XP 2012 - Pacific Dental Services

the
PDSlife
XP 2012
INSPIRED
OCTOBER
2012
Read Online at:
Also in this issue:
President's Club
SG Sponsorships
CEREC ® Connect Update
The "S" Word
PacDen.com/PDSLife
Message From the
President
BE Inspired
Dear PDS® Teammates,
At XP 2012, I was
truly inspired.
For 18 years, we have worked
tirelessly for this moment in time.
It is our time to create our future.
We have the best in the business.
We have people with heart and
people who care. We have people
who strive to be the best and who
want to be the greatest. We have
the best clinicians in dentistry
focused on clinical excellence. We
have the best business model in
the industry, centered on Private
Practice+ and the Perfect Patient
Experience, two core foundations
that differentiate us and inspire us.
lot about the future of PDS. What
do we want it to be? I mean, what
are we really doing at PDS that is
remarkable? Why do we exist?
Why would someone from outside
of PDS be interested in what we are
doing? Where are we going? How
are we going to get there? What
path are we going to take? I alluded
to this at XP 2011 when I told the
story of the dash: the dash that
will be on all of our tombstones,
It is our time to
create our future.
I am inspired when I think about
the organization we have built and
the impact we are now having on
millions of lives.
the dash that represents the time
we were here on earth, and the
dash that is in between the date
we were born and the date we
pass from this earth. Essentially,
the dash is our legacy. What is
going to be the legacy of PDS? The
numbers of our business are one
thing, but the numbers in and of
themselves don't really excite me
if the organization and individuals
behind the numbers aren't
something we can be proud of. If
we can’t create something that is
truly great, why do it?
As I have gotten older, I have
become much more reflective
about what I am doing and why I
am doing it. I have been thinking a
We have the opportunity and it is
up to us to go after it. Our vision is
to be The Greatest Dental Company
in America. We will have our ups
We have proven technologies
and we are financially strong.
The future is so bright! We are
leaders in our industry and, more
and more, we are leaders in our
communities. We are leaders who
are hungry and humble – true
servant leaders, not driven by ego,
but leaders filled with character
and integrity.
and downs, but the end result
will be something really special,
something we will all be proud of;
a place where millions of patients
get exceptional care from inspired
professionals serving together;
and a fully integrated oral health
system where a patient can get
the same high level of care in any
major metropolitan area in the
United States.
I have a quote on my wall that
says, "Until you really think you
are capable of doing something,
it won't work!" I know we are
capable, I know it will work, and
I know we will be the Greatest
Dental Company in America!
Sincerely,
Stephen Thorne IV, President
What’s Inside...
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XP 2012
Inspired
We certainly were inspired!
Read about the amazing speakers
and the events that made XP 2012
the best yet!
Smile Gen
Sponsorship
Learn how The Smile Generation
is spreading smiles throughout
ballparks and ice rinks.
6
16
October
2012
President's Club
This year's President's Club took
an incredible trip to the One and
Only Palmilla Resort in Los Cabos,
Mexico. Read what the doctors had
to say about the trip.
Clinical
Corner
Dr. Charles Rodgers gives us a
CEREC® Connect Update.
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Cover
Story
XP 2012
INSPIRED
Inspiration comes in the form of
a perfect sunset, a glimpse of a
shooting star, or a group of 1,400
dental professionals coming
together in the City of Angels to
revolutionize the dental industry.
XP 2012 - Inspired was an XP unlike any other.
Former Def Poetry Jam poet Gina Loring started the show in
dramatic fashion with a custom poem that ended with the
message that “the time to leap is now,” words that set the tone
for the inspirational presenters to come.
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by Kyle Guerin
"We Serve" Manager
President Steve Thorne followed, but instead of his normal
45-minute state of the union, he broke up his presentation into
five shorter dramatic monologues interspersed throughout
the day. He shared such inspirational messages as how our
revolutionary business model made our future bright and how
we need to seek wisdom in our relationships because when our
relationships are strong, life is good. He also challenged us to
find “LOVE”—love for greatness, love for our patients, and love
for creating something special.
