PDS Life Summer 2026

Message from the FOUNDER

& CEO

Finishing the Job

Over the last several years, PDS Health has continued to invest in a future of care that is more integrated, predictive and preventive. At the center of that work is a truth we have known for a long time: oral health and overall health are intrinsically connected. The Mouth-Body Connection® is the science that helps explain why this matters, but understanding that science is only the beginning. Our responsibility as an organization is to act on it in ways that improve health outcomes and help clinicians deliver more complete care. That is why the theme of this issue, Mouth-Body Connection: Finishing the Job, is so important.

Finishing the job means making sure what we know about health is reflected in how we practice, how we support our clinicians and how we build for the future. It means moving beyond awareness and using the technologies, diagnostics and clinical insights available to us to identify disease earlier, guide patients more clearly and support timely treatment. It means advancing dental-medical integration not as an abstract idea, but as a practical model for improving care.

This is where PDS Health is uniquely positioned to lead.

We have spent years building the infrastructure, technology and clinical capabilities to support this next phase. We are seeing it in the way supported clinicians are using OralFitnessCheck®, MyPerioPath® bacterial testing from OralDNA Labs and Pearl AI to detect disease earlier and help patients understand what is happening in their mouths and why it matters. We are seeing it in the continued growth of Epic® and the work being done to bring dental-medical integration into dental education so future clinicians enter practice already prepared to think more broadly about overall health. Teams across the organization are creating better systems and workflows so practices can operate more effectively and clinicians can stay focused on patient care.

Finishing the job is not solely about what happens chairside, even though that is where so much of the impact is felt. It also depends on work happening across support teams, technology, education, operations and leadership. When those areas are aligned, clinicians can do what they do best: diagnose with confidence, educate patients effectively and move care from detection to action.

This work calls on us to be more disciplined in how we think about prevention. Too often in healthcare, intervention happens after disease has progressed and treatment becomes more complex. The future must look different. If we truly believe in the Mouth-Body Connection, then we must continue building systems that support earlier identification, more informed decisions and personalized care. That is where predictive and preventive technologies become so important. Not as innovations to admire, but as ways to help supported clinicians do a better job for patients and move our organization closer to the care model healthcare needs.

This issue reflects progress in many ways. You will read stories that show how advanced diagnostics are helping our clinicians see more clearly and communicate more effectively. You will see how service, education and accessibility all play a role in reinforcing the connection between oral health and overall health. You will see that finishing the job requires all of us. It requires clinical excellence, operational excellence and a shared commitment to follow-through.

PDS Health has never been built around doing just enough. We have always pushed ourselves to think further ahead, to build where the industry is going and to support clinicians in ways that help them lead. The science is there. The opportunity is real. The technologies and capabilities are in our hands. Our work is to continue applying them with consistency, urgency and purpose so that more patients can live healthier, happier and longer lives.

Thank you for the role you play in that work. Together, we are not only helping shape the future of healthcare. We are helping finish the job.

Here’s to your health and happiness,

Stephen Thorne Founder and CEO PDS Health

Follow along on instagram: @SteveThorne_PDSHealth

Periodontal Disease: Where the Mouth-Body Connection Begins

Periodontal disease affects nearly half of American adults. Most have no idea they have it. Here's why that matters and what it means for the work we do every day.

Think about the last five people you interacted with today, a patient, a colleague, a neighbor or a family member. Statistically, at least two of them are likely living with periodontal disease. It is common, often silent and frequently undiagnosed. That gap between prevalence and awareness is exactly why it matters so much to the work we do at PDS Health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 47% of U.S. adults age 30 and older have some form of periodontal disease. Among adults 65 and older, the number rises to between 60% and 70%. Most patients do not feel it. There is often no pain and no obvious sign that something is wrong, so the disease quietly progresses until it becomes harder to treat.

This is the Mouth-Body Connection at Work

Periodontal disease is rooted in inflammation, and that inflammation does not stay in one place. It can move through the bloodstream and contribute to inflammation throughout the body, which is why it is associated with conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cognitive decline and pregnancy complications. For patients already managing these conditions, untreated periodontal disease can contribute to poorer outcomes.

PDS Health practices are one of the few healthcare settings where oral inflammation is evaluated routinely. Cardiologists do not measure gum pocket depths. Endocrinologists do not assess bleeding or biofilm. Our clinical teams do. They often see the earliest signs before anyone else does, which makes their role in identifying disease especially important.

Why it Often Goes Unnoticed

One of the biggest challenges with periodontal disease is how quietly it can progress. Some patients notice bleeding gums but dismiss it. Others still feel no pain even as the disease advances. Diagnosis can also vary and many clinical measurements reflect damage that has already occurred. By the time bone loss appears on an X-ray, the disease may have been progressing for years.

That is why consistency, calibration, a proactive approach and advanced, proven technologies matter. The earlier clinicians can identify active disease earlier, the sooner they can intervene.

Finishing the Job Together

This is where PDS Health has an opportunity to lead. With intentional preventive programs, standardized protocols and the integration of leading-edge tools like OralFitnessCheck® saliva screening and MyPerioPath® bacterial testing from OralDNA Labs, our clinicians can identify inflammation and disease activity earlier, monitor it over time and intervene before significant tissue breakdown occurs.

This work does not stay in the operatory. When the healthcare coordinator understands why we are recommending periodontal treatment, and when the front desk can speak to it with confidence, patients feel that. It can help moves someone from "I'll think about it" to "Let's get this started."

Picture a 38-year-old who came in for a cleaning with no pain and no complaints. The clinical team identifies stage 2 periodontitis (moderate gum disease with measurable bone loss), active bleeding at 18 probing sites and an opening to a conversation about systemic health that had never happened anywhere else. That is the job.

Every conversation, every early diagnosis and every completed treatment plan helps move care forward. That is how we help finish the job with intention across every patient, every visit, every time.

JOAN TO, DDS Owner Dentist

OralFitnessCheck to Reinforce the Mouth-Body Connection

CAROLYN GHAZAL, DDS

Owner Dentist, Executive Vice President, Office of the CEO

While many of us at PDS Health understand that our oral health has a direct connection to our overall health, many patients do not.

In fact, there can be skepticism or even resistance around the Mouth-Body Connection (MBC). Patients need the most effective tools to educate, increase awareness and build patient confidence in treatment. One such tool is the OralFitnessCheck (OFC) screening. This quick saliva screening shows patients how oral health can serve as a window into overall health.

What’s An OFC Screening?

OFC is a chairside saliva screening tool that measures collagen breakdown by identifying levels of the enzyme active matrix metalloproteinase-8, or aMMP-8. Early detection can help identify problems before they are clinically visible and before they become more serious.

Who Should Get An OFC Screening?

• New patients, even those who appear clinically healthy

• Patients with evidence of caries, periodontal disease or other oral manifestations

• Patients with notable medical or familial histories

• Patients prior to implant placement

Talking to Patients About An OFC Screening

The earlier clinicians mention MBC in the conversation, the better. Explaining the connection between periodontal disease and systemic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cognitive decline can help patients understand why prioritizing oral health is a worthwhile investment.

Recommended verbiage:

"I’d like to take a quick saliva screening to identify if you have active tissue breakdown. It’s called an OralFitnessCheck and it only takes 30 seconds to complete.

We’ll get your results in less than 10 minutes and can use that information to develop a personalized plan.

Based on your clinical exam, you have periodontal disease, but the good news is that active breakdown is low at this time. It is an ideal time to treat the disease."

Interpreting OFC Results

Screening results for aMMP-8 are important because collagen breakdown is not visible to the naked eye. Depending on a patient’s results, clinicians can respond in several ways, as shown in the scenarios below.

Scenario 1

Patient: John, 38

OFC Score: 10

Exam: Generalized 4mm pockets, localized 5mm, bleeding on probing and inflammation

Response:

“John, you have clinical signs of periodontal your immune system is working well and your enzyme activity is slow, which means if you get treated in a timely manner, your body will respond well.”

Patient Dashboard

Follow the conversation with the patient dashboard, emphasizing its value in guiding treatment.

“The patient dashboard is a snapshot of your overall health. It helps us see things that are going well and areas in which we need to focus. By reviewing your gum health, saliva screening and vital signs, we can start to connect the dots between your oral health and your overall health. Using all the information from your exams, X-rays and 3D scans, we can now create a personalized treatment plan for you.”

Scenario 2

Patient: Olivia, 47

OFC Score: 45

Exam: Generalized 4-5mm pockets, visible signs of inflammation and bone loss and bleeding on probing

Response:

“Olivia, you have clinical signs of periodontal disease and your aMMP-8 activity is high, which means if treated in a timely manner, we can potentially avoid further tissue destruction. In addition, we will want to rescreen in 8-12 weeks when you return for your periodontal maintenance visit with the dental hygienist.”

See Yourself as a Clinical Advocate

Using OFC in this way helps clinicians educate with clarity, personalize treatment and guide patients toward timely care. It gives patients a better understanding of how oral health connects to overall health and reinforces the clinician’s role as an advocate for long-term health.

Expanding Mouth-Body Connection® Education Across the Care Team

Throughout the year, PDS Health highlights the MouthBody Connection® (MBC) to help team members speak more confidently with patients about oral-systemic health. At the core of this approach is a simple, powerful philosophy: See one. Do one. Teach one.

It starts with learning. PDS Health University has modules offering clinical insights, practical guidance and dialogue examples to help teams navigate real patient conversations. The modules cover four key topic areas — heart health, brain health, women’s health and diabetic health — and are divided into front office and clinical tracks. Front office modules support patient awareness through everyday interactions, while clinical modules guide discussions during exams, diagnosis and treatment planning.

PDS Health University recently refreshed its MBC content for Business Operations for Healthcare Managers, a training workshop for operations managers and other leaders across the organization. The updated content helps team members make stronger connections with patients around overall health. Role-based learning programs also deepen each team member’s understanding of their role in the Perfect Patient Experience® (PPE), and the impact a patient’s understanding of the MBC can have on helping them live a healthier, happier and longer life.

The final step is teaching. When team members share their knowledge with patients and encourage them to keep learning about their personal health, the impact can extend well beyond the practice and becomes a catalyst for change throughout those individuals’ lives.

From Education to Action

One of the most effective ways to bring the MBC to life is through clear, patient-friendly education. Smile Generation® helps translate complex topics into practical, relatable information through blog articles, videos and multimedia content designed to make oral health information easier to understand. Articles such as What is the Mouth-Body Connection?, How Hormones Affect Your Oral Health and What Does Gum Disease Have to Do With Blood Pressure? help connect oral health to overall health in ways patients can understand and clinicians can easily share.

Smile Generation also offers patient education emails and digital materials, including Generations of Smiles magazine and the 32 Reasons to Learn About the Mouth-Body Connection booklet, to reinforce this messaging.

As patients engage with this content, their understanding of their health can grow along with the likelihood of meaningful behavioral change. Sometimes all it takes is a clinician willing to start the conversation.

