SPOILER ALERT: Oral Health and Heart Health Are Connected
Message from the FOUNDER & CEO
“I can’t think of any bolder, better idea than to challenge ourselves to revolutionize primary health care in the United States.”
– Stephen Thorne IV, Founder and CEO
While in Las Vegas at XP this year, I learned I was going to be a grandfather again to my fifth grandchild—a baby girl. Hearing the news, I couldn’t help but think about what the future will hold for her. The future has been on my mind a lot lately and the timing of the surprise announcement seemed to tie in perfectly with this year’s XP theme: Game On! The Power of Winning Together.
WHY GAME ON?
We have spent the last few years investing heavily in our infrastructure, technology, systems and evolving strategy centered on The Mouth-Body Connection® and dental-medical integration so we can become one of the greatest, innovative health care companies in the world. Many of you know, I am a big hockey fan. Dental-medical integration is clearly where the puck is going. Whether through Epic, CBCT, salivary diagnostics, AI, specialty DSOs and more, we are the leaders in the movement to reimagine health care to include oral health as a critical access point to better overall health. Preventive health care in the United States is at an all-time high. It’s also incredibly competitive. Right now, it’s Game On.
THE POWER OF WINNING TOGETHER
I’ve said it many times before, dentistry is a team effort. When PDS was formed in 1994, the leadership team wasn’t focused on short-term success, we were focused on the future. We knew we had to attract the best and brightest minds in the industry. We also knew we needed to grow and retain our talented team members. The team understood early on that for us to thrive as an organization, and ultimately create long-term winning performance, we needed to put our people first.
Our most important metric for long-term financial success of a practice is continuing care growth, or CCX. However, patient retention and practice growth is not going to increase if we don’t also retain team members and clinicians. Over the years, we have built systems intentionally structured around serving others. It’s the core of who we are. By investing in others, you are also creating your personal brand that attracts others to you. It doesn’t matter what role or department, it’s the key to growing year after year. When you focus on people, the rest will follow.
We have worked hard to build great teams and create a culture of service, one where we partner with every team member and clinician to live out a greater purpose. Whether through personal and professional growth opportunities, philanthropic efforts, financial incentives or helping you advance your education, PDS is committed to supporting and partnering with you on your professional journey—together.
YOU MAKE US SMILE
Because we value your contributions, we have dedicated this week—what we are calling PDS Appreciation Week—to recognize, celebrate and thank you for the commitment and passion you bring to your work, each other, your patients, the dental industry and your communities year-round. You truly make us smile.
We selected June 6-10 in honor of PDS’ birthday celebrated this year on June 9, 2022. It’s hard to believe it has been 28 years since the leadership team met in a room to forecast what we would become. To quote one of my favorite actors, Denzel Washington, “Hard work works.”
Working really hard is what successful people do and I want to thank all of you for continuing to show up, for working so hard to achieve collective success. Together, we can develop and grow as clinicians, leaders, team members and humans. Together, we can help people embrace healthier, happier lives. Together, we can revolutionize primary health care in the United States.
While not everything in life is about winning and losing, it sure feels good to win. Winning together is where the real power lies. Game on and happy PDS Appreciation Week!
Sincerely,
Stephen Thorne IV, Founder and CEO @SteveThornePDS
WHAT’S INSIDE
Game On
The Power of Winning Together
After two years of being apart and hosting virtual awards in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pacific Dental Services team members and clinicians gathered at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, April 22-24 to celebrate this year’s XP award winners.
The XP Awards recognize the exceptional performance and actions of team members who contribute to PDS’ vision to be The Greatest Dental Company in America.
As PDS continues to grow with over 13,000 team members nationwide, there were thousands of peer-submitted nominations. From these nominations, there are 100 team members selected to receive an XP Award for their extraordinary performance. From that group of 100 winners, 26 are selected as Platinum Award winners and 8 are
selected as Diamond Award winners, chosen for being star performers even among those in the platinum category.
The Award of Distinction is the highest honor possible and is awarded to a single recipient among the Diamond Award winners.
Congratulations to the award winners and nominees. You truly are extraordinary performers.
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Shyanne Boike
Minnesota Region
DE NOVO OF THE YEAR
Dentists of Mukilteo
Washington Region
PEDIATRIC OFFICE OF THE YEAR
Water Tower Dental Group
Midwest Region
REGIONAL SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR
Evelyn Roman
South Florida Region
Brinden Bocksell
Jerilyn Riley Massachusetts Region
MOST IMPROVED OFFICE OF THE YEAR
Austin Modern Dentistry
Gulf Coast Region
REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Lionel Clayton
South Inland Empire Region
OFFICE OF THE YEAR
Orange County Region
WE SERVE AWARD
Hope Marshall, DMD
Woodstock Dentistry, Georgia Region
Ruth Hillman
South Inland Empire Region
Evelyn Roman South Florida Region
REGION OF THE YEAR
Pacific South Coast Region
WE SERVE AWARD
Michael Nguyen Walnut Dental Group
Nevada Region
Jennifer Judge, DMD Tennessee Region
Thomas Smith National Support Center
Genesis Olivo Central Florida Region
Karim Zaklama, DDS
Pacific South Coast Region
“The depth at which you operate will determine your success.”
Paula Larson Regional Partner
Pacific South Coast Region Region of the Year
PLATINUM AWARD WINNERS
Lisa Ali
Pacific South Coast Region
Kelly Aristiguieta, RDH
Georgia Region
Brianna Armstrong
National Support Center
Britni Battise, DDS
Gulf Coast Region
Zenia Castillo
Gulf Coast Region
Marcy Comer Dack
North West Arizona Region
Socorro DeBose
Southern Arizona Region
Nicole McGovran
Northern California Region
Annie Mehrten
North Dallas Fort Worth Region
Stephanie Mirasola
San Diego Region
Katherine Novales
North Los Angeles Region
Iroshini Perera, DDS, MSD
Northern California Region
Janie Peters
National Support Center
Tiffany Reder
Oregon Region
Torri Findlay, DDS
Midwest Region
Cameron Garcia
New Mexico/Southern Colorado Region
Dana Harward
San Diego Region
Mary Head
Nevada Region
Beniamin Ioanca
Eastern Arizona Region
Andrea Janik, DDS
Gulf Coast Region
Ashley Spooner, DDS, D. ABDSM
Central Colorado Region
Joseph Stoia
Washington Region
Brian Taylor
Orange County Region
Bianca Velayo, DMD
Nevada Region
Gregery Winn
Ohio/Kentucky Region
Julee Young
Carolinas Region
Former White House press secretary, Dana Perrino and 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush
“Surround yourself with a passionate team that pushes you to be a better leader.”
Shyanne
Boike,
Regional Manager Minnesota Region Award of Distinction
Zeynep Ton, Author - Keynote Speaker
Scott Harrison, CEO, charity: water
Michelle Pohler, Author - Keynote Speaker
“I feel blessed that I have so many ways to give back, especially through my profession. Service keeps me humble and grateful.”
Hope Marshall, DMD, Owner Dentist
Woodstock Dentistry, Georgia Region We Serve Award
“When
you see the regions erupting for each other and you feel the excitement of people cheering, encouraging and supporting each other— that’s the power of teamwork. We fail or succeed together— Game On!”