Steve also provided his vision for building an enduring
institution. Companies that perform best over time build a
social purpose into their operations and as such, PDS® will
continue to serve our communities. Also, as Gina said before,
the time to leap is now, and Steve shared with us one more big
leap he had in mind for the company: to add 700 offices to our
ranks over the next eight years, bringing our total number of
offices to around 1,000. Now that’s inspiring.
This year’s speakers have been classified as the best yet.
Although each speaker addressed a different subject, each
one of them left individuals inspired. The speakers included
the founder of the non-profit charity: water, Scott Harrison;
author of the New York Times bestselling “The Traveler’s
Gift,” Andy Andrews; relationship expert and author Tim
Downs, and last but certainly not least, the conductor of the
Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Benjamin Zander.
Scott Harrison showed us how water changes everything.
He talked about how he turned his life around from a seedy
nightclub promoter to revolutionizing how we look at
charity. He also challenged us to take a leap and give up our
birthdays at www.mycharitywater.org/smilebirthdays.
Andy Andrews shared with us the Seven Decisions that
Determine Personal Success. He also illustrated the impact
that one person can have through the Butterfly Effect and
encouraged us to step out because we never know just how
many people might be impacted by a small flapping of our wings.
Relationship expert Tim Downs shared with us tips for
bettering our relationships. He explained how men and
women’s brains function differently; women tend to use
their whole brain, which allows them to bring emotion
into all aspects, while men use one section of their brain
at a time so they tend to be more task-oriented. He also
encouraged us to approach these differences with humility,
as the only one we can truly change is ourselves.
Finally, Benjamin Zander closed the day with the “Art of
Possibility.” He led the group with a child-like exuberance
and left us all with a new way to react when we make
a mistake: throw your hands in the air and yell, “How
fascinating!”
The fun didn’t stop after Mr. Zander. It was time to celebrate
our brightest and best with the 2012 XP Awards.
This year the awards had a little different flavor to them.
It was hosted by Jay Leno. Or was it Austin Powers? Ok,
maybe it was Donald Trump.
In reality, it was none of them; it was Vegas impersonator
John Di Domenico. John wasn’t the only impersonator in the
house, and between awards, we had performances by Tina
Turner and Michael Jackson, both of which were real Thrillers.
Those performances weren’t nearly as exciting as the
awards. This year we gave nearly 150 awards, including the
first ever We Serve Awards given to Owner Doctor Tanisha
Jackson and Operations Manager Barb Vartanian.
The evening came to a dramatic close with the presentation
of the Award of Distinction to Operations Manager Venissa
Fowler from Hemet.
It was a weekend unlike any other, filled with Inspiration
all around. If you missed it, we have videos of all these
incredible speakers and of the awards ceremony on the
PDS Connect XP page.
Next year we will close up our three-year run at L.A. Live.
Who knows what we’ll think up next!
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4
XP Award Winners
Award of
Distinction:
Venissa Fowler
Diamond Award:
Sherrie Seward
Cynthia Arce
Dr. John Nosti
(with Koert Takkunen)
(with Joanna Rodgers)
(with Dr. Charles Rodgers)
Blair Hanosh
Alissa Pope
Laura Rod
(with Joe Saporito)
(with Kevin Lawton)
(with Dan Burke)
PLATINUM Award:
Rebecca Battistoni
Severino Catipon
Lisa Chatwood
Todd Cockrell
Angela Davis
Eiman Dawud
Terry Fausto-Flores
Matt Feeney
Demi Fryer
Dr. Paul Gebhart
Dr. Amardeep Gill
Diego Gonzalez
Blair Hanosh
Jennifer Hatfield
Resha Hirmiz
Dr. Walter Jefferson
Dr. Frederick Lee
Jeff Longfield
Tabitha Marquez
Camie Martin
Dr. Katie McCann
Jose Mendoza
Paula Morel
Brandi Mortensen
Minerva Ortiz
Michael Pace
Cindy Parsick
Leticia Perez
Dr. Minh Pham
Dr. Noor Rahimi
Joy Rathnam
Valerie Robledo
Liz Scota
Sylvia Smith
Amy Spaulding
Gilberto Sumaya
Alejandro Tena
Leia VanHoozer
Tammy Woods
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President’ s
Club
This year's President's Club was once again
held at the beautiful Palmilla Resort in Los
Cabos, Mexico. Read all about the trip from
the doctors themselves, and check out the
photos from their amazing trip!