Extending Education Beyond the Office

PDS Health offers resources to help team members deepen their own knowledge and better guide patients.

PDSHealth.com includes research, studies and insights that explain the science behind oral-systemic health across a range of conditions, including heart and brain health, cancer, diabetes, women’s health and more. Studies featured on the Mouth-Body Connection resources page include Gum Disease May Be Linked to Plaque Buildup in Arteries, A Higher Risk of Major CVD Events, and The Root of the Matter: Linking Oral Health to Chronic Disease Prevention

PDS Health also partners with organizations like the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, a nonprofit working to create a more accessible and integrated oral health system, and The Santa Fe Group, a nonprofit think tank that convenes leaders across dentistry, medicine and public health to advance prevention, education and dental-medical integration.

The Clinical Article Resource Database (CARD) on PDSConnect rounds out these resources, serving as a central hub where teams can explore the clinical evidence behind MBC through research, guidelines and foundational references.

A Shared Responsibility

When patients understand the connection between their oral health and overall health, they are more likely to take action and share that knowledge with others. By living out the See one, Do one, Teach one philosophy, every team member can help extend awareness of the Mouth-Body Connection into the communities we serve. That’s how lasting change happens.

JEANI SPENCER Director, Learning and Development

Service That Strengthens Health:

The Mouth-Body

The We Serve department continues to create new opportunities for PDS Health team members to serve their communities. Service has always been part of who we are, and it also supports health in meaningful ways.

Research shows that volunteering can benefit both physical and mental health. Spending time in community with others can increase feelings of purpose and connection, improve mood and reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. One study found that older adults who volunteered consistently saw measurable changes in brain health, and people who volunteer have been shown to have lower mortality rates than those who do not.

YASMIN ALFURATI Manager, We Serve

Service can also deepen relationships among team members and create a stronger sense of meaning. This year, We Serve is focusing its service efforts on reinforcing the Mouth-Body Connection and the relationship between oral health and overall health.

Teams can host volunteer activities that reflect this connection in practical ways. The projects are designed around how maintaining oral health supports heart health, brain health, metabolic health and healthier pregnancies.

Heart Health: Heart Pillows for Heart Surgery Patients

Team members across the country can make pillows designed to provide comfort and physical relief to patients recovering from heart surgery or other cardiac procedures. Patients can use them to stabilize their chest when coughing or moving after surgery. The pillows intended to offer both physical comfort and emotional support.

in ActionConnection®

Brain Health: Memory Kits for Seniors

Memory care kits are designed to support older adults experiencing memory loss and cognitive decline, including those living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. The kits include mentally stimulating and sensory-friendly activities that encourage conversation and engagement while helping reduce anxiety. They may also include disposable sharps containers, stress balls and glucose logs.

Women’s Health: Postpartum, New Mom and Hygiene Kits

These kits are designed to support mothers returning home from the hospital without the basic items they need during recovery after childbirth. Items may include nursing pads, wipes, socks, snacks, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and more.

We Serve also offers feminine hygiene kits to support women’s health and well-being.

Both types of kits include a letter and education on the importance of oral health in maintaining overall health.

Diabetic Health: Diabetes Care Kits

Diabetes care kits are designed to support high-risk patients, including those who are prediabetic, as they manage blood sugar and overall health. The kits include items such as a portable sharps container, a diabetes log book, water and more. Team members at the Henderson, Dallas, and Irvine Support Centers assembled and donated kits to local health centers that support underinsured and uninsured patients who are at higher risk for diabetes.

Volunteer event supply lists and facilitation searching "We Serve On-Site Volunteer Opportunities" on PDSConnect. Team members are responsible for delivering completed donated items to a nonprofit organization near them. For help identifying a nonprofit contact weserve@pdshealth.com for assistance.

Making the Mouth-Body Connection®

Accessible to Patients with Disabilities

The Mouth-Body Connection shapes the care delivered in our practices every day. For patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the understanding can carry even greater significance.

Patients with disabilities are at higher risk for oral health challenges, including periodontal disease. Research shows that people with Down syndrome have about four times the risk of developing periodontitis compared with people without Down syndrome, and children with autism spectrum disorder experience more severe dental decay per tooth surface than their peers. Over time, these conditions can contribute to broader health concerns, including diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

Individuals with Down syndrome have an average life expectancy of 55 to 60 years and studies indicate that up to 70% may develop dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease. That makes access to consistent, compassionate oral health care even more important across the lifespan.

Access to oral healthcare can also be more difficult. Many practices may not feel fully equipped to care for patients with disabilities because they have not had the training, tools or exposure needed to build confidence. Kayla Erps, DDS, and Operations Manager Beatriz Adame — both part of the PDS Health Foundation Dentists for Special Needs team — are sharing tangible, accessible ways to improve care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

CARLI CASEY Director, We Serve and PDS Health Foundation

Start Before the Appointment

A successful visit often begins before the patient ever arrives. An accessible intake process can help the team understand sensory needs, communication preferences and practical accommodations ahead of time. Epic® can also play an important role by making those needs visible and easier to carry forward from one visit to the next.

Sending a simple checklist before the appointment can help set both the patient and team up for success. That may include asking the patient or caregiver to bring comfort items or share medical and behavioral accommodations in advance.

Begin by Understanding Comfort Level

At the start of the appointment, the team can gauge the patient’s comfort level and shape the visit accordingly. One helpful tool is the Frankl Scale, which can guide communication and behavioral support strategies based on how the patient is responding.

Build Trust in Small Steps

During the visit, simple strategies can make a meaningful difference. A "Tell-Show-Do" framework or a visual schedule can reduce uncertainty and help patients understand what is coming next. Breaking the visit into small wins can also make progress feel more manageable for both the patient and the team. Once trust and comfort are established, consistency matters. Sticking with what works can help strengthen the experience over time.

Use Practical Behavior Support Tools

Many of the most effective approaches are also the simplest. Counting to 10 or 15 can give patients a chance to pause and regroup. Positive reinforcement, such as praising stillness or offering a fist bump or high five, can help build trust. A calm tone, simple language and clear choices can also lower stress.

“Do you want mint or cherry toothpaste?” may feel like a small question, but moments like that can help patients feel a greater sense of control. First-then statements can also be useful. Saying, “First we count to three, then we take a quick picture,” gives the patient a clearer sense of what to expect.

For some patients, desensitization may be the best approach for building trust and rapport. That could mean shorter, more frequent appointments or a gradual stepby-step introduction to tools, starting with a toothbrush, then a mirror, and building from there. A small reward at the end of the visit can also help reinforce success.

Learning Through Immersion

Some teams are already putting these ideas into practice. Owner Dentist Robert Bingaman, DMD, at Grand Canyon Modern Dentistry (Office 1011) and Las Vegas Regional Manager Katie Rahn participated in a two-day immersion experience at Dentists for Special Needs. The goal was to learn practical workflows that can make care more accessible for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The immersion included hands-on work with Epic documentation, patient and caregiver communication, sensory-informed accommodations and simple protocol adjustments that can reduce stress for patients and teams alike.

“The biggest takeaway for me was that 70% to 80% of the patients we saw in those two days we could make accommodations for in our own offices every day,” Katie said. “My message to teams would be, don’t be scared. We can take care of a lot of people.”

Making care more accessible does not always require major changes. Often, it starts with preparation, flexibility and a willingness to meet patients where they are. For our practices, that can open the door to more confident teams, more inclusive care and better health outcomes for patients who need it most.

Operations Manager Beatriz Adame and Kayla Erps, DDS recently spoke at the American Student Dental Association’s (ASDA) Annual Session

Finishing the Job One Conversation at a Time

ROSE OLAGUE, RDA Director, School Relations and Dental Assistant Programs

Luis Serafio’s journey into dentistry began with a commitment to growth, education and patient care. Starting as a dental assistant in 2013 while still in high school, he entered the profession through an accelerated program and quickly found purpose in supporting patients and teams. Over the next eight years, Luis built experience across general dentistry and dental specialties, including endodontics and orthodontics, and served as a traveling surgical dental assistant before stepping into a specialty lead dental assistant role.

Today, as a regional back office trainer in the San Diego Region, Luis brings that experience forward to support teams across the market. His path reflects the evolving role of dental assistants not only as clinical contributors, but as educators and advocates for whole-person health.

At PDS Health, the Mouth-Body Connection® reinforces a simple but powerful truth: health starts in the mouth. As healthcare continues to shift toward prevention and early detection, oral health plays a critical role in identifying and influencing broader systemic conditions. This understanding shapes everyday patient care. Luis sees this as a responsibility shared by every dental assistant. “We’re in the business of educating,” Luis says. "When patients understand the connection between what’s happening in their mouth and their overall health, it changes how they engage in their care.”

“When patients understand the connection between what’s happening in their mouth and their overall health, it changes how they engage in their care.”

- Luis Serafio

Dental assistants are essential in bringing this connection to life. Often the first and last touchpoint in the patient experience, they help reinforce clinical conversations, translate complex information into meaningful understanding and build patient trust. By helping patients connect oral conditions such as periodontal disease to broader health risks, dental assistants support more informed decision-making and stronger health outcomes.

Luis emphasizes that shifting from a transactional mindset to an educational approach is key. When patients understand the “why” behind their treatment, care becomes more personal, relevant and impactful. Education becomes the foundation for preventive care, giving patients the knowledge to act before conditions progress.

In his role today, Luis supports dental assistants by drawing from his own experience. Having spent nearly a decade in the role, he understands the pace, expectations and emotional investment required. This allows him to lead with empathy and credibility, helping team members stay grounded in their purpose.

“This is a selfless profession,” he explains. “We are supporting people through moments that impact their health and well-being. It may not always feel easy, but what we do matters.”

Luis is also a strong advocate for education as a pathway to growth. From accelerated programs to continued development in the field, he believes that investing in learning strengthens both individual careers and the quality of care delivered to patients.

As healthcare continues to evolve toward a more integrated, prevention-focused model, dental assistants play a critical role in advancing that vision. Through education, connection and purpose-driven care, they help every patient leave with more than treatment. They leave with understanding.

“Dental assistants help finish the job by reinforcing patients’ understanding of the Mouth-Body Connection through continuous education,” Luis said.

Specialty Dentistry: Where the Mouth-Body Connection Becomes Care

JOSH ALBRIGHT Sr. Director, Specialty Operations

The Mouth-Body Connection® (MBC) runs deeper than most people realize. A healthy-looking mouth can still harbor active inflammation, and a silent tooth infection can quietly compound the body's overall stress load. Here’s how a few different specialties are putting that science to work and breathing life into the MBC.

Zulema Valdivia, DDS Owner Dentist, Periodontics Health Group

Periodontists and aMMP-8 in

Action

Eight of 10 of the leading causes of death have an oral-systemic link and research continues to confirm the strong association between oral health and overall health.