Kyle Guerin Director, Foundation and Corporate Social Responsibility National Support Center
GOLD XP AWARD RECIPIENTS
Hamdi Abdi
Midwest Region
Janira Alvarado
Central Florida Region
Antonio Alvarez-Macedo
Orange County Region
Lacie Anderson
Minnesota Region
Moawyah Arikat
Northern California Region
Amber Barron
Pacific South Coast Region
Veronica Bartsch, RDH
Gulf Coast Region
DeAngelo Boddie
Georgia Region
Elizabeth Boerner
Midwest Region
Zach Bourgeois
Gulf Coast Region
Natale Briggs, RDH
Desert Mountain Region
Kelly Burrows
Nevada Region
Kristina Camacho
Pacific South Coast Region
Kelsie Chilcote
San Diego Region
Chante Conway
Gulf Coast Region
Emily Croft
Gulf Coast Region
Tanner Crowson
South Dallas Fort Worth Region
Chassatie Davila
Nevada Region
Fiorella DeLorenzo
North Los Angeles Region
Deepika Dhama, DDS
South Inland Empire Region
Erin Duarte
Rocky Mountain Region
Venissa Fowler
Tennessee Region
Sheridan Gentry
Washington Region
Luis Gomez
Northern California Region
Robert Gomez
National Support Center
Marcos Gonzalez
North Los Angeles Region
Cindy Harrison, RDH
Rocky Mountain Region
Erik Jaramillo
Gulf Coast Region
Owen Lewis
Midwest Region
Reyes Lopez
Pacific South Coast Region
Lynette Macias, RDH
Desert Mountain Region
Diana Man
Virginia Region
Milessa Marquez
South Florida Region
Jeff McGrew
National Support Center
Victoria Meese
Northern California Region
Christina Miyahira, RDH
Pacific South Coast Region
Briana Moser, RDH
Nevada Region
Tanya Mulford
Nevada Region
Kassi Murphy
Rocky Mountain Region
Linda Murzyn-Dantzer, DMD
New Mexico/
Southern Colorado Region
Kaylee Nienhouse
Northern California Region
Elizabeth Opal
Orange County Region
Dena Ortiz
Henderson Support Center
Zachary Parker, DDS
South Dallas Fort Worth Region
Solitda Peth
Washington Region
Vanessa Potts
Desert Mountain Region
Sarah Quick
Central
Colorado Region
Mason Rice, DDS
Desert Mountain Region
Lance Rodgers
National Support Center
Andres Rodriguez
North Los Angeles Region
Aura Rodriguez
Pacific South Coast Region
Roberto Romero
Central Florida Region
Joahn Sandoval
San Diego Region
Isabel Simpson, DMD
Desert Mountain Region
Amber Smith
Northern California Region
Jaresha Taylor
South Carolina Region
John Tran
Orange County Region
Oanh Tran
National Support Center
Karina Velasquez
South Florida Region
Monica Vigon, DMD
South Florida Region
Trevanna Wallace
Georgia Region
Kimberly Webb
South Dallas Fort Worth Region
Abby Whitehouse
Tennessee Region
Jennifer Yanga, DMD
Nevada Region
Gina Ybarra
National Support Center
“Our team is unique because competitive greatness is in our DNA. We love serving our customers in the field and crushing our competition.”
David Baker, Chief Information Officer Support Department of the Year (IT)
Meet the PDS Family
The work we do both in and outside of PDSsupported practices and support centers is what helps provide purpose, meaning and ultimately, harmony in work and life. The common thread that connects us all are the human elements and stories shared that create the unique culture at PDS. Below are a few stories to help you get to know your fellow team members and clinicians on a personal level. Who we hire says a lot about who PDS is as an organization. And we are so happy you chose PDS—you make us smile.
If you would like to be featured in the next issue of PDS Life, please submit your story idea to PDSConnect@pacden.com.
Chasing A Vision
ALEX RANU // Regional Manager
North Los Angeles Region // Employed with PDS: 6 years
It all started when 10-year-old Alex Ranu was gifted a 1977 Nikon F2AS camera from his parents. With advanced smart phone and camera technology, much has changed since his early days of picture-taking and processing film, but his passion for and philosophy around photography remain the same: Do what brings you joy and what brings joy to others.
Alex earned a bachelor’s degree in art and primarily enjoys taking photos of landscapes and people (he photographed the wedding of Dan Rodriguez, Regional Partner, and wife, Vanessa). On a family vacation in 2020, he successfully captured the Neowise comet as it traveled over Kernville, Calif (pictured above). He spent six hours with his assistant and eight-year-old son, Christopher, waiting for the ideal shot where the clouds framed the town and comet like a painting.
“It’s all about composition, lighting, patience and finding the right moment,” Alex said. The “decisive moment”, a phrase coined by Alex’s idol, French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, is the precise instance where time is captured perfectly in the single click of a button. Sifting often through hundreds of photos, Alex knows it when he sees it.
The Nikon that started it all still sits proudly on display in Alex’s house, but now less as a working camera and more as a reminder to always do what you love.
To see more of Alex’s photography, visit @Alex.Ranu on Instagram.
Push it to 11
LIZET PEREZ
Healthcare Coordinator // Empire Dental Group and Orthodontics, Office 37 // North Los Angeles Region // Employed with PDS: 12 years
Lizet Perez, healthcare coordinator, has logged more than 30 half-marathons (or 393+ miles) in the last eight years. Her latest accomplishment occurred in February 2022 when she ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon in Las Vegas, a course that starts at sunset and runs along the Las Vegas Strip. Lizet’s goal during most races is simply to finish, but this one was extra special as she surpassed her personal best time ever and completed the course in under two hours or less than nine-minutes per mile.
After the halfway mark of the race, Lizet started having mental conversations with herself that only long-distance runners understand. She bargained with herself and, similar to a phrase made famous in the movie “Spinal Tap,” wouldn’t allow herself to get water until she pushed it to mile 11.
“I was in a good space and felt strong. I just kept telling myself, ‘I can do hard things’,” Lizet said. “It’s all about convincing your mind that you can keep going.”
As a two-time XP award winner, it’s no surprise Lizet is comfortable pushing herself further. Now that she accomplished her goal, what’s next? Lizet is preparing for the full marathon in Los Angeles next year.
“Running is the only thing that allows me to shut the world off. I don’t think about anything—I just run.”
The power of winning together
LISA GEIS // Lead Dental Assistant Village Dentistry, Office 830 // Midwest Region Employed
with PDS: 2 years
Lisa Geis began showing horses with her sister, Lauren, when she was just seven years old. As a teenager, she would attend rodeos with her family. Working with horses is something Lisa has done for as long as she can remember. It was at the rodeo where she first discovered barrel racing, a unique event where women compete for the fastest time to create a cloverleaf pattern around three preset barrels. Her fastest time is 17 seconds. Lisa has been working with her nine-year-old horse, Boone, for almost four years to train him for the heated competitions. “There is a lot of athletic preparation required from both horse and rider. I spend three to four days a week building his stamina and understanding of the event.”
When not hard at work as a lead dental assistant, Lisa still competes with her sister and spends many weekends in the spring, fall and summer perfecting the art and science of barrel racing. While the awards are nice (usually there is a cash reward or collector belt buckle), her favorite part of the event is the speed and connection created with the horse.
“It’s about applying the right pressure and flexibility to get the horse to bend with and against the pressure. We are a team and we win or lose together.”
‘Don’t be afraid of failure. Growth comes from mistakes.’
KEE-JU
HONG-ELDER, DDS
Owner Dentist // NE Heights Modern Dentistry, Office 562 // New Mexico Region // Partnered with PDS: 3 years, 10 months
Kee-Ju Hong-Elder, DDS, is the owner dentist of NE Heights Modern Dentistry, a thriving PDS-supported practice in New Mexico. But in his spare time, Dr. Hong-Elder is a gardener and amateur florist, a hobby he shares with his husband, Steven, a trained horticulturist and floral designer whose work was recently featured on the Netflix show, “Chambers,” featuring Uma Thurman.
In many ways, dentistry and flowers are similar. “Much like I have to grow and nurture my practice and team, flowers require care and cultivation,” Dr. Hong-Elder said. “It’s more about practicing and improving the process than it is about the end result.” Although, Dr. Hong-Elder admits he draws deep satisfaction from giving someone a finished flower bouquet he grew and arranged himself.
‘Much like I have to grow and nurture my practice and team, flowers require care and cultivation. ‘
Some of his favorite flowers include dahlias, poppies, sunflowers and zinnias and he especially enjoys ikebana, the Japanese art of arranging flowers that emphasizes each individual flower rather than the collective group. He is currently enjoying the tulips, daffodils and violas in his garden in Albuquerque.
Dr. Hong-Elder enjoys feeling connected to nature and finds metaphors for life through the process. “I’ve probably killed more plants than I’ve grown. But it’s about learning from each mistake and trying again to improve, grow and eventually bloom.”
The creative journey starts with a single swing
LEE “AUGIE” FREEMAN
Senior Graphic Designer // National Support Center // Employed with PDS: 2 years, 9 months
Benny Goodman. Woody Herman. Artie Shaw, Chick Webb. Tommy Dorsey. Duke Ellington. For some, these are names and musicians of a bygone era. But for Augie Freeman, senior graphic designer for PDS, they are the sounds that keep him swinging and Lindy-Hopping in his free time. His personal favorite is Count Basie’s version of the “One O’Clock Jump.”
Augie began swing dancing in 2003 after returning from his first tour in Iraq as a U.S. Marine and Purple Heart recipient. He loved it so much he began teaching and competing two years later after returning from his second tour. He has since won several national and international championships including the 2019 National Jitterbug Championship for the Balboa (a dance that originated on the Balboa Peninsula in Calif.), at the pro level, one of his proudest moments.