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“Our experience in Cabo was
priceless! We sat in the lap of luxury
and enjoyed every precious moment.
We now know why it is called the One
and only Palmilla. It is a truly one of a
kind experience. Thank you!”
“It truly was one of the best experiences
of my life." – Dr. Ashleigh Harrison
Dr. Arash Elie
“This was probably one of the best
getaways we have ever been on! Perfect couple of days off from work
and home! Hope to do it next year!”
Dr. Sonal Singh
“The president's club trip was
incredible! My wife Fran and I enjoyed
the One and Only Palmilla resort so
much. It was great to unwind and
decompress for a few days, catching
up with our friends, and making
new ones from other regions. Now,
I'll go back to work and work even
harder to make sure I can be on the
president's club next year!”
Dr. Fred Lee
“The Palmilla Resort was gorgeous,
the service was out of this world, it is
truly a "One and Only". The dinners
on the beach, the Lunch at the
Guacamaya, the fabulous weather
in Cabo, everything was FLAWLESS.
We had an amazing time there,
myself and my wife. It was a great
opportunity for us to get to know
and enjoy the company of more of
our fellow PDSians. Already working
hard to be able to be on next year's
President's Club trip.”
Dr. Rami Dimitri
“The Palmilla Resort was a dream
experience! The combination of the
amazing weather, lush resort property,
scenic beach and company of the
fellow President's Club members made
it a trip we will never forget. Thanks
PDS! Cheers to a productive 2012 so we
can join the President's Club trip again!”
Dr. Diana Do
“The resort was beautiful. The service
was amazing. And the company was
fantastic. It was one of the most relaxing,
and fun trips I have ever taken.”
Dr. Carl Collin Fairchild
“In a few words all I can say is that it was
one of the most memorable, relaxing
fun trip .The resort and the hospitality of
PDS was truly one and only.”
Dr. Deepika Dhama
“An extraordinary experience at
a luxurious resort that was very
memorable with a special birthday
treat waiting for my wife Maria upon
our arrival. Pam and Steve went
the extra mile to make a wonderful
weekend even better. Thanks a lot!!!”
“Me and my family had the most
amazing time! The resort was out-ofthis-world beautiful, with the most
breathtaking ocean views! We had an
amazing snorkeling adventure in the
pristine waters of Cabo. We also hiked
& had a great zip-line trip. The dinners
with our PDS group were awesomeright on the sand with romantic live
music, bon fires & drinks galore! It felt
like "complete blissfull paradise"- one
of our best holidays ever!”
Dr. Meenakshi Salwan
“I was gratified to consider the amount
of money we spent in a poor country
that can really use our help. I loved
the people down there. They were
intelligent, courteous, and very
accommodating.”
Dr. Foulk
“I did a bungee jump over El Tule
Canyon, from a suspended glass
bottom gondola, 300 feet above the
canyon! It was my first bungee jump,
and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
Dr. David Pham
Dr. Michael Domingo
continued on next page...
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“Jordan and I took a sailboat to
snorkel and to see the sea arch El
Arco de Cabo San Lucas. It was the
best trip ever. Our suite butler set us
up on our private sailboat for $130. Unreal!! We saw tons of marine life
and enjoyed sailing both the Sea of
Cortez and the Pacific Ocean. Special thanks to Steve for the best
trip ever! The hotel was magnificent! The hotel service, spa, infinity
pool and ocean front view of the
room were unforgettable. I loved the
party on the beach with fire pits and
live music. It was wonderful having a
chance to celebrate with everyone in
another country. It truly was one of
the best experiences of my life.”
Dr. Ashleigh Harrison
“This was one of the best vacations
ever! My wife and I really enjoyed
every minute of it. Thanks for
everything!”
Dr. Larry McIver
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“Thanks to Steve and Pam Hosier.