Across Periodontics Health Group, a PDS Healthsupported specialty group, saliva screenings using aMMP-8 help guide post-therapy evaluation after initial scaling and root planing (SRP). Periodontists use this biomarker to assess how patients are responding to first-line treatment.

Because aMMP-8 reflects active tissue breakdown, it helps show whether inflammation is still active after SRP. When levels remain elevated, it can strengthen the case for moving beyond non-surgical therapy to surgical intervention, including osseous surgery.

By using saliva science in this way, periodontists can connect clinical findings with patient understanding, turning data into conversations that support better health outcomes.

Frederica Salbo, DMD Owner Dentist, Endodontics Health Group

Endodontic Infections and the Mouth-Body Connection

Chronic endodontic infections, such as apical periodontitis, can act as a continuous source of bacteria and inflammation.

Research continues to strengthen our understanding of this aspect of the MBC. A longitudinal study in the Journal of Translational Medicine reported measurable improvements in blood sugar, cholesterol and inflammatory markers after root canal treatment in patients with apical periodontitis. The findings suggest that removing dental infection may support cardiometabolic health.

Research also makes an important distinction between untreated infection and the treatment used to eliminate it. Root canal therapy is designed to remove infection, reduce bacterial load, support healing and preserve natural dentition, making endodontic care an increasingly important part of comprehensive healthcare.

Ben Ovando Sr. Manager, Specialty Platform Development

Malocclusion and Overall Health

Malocclusion, ranked by the World Health Organization as the third highest oral health priority, affects about 56% of people globally, with tooth crowding among the most common presentations. That misalignment carries consequences beyond aesthetics. Crowding greater than 3 mm increases periodontal disease risk because it promotes plaque retention and makes flossing more difficult. It is also associated with systemic issues such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and pregnancy complications.

Orthodontist Zachary Williams, DDS, MCLD, LLC, of My Kids Dentist and Orthodontics in Blue Springs, MO (Office 825) tells patients, “The way your teeth fit together is important, not just because we want to have a good-looking smile, but because we want our teeth to last a lifetime.”

Similarly, the American Academy of Orthodontists emphasizes that proper alignment supports both dental and overall health by influencing breathing, sleep and function. Orthodontic evaluation can support timely treatment with braces or aligners, helping prevent health problems related to malocclusion.

Stephanie Gleason Director, Kids’ Dentistry and Orthodontics

Early Intervention, Lifelong Impact

Pediatric dentistry and orthodontics are foundational to overall health, and early intervention can shape lifelong outcomes. Dental caries remains the most common chronic disease in children, with more than 50% of children ages six to eight experiencing decay, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Saliva testing, such as OralDNA® Labs’ OraRisk Caries, supports early detection of high-risk bacterial profiles before clinical signs appear. When combined with caries risk assessments, nutritional counseling and behavior-based interventions, clinicians can provide more targeted, personalized care.

Minimally invasive therapies like Curodont further support this approach by remineralizing early lesions and preserving healthy tooth structure.

Together, these approaches help clinicians act earlier, personalize care and support healthier outcomes as children grow.

Across every specialty, the MBC becomes more than a concept when clinicians can identify risk earlier, explain findings more clearly and guide patients toward timely care. That is how specialty dentistry helps turn science into action and supports healthier, happier and longer lives.

XP Awards 2026

XP Awards brings team members together each year to connect, reflect and recognize the people who make a difference for patients every day.

For the 2026 event, more than 2,300 PDS Health team members and guests gathered in regional locations and at the Keep Memory Alive Center in Las Vegas. Hosted by comedian, actor and singer Wayne Brady, the celebration honored the contributions of team members across PDS Health and the impact they continue to make throughout the organization.

PDS Health also recognized 100 XP Award winners, selected from thousands of peer-submitted nominations, for their extraordinary performance and contributions to PDS Health’s vision to be The Greatest Integrated Healthcare Company in the World. With more than 17,000 team members across PDS Health, being named one of just 100 XP Award winners is an achievement in itself. The highest honor of the evening, the Award of Distinction, was presented to one individual whose impact exemplifies the best of PDS Health.

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners. Your commitment continues to shape the future of integrated healthcare.

Award of Distinction

Claudia Camacho, DDS

Presented by Stephen Thorne, PDS Health Founder and CEO

Leading With Heart and High Standards

When Claudia Camacho, DDS, joined PDS Health in August 2019 as an associate dentist at West Covina Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 295), she quickly stood out for the way she connected with patients and embraced the Perfect Patient Experience®

Under the mentorship of Territory Clinical Partner and Owner Dentist Karim Zaklama, DDS, she built the clinical and leadership foundation that would shape her next chapter. In September 2021, she opened Dentists of Pico Rivera (Office 614). In March 2023, she opened Dentists of Montebello (Office 1053) with the support of North Los Angeles Regional Partner Dan Rodriguez and Dr. Zaklama. In just a few years, she grew from associate dentist to owner dentist and leader across the region.

That growth, and the impact behind it, led to the highest honor PDS Health awards. Dr. Camacho received the Award of Distinction, a recognition reserved for one individual whose influence reflects the very best of PDS Health.

For Dr. Camacho, the award carries deep gratitude and a strong sense of responsibility. She sees it as a reflection of the care she provides, the team she is building and the opportunity ahead.

“I see this award opening doors, whether that involves mentorship, regional involvement or helping shape how we deliver care across offices,” she said.

Dan said the recognition came as no surprise.

“Dr. Camacho establishes connections naturally,” he explained. “In my 15 years at PDS Health, I’ve never seen a clinician create such genuine connections the way she does. She listens to her patients and treats them as if they were family. As a leader, she runs her practices with a patient-first mindset and because her team understands this is the expectation, they’re able to execute in the same way.”

That combination of leadership and care has made a lasting impression across North Los Angeles and beyond. Dr. Camacho has remained focused on delivering highquality, patient-centric care while continuing to grow the people around her.

When asked what comes next, she said she plans to keep building her skills, take on responsibilities where she can add value and invest even more in supporting and developing others.

“She lifts everyone up and only wants to see you succeed,” Dan added. “Seeing the impact that she’s made in leading other clinicians, including those outside the North Los Angeles Region, and other team members highlights why she is deserving of this award.”

For Dr. Camacho, the recognition is not just a personal milestone. It reflects the kind of dentist and leader she has worked to become, and the kind of future she wants to help shape at PDS Health.

“This award motivates me to continue working with my team to fully integrate dental and medical care so that we deliver healthier, happier patients,” she said. “I’m humbled and appreciative of the opportunities I’ve had, and I’m excited to keep going.”

OFFICE OF THE YEAR

West Covina Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 295) North Inland Empire Region

Presented by Joanna Rodgers, EVP, Office of the CEO

Chasing Excellence Every Day

At West Covina Dental Group and Orthodontics, excellence is not treated like a milestone. It is the standard the team works to uphold every day. That mindset earned the office one of PDS Health’s highest honors, Office of the Year.

“We have three core values in our office that complement the We Believes: prioritize others, value everyone, and put your heads down to get it done,” said Owner Dentist Karim Zaklama, DDS. These principles, paired with the team’s dedication to serving patients, cultivating personal growth and celebrating one another, have helped shape a culture of high performance.

Regional Manager Samantha Loera said the recognition reflects the effort of the entire team. “This award belongs to the team and every person who came in each day committed to their patients and to one another,” she said. “Office of the Year was not built by one person, but by a team that chooses excellence, accountability and heart every day.”

That culture has translated into real momentum. Over the past year, the office celebrated the promotion of four operators and two associate dentists who advanced to become owner dentists. The office also surpassed $800,000 in production, a milestone that reflects its commitment to quality care and continuous team development.

Dr. Zaklama said that kind of growth is built with intention. The office invests in personal and professional development through a structured onboarding process designed to give each team member clear guidance, regular feedback and the benchmarks needed to succeed. The team also stays aligned through consistent execution of standards such as the Perfect Patient Experience® (PPE) 3.0 and the clinical culture document.

Lead Dental Assistant Michelle Cortez, who has been with PDS Health for more than 11 years, has helped build that culture from within. She believes the team’s success comes from working toward a common purpose. “We reached every one of our goals,” Michelle said. “This award means so much, and I’m so proud to be part of this team.”

Regional Partner Linda Mata-Icart, who served as regional director for West Covina in 2025, and Office Manager Trainee Maria Chavez echoed that same sense of pride. Linda said the West Covina team stayed focused, supported one another and continued delivering exceptional patient care through consistent execution. Maria said the recognition reflects more than hard work alone. “Hard work pays off, but more importantly, it pushes us to keep growing, improving and raising the standard,” she said. “It’s not the finish line, it’s fuel. Excellence is not something we reach once; it’s something we chase every day.”

From Cash Burn to High Performance

Before the turnaround, Olney Modern Dentistry was struggling. Two associate dentists had just given notice. Supplies were scarce. The team was undertrained. The schedule was light and the energy in the office reflected it.

“When we started, the office was quiet and the lights were literally off,” said Kirstie Ninan, DDS, Owner Dentist.

That began to change in April 2025 when Minh Pham, DDS, East Coast Territory Clinical Partner, stepped in with a clear goal. He wanted to turn the lowest-performing office in the market into one other owner dentists, office managers and regional managers could learn from. He brought in Dr. Ninan as a partner, and from the start they shared the same vision for what the office could become.

“I didn’t let a lack of knowledge or an undertrained team slow down our success or our ability to take care of patients,” said Dr. Pham. “There was no magic formula. It was hard work and utilizing the platform.”

What followed was structured and intentional. Regional Manager Annie Madama helped lead a four-hour office reset centered on the Perfect Patient Experience® (PPE), followed by focused team training and a disciplined morning huddle routine. The team leaned on resources including the PPE Process Map, Clinical Culture Document and Discovery Guides. They also committed to consistent execution of Mouth Body-Connection® language and OralFitnessCheck®. Together, those elements gave the team a framework they could apply every day. The clinical model expanded to include integrated specialty and same-day dentistry, bringing the full PDS Health platform into the office.

Over the months that followed, the culture began to change. Through leveling on every position in the office, team members became more accountable, took greater ownership of daily execution and grew more proactive in scheduling, front office processes and patient care. “The culture shifted into a growth mindset where everyone took ownership of our success,” said Dr. Ninan.

The results followed. Year over year, Olney delivered 486.7% top-line growth and 528.7% bottom-line growth. Those gains reflected the team’s consistency, discipline and belief in the process.

For Annie, the takeaway is straightforward. “Trust the platform. Trust the process. And never lose intensity around the basics, because that’s where performance is built and sustained.”

For Dr. Pham, the recognition belongs to the team. “I’m proud of the team and how much they’ve grown,” he said. “Thank you to Dr. Ninan and to our entire operations team.”

For Dr. Ninan, the clearest sign of progress is something much simpler. “We went from an empty office to a highperformance environment,” she said. “Seeing the lights on and a team that is fully aligned is the best proof of how far we’ve come.”

