2.16.07

"Thuha is a very hard worker that cares about her patients. Her patients are always striving to impress her at their next perio maintenance appt. She is a huge part of our RDG Family and I appreciate all of her hard work. Congratulations on 5 years Thuha!"

ANTONIO LUCENTE

RDA

Hired: 2.21.07

"Antonia is focused on PPE and her enthusiasm about hygiene is great! She has a smile ear to ear when her Hygienists have a great day! Thanks Antonia!"

-Sharon Torres

PATTY SANCHEZ

RDA

Hired: 2.28.07

"Patty displays daily industriousness. She is very observant and strives to do her very best. We as a team love the dedication she puts into serving our patients and being a team player. Way to go Patty!!!"

-Florence Anaya

DONALD FOULK

Dentist

Hired: 2.12.07

"Dr. Foulk's passion for his patients and dentistry is second to none. His love and commitment to his staff creates a positive atmosphere that inspires them providing their patient’s the very best care possible that fits their needs. The Pacific Northwest Region is blessed to have his Clinical Leadership."

RUBY MARTINEZ

Receptionist

Hired: 2.28.07

"Ruby is such an integral part of our team in Tustin. She has a great work ethic and has developed wonderful relationships with all of our patients. She has proved herself to be a great receptionist! "

-Anne Wurn

EMILIO URIBE

Ortho Dental Assistant

Hired: 3.1.07

"Emilio is a hard worker with a great personality. He is very friendly with the patients and his ortho team really appreciates him and loves having him around. Congrats on your 5 years!"

-Armando Borroel

VITRUC TRAN

RDH

Hired: 3.1.07

"How can an owner doctor not love a hygienist who ranks in the top 3% for post hygiene GP production? Congratulations Vitruc on 5 years with PDS!"

-Dr. Darren Do

CATHERINE FUENTES

Collections Clerk Hired: 2.28.07

"“When you have a positive frame of mind, you broadcast positive thoughts and feelings to the world around you.”

Remez Sasson. Cathy, thank you for always having a positive attitude. You are a dedicated worker and I love having you in my team. Congratulations on 5 years!!"

-Elizabeth Espadas

LORI BAER

Eligibility Ben. Manager Hired: 3.1.07

"Lori has an incredible work ethic and would never ask something of her team that she herself would not be prepared to do. She has been an amazing wealth of knowledge and is an extremely valuable asset to the eligibility and plan team."

-David Swanson

CARMEN GONZALEZ

Operations Manager

Hired: 2.28.07

"I have had the pleasure of working with Carmen for 2 years, during this time it has been very rewarding to watch Carmen change the culture in her office from one of “We can’t to one of "we can”. She has been instrumental in the development of one of the best offices in the region. Congratulations Carmen!"

-Carol Garner

-Koert Takkunen MARIKO

VIOLET

SANCHEZ

Call Center Rep

Hired: 2.21.07

"Violet is a great addition to the Call Center Team. She's a hard worker who's always willing to take the extra step and put in the extra effort required to provide excellent customer service to all patients. We are very lucky and very thankful that she is part of our team."

KIMBERLY DESOUZA

Operations Manager

Hired: 3.7.07

"Kim is extremely dedicated to her office and teams; she is willing to take on challenges and overcome the day to day obstacles of running busy practices. Kim has the ability to stay cool in demanding situations and do the right thing for her staff and the patients.

JENNIFER BALLESTEROS

Servicing Supervisor Hired: 3.7.07

"Jen has done a great job in growing and expanding her skills and talents with PDS. She is incredible at managing a wide range of duties for the various departments she oversees. Congrats on 5 years!"

-David Swanson

GREGORIO (ALVIN) REGUCERA

Lead Dental Assistant Hired: 3.14.07

CYNTHIA ARCE

Lead Dental Assistant

Hired: 3.14.07

RDA

Hired: 3.7.07

"Mariko has been a pleasure to work with for the past 5 years. Her laughter is heard throughout the office and brings a smile to both the staff and patient's faces!! She is a hardworker and treats both patient's and her coworkers like family. Congrats on your 5 years Markio... Bear Creek loves you!!"

-Melissa Calumpit

RDA

Hired: 3.14.07

-Carol Garner

-Dr. Tanisha Jackson

-Gordon Musgrove

Congratulations Kim!"

-Carol Garner

"Alvin has been a huge asset to our office. The support he provides our doctors allows them to thrive every day. He has also repeatedly gone above and beyond his regular duties to ensure that our patients are satisfied with their treatment. Thank you for all you do!"

-Vianca De Meo

"Cindy's dedication and passion for what she does is inspiring. She brings a perfect balance of awareness combined with a compassionate sense of leadership. She has a great relationship with our entire office and we all feel completely grateful of all of her hard work and dedication. Thank You Cindy!"