Augie describes the art of jazz as a journey of creativity. “Each song is a three-and-a-half-minute conversation between me and my partner. Even though we aren’t using words, there is still a call and response,” Augie said. “There comes a moment when it feels like you are floating inside of the music. It’s like the ultimate feeling of freedom.”
Augie has swung with doctors, lawyers, astronauts, artists, celebrities, even Bill Nye, the Science Guy. But his favorite partner is his girlfriend, who he met while swing dancing at the Atomic Ballroom just minutes away from PDS in Irvine.
“I am not the best technical dancer. I just pour my heart, energy and style into it. Sometimes what you’re doing is ‘in’ and sometimes it’s not. Just be true to yourself and sometimes you might just win.”
HALEY HOLROYD // Executive Assistant National Support Center // Employed with PDS: 9 months
It’s a role few people can add to their resume: Disney character look-alike. But Haley Holroyd has proudly brought characters to life and created magical moments for thousands of guests at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif. for the last 11 years.
On most weekends, you can find Haley creating unique, individualized experiences through her work as characters such as Mary Poppins, Ariel of The Little Mermaid and Aurora from Sleeping Beauty to name a few. In addition to working full-time as the executive assistant for PDS Chief Financial Officer, Taylor Hawes, and portraying characters at Disneyland, Haley is also earning her MBA from Chapman University and busy planning her upcoming wedding with her fiancé, Max. She plans to graduate in December.
Despite her busy schedule, Haley can rarely be seen without a smile on her face and spring in her step, likely a result of years of training as a character performer. While the work has its challenges (there is no glam squad to help characters with hair and make-up), there is also no shortage of happy moments including meeting celebrities, bringing dreams to reality through the Make-a-Wish Foundation and creating countless smiles on children’s faces every day.
“Kids are funny—they want to tell you everything about their lives. My favorite part is seeing a shy or nervous child suddenly light up and watch the magic of Disney through their eyes.”
“The ‘wiggle’ at the end is my goal”
MEKINZIE BERNAL
Healthcare Coordinator // Falcon Park Dental Group, Office 517
Central Colorado Region // Employed with PDS: 10 months
Lancôme. Chanel. Christian Dior. These are the designer makeup brands Mekinzie Bernal remembers watching her grandmother and role model, Prescilla, meticulously apply while styling her bright, red hair every morning at her glass vanity. After all, it would be a crime to leave the house without lipstick. “My grandmother taught me if you look good, you feel good. And that is empowering,” Mekinzie said. “Self-care is so important.”
That early foundation is what ignited Mekinzie’s passion as a freelance
makeup artist beginning at just 15-years-old. She has worked with brides, photographers and runway models. Beyond the creativity and style, what Mekinzie enjoys most is watching someone get the extra “wiggle” when they are transformed through makeup. “Their face beams, they sit straighter, there is a light in their eyes,” Mekinzie said. “It’s beautiful to watch.”
Today, as a PDS healthcare coordinator, Mekinzie gets the same joy from helping her patients achieve that “wiggle” through dentistry, allowing them to put their best face and smile forward.
To see more of Mekinzie’s makeup art, visit @Glamourby.MC on Instagram
Some of Mekinzie’s tips:
• Foundation shouldn’t be lighter (or darker) than your neck.
• Don’t follow the trends. Do what makes you feel good.
• Get out of your box. Start small and add a pop of color like a new lipstick shade or fun eyeshadow.
• Wash your face. Put on sunscreen. Spray your favorite scent. Simple skincare changes how you feel.
Pictured top: Mekinzie applying makeup to a soon-to-be bride. Center: Prescilla, Mekinzie’s role model, grandmother and makeup inspiration. Bottom: High fashion makeup created by Mekinzie.
Lighting the way
MELISSA WHITLEY
Specialty Regional Manager // Northern California Region
Employed with PDS: 11 years, 8 months
When Melissa Whitley isn’t hard at work managing 76 PDSsupported practices in her region, she decompresses by spreading a message of love and compassion through her candle-making business. Higher Love, a name inspired by the song written by Steve Winwood and later performed by Whitney Houston, was established in 2015 because she wanted to create a product that spreads love and light–literally–into her community.
“I started being mindful of what I was breathing in and putting into my body, so I wanted to create a product that was healthy for humans, animals and the planet,” Melissa said.
Made of soy, Higher Love candles are nontoxic, cruelty-free and clean-burning. Each candle is creatively named based on feelings, memories or thoughts evoked by their scents such as Eskimo Kisses, Holiday Hugs, Netflix and Chill and Papa’s Apple Pie Moonshine. Some of her candle proceeds also go toward donations to the community and charities such as Start the Wave, Camp Brave Trails and Bad Believer. These groups support members of the LGBTQ+ community, animal rights and the environment, all causes close to Melissa’s heart.
Candles can also be metaphors for life. “A single candle can light up an entire room, create calm all the while surrounded by chaos, ignite hope in a seemingly hopeless world,” Melissa wrote on her website, “A single candle can light a thousand other candles and still stay lit.”
To learn more about Melissa’s candles, visit the Higher Love website
Mind Over Mouth: How Oral Health Impacts Brain Health
Throughout the year, Pacific Dental Services is highlighting oral-systemic health links related to the Mouth-Body Connection®. In Q2, PDS is featuring brain health content for consumers and team members alike focused on this important and powerful part of the body. Each quarter, a new Mouth-Body Connection training module will be available to all team members in PDS University so you can better educate your patients on oral health and how it relates to overall health.
Did You Know Poor Oral Hygiene Can Affect your
Ability to Learn?
What if there was something you could do every day that would help your brain health, improve your memory and actually boost your learning abilities as you age?
Well, there is something you can do. It’s as simple as keeping your mouth healthy.
There is plenty of evidence that shows poor oral health can lead to or worsen a host of illnesses and disorders, including heart disease, inflammation and diabetes. In the brain alone, gum disease can increase the risk for stroke or dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Now, some studies are showing that poor oral health can affect things like cognitive function, memory and learning loss.
How does that happen?
Generally, having cavities or gum disease can lead to inflammation that travels through similar pathways that lead to the brain. Not only can that inflammation lead to increased risk of stroke or other brain diseases, but it can affect the way the
brain works. Thus, cognitive functions that we use every day, such as remembering, learning new skills and solving problems are diminished.
Similarly, because a person with pain in their mouth might not eat certain foods, the potential nutritional value that might have been beneficial to the brain is lost.
Finally, once brain ability declines, there’s the further potential that dental health may worsen because of reduced attention to oral hygiene.
People typically think about older adults when it comes to poor oral health and the brain, but children and younger adults can also be affected. Early tooth loss caused by tooth decay can result in a failure to thrive, speech delay and reduced self-esteem. Left untreated, the pain and infection caused by tooth decay can result in problems with eating, speaking, attentiveness and learning.
With that said, there are things you can do to help your brain and ensure that your mind is in tip-top shape.
Additional Mouth-Body Connection Resources:
Generations of Smiles Magazine
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month in May and Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month in June, this issue is focused on mental health, brain health and the connection of these conditions to oral health. Read Now
Featured Brain Health Modules on PDSU:
C-CLNC331
Let’s Start Talking About Oral Health and Brain Health for Clinical Teams
G-FRNT331
Let’s Start Talking About Oral Health and Brain Health for Front Office Teams
Visit PDSU for featured MouthBody Connection modules and other popular courses such as:
• Achieving Focus and Productivity at Work
• The Ingredients of Communication
• How to Be Assertive
• The 12 Guidelines of Effective Time Management
• Starting with Why: Become Responsible for the People Who Are Responsible for the Results
First off, make sure you’re brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing and seeing your dentist regularly. If you have any bleeding, pain or other dental and health problems, let your dentist know. For younger children, ask your dentist if they need extra protection, such as dental sealants. Keeping your brain healthy follows the same rules as making sure the rest of your body is fit: Eating well, drinking plenty of water, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep.
So keep taking care of your mouth. Your brain will remember to thank you.
32 Reasons Book and Digital Experience
We invite you to sign up for the email journey and access a digital copy of the book by texting “grin” to 764537 (Smiles) or accessing the landing page here Please share your thoughts on the book and digital experience by emailing Nina.Robinson@PacDen.com
landing page here
CLEAN & CLEAR
Nearly one in 10 people worldwide, or twice the population of the United States, live without clean water. Despite cryptocurrencies and self-driving cars, 771 million people live in isolated, rural areas suffering to collect water for their families. Strenuously walking miles for water not only keeps children out of school and parents out of work, but the gathered water often carries diseases that lead to family illnesses. More than we think, access to clean water has a tremendous impact on an individual’s life creating open doors to education, income and health — especially for women and kids. Pacific Dental Services is committed to help take part in putting a stop to the water crisis. This is our why.