REGION OF THE YEAR

North Los Angeles

Presented by Jon Thorne, EVP, and Carolyn Ghazal, DDS, EVP, Office of the CEO

Winning Builds Belief

Success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s earned through culture, competition and a team that refuses to leave anyone behind.

Led by Regional Partner Dan Rodriquez, the North Los Angeles (LA) Region has become one of the most competitive, cohesive teams in the organization. That did not happen by accident. Since 2020, the region has worked to rebuild its culture, strengthen performance and stay connected through a period that challenged every team in healthcare.

“Our revived culture set the tone for back-to-back exceptional years,” Dan said. “Our people lift each other up, operate with a ‘no one left behind’ mindset and push one another to reach full potential, creating not only an incredible place to work and build a future, but the best environment for patients to become healthier and happier.”

The region has leaned into the PDS Health platform, including leadership essentials, service initiatives, development fundamentals and learning bootcamps for clinicians and operators. Owner dentists have been elevated into regional clinical leader roles, creating new opportunities for clinician growth while improving performance across the region. Early owner dentist meetings once consisted of only a small handful of attendees. Today, North LA has exceeded the capacity of its training center and utilizes a local college venue to support more than 100 participants.

Kelly Scott, director of talent development, said the region wants every new team member to see their role as more than a job from the start. That expectation applies whether someone joins as an extern or an associate dentist. “It’s a career,” she said.

The Mouth-Body Connection® has also become central to how teams throughout the region deliver care. “When patients see that our entire team genuinely understands and cares about their overall health, trust increases and they move forward with the dentistry they need,” Dan said.

For Dan, this recognition marks a milestone in his 15 years with PDS Health. “This is my first award. It means everything to me because it represents what’s truly possible here.” But he is clear that the credit belongs to the entire North LA team, including the operations managers, all front and back office teams, our entire specialty teams, regional team and clinicians who helped earn it. Kelly has seen just how far the region has come. “I’m so excited for the team to see that all the hard work is being recognized,” she said.

North LA is still building on that momentum. “Winning builds belief,” Dan said. “And belief builds culture.”

PEDIATRIC DENTAL OFFICE OF THE YEAR

DE NOVO OF THE YEAR

North Las Vegas Modern Dentistry (Office 1193)

Las Vegas Region

Presented by Dan Burke, Chief Enterprise Strategy Officer and General Counsel

"This honor truly belongs to the team. Launching a practice that serves patients on both the dental and medical side is no small task, and from day one they showed up aligned, curious and willing to do whatever it took to make it work. The culture we built together made every milestone possible and I'm grateful for their commitment, and for the patients who trusted us early on. De Novo of the Year is a tribute to every person who helped shape what this office has become."

-Joseph Brown, DMD, Owner Dentist

My Kids’ Dentist & Orthodontics (Office 7634)

Houston

Region

Presented by David Baker, Chief Information and Digital Officer

“Our success was driven by consistent deliberate actions, particularly our commitment to a ‘yes’ mindset. By remaining responsive, adaptable and focused on meeting each patient’s needs to the best of our ability, we fostered trust and delivered a high standard of care.”

-

Mengxia “Mia” Chen, DDS, MPH, MSD, Owner Dentist

REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR Annie Madama

Regional Manager, Virginia Maryland Region

Presented by Taylor Hawes, Chief Financial Officer

“This award reinforces my commitment to growth within PDS Health and strengthens my drive to take on greater leadership opportunities. It motivates me to continue expanding my impact, developing high-performing teams, contributing to the long-term success of the organization and executing the Perfect Patient Experience® with consistency. My goal is to mentor and support other leaders and offices so they can replicate this success and elevate the patient experience across the region.”

- Annie Madama

REGIONAL SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR

Paige Fichtner, RDH

Sr. Director, Territory Specialty, East Coast Territory

Presented by Danielle Ecklund, SVP, People

“Receiving this award is a true honor as it validates that my efforts to operationalize the Mouth-Body Connection® (MBC) are recognized, and that fuels me to drive this message even further. My role gives me the opportunity to live out my ‘why,’ which is to elevate our team members, scale our business and redefine the worldview of dental care so that it is truly seen as an essential part of healthcare. With this recognition, I will continue to influence that understanding with team members across the organization. With intentional use of the MBC tools in our practices, we will see the impact in our business, which in turn will make patient education easier.”

- Paige Fichtner, RDH

Nicole Brown, Territory Partner, South Central Territory, accepting the Pediatric Dental Office of the Year award on behalf of My Kids' Dentist & Orthodontics.

PLATINUM AWARD WINNERS

Vanetta Abayomi-Cole, RDH

Georgia

Tania Arcile

Houston

Kalynn Bearden

Houston

Falon Breazeale

Eastern Arizona

Gina Brown, RDH South Inland Empire

Matthew Christy, DDS

Houston

Luz Contreras, RDH

Reno

Justin Cowan, DDS

South Los Angeles

Kaitlyn Craig National Support Centers

Daphne George, RDH

Southern Arizona

Beniamin Ioanca North West Arizona

Amy Latshikyan, DDS

Orange County

Erika Lopez

Sacramento

Faith Middleton San Diego

Nicol Miranda, DDS South Florida

Andrew Misak, RDH North Inland Empire

Sara Mojarrad, DDS

Virgina Maryland

Lisa Orlando Central Florida

Tani Palafox

Washington

Jasmine Payne

Washington

Megan Rodriguez

North Colorado

Nicole Schuette

Minnesota

Amy StLucas

San Diego

Kaz Talebpour, DDS

Central Colorado

Johanna Vasquez

National Support Centers

Bianca Velayo, DMD

South Las Vegas

DIAMOND AWARD WINNERS

Brenda Coleman

South Las Vegas

Presented by Maha Said-Shariff, Territory Partner, South West Territory

Demi Godinas

South Florida

Presented by Jacob Kramer, Territory Partner, East Coast Territory

Paula Pisani, RDH

Austin San Antonio

Presented by Nicole Brown, Territory Partner, South Central Territory

Viola Williams

Tennessee

Presented by Dave Bryant, VP, Office of the CEO

Jennifer Fletcher

National Support Centers

Presented by Joe Feldsien, SVP, Integrated Care

Tyranie Lindsey

Bay Area

Presented by Nicholas D'Amico, Territory Partner, North West Territory

Kelly Scott

North Los Angeles

Presented by Jacob Kramer, Territory Partner, East Coast Territory

Stephanie Wilson, DDS

Missouri Kansas

Presented by Stephanie Wootan, Territory Partner, North Central Territory

XP Award Recipients

Beatriz Adame National Support Centers

Sean Amstutz Central Florida

Madisyn Anderson, RDH North West Arizona

Jose Arellano Houston

Lauren Aschendorf, DMD Southern Colorado

America Ayala-Torres Sacramento

Shannon Benjamin, RDH North Dallas Fort Worth

Roger Boose National Support Centers

Amanda Brown South Inland Empire

Jasmin Campos

Orange County

Rachel Cardin

North Dallas Fort Worth

Zenia Castillo

Houston

Alondra Chavez

Orange County

Dylan Chen National Support Centers

Kathryn Commons Idaho Utah

Nikki Congdon, RDH Eastern Arizona

Amelia Crawford, DMD South Florida

Marcy Comer Dack North West Arizona

Sarah Davis

Missouri Kansas

Nadya Doran

Minnesota

Sharene Edwards South Dallas Fort Worth

Lukas Gilevicius, DDS

Louisiana

Morgan Recely Goetz San Diego

Ashley Gonzalez North Carolina

Abigail Hargis Missouri Kansas

Cynthia Hastings North Los Angeles

Candace Henderson Central Valley

Katherine Hoeg, DDS Massachusetts

Rachel Horsley Ohio Kentucky

Brandon Kaecker North Las Vegas

Matthew Kiley Sacramento

Sedona Kolzow Eastern Arizona

Gina Leon North Inland Empire

Brandy Lovato North Colorado

Brittany Love Washington

Cherrie Maestrado Central Florida

Casey Magana-Cruz

Bay Area

Aurelia Manzanedo

Southern Arizona

Laura Messineo

Virginia Maryland

Fallon Miles

South Florida

Jen Moss

Houston

Rahul Nagda, DDS, MS, BDS

Sacramento

Phing Park, DMD

Oregon

John Parsley

New Mexico

Ulices Pineda

South Dallas Fort Worth

Marta Rizova

Central Colorado

Allan Rodriguez

South Los Angeles

Aura Rodriguez

North Los Angeles

Karyn Rodriguez

Inland Desert

Mariana Rodriguez

National Support Centers

Joey Saladino

North Inland Empire

Michelle SantiagoFeliciano

Central Florida

Taylor Skarbowski

South Carolina

Erin Sparkuhl

National Support Centers

Taylor Stallworth

Georgia

Christopher Steiger, DDS

North Dallas Fort Worth

Merle Teano

San Diego

Kasey Thompson

North Colorado

Cindy Perez Trinidad

North Las Vegas

Cameron Turk

Tennessee

Vivian Valencia

Inland Desert

Sayan Vannarath

National Support Centers

Brianna Vela

Arizona Medical

Caitlyn Walters

Inland Desert

Kylie Wesson

North West Arizona

Regina Yanez

South Inland Empire

From Insight to Action at

Just one week after the 2026 XP Awards, more than 1,000 team members, including practice owners and leaders gathered at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas for the inaugural PDS Health Summit on April 24 and 25.

Over two days, attendees exchanged ideas, shared best practices and participated in educational breakout sessions designed to strengthen both clinical and operational excellence.

As the first event of its kind, the Summit created space for practice owners and leaders to focus on where PDS Health is headed and how they can help shape that future together.

The theme, “Clinical Unity: Shaping the Next Era of Healthcare,” guided the weekend’s programming. Sessions covered emerging technology and artificial intelligence, clinical care, operations, recruiting, leadership development, the Perfect Patient Experience® (PPE) and the continued advancement of integrated dental-medical care. Attendees also had the opportunity to visit the Mouth-Body Connection® (MBC) Experience Booth, where they could receive complimentary OralFitnessCheck® and HbA1c screenings. The booth invited guests to engage more directly in their own health journey while reinforcing the role oral health plays in overall health.

On Friday, David Baker, Chief Information and Digital Officer, shared an overview of PDS Health’s work in technology and AI, including recent progress, completed initiatives and what lies ahead. His session reinforced how innovation, data and connected systems can support clinicians, strengthen operations and improve the experience for practice owners, their patients and our team members.

On Saturday, Deepika Dhama, DDS, delivered a keynote focused on PPE 3.0. Through detailed explanation, video reenactments and practical examples, Dr. Dhama walked attendees through both effective and ineffective ways to bring the PPE to life. Her message reinforced the importance of consistency, accountability and finishing the job in every patient interaction.

Another key moment came during a candid conversation between PDS Health Founder and CEO Stephen Thorne and Brett Kessler, DDS, immediate past president of the American Dental Association. Their discussion reflected a broader opportunity for dentistry and support organizations, one centered on unity, collaboration and the continued effort to establish oral health as an essential part of overall health.