The Cabo trip was amazing! From the
beach party to the taco stand with
multiple margaritas, we ended the
day with a nice dinner by the pool.
Just relaxing and walking along the
beach was the BEST! Definitely a
wonderful trip! Gracias!!”
Dr. Lynda Watanabe
Lynda & "Woody"
“The Cabo trip was amazing. I feel so
lucky to be part of an organization
that recognizes and celebrates
its employees. The trip was very
motivating to continue to improve
my practice so that I can return again
next year!”
Dr. Katie McCann
Criteria
ASSOCIATE DENTISTS: The top 10 total ADP; minimum 210 days worked; minimum $1.25M
total ADP; QFEs in the top 75%
OWNER DENTISTS: Must hit 3% top-line and 5% bottom-line growth (multiple practice owners
must have both their main 2 practices). Then the top NOI% offices by category: top 18 in category 4+ years,
top 12 in category 2-4 years, top 5 in category 0-2 years. Minimum 200 days worked (includes training days).
TOP-PRODUCING SPECIALIST FOR EACH CATEGORY: Top-producing specialist in: pediatrics,
periodontics, oral surgery, endodontics, and orthodontics. Minimum 168 days worked.
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Featured Article
Field Notes: Ethiopia
with charity: water & Jada and Will Smith
by Matt Hall
Director of Marketing
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Featured Article
Top Five Reasons to be Proud of How
We Support charity: water
1. The Smile Generation is bringing smiles to the faces of
1000s in more ways than one.
2. We serve, and through our partnership with charity: water,
we are able to touch other lives while doing what we already
do best... dentistry.
3. The people of charity: water are pushing a great cause and
serving a great mission, and they are doing it with style.
4. We are working for a noble cause...clean drinking water
in all communities served.
5. "Clean, safe water changes everything."
Intro
The flight to Ethiopia is long… really long. There’s just no easy way to get there.
We set out from L.A. and flew straight over the North Pole. We then went
through Iran, stopped in Dubai, and jumped over to Addis Ababa, the capital
of Ethiopia. About 16 hours of air time and a date change later, we’re in Africa.
I hope my little insight into each day in Ethiopia can help you feel like you
were right there with me and Dr. John Nosti (Multi-Office Owner Doctor in
CA and 2012 XP Diamond Award Winner). Even if you can’t get a feel for it
through the field notes and the photos, my hope is that you’ll at least increase
the awareness and pride you have in the PDS® and Smile Generation family
for how we are changing the lives for Ethiopians in the region of Tigray.
Day 1
Our first day is in Addis Ababa, where we meet up with Lindsay Ratowsky and
Lauren Miller from charity: water. And no exaggeration, they are two of the
coolest people you’ll ever meet. Those who read last year’s Haiti “Field Notes”
know how highly I think of the people at charity: water, and that respect was
completely reaffirmed by Lindsay and Lauren. They truly did justice to the
ideals of Scott Harrison, founder of charity: water. It’s reassuring to know
that we’ve partnered with a non-profit organization that we can trust and
feel confident with. Moreover, charity: water partners with two amazing
organizations, A Glimmer of Hope (Glimmer) in Ethiopia and Relief Society
of Tigray (REST). These essential partnerships make implementation within
the country possible while also utilizing a local work force.
Gebre Hewat and Gebre Silasi from Glimmer meet us in Addis, take us through
the town, and educate us on the work they are doing in Ethiopia. Addis is
growing, and growing quickly. Buildings are being erected with scaffolding
made of tree branches. It’s dirty. People are urinating in the streets. It’s a city
in need of help.
Day 2
We leave Addis Ababa on a little turbo-prop and head north to Mekelle, the
capital of the region of Tigray, after a brief delay as we wait for someone
famous to board the plane in the front row (more on that later). Scott Harrison
continued on next page..
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has joined us now, and he’s as cool as a cucumber on this little plane. For
me, it’s nothing my iPod can’t cure. I listen to “Mercy Me” and gaze out the
window, in awe of a land I’d never imagined I’d see. It’s absolutely beautiful.
We land in Mekelle on the little single strip runway, walk to the terminal,
and the greeting begins.