The next year, in 2010, we raised $91,000 for Haiti. Historically we’ve fundraised with chili cook-offs, dunk-adoc water tanks, golf tournaments, jerry can water walks, and more throughout our supported offices and support centers. Since then, the PDS family and Smile Generation patients have donated more than $7 million to charity: water. Our efforts have brought clean, safe drinking water to more than 200,000 people in six countries.
Pacific Dental Services’ partnership with charity: water began 14 years ago in 2009. We were the first corporate organization to use charity: water’s new fundraising site my, charity: water, as we raised over $11,000. We pledged a donation for every Smile Generation® patient who received braces as well as every CAD/CAM CEREC restoration produced.
This year, we were on a mission to raise $600,000 for charity: water – enough to bring access to clean drinking water to more than 10,000 people in Uganda. Regions across the country hosted fundraising contests including a race for the first practice to reach their $660 office goal. Another was challenging offices to double their $660 office goal to see their RP complete the viral One Chip Challenge. Thanks to you, we surpassed our goal this year and raised over $700,000.
Our strong commitment to ending the water crisis is because we know and believe that water changes lives. To all who have contributed, we thank you for your heart, time and efforts.
Carli Kingsley Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility
the PDS Foundation leaves a Lasting Impact
Because of you, THANK YOU FOR BEING A FORCE FOR GOOD.
The Pacific Dental Services Foundation was formed in 2012 to create service opportunities and further the reach and positive impact that PDS provided locally, nationally and internationally. What started as a single initiative blossomed into a breakthrough idea.
We began with international service trips to Ethiopia and Fiji where volunteers traveled to not only provide urgent dentistry, but to also educate and inspire future dentists at Mekelle University in Ethiopia. With the help of Henry Schein Cares, the PDS Foundation donated needed supplies and dental chairs to two separate clinics. This donation paved the pathway to the establishment of a supply chain, allowing the university to receive a generous amount of essential dental equipment.
We built and launched the Mobile Dental Clinic to provide access to care across the United States. Not only did this expand the opportunities for individuals to serve, but it helped create healthier and happier patients in the communities we serve.
In 2015, we partnered with the University of San Carlos to establish our first clinic in Guatemala. The opportunity opened the door for dental students to serve patients 10 months out of the year. We have also welcomed countless volunteers to Guatemala and look forward to 2022 trips planned in July and September.
But we didn’t stop there. The Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship program was established to grow the five-year standing dental assistant profession and eliminate potential financial barriers. Since then, we have witnessed over 119 future, service-minded dental assistant leaders jumpstart their careers. In the coming years, the PDS Foundation expects to continue its efforts to elevate the dental assistant profession through scholarships and financial support.
Lastly, the PDS Foundation tackled the complex challenge of access gaps for an underserved and vulnerable population through our Special Needs Dentistry program. What began as a humble training and advocacy program in 2016 has led to providing specialized education to over 1,500 dental
professionals. With the help of PDS-supported owner dentist Jacob Dent, DDS, a section of his office was transformed into an integrated special needs practice. One beginning step inspired our first PDS Foundation Dentists for Special Needs office in Phoenix, Ariz. It was the ripple that created a wave. We intend to replicate this practice model across the country and provide a solution for patients with special needs to seamlessly have access to care.
We could not have accomplished all of this without your help. The PDS Foundation is grateful for each team member who has partnered with us over the years whether volunteering at an event, traveling internationally to provide donated dentistry, supporting the PDS Foundation through ongoing payroll deductions, as a Legacy Club member or fundraising. For all your service, we simply want to say, “Thank you.”
We continue to look at ways to expand our service footprint with more trips to Guatemala, more DA scholarships and more access to care for patients with special needs. That also means we have to say goodbye to other programs including discontinuing travel to Ethiopia and Fiji and Mobile Dental Clinic services. Our goal is to leave a legacy where everyone has a heart to serve and a home for oral healthcare. In 2022, it’s Game On.
To learn more about making a difference in the lives of others, please visit the We Serve Center.
KYLE GUERIN Director, PDS Foundation and Corporate Social Responsibility
We Serve to Serve Others
This past April, and for the first time since February 2020, our team of volunteers were able to travel to Xenacoj, Guatemala to provide much needed oral health care to patients, some who spent several hours traveling to visit the Pacific Dental Services Foundation Clincia Dental. This dedicated team of PDS-supported clinicians and team members provided more than $172,000 in donated dentistry to a record 165 patients over three days.
“No matter the age, these patients were brave, tough and so strong. My most rewarding experience came from helping an older gal who needed nine root tips extracted. At the end of her treatment, she gave me a thankful nod. Knowing that I prevented her from getting a potentially life-threatening infection and seeing that she appreciated it was beyond rewarding,” Christina Donnelly, DMD, from Olympic Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 352) said.
Thanks to modern technology and social media, we’ve been able to keep in touch with our team, clinic friends and all who continuously help support these trips. However, nothing will ever compare to the experience of serving together as a team.
“Each patient came with such kindness and humility, but we were humbled to treat them. We even had the opportunity to work on our shuttle driver who was in significant need of dental treatment, having had no care for the last several years. This was our third time back to the clinic in Guatemala and I would go so far as to say that it was the best trip,” Marisol King, DDS, Owner Dentist, from Cottonwood Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 567) said.
Special thanks to the following volunteers who graciously served during the April trip to Guatemala: Marisol King, DDS, Bryan Graziano, DDS, Christina Donnelly, DMD, Lisandra Companioni, DMD, Michelle Symonds, RDH, Christina Pamatian, RDH, Mariela Aown, RDA, Ralph Villacorta, SRDA and Claire Golubski, Regional Manager.
If you are interested in learning more about serving internationally with the PDS Foundation, please email InternationalTrips@ pacden.com or register by scanning this QR Code.
CARLI KINGSLEY Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility
AROUND PDS
Dental Assistants Recognition Week
PDS joined the American Dental Assistants Association in celebrating the 45th annual Dental Assistants Recognition Week March 6-12. Dental assistants are instrumental in strengthening the entire practice and ensuring the health and happiness of their patients and dental teams. PDS and its supported dental practices embraced this year’s theme, “Dental Assistants: Passionate About Our Patients, Dedicated to Our Profession,” with a week of celebration and events to honor its dental assistants and those training to become DAs. From gift cards to treats to being taken out to eat, PDS dental assistants are showered with love and appreciation for their commitment to creating and maintaining Healthier, Happier Patients®.
a. Towne Center Dental Group (Office 140)
b. Pomona Dentistry (Office 401)
c. Lake Barcroft Dental Group (Office 968)
d. My Kid’s Dentist (Office 7163)
e. Anaheim Hills Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 56)
f. Homestead Modern Dentistry (Office 895)
g. San Dimas Dental Office and Orthodontics (Office 86)
h. Highlands Dentists (Office 558)
i. West Sunrise Dentistry (Office 998)
j. Dentists of Studio City (Office 392)
k. Waltham Modern Dentistry (Office 931)
l. Milford Dentist Office (Office 938)
m. Valley Modern Dentists (Office 533)
n. West Lawrence Dentistry (Office 835)
o. Stockdale Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 271)
p. Valencia Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 84)
q. Murrieta Modern Dentistry (Office 115)
r. Kent Smiles Dentistry (Office 355)
s. Dentists of South Jordan and Orthodontics (Office 589)
t. Rancho Penasquitos Dentistry (Office 479)
u. Dentists of Irvine Dental Group (Office 387)
v. SoDo Smiles Dentistry (Office 962)
w. Dentists of Hollywood (Office 749)
x. Dentists of Hanover (Office 937)
y. Chelmsford Modern Dentistry (Office 869)
z. My Kid’s Dentist & Orthodontics (Office 16)
CENTRAL COLORADO REGION
a. Team members take an excursion around town.
MASSACHUSETTS/VIRGINIA/MARYLAND REGION
b. With hard work and team effort, Waltham Modern Dentistry (Office 931) surpassed the $200,000 mark in February.
c. Team members from Office 938, Milford Dentist Office, celebrating the power of teamwork.
d. The team at Shrewsbury Dentistry (Office 939) enjoying the evening off after a day of serving patients.
e. The dental assistants of Dentists of Attleboro (Office 940) celebrate another successful day.