The inaugural PDS Health Summit was designed to do more than bring leaders together in one place. It created an opportunity to learn from one another, strengthen alignment and keep building toward the future of integrated care.

Deepening the Territory Structure

Four years ago, PDS Health introduced territory partner roles to leverage our national scale while still delivering a tailored strategy based on regional needs. Now, we’re introducing new territory leadership roles that will deepen this structure and deliver more personalized strategies to each region.

We spoke with the team members stepping into these roles about what they’ll focus on and what success looks like.

How important will collaboration be in your new role?

Collaboration will be essential, and it starts with building strong relationships and trust. Regional partners need to see marketing as a strategic growth partner, not simply a support role. I plan to create a culture where the team feels connected, supported and comfortable sharing ideas, learning from one another and collaborating in their markets and with each other. That level of shared momentum will allow us to deliver strong results that are aligned with the PDS Health strategy.

What makes this role different for you?

This role brings a broader scope of responsibility and the opportunity to scale impact across the North Central Territory. My approach will be focused and intentional. I want to identify opportunities, develop people and partner on strategies that support long-term growth in each market. Having started as a dental assistant and built strong operational knowledge through various roles, I approach decisions through multiple lenses, which allows me to keep both purpose and profit in mind.

Jasmine Bennison

Sr. Director

Territory Marketing, North Central Territory

Lee Bentz

Sr. Director Territory Careers, North West Territory

Why is it important to approach careers from a territory perspective?

Recruiting has operated in regional silos, using different strategies and structures to attract and assess talent. The territory model gives us a chance to build on what works and move away from outdated processes that no longer serve us well.

What do you hope to accomplish in this role?

I want to increase the percentage of candidates submitted to be hired. Historically, we have only offered positions to about 40% of the candidates we speak with, and only hire 72% of those who received an offer. If we can improve speed, execution and consistency in the assessment process, we can hire more qualified candidates. Each year, there are thousands of interested dentists we have not yet been able to connect with.

How important will collaboration be in your new role?

I believe this is the most important aspect of the new role. If we can give candidates a better experience and share talent across regions and territories, we can connect more dentists with a career at PDS Health.

Paige Fichtner, RDH

Sr. Director Territory Specialty East Coast Territory

How important will collaboration be in your new role?

Collaboration is everything. We cannot win alone. Success depends on close partnership, trust and dedication to the same mission. My approach is to understand the goals and challenges that each team faces while also encouraging those around me to see those obstacles as an opportunity to learn and grow. I want our regional teams to see this approach as a way to create more agile and effective leaders.

To me, that means accountability and having conversations that others would naturally shy away from, and doing so with a people-first approach. I’m focused on identifying each team member’s potential and how that can be leveraged for our overall mission, while continuing to grow personally so I can help move us forward.

Why is it important to approach marketing from a territory perspective?

Each region has different patient demographics, competitive dynamics and growth opportunities. A territory-based approach allows us to adapt to what drives results in each region, while relying on best practices and strategies that can be shared from one region to another within the territory.

What excites you most about this role?

I’m excited to work at the intersection of strategy, people and real business impact. This role is about turning big-picture strategy into what actually works locally, based on the dynamics of each market. I also love the data-driven nature of the work, finding insights in performance metrics and translating them into strategies that drive measurable results. No two regions are the same, which keeps it dynamic and exciting.

Sr. Director Talent and Development, East Coast Territory

Why is it important to approach talent and development from a territory perspective?

A territory lens helps us identify trends, anticipate needs and build structured programs that support both teams and patients across multiple regions. When we intentionally invest in our team members’ growth, we strengthen leadership, improve performance and create a stronger organization.

What do you hope to accomplish in this role?

Broadly, I hope to help strengthen PDS Health’s leadership pipeline by creating meaningful development opportunities that support our teams of providers and operators as they grow and advance.

Within the territory, my focus will be on aligning with regional leaders, supporting team development, and making sure our offices have the tools and training they need to perform at a high level. When people feel supported and invested in, it drives both engagement and results.

Evelyn Roman

Tracy

Smith

Sr. Director Territory Talent and Development,

Why is it important to approach talent and development from a territory perspective?

PDS Health’s growth has been fueled by a growth mindset and exceptional talent. To sustain that momentum over the next decade, we need the right team members in the right seat at the right time. The territory talent and development role helps attract and retain talent, while preparing team members for future growth and the opportunity to better support owner dentists. It’s about building a robust pipeline.

What excites you most about this role?

What excites me the most is the strategic focus on retention and succession planning. We’re implementing monthly talent reviews with development plans that are focused, intentional and easy to execute. My goal is to make sure every team member at PDS Health has a clear and inspiring career path, while helping build a culture where growth is consistently supported.

Why is it important to approach specialty from a territory perspective?

Instead of solving challenges one office or one region at a time, we can identify patterns, anticipate needs, and build stronger, more consistent specialty programs across multiple regions and states. National movement can take a long time to implement but breaking it into more manageable territory-level work helps us move faster. When everyone is aligned and roles are clear, the whole organization benefits.

What do you hope to accomplish in this role?

I hope to help elevate specialty integration in a way that is both scalable and sustainable. Within my territory, I want to build strong partnerships and create systems that make it easier for teams to do exceptional work consistently.

Melissa Whitley

Talent Specialty, North West Territory

From the Classroom to the Chair: Bringing Epic to Dental Education

PRESTON RAULERSON President, PDS Health Technologies™

Before a dentist ever sees their first patient at a PDS Health practice, we want to make sure they’ve already been thinking about whole-patient care for years.

That’s the thinking behind our work to bring PDS Health’s instance of Epic to dental schools across the country. The same leading-edge platform used across PDS Health practices can help students learn early that oral health and overall health are inseparable, and that whole-patient care requires both the right education and the right tools.

Many dental schools are already teaching the Mouth-Body Connection® (MBC) in the classroom, but the learning becomes more meaningful when students can apply it in practice. When they can connect what they are learning to a patient in the chair, the concept becomes how they think about care.

Traditional software used in many dental schools often does not support that kind of integrated experience. Without the ability to connect a patient’s medical record to their dental record, whole-patient thinking remains largely theoretical. Our goal is to change that by giving schools access to PDS Health’s Epic instance, along with cloud-based imaging, revenue cycle services and workflows designed to support dental-medical integration (DMI).

Four Schools. Four States. One Mission.

The effort is already underway. High Point University in North Carolina and Roseman University in Nevada are both live on the platform. The University of Michigan and University of the Pacific in California are in active implementation, with go-live targets of early August and late October 2026, respectively. PDS Health Technologies not only supports the largest dental-optimized Epic instance in the world, it is also the only Epic instance with more than one dental school on it.

The four schools represent different stages of growth and history. High Point University is among the newest dental schools in the country and the first private dental school in North Carolina. University of Michigan recently celebrated its 150 th anniversary as one of the most established programs in the U.S. Roseman and Pacific thrive in between those two extremes. What they all share is an alignment around DMI and MBC.

More Than a Technology Rollout

Implementing Epic at a dental school reaches far beyond installing software. It touches organizational change management, process improvement, technology modernization, governance, training and data strategy. These agreements last up to 10 years, which makes alignment around a shared vision more important than any single piece of technology.

That shared definition of success centers on overall program performance. We want schools to capture the full value of the care they’re already delivering to their communities, whether through improved revenue cycle performance, better access to grant funding or greater operational independence. We bring practice performance expertise to these schools, and that’s what makes PDS Health Technologies such a unique partner.

Preparing the Next Generation

Our first mission is to ensure that every dental school in the country has access to Epic and the tools necessary to deliver complete DMI education in the classroom and the clinic. That has clear value for PDS Health practices as well. When clinicians graduate already familiar with Epic and already grounded in DMI and aligned with how we approach care, they can ramp up quickly and build successful careers around what we believe in.

The vision extends beyond dental schools. Our pipeline also includes other dental and healthcare organizations foundationally aligned with MBC. Why? By helping expand access to dental-medical integration more broadly, PDS Health Technologies is working to move the industry forward and strengthen the future of oral healthcare.

Learn more at pdshealthtechnologies.com

Seeing the Full Picture: How Pearl AI Is Helping Us Finish the Job

The first step in understanding a patient’s oral health is building a clear clinical picture. That starts with listening to the patient, then gathering the imaging and exam findings that help the dentist evaluate what is happening and what needs attention. When that picture is clearer, the conversation around treatment can become clearer, too.

That is where Pearl comes in. PDS Health selected Pearl as its enterprise AI partner, integrating their FDA-cleared platform directly into SOTA Cloud, our clinical imaging system. Rather than operating as a standalone tool, Pearl works within SOTA Cloud to analyze dental X-rays in real time, highlighting areas of concern so clinicians can see, and show patients, exactly what’s happening in their mouth.

The View From the Dental Chair

For Alberto Hernandez, lead dental assistant at Culver Smiles Dentistry (Office 1124), the impact was immediate. “The AI findings being color coded allows the patient to see that there may be some concerns before the dentist comes in,” he shared.

For the clinical team, that added visibility helps support the conversation from the start. Multipractice owner dentist, National Clinical Council member and Mouth-Body Connection® (MBC) subject matter expert Deepika Dhama, DDS, has seen it firsthand. Patients are often curious when they notice the AI visuals during their appointment.

“The dialogue is building trust and improving case acceptance,” she noted.

For patients who have been putting off treatment, that dialogue can make all the difference. When Dr. Dhama’s team shows a series of X-rays on the same tooth and the AI highlights progression into dentin, patients often have what she describes as an “aha moment,” understanding clearly why waiting is no longer an option. That clarity can help turn early detection into action.

A More Complete Clinical Picture

What sets this integration apart is how much more it reveals compared to previous solutions. Pearl’s platform introduces several leading-edge capabilities that are new to our practices. Bone level measurement now quantifies bone levels in millimeters, giving clinicians a precise, objective data point to track over time. The tool also detects existing restorations and calculates the affected tooth percentage, quantifying how much of each tooth’s coronal portion is impacted by existing restorations or decay. And anatomy detection and segmentation provides detailed visualization of tooth structure, an extraordinary tool for helping patients see and understand what clinicians are seeing.

“Clarity can help turn early detection into action.”

Together, these capabilities move the clinical conversation from general concern to specific, documented findings that lead to completed care.

Confidence at the Clinical Level

Pearl is also supporting clinicians in the kind of consistent, confident decision-making that coordinated care depends on. Dr. Dhama shared that one of her associates has seen a significant increase in her diagnostic confidence, particularly when deciding between direct and indirect restorations. She has also incorporated more Curodont, a remineralization treatment, into her care plans since using AI, reflecting a shift in how the team approaches treatment planning.

That kind of follow-through is where the value becomes clear. Better visibility can support stronger decisions, and stronger decisions can lead to more timely care.