The famous guy that the plane waited for is met by a group of his friends,
and all of us embrace as if we were long-lost family. The “famous guy” is
Tekloine, a hero in this part of world for his work during the famine in the
80’s, when he helped march 160,000 Tigrayan people to Sudan to feed.
After the communist regime was overthrown, he helped turn “swords
into plowshares” and bring them out of extreme poverty. This humble and
passionate man also founded REST, and he and his team are committed to
building a better Tigray. So, delaying a flight for this celebrity is absolutely
no problem.
They take us to their headquarters to teach us all about their operations for
rebuilding Tigray, and we got to visit the drilling rig we helped fund! Dr. Nosti
and I placed an awesome Smile Generation sticker on the rig, and it was all
set for action. The rig will drill 80 wells each year and run for about 20 years,
bringing clean, safe drinking water to 400,000-500,000 people!
The remainder of our day is mostly in transport by Landcruiser to the
Gheralta Mountains near Hawzen, a place in which the Communist regime
bombed its own people. The vast topography revealed during this drive and
the education we receive about the region make for quite an experience. We
finally get to our first well… and the skies open up in a downpour. But that
doesn’t stop an entire village from dancing in jubilee as we arrive.
We’re welcomed into the chief’s home, where we are educated about how the
water they used to drink had leeches. Yes, leeches! “When you’re drinking
water at night, you don’t see the leeches,” a man explains. The effects are
obviously horrible. Clean, safe water changes everything! After our visit, we
head to the Gheralta Lodge where we set up camp for the next few days.
Day 3
Waking up at Gheralta Lodge is like something straight out of the Discovery
Channel. At 5:00 a.m. Dr. Nosti and I went out for a morning sunrise hike
into the middle of the countryside. Slowly but surely the region came to
life. People began their morning treks to the nearest water source, began
tending to their fields and livestock, picking fruit, and even coming out to the
trail to wave to a couple of Americans hiking through their land. Everyone is
working hard and smiling. Dr. Nosti and I are exchanging smiles, waves, and
broken Tigrayan salutations. The people seem to have an inner joy we can’t
possibly understand.
After this amazing immersion into Ethiopian culture, the group, including
Jada and Will Smith, heads to Digum to meet a village of people who were
recently told that they’d be receiving a well soon! We all walk into the village
like heroes. The funny thing is that they consider all of us just as famous as
Jada and Will. I’m pretty sure that’d never happen in the States. The people
are dancing, singing, and celebrating; a guy hands me a drum and I join right
in. They’re excited to see our whole group. Why? Because they are currently
drinking from the same water source as their livestock, and their livestock
also defecate in that very source. Clean, safe water changes everything.
After an inspiring speech from Will, we were off to a historic hike to the
Rock Churches of Korkor.
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Day 4
We get off to an early start and head to Negash to see the drilling rig in action.
As we approach the village, once again a celebration erupts. We dance our
way up to the drilling site and there it is: Yellow Thunder, a drilling rig that
means hope, health, and so much more to this village. The deeper it goes,
the louder the cheers. It’s simply awesome. In about a month, the people
of Negash will have new life because of clean, safe water. After a moving
speech by Dr. Nosti, we’re off to the next village.
Gemad is a unique site. It’s seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Traveling
through a region full of huge boulders, lush trees, and monkeys following
our vehicles, we finally come to our first hand-dug well. A small crowd is
there to greet us, along with drills, generators, dynamite, and some of the
hardest-working people you’ve ever met. Will throws on my sunglasses
and takes a turn at the drill, confirming that this hard work is no joke. But
these people are committed to building a better future, and clean, safe
drinking water will be the foundation.
Next up is Guimis and another huge, celebratory crowd that has been
awaiting our arrival so we can partake in the inauguration of their new well.
People waving flags, palm tree branches, singing, dancing, and even a guy
riding the only bike I saw in Ethiopia. Will, Dr. Nosti, and I give the well its
first pump. (Yes, this is for celebratory reasons; it only takes one person to
operate a hand pump well. In fact, an elderly woman jumped in right after
us and managed to collect a couple jerry cans full of water in just a couple
minutes). We enjoy a feast with them, I give a speech, and then it’s off to the
next village as we’re escorted out with more singing and dancing. Water is
changing everything.