-Venissa Fowler

"Tina has been a solid contributor to Parkway Dental Group. Her ability to communicate treatment to our patients is something we all try to emulate. Thanks Tina!"

-Brian King

VIVIANA

MARIA (TINA) KARLIN

ANGELA WILLIAMS

Biller

Hired: 3.14.07

"Angela is definitely an engaged employee, self motivated and a big team player for her region in Colorado! She goes above and beyond to help the CBO team and Team Colorado! We appreciate her hard work and dedication. Congratulations on five years!"

-Vanessa Perez

ANGELA ARREGUIN

Biller

Hired: 3.14.07

"Angela is invaluable. She couldn't be more dedicated to her team and and it shows. Angela always brings a smile to CBO with her up-beat personality and positive attitude. Angela is known as Road Runner here at CBO because she will run right pass you in the hallway as she speed walks to the printer for her attachments. Beep - Beep! Congratulations on five years!"

-Vanessa Perez

ANA LIZA TAPALLA

RDA

Hired: 3.21.07

"Ana Liza is a dedicated person and has an equally beautiful personality. She gives the PPE everyday and is committed to her work. Thank you from everyone here at La Verne Dental Group."

-Lisa Ali

KIVA THOMAS

Benefits Coordinator

Hired: 3.21.07

"Kiva has developed a sincere relationship with patients and co-workers and is a valued employee. Congrats on 5 years!"

-Mireya Santa Cruz

ERICA BAILEYGUTIERRE

Operations Manager Hired: 3.14.07

"Erica is a pleasure to work with. She is always positive, and her staff loves working with her. She leads by example and has tremendous patience. Erica always sees the good in others and am so glad that she’s on my team."

-Dolores Von Felden-Cain

DYANADEWI ISKAQ

Owner Dentist

Hired: 3.15.07

"Dr. Iskaq is a wonderful, motivating owner doctor. Everyone that works with her enjoys her energy and positive outlook. Dr. Iskaq everyone here in La Verne thinks very highly of you and thank you for being awesome."

-Lisa Ali

ALETHA ENSIMINGER

Dentist

Hired: 3.19.07

"Dr. Ensminger is actually a treasured classmate of mine from Loma Linda University. She entered PDS quite sometime after me and has been a key performer in the Sacramento region for us several years now. We communicate often regarding clinical cases and are both willing to admit we still have much to learn. am hoping she stays with us for many years more."

-Dr. Charles Rodgers

JENNETTE GONZALES

Receptionist

Hired: 3.28.07

"Jennette is a friendly, outgoing person. She takes pride in her work and insures that all her patients are treated with care. Everyone here in La Verne appreciate all that you do. Thank you."

-Lisa Ali

JUANA CAMPOS

Dental Assistant

Hired: 3.28.07

"Juanita is a huge asset to the office. She helps out where and when there is a need. Always positive, her attitude and enthusiasm are contagious. We look forward to many more years. Congratulations Juanita."

-Timothy Eleinko

FABIOLA DE LEON

Posting Clerk

3.28.07

"Cedric is very dedicated and his patients satisfaction is his priority. Congrats on 5 years!"

-Mireya Santa Cruz

Hired: 3.28.07

"Fabi is a very hard worker and a great pleasure to have in my department. Since the day she started 5yrs ago she has dedicated herself in her work and has always accomplished her daily task regardless of some personal situations. She is always willing to help in other task that needed to be done on a daily basis. She is a great friend and employee."

-Veronica Zavala

SIDHU

Dentist

Hired: 3.29.07

"Dr. Sidhu is a member of the solid core of female dental providers at the Anaheim Hills office. She has been an ongoing stable performer at her office providing consistent dental care. We congratulate her on the success she has obtained and look forward to her being a long term member of our team."

-Dr. Charles Rodgers

Intro to Clinical Excellence Essentials Program (I.C.E.E)

All dentists hired after January 1, 2012, or who attended dentist orientation in 2012, are enrolled in the Intro to Clinical Excellence Essentials Program. This eight-month program consists of computer-based training, one-on-one coaching, and instructor-led training all based on the vision of “Clinicians Leading Clinicians in Clinical Excellence.” The course work focuses on CAD/CAM as the core to all restorative dentistry, diagnosis of both restorative and comprehensive patient care, and case acceptance. Both internal and external subject matter experts are involved with facilitating the content of the I.C.E.E program.

by Charles Rodgers VP of Clinicians

The I.C.E.E program was created based on specific learning objectives. Successfully completing these learning objectives should help drive the clinical results in the office environment. Throughout the eight-month program, each dentist will receive 70 continuing education units. We encourage all PDS® employees to "own" their training program. During the first day in the office, each dentist should log in to the LearnCenter via the MY Self page on PDSconnect. In the LearnCenter, you can find the I.C.E.E syllabus, which takes you step by step through the program.