Why Pearl

As an organization grounded in the MBC, PDS Health understands the importance of accurate diagnostics and timely treatment. Pearl helps our clinicians identify concerns earlier, communicate findings more clearly and guide patients toward informed decisions. Across our dental practices, it strengthens the ability to deliver care that is intentional, informed and complete in support of the Perfect Patient Experience®

Pearl AI findings outlining caries, calculus and bone loss measurements on this bitewing radiograph.

Clear overlay of dental anatomy and AI findings, designed to improve patient understanding and education.

Pearl AI identifies and measures the percentage of a tooth affected by decay.

How AI is Powering a More Connected Healthcare Experience

Across PDS Health, artificial intelligence (AI) is helping national suppport teams to work more efficiently, strenghten collaboration and better serve clinical teams and patients.

The result is less time spent on repetitive work and more time focused on judgment, creativity and meaningful human connection.

One example is PDS Health AI, which has become a useful starting point for teams across the organization. Whether someone is drafting an email, building a communications plan, researching a topic or testing an idea, the tool helps remove the friction of getting started.

“Instead of staring at a blank page, we’re starting with something thoughtful and spending our time making it better,” said Bea Sun, product owner.

That time is being reinvested into better thinking, faster decisions and stronger support across the organization. Today, 65% of AI users are based in dental, medical or regional offices — a reflection of how closely this work connects to the field. Because the platform operates in a secure, HIPAA-compliant environment, teams can use it confidently while helping protect patient information.

The legal team is also using AI as a first-pass tool to review contracts, conduct research across multiple jurisdictions and summarize complex information. That support helps the team keep pace with growing demand while maintaining consistency and quality.

“What used to take hours to get to a solid first draft now takes a fraction of the time,” said Susan Martinez, senior manager, legal operations and projects. “We’re able to spend more time advising the business instead of just preparing the work.”

When legal can respond more quickly and focus on higher-value work, other teams can move faster and with greater clarity.

“AI delivers the most value when it enhances a well-structured process, not when it tries to replace one.”

In the contact center, AI is helping improve both the patient and agent experience. Virtual agents, including “Emily,” answer common questions and support appointment management, helping reduce wait times and improve call flow.

“Patients get what they need faster, and our agents can focus on the conversations that really require a human touch,” said Danyel Burns, senior process manager, contact center.

Other AI tools support agents in real time with guided knowledge, sentiment insights and automatic call summaries. Together, these tools help create smoother, more personalized interactions, making it easier for patients to stay connected to their care teams and for clinicians to maintain continuity of care.

The Creative Services team is applying AI in a different way, using Adobe Firefly Services to streamline repetitive work that previously required significant manual effort. That includes provider headshot processing, end-toend bio workflows and De Novo asset generation, with localized paid ad variations in development. Built-in brand and compliance standards help reduce late-stage rework and keep materials consistent across PDS Health practices.

"Before, a lot of our time was spent on repetitive production work," said Jeff Harris, senior director, creative solutions. "Now, we're able to focus more on the creative and strategic side, which ultimately leads to better outcomes."

The team’s experience offers a useful lesson for the broader organization. Start by understanding the full workflow — what’s working, what’s not and where time is being spent. From there, define the scope, assign clear ownership and identify how success will be measured. As Jeff noted, AI delivers the most value when it enhances a well-structured process, not when it tries to replace one.

Across all teams, one principle remains consistent. AI works best when paired with clear processes, strong guardrails and human oversight. Used thoughtfully, it helps reduce friction so the people closest to patients can spend less time navigating complexity and more time delivering care.

Meet the PDS Health

Family

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

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

If you would like to be featured in an upcoming issue of PDS Life, please submit your story idea to PDSConnect@pdshealth.com.

What Running 26.2 Miles Reveals About You

Gladys Burkland

Regional Back Office Trainer Minnesota Region

For years, Gladys Burkland would have described herself as reserved, someone who preferred her own company. Now, she’s the kind of person who runs 26.2 miles before brunch.

Her journey began during one of the most difficult periods of her life. During the pandemic, Gladys lost her father and four other close family members. With gyms closed, she turned to the outdoors. The runs were peaceful, a quiet space to process the weight of so much loss. In time, that grief gave way to something unexpected: joy. Running became a way to honor her father, who had been an avid swimmer and runner.

“I just needed to channel all that energy and emotion toward something productive,” she said.

From there, she decided to build toward a goal. Having never raced farther than a 5K, she set her sights on something that felt nearly out of reach: a marathon. She ran her first in October 2021, the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in Minnesota. Then came the Chicago Marathon in 2022. After that, a streak began. She ran Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and she plans to run it again this year.

“I began running completely alone, logging thousands of miles in my own company,” she said. “Eventually, I decided to expand my horizons and join a running group that I kept seeing in my neighborhood.”

Her solitary miles eventually led her to Mill City Running, a Minneapolis running club with nearly 900 members. The club hosts community runs throughout the week, including assisted long runs on weekends. Through the club, Gladys has shared the road with people who have become some of the most meaningful connections in her life, including close friends she found through the club’s BIPOC run.

Somewhere along those miles, she became someone she once didn’t believe she could be.

“Running has taught me that you can make it through some of the most difficult moments in your life as long as you continue to move forward,” she said. “Whether it is running through those final miles of a marathon or processing the loss of a loved one, continue moving forward.”

Blessed to Bless Others

Johnathon Higgins Regional Manager Midwest Region

Long before he stepped behind a pulpit, Johnathon Higgins spent years trying to outrun the call.

He serves as a regional manager in the Midwest Region while also leading a congregation as the senior pastor of Russell Chapel CME Church in Columbia, Missouri. But the path to ministry wasn’t immediate. It began quietly during his junior year of high school.

“I was on the varsity debate team, and one night I distinctly remember I had a dream of me preaching,” he recalls. “From that point on, I denied it. I did not want to do it.”

For nearly 15 years, he resisted it. He built a career in business, earning his master’s degree in business administration. Ministry wasn’t part of the plan. Then, in 2019, the calling he had spent years avoiding became impossible to ignore.

Today, his weeks are full. Several times a month, he drives two hours from St. Louis to Columbia to lead Sunday service and spend time with his congregation in person. Throughout the week, much of his ministry continues online as he hosts virtual Bible study and checks in one-on-one with members.

At the heart of his ministry is service. Russell Chapel’s food pantry has served the community for 25 years and now serves more than 400 families each month.

Through his work at PDS Health, he has become increasingly aware of the connection between oral health and overall health, and the gap in awareness within the communities he serves — a gap he's working to close by bringing Mouth-Body Connection® education to his congregation.

Whether through ministry or health education, his purpose remains the same, “As long as you have people to pour into, pour in as much as you can.”

A Dentist’s Precision Transforms Corks into Art

Brandon Dole, DDS

Associate Dentist

Promenade Dental Group (Office 220)

Sacramento Region

A blank frame, a cardboard sketch and a table scattered with wine corks. That’s how every piece begins for Brandon Dole, DDS.

Before placing a single cork, he sketches the design that will guide the piece. Then comes the meticulous work of cutting each cork by hand. “I use two different knives, a serrated knife and the 15 blade,” he explains, referring to the small surgical blade commonly used in dentistry.

Instead of paint or dyes, Dr. Dole relies on the natural colors of the corks themselves. Having previously lived in Temecula, California, he sourced corks from local wineries. Wine-stained corks bring unexpected shades into the artwork. “You get shades of pink, red and purple from the red wines,” he says. “Others are just the natural cork color.” The result is a layered, almost sculptural mosaic in which texture and tone create depth.

The idea started in 2009 while searching for a creative birthday gift for his wife. “I thought it was kind of boring just to glue them on,” he recalls. “So I drew a picture and decided to make a nature scene instead.”

Since then, he has created hundreds of pieces and even entered them in art competitions. One of his most meaningful works recreated a painting originally made by his grandmother. When he entered it into an art contest in San Diego, it won. “That was actually the first time I had ever entered a contest, and I won.”

Today, he continues to compete in local gallery contests, including an annual art competition in Vacaville, California where his cork creations have earned ribbons and honorable mentions.

The real reward is in the moment people see his work. It’s a simple reminder of why he creates at all. He says it simply, “Create art. Life is special.”

“Create art. Life is special.”

— Brandon Dole, DDS

A Small Spark, and the Stories That Follow

Claire Frisque

Manager, ROC Training and Optimization Dallas Support Center

There’s a moment, right before the final spark, when it all falls into place.

A chain is chosen and measured with intention. On the other side of the table, someone shares why they’re there: a symbol of connection, a fresh start, or a milestone they want to carry with them. Then, it’s welded into place.

For Claire Frisque, being part of that moment is what brings her joy.

After attending a permanent jewelry party together, Claire and her best friend looked at each other and thought, we could do this better. Without a formal background or roadmap, they jumped in headfirst.

Golden Lilly Permanent Jewelry began in 2023 with friends, family and plenty of trial and error. In those early days, they leaned on the people around them, offering permanent bracelets as both practice and a way to share what they were building.

Not long after, they found themselves booking local festivals and outdoor markets. Events like GrapeFest in Grapevine, Texas, and seasonal community festivals introduced them to a growing network of clients. Eventually, that momentum led to private events, baby showers and community pop-ups.

But the real heartbeat of the business is the people.

“You get to experience a certain time in their life and be a part of their story,” Claire shares.

One story, in particular, stayed with her. A mother and her daughters chose matching bracelets to celebrate the mother’s first outing after completing cancer treatment.

“Everyone has a story,” she says. Through Golden Lilly, Claire has found a creative outlet that brings her closer to those stories.

A Girl, Her Horses, and Life on the Ranch

Alexis Delcid

Healthcare Coordinator

Burleson Modern Dentistry & Orthodontics (Office 709)

South Dallas Fort Worth Region

The announcer’s voice carries across the arena. The crowd quiets. A steer breaks from the gate and gallops across the dirt. In seconds, the rider gives chase. Rope ready. Horse locked in.

For Alexis Delcid, moments like these have been part of her life since childhood.

She grew up between Arizona and rural Sonora, Mexico, where both sides of her family run ranches. “I’ve been going back and forth my whole life,” she says. Summers meant trading city sidewalks for open land, helping care for cattle, pigs, chickens, horses, dogs and even dozens of rabbits on her aunt’s mountainside ranch.

Horses quickly became the center of it all. At just six years old, she received her first horse, beginning a lifelong connection that would eventually lead her into competitive rodeo events.

By high school, Alexis was competing in disciplines many people outside the rodeo world rarely see. She practiced team roping, where two riders must rope a steer in seconds, and cutting, a highly technical event where horse and rider separate a single cow from a herd. She also competed in goat tying and calf roping, fast-paced timed events that demand precision and trust between rider and horse. Alongside rodeo, she raised and showed pigs through FFA and 4-H, youth programs focused on agriculture and livestock.