CENTRAL FLORIDA REGION
f. The Central Florida team supporting “Team Florida” at the Special Olympics Polar Plunge in Tampa.
g. Kathleen Lucking, DDS, and the Port Orange Modern Dentistry (Office 961) team dress for success.
h. Alexander Samuel, DMD, Owner Dentist of Dentists of Nona (Office 885) and his team are excited for Smile Generation® Serve Day.
i. Clermont Modern Dentistry (Office 894) opening their doors to the Clermont community. Owner Dentist Pritesh Nathoo, DMD, and the team are excited to create healthier, happier patients.
MIDWEST REGION
j. The Derby Modern Dentistry (Office 826) team celebrates receiving the PDS National Award for Honorable Mention DeNovo Office of January 2022.
k. The Water Tower Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 816) team strike a pose during Smile Generation Serve Day.
NEW MEXICO/SOUTHERN COLORADO REGION
l. Nicholas Sorbel, Operations Manager for Office 7527, My Kid’s Dentist & Orthodontics, celebrates his 12-year anniversary with PDS.
m. Rio Rancho Modern Densitry and Orthodontics (Office 568) Healthcare Coordinator Amblly Garcia celebrates her one-year anniversary with PDS.
n. Ryan Pfeifer, DDS, and Denise Clare, DMD, restoring an implant together at Monument Dentists and Orthodontics (Office 554).
o. It’s all hearts and smiles on Valentine’s Day at North Powers Modern Dentistry (Office 527).
p. A matching trio at North Powers Modern Dentistry (Office 527).
q. Team members partnered with a local charity and gathered together to collect toys.
KABOOM!
The Pacific South Coast region was rewarded for winning the 2021 Region of the Year with a special opportunity to help build a playground at the YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley in Alhambra, Calif. On Saturday, Nov. 13, 65 PDS team members demonstrated the power of teamwork by building a playground in just one day. This playground is Smile Generation’s ® 16th playground build in partnership with KABOOM! since 2010 and will serve generations of families and children to come. PDS is honored to continue supporting KABOOM! in promoting and protecting a child’s right to safe and healthy play at home, school and in the community.
NORTH DALLAS FORT WORTH/ OKLAHOMA REGION
a. The team at Office 735, Firewheel Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics is ready for day one of Epic.
b. Regional team members volunteering at the North Texas Food Bank.
c. Owner Dentist, Christopher Steiger, DDS, and the team from Office 712, Rockwall Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics, enjoying a holiday dinner together.
NORTH LOS ANGELES REGION
d. Regional Back Office Manager, Andres Rodriguez, presenting to dental assistant students at UEI.
e. Team members receiving training on CEREC® and helping dental assistants learn how to best support their clinicians.
f. Team members of Camarillo Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 24) receiving appreciation gifts for their hard work.
g. The team at Bakersfield Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 31) are excited to learn about their new CBCT unit.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION
h. Q4 top performers enjoyed an afternoon at Top Golf.
i. Dentists of Visalia (Office 57) team smile big for the office’s successful first day.
NORTHERN COLORADO REGION
j. Orchard Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 502) is ready for Epic Go-Live.
k. The team at Modern Dentistry of Northfield (Office 553) are all hands in for their morning huddle.
ORANGE COUNTY REGION
l. Specialty Healthcare Coordinator, Elizabeth Patino, and Associate Dentist, Ashley Park, DDS, of Anaheim Hills Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 56).
m. The team at Dentists of Buena Park (Office 462) celebrates winning Office of the Month.
WASHINGTON/OREGON REGION
n. Luis Pagan, DMD, periodontist of Wilsonville Smiles Dentistry (Office 301) dropping off cookies for the Lake Oswego Modern Dentistry (Office 396) team.
PDS joined health care professionals across the country to recognize American Heart Month in February as we work together to improve the oral health and overall health of our patients and team members. Focusing on your heart health has never been more important, which is why PDS team members and supported practices participated in the American Heart Association’s National Wear Red Day on Feb. 4 to help raise awareness about heart disease and stroke in women.
a. Northwood Modern Dentistry (Office 675)
b. West Covina Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 295)
c. Dentists of Fort Lauderdale (Office 898)
d. Tualatin Modern Dentistry (Office 305)
e. My Kid’s Dentist & Orthodontics (Office 7837)
f. Encinitas Smiles Dentistry (Office 432)
PACIFIC SOUTH COAST REGION
a. Congratulations to Candace Orton DeLeon of Redlands Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 74) for becoming a Registered Dental Hygienist.
b. Owner Dentist Martin Galstyan, DDS, along with friends and family celebrate the grand opening of Dentists of Pasadena on Lake (Office 378) with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
c. Enriqueta Figueroa of Office 52, Arlington Dental Group and Orthodontics, receives flowers after passing the Lead Dental Assistant program.
SAN DIEGO REGION
d. Shahab Ariannejad, DMD, Owner Dentist of Dentists of Grossmont (Office 660), and his team discussing the day’s schedule.
e. The team at Promenade Dentists (Office 452) wishing Associate Dentist, Kristina Caravelli, DMD, a happy birthday.
f. Grace Fedor, DDS, Owner Dentist of Serra Mesa Modern Dentistry (Office 393), reviewing Epic schedules alongside a dental student.
SOUTH FLORIDA REGION
g. Fontainebleau Dentistry (Office 994) is ready to welcome a new addition to the team.
h. West Sunrise Dentistry (Office 998) Owner Dentist Joshua Golden, DDS, enjoying his birthday.
i. Fontainebleau Dentistry (Office 994) Owner Dentist Monica Vigon, DMD, and OM of the Month winner, Sofia Endara.
j. Regional Partner Jacob Kramer, Manager of Talent Development Evelyn Roman and Regional Marketing Manager Jhalisson Castro take a moment between trainings to catch up.
k. Teamwork makes the dream work at Dentists of South Naples (Office 985).
National Dentist’s Day
Owner Dentist Jeffrey Kramer, DDS and Associate Dentists Celina Kim, DDS and Christina Bui, DMD, of Riverside Plaza Dentistry (Office 442).
Menifee Smiles Dentistry (Office 211)
SOUTH INLAND EMPIRE REGION
a. Murrieta Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 68) congratulates Cristina Alfaro on her promotion to Assistant Manager.
b. Congratulations to Owner Dentist Jason Antonio, DDS, of Murrieta Modern Dentistry (Office 115) for opening his new office.
c. Main Street Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 49) is thrilled to welcome new Healthcare Coordinator Lesley Victoria to the team.
d. Welcome Operations Manager Erica Parrilla to Eastvale Smiles Dentistry (Office 448).
e. Sam Hansen, Regional Senior Recruiter, and Katherine Novales, Regional Manager of the North Inland Empire region, speed networking with dental students at NSC.
f. Congratulations to the Palm Springs Modern Dentistry (Office 425) team for achieving a new “Best Month” in January.
g. Murrieta Modern Dentistry (Office 115) is ready to create Patients for Life™
MASSACHUSETTS/VIRGINIA/ MARYLAND REGION cont.
h. To celebrate Associate Dentist Brianna Albers, DMD’s birthday, the team at Office 968, Lake Barcroft Dental Group, enjoyed a night of painting.
i. The team from Office 954, Dentists of Sterling, is ready to create healthier, happier smiles.
WASHINGTON/OREGON REGION cont.
j. Nicole Watkins, Operations Manager of Maple Valley Modern Dentistry (Office 356), ready to network and market at the Everett Silvertips game.
k. The team at Dentists of Auburn (Office 478) wearing green for St. Patrick’s Day.
l. Esther Ra, DDS, Owner Dentist of Dentists of Mukilteo (Office 326), received a gift from a happy patient.
Maryiam Barkho, DDS, Associate Dentist of Office 265, Yorba Linda Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics.
Simran Gill, DDS, Lauren Chang, DDS, and Melissa Harris Dole, DDS of Nut Tree Smiles Dentistry (Office 199)
The clinicians of Edgewater Modern Dentistry (Office 537) celebrating one another.
The Power of CBCT and Salivary Diagnostics
JOE FELDSIEN Territory Partner
JOEL COLLINS, DDS
Owner Dentist
Conyers Smiles Dentistry (office 915)
Loganville Dentist Office (office 918)
CHARLES RODGERS, DDS VP, Clinical Quality
Improving patient care and outcomes through advanced imaging like Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is an essential part of the modern dental experience. Some benefits include dental implant planning, visualization of abnormal teeth, evaluation of the jaw and face, cleft palate assessment and diagnosis of dental caries, root canals and dental trauma. CBCT has helped reshape clinical culture and many PDS-supported dentists rely on CBCT for critical diagnoses. One of those supported clinicians is Joel Collins, DDS, Owner Dentist of Conyers Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 915) and Loganville Dentist Office (Office 918), both based in Georgia.