CYNTHIA CASTILLO

Contracts Administrator Hired: 3.28.07

"Congratulations on your 5 years! Cynthia is a pleasure to work with, she is very hard working and dedicated employee. She provides great support, responds promptly to any requests. She always has a very sweet smile! I wish her success for many more years to come!!"

-Aracelly Montenegro

PDS Clinical Excellence Forum

The PDS Clinical Excellence Forum is a discussion board that allows PDS-affiliated dentists to interact with other PDSaffiliated dentists regarding opportunities and challenges that they commonly face. It resides on PDSconnect and is available for asking and answering a variety of questions.

CONGRATULATIONS

The discussion board has four sections that should peak your interest: CEREC, Case Acceptance, Practice Ownership, and Open Forum. Each section is moderated by a PDS owner dentist or a subject matter expert. What a great way to get another perspective on your cases. Dentists can attach photos, video,

and other clinical websites to the discussion board. Show the team what you have done or what you are working on. As with all discussions boards, patient confidentiality and HIPAA requirements should be followed.

A link to the PDS Clinical Excellence Forum is available on the Associate and Owner Dentist MY Job pages. The forum is integrated with active directory, so you do need to be on the PDS internal network (either directly or through VPN) to access it; use your window ID/password to log in. You can access the forum from outside the network through the corporate website [www. pacificdentalservices.com]; click on the “PDS Portal & Email” link at the bottom of the page, and then click the “PDS Clinical Excellence Forum” link on the next page.

I want to encourage you to utilize this tool; very few dentists have the opportunity to share with others who are truly interested in your success.

What’s New with Education Development

Across

1. The #1 purpose of a ______ ______ is to obtain a nancial commitment from the patient.

6. 2012 Imperative #1: _____. 80% of offices achieve their operating budget, and combined, we achieve the organization budget.

9. The _____ Team provides tools and services that streamline operations within each dental practice, allowing the office teams to focus on patient care thus creating the PPE® and Patients for Life™.

10. 2012 Imperative #3: _____. Improve operating margins by 10%.

11. Working together as a team, your goal is to ensure the patient sees the first four team members (Receptionist, Dental Assistant, Dentist, and Benefits Coordinator) in less than 45 _____.

12. The #1 purpose of a _____ is to make each patient a Patient for Life by performing their needed and wanted dentistry.

15. 2012 Imperative #2: ______. Improve patient retention to 26.5%.

16. The #1 purpose of a _____ is to get patients into the practice.

17. When the patient logs into WebReg, they are prompted to complete these questions regarding their view of their dental health.

18. When the Perfect Patient Experience® is delivered, the result is a _____ ___ _____.

Down

2. The #1 purpose of a _____ ______ is to help the Dentist achieve success in patient care.

3. _____ _____ ensure the team’s continual focus on the Perfect Patient Experience.

4. The “Moments of _____” are the essential duties, patient interactions, and/or team interactions needed to achieve the PPE.

5. The_____ _____ questions are located in the "We Would Like to Get to Know You Better" section of WebReg and can be of great use when connecting with a patient.

7. Our mission is to be the provider of _____ in all the markets we serve.

8. A dental care experience that exceeds each patient’s unique expectations; where each patient learns the value and urgency of care needed.

13. The #1 purpose of a ______ is to keep patients in the practice and help build Patients for Life.

14. “Book _____ First and Then Tomorrow!”

The PDS® Clinical Excellence Forum Job Aids

This new, interactive discussion board allows PDS-affiliated dentists to collaborate on projects and discuss opportunities and challenges they commonly face. It’s a great opportunity to share and learn from your colleagues.

There are three new job aids available to help you maneuver through this new tool:

PDS Clinical Excellence Forum Control Panel — covers how to alter personal preferences, manage posts you are watching, send and receive private messages, and change or update your profile.

PDS Clinical Excellence Forum Landing Page — details the useful links and valuable information available on the landing page.

PDS Clinical Excellence Forum Posting and Navigating — discusses how to navigate the forum dashboard, announcements, and topic dashboards, and how to post new topics and replies.

To learn how to log into the Forum from outside the PDS network, check out the Secure Access Web Portal job aid. To find these job aids, log into the LearnCenter through your MY Self page on PDSconnect.

Featured Workshops

CLN228 CEREC 4.0 Level II: 1½ day workshop, 11 CE Units

Come learn more about the future of dentistry - CAD/CAM same-day restorations! This course will focus on: Preparation Concepts, Quadrant Dentistry, Correlation, Staining and Glazing techniques & CEREC Connect using the CEREC 4.0 software! Class will also cover proper preparation requirements for all ceramic restorations

This workshop is available regionally and is open to all Dentists and Dental Assistants, so visit the Learn Center, locate the workshop in your region and enroll in the next class!