She has competed in numerous local rodeos across Arizona and Mexico, earning more than 15 wins throughout her career. Her first major “jackpot” win brought in about $1,100. Her horse, Sage, standing an impressive 17.2 hands tall (approximately five feet, 10 inches at the shoulder) became her primary partner in the arena.

But the arena is only part of the story. What matters most is everything that comes before it. “It’s not something you can do overnight,” she says. “It’s the early mornings, the patience and trust you can’t rush.”

From Sofrito to Success: The Mateo’s Kitchen Story

Matthew Beras

Regional Marketing Specialist

Central Florida Region

The kitchen hums before the meal begins, garlic crushed into sofrito, onions and peppers softening on the stove, the scent of rice and beans slowly building into something warm and familiar. In a Dominican household, cooking is memory and love layered into every dish.

For Matthew Beras, that creative experimentation started early. “I learned how to make sofrito with my grandmother. That’s the base for everything that I cook,” he shares. Afternoons spent cooking alongside his father and surrounded by family shaped both his technique and understanding of what food represents.

Years later, in 2021, that same instinct showed up in an unexpected place: the dental office. While working as a healthcare coordinator, Matt and his team decided to cut back on eating out and cook for each other instead. But his meals quickly stood out. “They loved my food. They designated me to be their chef,” he recalls. What started as a practical solution turned into a daily ritual as he cooked enough dinner at home to pack lunches for himself and his eight team members the next day.

Soon, coworkers began paying him. Then others outside the office started asking. Mateo’s Kitchen, his catering and meal prep business, grew organically from there.

At the same time, Matt was navigating his own health journey, which pushed him to rethink traditional recipes that are often rich and heavy. “I had to try an anti-inflammatory diet,” he says. From there, his cooking evolved to preserve bold Dominican flavors while creating meals that felt more nourishing.

Every meal is an extension of who he is, rooted in love for others and shaped by the journey of learning to care for himself, too.

American Heart Month

Each February, PDS Health proudly joins the nation in recognizing American Heart Month. Throughout the month, we also raise awareness about the connection between oral health and overall health, including heart health. Focusing on your heart health has never been more important, which is why PDS Health team members and practices participated in the American Heart Association’s National Wear Red Day on Feb. 6 to help raise awareness about women’s heart health. The better we understand #OurHearts, the better we can care for them.

a. Tigard Triangle Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 302)

b. Beaumont Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 207)

c. Boynton Beach Modern Dentistry (Office 981)

d. Dallas Support Center

e. Plaza Dental Group (Office 156)

f. Irvine Support Center

g. Stonecrest Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 250)

h. Belleview Dentist Office (Office 598)

i. Northridge Dental Office and Orthodontics (Office 89)

j. Murrieta Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 68)

k. Hillsboro Modern Dentistry (Office 307)

l. Eagle Pointe Dentists and Orthodontics (Office 563)

m. Greeley Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 530)

n. Boynton Mall Modern Dentistry (Office 1088)

Dental Assistants Recognition Week

PDS Health joined the American Dental Assistants Association in celebrating Dental Assistants Recognition Week to honor the more than 6,500 dental assistants who make a difference in our patients’ lives every day. As essential members of the healthcare team, our dental assistants bring skill, compassion and consistency to every interaction. From supporting clinical excellence to creating meaningful patient experiences, their work is vital to the success of every practice. From all of us at PDS Health, thank you for everything you do to serve your teams and the communities you care for.

a. Vancouver Smiles Dentistry (Office 321)

b. Chaska Commons Dental Group (Office 872)

c. Champlin Dentistry (Office 878)

d. Paseo Dentistry (Office 1277)

e. Promenade Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 224)

f. Ponce Dental Group (Office 933)

g. Centerville Dental Group (Office 587)

h. Dentists at Lakewood Ranch (Office 686)

i. Palm Springs Modern Dentistry (Office 425)

j. Dentists of Mesa (Office 363)

k. Southern Arizona Region

l. San Tan Dental Group (Office 122)

m. North Dallas Fort Worth Region

n. Genesee Dentists (Office 1269)

o. Dentists of Sterling (Office 954)

National Dentist’s Day

PDS Health recognizes and thanks our more than 3,400 supported dentists on National Dentist’s Day and every day. Their impact reaches far beyond the operatory, strengthening the health and well-being of the communities they serve. Thank you to all PDS Health dentists for your skill, compassion and purpose in creating healthier, happier lives.

a. White Bear Dentists (Office 881)

b. Dentists of Worcester (Office 1145)

c. Chastain Park Dentistry (Office 921)

d. Lexington Modern Dentistry (Office 973)

e. Clearwater Modern Dentistry (Office 675)

f. Broadway Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 279)

g. Dentists on Tanque Verde (Office 1091)

h. Canyon Vista Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 249)

i. Marketplace Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 139)

National Doctors' Day

PDS Health is proud to celebrate National Doctors' Day and recognize the dedicated physicians who are part of our growing medical team. Their clinical expertise and compassionate care make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients every day. Thank you for choosing to bring your talents to PDS Health. We look forward to building our physician network together and creating healthier, happier futures for those we serve.

PDS Medical Group Baseline (Office 1113)

PDS Medical Group Buckeye (Office 1112)

Regional Close Ups

BAY AREA CENTRAL VALLEY REGION

a. Livermore Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 275)

EASTERN ARIZONA NEW MEXICO REGION

b. Santa Fe Dentist Office (Office 572)

c. Promenade Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 224)

IDAHO UTAH RENO REGION

d. Reno Smiles Dentistry (Office 178)

e. Sparks Modern Dentistry (Office 341)

f. West Jordan Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 581)

INLAND DESERT REGION

g. Riverside Plaza Dentistry (Office 442)

h. Grand Terrace Modern Dentistry (Office 1247)

NORTH INLAND EMPIRE REGION

i. Desert Valley Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 61)

j. My Kid's Dentist & Orthodontics (Office 9)

CAROLINAS REGION

k. Dentists of West Columbia (Office 977)

l. Summerville Smiles Dental Office (Office 788)

LAS VEGAS REGION

m. PDS Medical Group Centennial Hills and Dentists of Centennial Hills (Office 1363 and Ofiice 1231)

n. Rampart Dental Group (Office 492)

MASSACHUSETTS REGION

o. Chelmsford Modern Dentistry (Office 869)

SOUTH LOS ANGELES REGION

p. San Pedro Smiles Dentistry (Office 1228)

q. Long Beach Modern Dentistry (Office 1180)

HOUSTON REGION

r. Spring Klein Dentistry (Office 629)

Regional Close Ups

CENTRAL COLORADO REGION

Aurora Dentistry (Office 552)

SOUTH FLORIDA REGION

Boynton Beach Modern Dentistry (Office 981)

WASHINGTON OREGON REGION

Bothell Modern Dentistry (Office 1214)

SOUTH DALLAS FORT WORTH REGION

Kids' Dentistry and Orthodontics (Office 7731)

NORTH LOS ANGELES REGION

Gateway Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 229)

f. East Oaks Dental Group (Office 134)

g. Alhambra Modern Dentistry (Office 1129)

CENTRAL FLORIDA REGION

h. Lake Mary Modern Dentistry (Office 947)

SAN DIEGO REGION

i. Encinitas Smiles Dentistry (Office 432)

MINNESOTA REGION

j. Apple Valley Modern Dentistry (Office 1071)

k. Stillwater Modern Dentistry (Office 1016)

LAS VEGAS REGION

l. Sunrise Modern Dentistry (Office 1077)

NORTH DALLAS FORT WORTH REGION

m. Ownsby Modern Dentistry (Office 1119)

NORTH INLAND EMPIRE REGION

n. Triangle Dental Group and Orthodontics (Office 43)

o. Dentists of San Dimas (Office 1110)

SOUTH INLAND EMPIRE REGION

p. Murrieta Modern Dentistry (Office 115)

q. Benton Modern Dentistry (Office 1223)

Throughout March, PDS Health team members across the country came together for the seventh PDS Health Foundation Stroll for Special Needs, raising over $134,300 for the PDS Health Foundation Special Needs Dentistry Program. With more than 1,200 participants in 2026, the Stroll continues to grow as a movement rooted in advocacy, access and awareness — drawing individuals, families and community members united around expanding care for people with special needs. The Stroll reflects PDS Health's mission to create healthier, happier communities and reinforces the importance of meeting patients where they are.

a. Central Florida Region

b. Bay Area Central Valley Region

c. Dallas Support Center

d. Henderson Support Center

e. Escondido Modern Dentistry (Office 1219)

f. Irvine Support Center

g. North West Arizona Region

h. Idaho Utah Reno Region

i. People Services, Irvine Support Center

j. Irvine Support Center

k. Midwest Region

l. Georgia Region

m. South Los Angeles Region

n. Georgia Region

COURTNEY TAYLOR Sr. Director, Brand Marketing

PDS Health Founder and CEO Stephen Thorne speaks with Dr. Drew Pinsky during the filming of Health Uncensored with Dr. Drew

It is not every day that Smile Generation-trusted clinicians and PDS Health leaders are featured in a national interview series with a well-known media personality like Dr. Drew. This spring, that is exactly what happened.

Through a six-part series on Health Uncensored with Dr. Drew, our clinicians and leaders brought the MouthBody Connection® (MBC) to a much broader audience, helping viewers understand something our teams see every day in the clinical setting. Oral health is inextricably linked to your overall health, and in many cases, dentists may be the first to detect early signs of serious disease. This creates opportunities for earlier detection, better outcomes and ultimately, healthier, happier and longer lives.

Diana Do-Yabut, DMD, opened the series by focusing on the critical role dental professionals play in recognizing early warning signs of systemic disease. She emphasized how routine oral exams go far beyond what is happening in the mouth, helping patients better understand what may be affecting their overall health.

That conversation continued with Deepika Dhama, DDS, who explored the relationship between oral inflammation and diabetes. Her perspective reinforced how conditions in the mouth can signal underlying health issues, creating opportunities for earlier intervention and more effective disease management.

“Oral health is a critical element of overall health. In conditions like diabetes, the mouth often provides some of the earliest clues to systemic disease. As awareness of this connection grows, collaboration between dental and medical professionals can truly transform patient care,” said Dr. Dhama.

In a two-part segment, PDS Health Founder and CEO Stephen Thorne expanded on the broader impact of oral health, including the role of saliva and the significance of periodontal disease as one of the most common inflammatory diseases in the world. He also reinforced an idea that continues to shape the organization’s work. Many people still do not realize how closely oral bacteria are linked to chronic inflammatory conditions throughout the body.

Additional segments featured Christopher Tolmie, DDS, and Zulema Valdivia, DDS, who explored the connection between oral health, heart health and brain health. Ashley Abrams, DDS, closed the series with a focus on women’s health, sharing how hormonal changes, pregnancy and different life stages can affect oral health and influence care across a patient’s life.

The series reflects our continued commitment to changing how people think about their health. By bringing this message to a national audience, Smile Generation is helping educate more people about the MBC and the important role oral health plays in long-term health.

To watch the series, and to share it with your patients, friends and family, visit smilegeneration.com/ healthuncensored.