From 2019 to 2021, the total gross production for office 915 increased from $3.7 million to $5.2 million and Dr. Collins’ earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBIDTA) nearly doubled. Along with hard work and perseverance, Dr. Collins credits CBCT and his high adoption rate of salivary diagnostics as contributors to the success of Office 915.
“My hygienists excel at educating patients so they understand the power of salivary diagnostics, the Mouth-Body Connection ® and how bacteria affect the rest of the body. This upfront education then empowers patients to choose the best treatment options and improve
Joel Collins, DDS, relies on CBCT to educate patients on the most effective treatment plans to improve their oral health and overall health.
their overall health,” explained Dr. Collins. “Salivary diagnostics removes the guesswork from the equation and allows us to recommend treatment plans to help patients achieve their oral health goals.”
CBCT helps reinforce Dr. Collins’ mission of improving patient care and increasing case acceptance while educating them about the Mouth-Body Connection. Likening it to a “cheat sheet,” he is able to use CBCT to view sinus cavities or evaluate if a root canal went well, and notes that having access to that information plays a key role in oral diagnostics. “CBCT is a powerful tool and I cannot imagine practicing without it,” explained Dr. Collins. “3D technology is not only a best practice, but a necessity. If I’m getting ready to extract teeth, place implants or if a patient is experiencing pain, I’m ordering a CBCT scan.” And if an asymptomatic patient is hesitant about accepting treatment, Dr. Collins uses CBCT images as a visual
aid to help the patient understand the reasoning behind his recommendations. “Explaining the ‘why’ is critical to getting patients to accept treatment and ultimately results in a more Perfect Patient Experience ®.”
Dr. Collins credits CBCT and his high adoption rate of salivary diagnostics as contributors to the success of office 915.
When asked about the future of dentistry, Dr. Collins predicts the dental industry will continue to integrate with traditional health care, especially when it comes to periodontal health. “I envision true collaboration with both dental and medical professions working together to provide patients with comprehensive treatment plans. We’re now talking about curing and preventing systemic disease and PDS-supported clinicians are leading the charge. Once Epic is implemented in all supported practices, including office 915, the opportunities to bridge the gaps between dentistry and traditional health care are limitless. The future of patient care is exciting and I am so proud to be a part of it.”
How Dental Assistants Embrace the Mindset of
WINNING TOGETHER
Dental assistants are integral to a practice’s clinical culture and, in many cases, they serve as the primary point of contact between the dentist and patient. Patient care is truly a team effort and it’s no secret that PDS dental assistants are passionate about their work. After all, they are committed to providing quality oral health care and same-day dentistry to the communities they serve through integrity and compassion while establishing lasting relationships with patients. You could say PDS’ dental assistants have become masters in the art of first impressions.
Whether shadowing mentors, training acquired through continuing education, PDS University courses or through daily patient interaction, dental assistants establish trust by actively listening to concerns, asking insightful questions to check for understanding and providing the highest level of support in the best interests of each patient.
Dental assistants understand the value of good dentistry and support clinicians in presenting and educating patients about its benefits. To ensure each patient is given the opportunity to receive the highest level of oral health care, dental assistants are trained in both soft and clinical skills to ensure they can properly support clinicians in creating positive patient outcomes.
Many of PDS’ dental assistants understand that in order to position themselves as leaders in the health care profession they must display tenacity, determination, continuous learning and adaptability. This initiative is nurtured and developed during the Lead Dental Assistant Development Program where
dental assistants assess their leadership skills, learn how to positively influence the behaviors of others to achieve goals and explore the importance of cultivating relationships based on trust during the 14-week program. Additionally, they are focused on team member development, communication, time management, business acumen and lead assistant responsibilities.
PDS-supported dental assistants believe it is a privilege to perform beyond what is required and that quality performance at every job, every day, every hour is required. The dental assistants who own their behaviors, actions and take initiative to learn will grow personally and professionally in the health care profession. We fail or succeed together as a team.
The versatility and value that dental assistants provide as team players are limitless. And there is nothing more powerful or satisfying than winning together.
For more information about the Lead Dental Assistant Development Program or to sign up for the next cohort, please visit PDS University or speak with your manager.
ROSE OLAGUE Director, School Relations and Dental Assistant Programs
Some tips to help dental assistants be successful:
1. Be empowered and continue reaching for more.
2. Be collaborative in nature and proactively set up clinicians for success.
3. Stay humble, hungry and curious in expanding your own clinical knowledge and own your daily performance.
4. Continuously seek others’ perspectives to stay sharp and effective with every patient.
5. Elevate yourself as a health care professional and maximize your effectiveness in supporting clinical excellence and patient outcomes.
THE EPIC FINISH LINE
Over my years with PDS, we’ve visited every dental Practice Management System (PMS) available. In late 2018, QSI was nearing end of life and had a ceiling on the number of practices we could add to it. It was daunting and I knew adopting a new PMS would be a long journey with a lot of change for the field.
With PDS growing so rapidly, there were ultimately only two options: Build something ourselves and forever be locked into developing PMS software or partner with Epic® as their vanguard dental partner to develop the best, most integrated PMS in the dental industry. Epic was already the medical PMS of choice across 75% of the United States and would allow us to grow unencumbered. To my delight, PDS Founder and CEO Steve Thorne saw the bigger opportunity. He envisioned how this transition could formally realize the Mouth-Body Connection® into automated systems and workflows on a deeper level. A product developed with Epic would be years ahead of any other. QSI played a huge role in PDS’ incredible growth over the years, but it was time to begin the next chapter.
PDS kept true to our entrepreneurial roots, pressed forward with the Epic launch during the COVID-19 pandemic, and on April 1, 2020, the Alpha launched. The Alpha and Beta practices helped forge a platform that will drive PDS’ success for years to come. I want to personally thank the participating owner dentists and Territory Partner, Maha SaidShariff. They had the most challenging roles in development and helped us refine the product for enterprise deployment.
This project has touched every department, and as the end of this rollout approaches, we would like to acknowledge the interdepartmental collaboration that was absolutely crucial to the success of this project: The Super User Team who have been our boots on the ground in the field. The Epic Build Team who are behind the scenes performing functionality work. The field teams for their trust and partnership. And lastly, the folks at Epic for their collaboration and commitment to ongoing development and optimization to make Epic the best PMS in dental.
The rest of 2022 will focus on shifting to operational enhancement and ensuring ongoing practice adoption and success. Our aim is to provide quality improvements in every release, so keep your feedback and suggestions coming. We have a lot to look forward to and the future is bright.
DAVID BAKER Chief Information and Digital Officer and SVP, Technology
ORAL HEALTH AND HEART HEALTH ARE CONNECTED
How the Mouth-Body Connection® is gaining traction beyond PDS-supported clinicians and into the freshman class of a California high school.
When 14-year-old Kavya Kadakia, a freshman at Centennial High School in Southern California, began brainstorming ideas for her science fair project, she wasn’t sure where to begin. She began looking through her parents’ bookshelves and stumbled on “Beat the Heart Attack Gene” by Bradley Bale, MD, and Amy Doneed, ARNP, a book that highlights the link between periodontal disease and cardiovascular
disease. Intrigued, she realized the best source for information about the Mouth-Body Connection lived under her own roof.
Kavya’s mother, Smita Kadakia, DDS, is the owner dentist and primary clinician at office 73, South Corona Dental Group. The apple, as they say, doesn’t fall far from the tree.
‘
‘ This project played a huge role in my admiration of medicine and my new passion for the connection between dentistry and medicine.
“We really familiarized Kavya with the basics to prepare her for this project,” Dr. Kadakia said. “Her dad and I provided her with some old dental school textbooks and educated her about the consequences of chronic inflammation and its role in systemic diseases. She put in the rest of the work herself.”
Kavya’s project, Scout Your Mouth, Your Heart Will Get Smart, began to take shape and she decided the focus would be the MouthBody Connection. With guidance and supervision, she used salivary diagnostic tests on a control group without any known cardiovascular issues and an experimental group with prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD) or some form of coronary artery disease (CAD), sent the kits to OralDNA® Labs for analysis and wrote a report on the results.
To her surprise, Kavya learned some participants shared the same levels of oral bacteria regardless of their age. She also came across a challenge many clinicians face: patient honesty.
“It was a challenge gathering honest answers from participants,” she said. “You can’t rely on everyone to tell the truth, so I had to ask very generic questions that required simple answers, such as ‘how often do you brush your teeth?’”