Our last stop of the day is Nekual. It’s a neat little spot where funding has
helped build latrines, a school, and wells. With wells, kids can actually
attend school because they don’t have to walk three hours a day for water.
This village is thriving. They’re healthy. They can tend to their fields. They
can learn in schools. They can develop a self-sustaining community that
continues to grow. Water changes everything.
Day 5
This is a big day. Not only do we get to visit a village with solar power, but
we have a big soccer match in Abenea. The drive to Abenea is remarkable.
After scaling mountains, you descend into a valley with peaks all around. It’s
one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. For miles people run out to
welcome our convoy. They all yell, “Scout! Scout! Scout!!!” They all know and
love Scott. Again, a village with water systems is full of life and everything
is changing. Oh, and that soccer match… after a stellar performance from
our very own Dr. John Nosti, team charity: water took down team REST by
a score of 5 to 3!
Day 6
The last day had us departing Ethiopia for the long flight home. What an
amazing trip. The work that charity: water, Glimmer, and REST are all doing
in Ethiopia is truly changing lives. It’s changing a region. It’s changing a
country. Most of all, it makes you so proud of the entire PDS/SmileGen
family for the enormous contribution we’ve all made over the years. Water
is changing everything. So, from everyone in Ethiopia, they send one of the
only English phrases they know: “Thank You.”
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Featured Article
Batter Up!
This season marks the second
time The Smile Generation is
sponsoring Major League and
Minor League baseball teams,
in an effort to generate brand
awareness and connect with
our target patients.
The Smile Generation is a proud sponsor of the Texas
Rangers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Arizona
Diamondbacks, Sacramento Rivercats, Rancho
Cucamonga Quakes, Sugar Land Skeeters, and Lake
Elsinore Storm.
From Smile Cams to Strike Meters, the cheerful
yellow smile logo is ubiquitous. The Smile Generation
is sponsoring the Smile Cam on weekends at
the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas and at
Angels Stadium in Anaheim, CA. In addition, The
Smile Generation makes a donation to the Rangers
Foundation for every strikeout at home. Similarly,
The Smile Generation makes a donation to the
Angels Baseball Foundation or CJ Wilson’s Children’s
Charity (when he is pitching) for every strikeout
at home. Over at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona,
The Smile Generation donates to the Arizona
Diamondbacks Foundation, for every double scored
by the Diamondbacks at home.
The Smile Generation is also making its presence
felt at minor league games. At Raley Field in
Sacramento, the Smile Generation donates to
charity for each double-play and at the Rancho
Cucamonga Epicenter, the Smile Generation is the
official sponsor of the 7th Inning Stretch. Regional
Partner Michael Hurley threw out the first pitch
at the Sugar Land Skeeters game in Texas, during
opening weekend.
During this 2012 Season, expect to see the Smile
Generation at your favorite ball parks not just
on stadium signage but at actual tabling events
too, during which time the Smile Generation
gives out t-shirts, toothbrushes, fans and other
promotional materials.
Baseball fans get a chance to win a family four pack
of tickets to one of our sponsored games by entering
the Smile Generation Baseball Sweepstakes on
facebook.com/smilegen.
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by Marcie Taylor
Social Media Strategist
Smile Generation
Hits the Ice
The 2011- 2012 Hockey Season
was certainly memorable for
The Smile Generation,
which sponsored both the Anaheim Ducks and the
Colorado Avalanche teams. The Smile Generation made
a donation to the team’s charitable foundation based on
goals and wins. So that for every Ducks’ goal scored at
their home stadium at the Honda Center, Smile Generation
made a donation to the Ducks Foundation. In Colorado,
whenever the Avalanche won a home game, Smile
Generation made a donation to the KSE Charities. While
both the Avalanche and the Ducks missed the playoffs,
the charities hit the mark by receiving the following
donations: – $5,025 to the Anaheim Ducks Foundation
(Home Goal count this year was 201 - $25 for each) and
$2,200 to the KSE Charities of the Colorado Avalanche.
by Marcie Taylor
Social Media Strategist
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CLINICAL Corner
CEREC Connect
Update
®
by Dr. Charles Rodgers
VP of Clinicians
CEREC Connect "Impression-less" Office Candidates
Pacific Dental Services is now the
largest single provider of CEREC
restorations in the world.