Zulema Valdivia, DDS, and Christopher Tolmie, DDS, join Dr. Drew to discuss the connection between oral health, heart health and brain health.

Diana Do-Yabut, DMD, discusses the role dental professionals can play in identifying early signs of systemic disease.

Deepika Dhama, DDS, joins Dr. Drew to discuss oral inflammation, diabetes and the Mouth-Body Connection®

Ashley Abrams, DDS, speaks with Dr. Drew about women’s health and the ways hormonal changes and pregnancy can affect oral health.

Built on What We

Believe

PDS Health has always had a north star in the We Believes. For more than 30 years, those foundational principles have shaped our culture and guided the way we treat patients, one another and the communities we serve. When we set out to create a formal Culture and Integrity Guide, it was not a departure from that foundation. It was a natural extension of it.

As PDS Health continues to grow and expand, the upcoming Culture and Integrity Guide represents the next step built on the We Believes. That growth has been significant. PDS Health now has more than 17,000 team members nationwide, has expanded into medical services and works more closely with state and federal regulators. Alongside the We Believes and Team Member Handbook, the guide will help define what it means to be a PDS Health team member and how we live our values each day with patients and with each other.

The We Believes are our cultural touchstone, but some situations do not come with an easy answer. The guide is designed to offer support in those moments, whether the question is how to respond to a generous vendor gift, when to disclose a conflict of interest, or what responsible use of AI and social media looks like. The guide’s subtitle captures that purpose clearly: Empowering People to Make Good Decisions.

One concept team members will see in the guide is Fraud, Waste and Abuse, or FWA. We are a healthcare company, and healthcare is different from many other industries. We have a responsibility to align treatment with the claims we submit and to make sure every claim accurately reflects the care that was provided, whether the payer is a government-sponsored plan, a commercial plan or the patient. Production is the financial applause of patients, and it should always be earned fairly.

Another concept in the guide is stewardship. In practice, that means caring for the resources and tools that belong to this organization and using them with integrity. It means thinking beyond our individual roles and considering what is best for the organization as a whole.

The guide will also reinforces one of PDS Health’s most important cultural commitments, speaking up. If you have a compliance concern, you can raise it with your manager, People Services, the Compliance team, or report it anonymously through the hotline at 844-996-0290. The guide is intended to help clarify what a reportable concern looks like, making it easier to act when something does not feel right.

Team members will have an opportunity to engage with the guide through an annual review and attestation process. It will also be available at all times on PDSConnect, along with an interactive online version designed to make the experience more accessible.

These will be valuable resources. We encourage team members to take a few minutes periodically to review the guide so they feel comfortable, confident and clear on what is expected.

The Culture and Integrity Guide is a resource for every one of us, grounded in the same values that have guided PDS Health from the beginning. At its core, it reflects who we are and who we’re committed to being as we continue to grow.

GARRETT HEENAN VP, Compliance and Ethics

CULTURE AND INTEGRITY GUIDE

Empowering People to Make Good Decisions

Raising Healthier, Happier Families

MARIE FERLAND Director, Benefits

At PDS Health, caring for team members means caring for the people they love, too.

We offer benefits and resources that support families through growth, caregiving and everyday life. From family planning and adoption support to back-up care and tutoring, these programs are designed to help team members care for their families with confidence.

Building Healthy Families

For team members enrolled in Anthem, the Building Healthy Families program offers support through many stages of family life. The program brings together resources for family planning, pregnancy, adoption, surrogacy and parenting in one place, making it easier to find guidance at every step.

The program is making a difference for families. Among enrolled members, 98% of mothers deliver babies at a normal birth weight, and 44% of active digital users are non-birth parents. Fathers and partners are finding support here, too.

The support is personal and practical. Team members can connect with maternity nurses and family care coaches by email, chat and phone. They also have access to personalized care profiles and trackers for ovulation, blood pressure, newborn feedings, immunizations, developmental milestones and more. Expectant mothers who enroll in their first or second trimester and complete their postpartum assessment receive an Amazon gift card and Smile Generation® onesie.

Team members can enroll today using the QR code below, through the Sydney Health app or at anthem.com/ca.

Adoption Assistance

For team members growing their families through adoption, financial support is available through PDS Health. Regular full-time team members who have completed one year of employment are eligible for adoption assistance reimbursement to help cover a portion of adoption-related expenses.

The benefit provides up to $5,000 per child for up to two adoptions per household.

To learn more, visit the Adoption Assistance Policy on PDSConnect.

Child and Adult Care

Family support also includes care when schedules shift or regular arrangements are unavailable. Through the Bright Horizons Back-Up Care program, team members can access care for children or older family members during the workday, whether the need is planned in advance or comes up unexpectedly.

Care options include in-home support or care at an accredited child care center.

Program details include:

• $15 per child per day for in-center services

• $25 per family per day for in-center services

• $6 per hour, with a four-hour minimum, for in-home services

• 10 occurrences per year

In the last year, usage has increased 50%, with over 650 care days utilized by team members to bridge gaps in care for children, dependent adults and school-age children needing tutoring support.

Scan the QR code below or visit clients.brighthorizons.com/pds to register and reserve back-up care.

Tutoring and Family Support

Bright Horizons also offers support beyond caregiving. Regular full-time team members have access to virtual and in-person tutoring for children ages 5 to 18. Using the Back-Up Care benefit, each use can be exchanged for four hours of virtual tutoring across more than 300 subjects.

In addition, Bright Horizons provides enhanced family support for working parents, including premium access to Sittercity, discounts on summer camps and leading STEM providers, and resources for expecting and new parents related to parent leave, caregiving, medical needs and child development.

For more information, visit the Virtual Tutoring knowledge article and the Enhanced Family Support flyer on PDSConnect

Congratulations New Owner Dentists

NOVEMBER 2025 – APRIL 2026

Nhu Dao, DDS The Dental Office of Katy Houston Region

Clifford Gee, DMD PB Smiles Dentistry San Diego Region

Tran, DMD Corona Hills Modern Dentistry

Ingrid Segui, DMD Dentists of Centennial Hills Las Vegas Region

Christian Villegas, DDS Stockdale Smiles Dentistry North Los Angeles Region

Sandeep Badesha, DMD Dentists of Bakersfield North Los Angeles Region

Jacqueline Ly, DDS Alhambra Modern Dentistry North Los Angeles Region

Rawan Al Saadeh, DDS Dentists of Stevenson Ranch North Los Angeles Region

Abdullah Abdelaziz, DMD Dentists of Port Charlotte South Florida Region

Richard Horacek, DDS Gresham Modern Dentistry Washington Oregon Region

Erik Le, DDS Jordan Ranch Modern Dentistry Houston Region

Neeharika Bhashyam, DDS Dentists of Belterra and Orthodontics Austin San Antonio Region

Parisa Zargar, DMD West San Jose Modern Dentistry Bay Area Central Valley Region

Alia Osseiran, DMD Winter Haven Modern Dentistry Central Florida Region

Shandon Boone, DDS Shawnee Modern Dentistry Midwest Region

Brent Crenshaw, DMD Ladue Dental Group Midwest Region

Pardeep Gill, DMD Shawnee Modern Dentistry Midwest Region

Mustafa Alshabeeb, DDS Pacific Dental Group South Inland Empire Region

Miguel Roque-Martinez, DMD Port Orange Modern Dentistry Central Florida Region

Henry Briggs III, DMD Ponce Dental Group Georgia Region

Sonia Kunthara, DDS Dentists of Fort Bend + My Kid’s Dentist Houston Region

Emaan Qureshi, DMD Chino Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics

Fizza Moosavi, DDS, MS Fairfax Modern Dentistry Virginia Maryland Region

Kiara Mejia, DMD Dentists of Kissimmee Central Florida Region

Hetal Patel, DMD Pinnacle Modern Dentistry Eastern Arizona New Mexico Region

Sze Wing Ng, DMD Dentists of Fair Oaks Sacramento Region

Mariamne Morales, DMD Dentists in the Grove South Florida Region

Alexander Pollock, DMD Benton Modern Dentistry South Inland Empire Region

Peter Kim, DDS Dentists of Fontana North Inland Empire Region

Wai Yin Wong, DDS Rancho Cordova Dental Group Sacramento Region

Melissa Petersen, DDS Dentists of El Dorado Hills Sacramento Region

Laura Alvisua, DMD Whittier Modern Dentistry Orange County Region

Taewon Cho, DMD Crocker Ranch Dentistry Sacramento Region

Saman Sohail, DMD Naples Bay Dental Group South Florida Region

Casey La, DMD Jurupa Valley Dental Group North Inland Empire Region

Cecilia Kendrick, DMD Dentists of Cold Spring Ohio Kentucky Region

Meera Ram, DMD, MBS Burlington Dentistry Massachusetts Region

Akbar Saleem, DMD Chelmsford Modern Dentistry Massachusetts Region

David Hudson, DDS Waxahachie Modern Dentistry

Shannon Solaty, DDS West Nashville Smiles Dentistry Tennessee Region

Manshi Patel, DMD Edgewater Modern Dentistry Central Colorado Region

Amy Miller, DMD Southglenn Modern Dentistry Central Colorado Region

North Inland Empire Region

South Dallas Fort Worth Region

32 New Offices

1 CONROE 4 (MKD) Texas. Opened 11/4/2025 Harpers Kids’ Dentistry & Orthodontics

ELK GROVE 5 California. Opened 12/2/2025 Whitelock Dental Group

2 JACKSONVILLE 3 Florida. Opened 11/4/2025 Dentists of Southside 9 TUCSON 13 Arizona. Opened 12/4/2025 Dentists on Sunrise

3 RIVERSIDE 8 California. Opened 11/11/2025 The Dental Office on Magnolia

4 HUMBLE 2 Texas. Opened 11/11/2025 The Groves Dental Group

WESTMINSTER 4 Colorado. Opened 11/18/2025

BELLFLOWER 2 California. Opened 12/9/2025 Bellflower Gateway Modern Dentistry

RANCH 1 California. Opened 12/9/2025 Dentists of Stevenson Ranch

JACKSONVILLE 1 Florida. Opened 12/16/2025 Dentists on Monument

KATY 8 Texas. Opened 12/29/2025 Jordan Ranch Modern Dentistry

2

Opened 12/29/2025 Parmer Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics

SPARKS 4 Nevada. Opened 2/10/2026 McCarran Modern Dentistry 29 ST. LOUIS 3

Missouri. Opened 4/7/2026 My Kid’s Dentist & Orthodontics

LAS VEGAS 24 HC Nevada. Opened 2/16/2026 PDS Medical Group - Centennial Hills 30 JURUPA VALLEY 1 California. Opened 4/21/2026 Jurupa Valley Dental Group

1

Opened 2/24/2026 Dentists of Worcester

POWELL 1 Ohio. Opened 4/21/2026 Lewis Center Dental Group

3

Opened 4/28/2026 Dentists of East Clovis