While this experience gave her a taste of what health care providers encounter, she enjoyed learning about the link between periodontal disease and chronic diseases. She also discovered that salivary diagnostics are an important tool for improving and diagnosing patients’ overall health. “Salivary diagnostics is revolutionary and if utilized properly, has so much potential. It’s like a security system for your body.”
Dr. Kadakia acknowledges her daughter has always had an affinity for medical and health sciences, especially since she comes from a family of dental and medical professionals. “I’m not sure what I’d like to specialize in yet, but I’m leaning towards medical,” Kavya shared. “This project played a huge role in my admiration of medicine
and my new passion for the connection between dentistry and medicine, and research in particular.”
She aims to raise awareness about the oral-systemic link and intends to expand upon this project over the next three years segueing the project into her senior thesis. Kavya’s project was recently featured on the OralDNA Labs website, Oral Systemic Links Through the Eyes of Gen Z.
“I’m so proud of Kavya. This project has sparked her interest in medical and health sciences, and it may have triggered her calling,” said Dr. Kadakia. “I’m inspired by her, not just as her mom, but as a dentist in my career.”
Salivary diagnostic tests can detect periodontal disease before signs are clinically visible and can help patients and team members understand their treatment choices. The Alert 2 Combination test, a combination of MyPerioPath® and MyPerioID® , is part of the PDS Team Member Dental Plan with a copayment of $10.
Visit the Dental tab on the Benefits homepage of the PDSConnect intranet to learn more.
YOUR SUCCESS IS OUR SUCCESS
The Power of Winning Together
Last year, Pacific Dental Services announced the PDS College Advancement Program, a one-of-a-kind benefit to eligible Dental Assistants, Healthcare Coordinators and Operations Managers to provide 100% upfront tuition coverage to pursue a college degree through Arizona State University. The new program was added to a suite of other education benefits available to team members including the Tuition Reimbursement Program, Professional Development Assistance and courses offered through PDS University. We sat down with a few team members who are using these benefits to find out how the experience has impacted them so far. Here is what they had to say:
“The program means so much to me. It’s a life changing opportunity that I never thought I would have. When I first heard about the program, I thought there was some kind of catch. I didn’t believe that my employer was going to send me to school and ask for nothing in return.
The program has made me proud to work for PDS and want to continue to work for PDS after I complete my degree. Investing in people with opportunities to change someone’s life is more than I could ever ask for from an employer.”
Nick DiLeo Assistant Manager
South Inland Empire/Nevada Region
THERESA HONESTO
Operations
Manager
Northern Colorado Region
After 12 years as a certified nursing associate, Theresa Honesto accepted a job as an Operations Manager for Walnut Creek Dental Group and Orthodontics shifting from caregiving to business and operations. After being promoted to Operations Manager II, the PDS College Advancement Program was announced and Theresa considered the benefits of going back to school for free.
It sounded like an amazing opportunity, but Theresa had concerns. “I work full-time, and I wondered more than once whether I could manage all my commitments.” She jokes that when she stopped binge-watching Netflix, she learned it is possible to balance work, life and school.
“I think the flexibility with online classes has really been helpful,” she says. “My family has been super supportive, too. They understand when I need to lock myself in the bedroom and get things done.” She even does homework side-by-side with her high school daughter. “I love being able to show my kids that it doesn’t matter what age you are, you can always learn, always grow.”
Removing the burden of paying for school has been a game changer for Theresa. “It can be difficult to make investments in ourselves. But when PDS invested in me and my education — that pushed my decision forward to invest in me too.”
Theresa’s future goal is to become a Regional Manager and hopes that earning her bachelor’s degree will advance her career and help her grow personally and professionally. When asked if she had advice for her fellow team
TRISH ELLIOTT VP, People Services
members, she said, “Do it. Whether you go full speed or take baby steps with just one class, take advantage of the opportunity. It’s there for you. This program is a big deal — a really big deal. They’re investing in us, supporting our professional growth and paying for the cost of our education. It’s a no-brainer to me.”
COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM STATISTICS
• 98% retention of total participating team members
• 96% of learners are proud to be participating in the PDS College Advancement Program
• 93% would recommend the PDS College Advancement Program
TOP 3 PROGRAMS:
• Business Administration
• Liberal Studies
• Health Sciences
ADDITIONAL PDS BENEFIT REMINDERS:
The Pacific Dental Services 401(k) Plan is now with Fidelity Investments
Pacific Dental Services believes Fidelity Investments® can help support your savings goals—today and in retirement. That’s why we’re excited that the Pacific Dental Services, LLC 401(k) Plan has moved from Empower Retirement to Fidelity effective May 2, 2022. Fidelity offers easy-to-use calculators and tools, an app in both English and Spanish, and other educational resources that you may find of interest.
While you do not need to take any action for your PDS 401(k) Plan account, please review this educational webinar and familiarize yourself with your new Fidelity account and what this means to you and your future.
Salivary Diagnostic Testing for Team Members
Salivary diagnostic tests can detect periodontal disease before signs are clinically visible and can help patients and team members understand their treatment choices. The Alert 2 Combination test, a combination of MyPerioPath® and MyPerioID®, is part of the PDS Team Member Dental Plan with a copayment of $10. Visit the dental tab on the Benefits homepage to learn more.
AMBER BREEZE Operations Manager Nevada Region
When Amber Breeze, an Operations Manager at Green Valley Smiles Dentistry, heard of the new PDS College Advancement Program, she knew immediately she wanted to sign up. “I’ve wanted to go back to school and finish my degree. When PDS offered the opportunity to go back to school and cover the cost, it just made sense,” Breeze explains. “I’m doing what I love and I love what I do — and now I can finish my degree. The opportunity to continue to learn and grow within my position has been amazing.”
Breeze enrolled to pursue a personal goal, but the education impacts her professional life as well. Returning to college has her feeling fulfilled, and the process is pushing her to grow. “It’s made me a better leader because what I’m learning in school, I’m bringing back and applying it to my job,” she says.
Learning opportunities like the College Advancement Program often provide paths for advancement, and Breeze imagines that a degree may push her to look higher up in the company. But for her, the most important thing is simply proving to herself that she
can finish something she started, even if she started it years ago.
Breeze gives credit to the College Advancement Program for helping her reach her goal. “I bought into PDS a long time ago, and now there’s even more of a buy-in knowing that they support my goals. A lot of companies out there don’t do that. I love PDS — they always find different ways to invest in me, and that makes me want to be a PDS lifer. I’m so grateful for this opportunity.”
For more Information on all benefits available to you, please visit the Benefits homepage on the PDSConnect intranet.
KRISTAL RICHARTE
Senior Manager, Patient Benefits
National Support Center
When Kristal Richarte first considered going back to school, the list of reasons for why she should not pursue it was long. The timing wasn’t right. She was too busy with her full-time job. Her responsibilities outside of work were too great. She simply couldn’t financially afford to get an advanced degree.
But there was one reason for why she should return to school. As the eldest in a family where no one had earned an advanced degree (except for her grandfather who was a lawyer in the Philippines), she felt a responsibility to her siblings, young cousins and nieces (ages 18, 16 and 8 years old and currently living with Kristal) to be a role model.
Fortunately, the short list won.
“Life is all about timing,” Kristal said. “Sometimes even if the timing doesn’t seem right, it is up to us to create the right time. And for me, the timing is now.”
In part, PDS helped make the decision easier through its Tuition Reimbursement Program, which allowed Kristal the additional financial cushion to make it almost impossible for her to resist.
Kristal has completed her first year at Western Governors University in Utah on her way toward
earning her bachelor’s degree in business and health care management. She recently received an Award of Excellence for her communications class project on The Mouth-Body Connection®, an award only given to 6% of students. Kristal plans to graduate in 2024 and immediately pursue her master’s degree in the accelerated health leadership program with an expected 2025 completion date.
“If PDS didn’t have the Tuition Reimbursement Program, it would have been out of the question for me to pursue my education with family and life expenses. But beyond the financial investment, PDS, my manager, VP and coworkers provide me with emotional support. Because of this investment, I am loyal to PDS and plan on returning what they invested in me right back tenfold.”