®
Office
Owner
Doctor
Manager
Crown Made
In-House
34
Dimitri
Nancy H.
24
63
85
Iskaq
Lisa Ali
34
20
118
Gebhardt
Regina
Gomez
36
23
It is still our intention to mill the restorations in-house whenever
possible, but as our CAD/CAM use evolved, it was clear early on that
we needed an alternative route for some patient cases. We still wanted
to utilize technologies and have minimum costs. This is how CEREC
Connect fits in.
Figure 1 - CEREC Connect Office Candidates for beta test 2009
CEREC Connect Units
Glidewell
The name "CEREC Connect" has always been misleading. It is more
accurately "Lab Connect," as it is just a digital pipeline to an approved
lab that could make any type of crown, not just CEREC. With this
process, we can image the patient directly and send this image straight
to a lab. We choose to mark the margins before submitting the image.
The image is then uploaded to the CEREC Connect website with a digital
lab slip attached. A CEREC Connect-approved lab downloads the image
and lab slip. If we choose a millable-type crown, no lab-based model
will be required to finish the processing of our requested crown. If we
choose any type of traditional crown, the lab will typically need a model
milled as well to make the crown using traditional methods.
Glidewell Lab was the only lab we identified that was ready to pursue
CEREC Connect in 2009. Since then, we have added a few more labs to
the menu drop-down. Currently there are three labs that do not charge
for the model fee; they are: Glidewell, A&A, and IDOC.
Some may recall we identified three offices in 2009 for the initial beta
test. All were in Southern California – to keep the logistics of any travel
at a minimum. These offices had to already be using CEREC a great deal,
as well as sending a large number of cases to the labs with traditional
impressions. The pre-existing data related to the three offices that best
fit our monthly utilization criteria in mid-2009 is shown in Figure 1.
2010
2011
2012 YTD
2012 Projected
3122
4360
1657
6628
IDOC
519
478
348
1392
Polaris
437
786
567
2268
Neo
331
362
548
2192
PDC
66
67
7
28
Sundance
85
150
26
104
A&A
145
1777
894
3578
Iverson
0
63
73
292
Van Hook
0
37
11
44
4705
8080
24
16524
Total
Figure 2 - CEREC Connect units per year
Office
Internal
Name
RM
RP/RVP
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
28
Hemet
Jack
Knudsen
Joanna
Rodgers
0
13
12
6
59
58
Jul
53
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
YTD Totals
51
61
68
58
46
485
Figure 3 - Hemet Office has stellar year with CEREC Connect 2011
We had imagined the main use for CEREC Connect would be for anterior
cases and bridges. As we tracked early use, it was quickly apparent
that offices were requesting more ceramic-based restorations and less
traditional style restorations. After word about the beta test got out,
many offices could not wait to try out the process. Weekly notifications
and announcements were made. Job aids were made available for
reference and training, as well as troubleshooting resources within
our business support systems. Lab prices were posted on the intranet.
Alternative regional labs were identified.
Office
#
Internal
Name
Name
RM
RP/RVP
CEREC
In-house
CEREC
Connect
Impr.
Sent to
Lab
34
Eastvale
Gateway
Dental
Group of
Eastvale
Melanie
Smith
Joanna
Rodgers
54
Crowns
34 Inlay/
Onlay
30
0
85
La Verne
La
Verne
Dental
Group
Stephanie
Lasher
Paula
Larson
25
Crowns
30 Inlay/
Onlay
35
0
The first CEREC Connect unit was sent with the beta test in mid 2009.
We did not start solid use until December of that same year with 28
units total for 2009. In 2010, our total units with CEREC Connect were
4,705. In 2011, our total number of units through CEREC Connect was
8,080. Based on the first quarter of 2012, we are projecting over 16,000
units for the year 2012 (see Figure 2).