Future Potential Partner Assessment and Onboarding
From an overall platform perspective, the majority of PDS-supported practices are experiencing healthy patient flow. In fact, one of the biggest challenges we have is not with patient flow but rather a shortage of clinician days. Our collective success as a team is depends on how well we support and retain our current Future Potential Partners (FPP) ,also referred to as Associate Dentists. In order to best support FPPs we must execute a detailed assessment process and implement structured onboarding plans in every single practice. Many of us are already deep into the assessment and/or onboarding process. I challenge every team to revisit the standards and best practices of assessment and onboarding to execute at the highest level — our success depends on it
As a refresher, here are some highlights:
ASSESSMENT ONBOARDING
• Have a structured approach to the assessment process
• Listen to the candidate’s needs
• Discuss the candidate’s comfort with:
- The Owner Dentist’s (OD) clinical culture
- CEREC® CAD/CAM
- Diagnosis and treatment planning
- The Perfect Patient Experience® (PPE) process
- Clinical assessment
- Co-diagnosis
- Coaching environment
• Role play activities focusing on verbiage
• Shadow the OD-patient interactions
• Utilize the Dentist-in-Training (DIT) program when possible
• Communicate the ODs clinical culture, including non-negotiables and lead by example
• Execute the PPE process with every patient:
- Meet and greet
- Case conversation
- Healthcare Coordinator (HC) Handoff
• CEREC (50 in 50)
• Ensure the FPP understands treating patients with periodontal disease:
- The full mouth probe is a nonnegotiable
- Role play periodontal disease conversations
• Discuss areas of opportunity for accountability
Carolyn Ghazal, DDS Chair, GP Platform Development
The AD/OD Playbooks include additional standards and best practices and should be referenced for additional support.
The playbooks can be found on PDSConnect > Departments > Professioanl Partnerships.
When we WORK together, we WIN together
Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Like Ford, PDS Founder and CEO Steve Thorne is building an enduring institution at PDS we all can be proud of today and in the future. I strongly believe that establishing strong relationships with our external, strategic partners in addition to working cohesively together internally are essential to helping us become the greatest dental company in America.
I’ve been blessed to work with some of the best in the industry. Internally, I’ve been fortunate to partner with many of our Regional Partners including a recent collaboration with Todd Pachello in Minnesota. Government & Industry Affairs sponsored a photo booth at the state dental association’s annual meeting and our own Award of Distinction winner Shyanne Boike and multi-office owner dentist Dr. Kate Egan, along with other team members from the region, manned the table and booth. It was a big success and a lot of fun.
As an advisory board member for the PDS Foundation I am fortunate to work closely with Kyle Guerin, Director, Foundation and Corporate Social Responsibility, and his team. Last year our lobbyist in Georgia connected me with ModivCare, a nonprofit organization that provides non-emergency transportation services to patients who may not have access to consistent, safe rides to health care appointments. We tested it out in a few states and they’ve agreed to expand it this year during Smile Generation Serve Day. By removing one of the biggest hurdles vulnerable and underserved patients have, we are helping them receive the care the need, want and deserve.
Steve Thorne, Founder and CEO, met with industry leaders at this year’s ADSO annual meeting held March 29-April 1, 2022.
I’m also extremely active with our industry trade associations, including the American Dental Association (ADA), the American Dental Educators Association (ADEA) and the Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO). Last month, the ADSO had one of their biggest, most inclusive and successful events in their history. As a member of the curriculum committee, I was honored to play a part in that success. We brought together some of the biggest and brightest names in dentistry. Virtually every stakeholder was represented--deans of dental schools, the past president of ASDA, multiple carriers, ADA leadership, distributors, manufacturers, standardization groups and regulatory agencies and more.
The camaraderie and collaboration seen and felt during that meeting was nothing short of inspiring. Only by working together can we truly win, and who doesn’t like winning? Game On, 2022.
GARY PICKARD
Senior Director, Government and Industry Affairs
CONGRATULATIONS NEW OWNER DENTISTS
As of April 30, 2022
Robert Aulick, DDS Redlands Dental Group and Orthodontics Pacific South Coast Region
Maricon Copeland, DMD Sabino Smiles Dentistry Southern Arizona Region
South Coast Region
Nicole Perez, DMD Naples Bay Dental Group South Florida Region
Aleksandar Vukotic, DDS Redondo Dentistry and Orthodontics Pacific South Coast Region
Kee-Ju Hong-Elder, DDS NE Heights Modern Dentistry New Mexico/Sothern Colorado Region
Namrata Singh, DDS, FICOI Meyerland Modern Dentistry Gulf Coast Region
Region
Kevin Su, DDS Los Olivos Dentistry Orange County Region
Alexis Hernandez, DDS San Dimas Dental Office and Orthodontics Pacific
Javier Ochoa, DDS Miramar Modern Dentistry South Florida Region
Jordan Pierre, DDS Hendersonville Smiles Dentistry Tennessee
Arlene TagalicudBenitez, DDS Marketplace Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics North West Arizona Region
Andrew Wakefield, DMD Dentists of Flagstaff North West Arizona Region
Mareem Ali, DDS Dentists of Lexington Carolinas Region
Jason Antonio, DDS Murrieta Modern Dentistry South Inland Empire Region
Gunnar Boelman, DMD Roanoke Dental Group and Orthodontics North Dallas Fort Worth/ Oklahoma Region
Mariam Mena, DDS, MSOFP, MSOM Vancouver Smiles Dentistry Washington/Oregon Region
Joshua Shaw, DMD Surprise Modern Dentistry North West Arizona Region
Adam Turner, DDS Chapin Smiles Dentistry Carolinas Region
Jason Conrad, DDS Promenade Dentist Office and Orthodontics New Mexico/Southern Colorado Region
Sabrina Keller, DDS Arlington Modern Dentistry South Dallas Fort Worth Region
Zaki Razvi, DDS Denton Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics North Dallas Fort Worth/ Oklahoma Region
Samita Sandhu, DMD Dentists of Santa Rosa Northern California Region
Jennifer Brown, DMD Spring Valley Modern Dentistry Nevada Region
Kevin Chung, DDS Long Beach Smiles Dentistry Pacific South Coast Region
Jessica Cicone, DDS Trails Dental Group and Orthodontics Gulf Coast Region
Michael Joesting, DDS Highland Dental Group Northern California Region Minh Tran, DDS Clinton Keith Dental Group South Inland Empire Region
Inyoung Yeam, DDS El Dorado Modern Dentistry Nevada Region
Katelyn Bobbitt, DMD ABQ Modern Dental Group New Mexico/Southern Colorado Region
Olivia Chavet, DDS Dentists of Greeley Northern Colorado Region
Robert Groesbeck, DDS (Orthodontics) Kids’ Dentists of Surprise & Orthodontics North West Arizona Region
Vishal Parmar, DDS Dentists of Eastgate Ohio/Kentucky Region
Latoya Rolle, DDS (Pediatrics) Nona Kids’ Dentists & Orthodontics Central Florida Region
Diana Shima, DDS Estero Smiles Dentistry South Florida Region
Maryam Youssef, BDS, MDS (Pediatrics) League City Smiles Dentistry + My Kid’s Dentist Gulf Coast Region
29 New Offices, 1 New State
Opened in November
Opened in December
Opened in January
Opened in February
Opened in March
Opened in April
1 PEORIA 4 KD Arizona. Opened 11/2/2021 Lake Pleasant Kids’ Dentists and Orthodontics
7 LAKE WORTH 1
Florida. Opened 12/2/2021 Lake Worth Modern Dentistry 13 CLERMONT 2
Florida. Opened 1/11/2022 Clermont Modern Dentistry 19 LAS VEGAS 18
2 DERBY Kansas. Opened 11/2/2021 Derby Modern Dentistry 8 SACRAMENTO 7 California. Opened 12/7/2021 Dentists of Campus Commons 14 SURPRISE 4
3 NAPLES 3
Nevada. Opened 3/1/2022 Spring Valley Modern Dentistry
Arizona. Opened 1/18/2022 Surprise Modern Dentistry 20 VISALIA 3
Florida. Opened 11/9/2021 Naples Bay Dental Group 9 WEST CHESTER 1 Ohio. Opened 12/21/2021 West Chester Modern Dentistry 15 CINCINNATI 4
4 AUBURN 2 Washington. Opened 4/16/2021 Dentists of Auburn
CHARLOTTE 1
Carolina. Opened 12/28/2021 Steele Creek Modern Dentistry 16 PASADENA 2 California. Opened 1/15/2022 Dentists of Pasadena on Lake
California. Opened 3/15/2022 Dentists of Visalia
21 YUBA CITY
California. Opened 4/12/2022 Yuba City Modern Dentistry
22 WINTER HAVEN
Florida. Opened 4/12/2022 Winter Haven Modern Dentistry
4/26/2022 Leander Modern Dentistry
CASTLE ROCK 2 Colorado.
“I can’t think of any bolder, better idea than to challenge ourselves to revolutionize primary health care in the United States.”