118
Peoria 1
Pavilion
Dental
Group
Michael
Roelandts
Kevin
Lawton
88
Crowns
13 Inlay/
Onlay
0
0
In early 2011, we noticed the process utilization was imbalanced. Many
offices had reasonable utilization of the process, but there also existed
offices with limited or nonexistent utilization. Further investigation
showed that generally the higher use for CEREC® and CEREC Connect
was at the newer facilities in the recently expanded regions. We were
having difficulty getting the core base of our longstanding offices to
high utilization with CEREC, and they also showed sporadic or nonuse
16
Impression Sent
to Lab
Figure 4 - Original three offices in Beta test as of February 2011
of CEREC Connect. We had to create a secondary push around the
Connect process. This was with PowerPoint presentations and job aids,
combined with a regional owner doctor focus.
Hemet was our best example of increased CEREC Connect utilization
in 2011 (see Figure 3). At the start of the year, they were still sending
impressions to labs while sending zero units through CEREC Connect.
With the help of Dr. John Nosti, Dr. Fred Lee, and Dr. David Lee (the
Monthly Feature
associate at the time), they were able to average over 60 units per
month with CEREC Connect from May until year-end 2011, becoming
our highest CEREC Connect utilization office for 2011.
How did those original three offices do in February 2012 (see Figure 4)?
For the Peoria, AZ, office, (#118), all cases are being done in-house, so
there is no need to send to the lab through CEREC Connect. For some
offices, there is still the occasional difficult anterior bridge or unique case
requiring more careful esthetics that may be sent out via impression or
image and may require a milled model.
The prior shift was to in-house milled crowns as opposed to lab
processed. The overall shift in permanent full and partial restorations
was (and continues to be) from metal-based to metal-free. The current
shift is to impression-free all imaged cases. Some will be milled inhouse, some will be milled by labs, and bridges will be included. We look
forward to a monolithic block that can be milled in-house and is strong
enough for long-span bridges, and has minimal sintering time.
We had 5% CEREC Connect use in 2011. Currently we are using CEREC
Connect for approximately 8% of our total cases. Ultimately, we expect
approximately 20% of overall cases will be done through CEREC
Connect. In 2009, we started an alternative way to capture traditional
crown cases, but it has turned into a valuable alternative choice with
increased ceramic use.
The "S" Word
Many have been discussing sensitivity
lately; I thought that I would share a bit
of a historical perspective. Sensitivity
has been an issue for dentists since the
dawn of dental treatment. Fortunately
– with a bit of knowledge and care – it is
absolutely preventable in healthy teeth.
In the mid-1990s, we were finally able to achieve meaningful
bond strengths to dentin. This meant well-sealed dentinal
tubules with no hydraulic stimulation if proper technique
was followed. Yet, sensitivity was still common! Why?
Because the techniques and materials were difficult; yielding
inconsistent results.
Only four causes of sensitivity were repeatedly documented
by researchers:
1. Material shrinkage or “C-factor”
2. Over etching
3. Over drying
4. Contaminated bond surfaces
Material Shrinkage
A non-issue with CAD/CAM dentistry as the blocks are
dimensionally stable with, typically, 50-100um adaptations.
One of the big CAD/CAM advantages is that resin is allowed
to do what it does best, act as a thin film adhesive. Shrinkage
is never a factor in CAD/CAM dentistry. In cases of bonded
composite fillings, tedious and difficult incremental filling
techniques have become easier with the new generation
(low shrinkage) bulk fill materials. While incremental filling
is always recommended, it is much less critical now than in
the past.
by Dr. Brian Buehler
Owner Doctor
Over Etching
Issues are eliminated with self-etching materials. I do like
to selectively etch the enamel to enhance enamel bond
strength. The big caution here is to be judicious! If I get greedy
and I errantly etch some dentin, I know that that dentinal
area will have very low bond strength and may be sensitive;
it has been over-etched. Another big CAD/CAM advantage
is that we typically use self-etching systems, and there are
many great systems available.
Over Drying
I confess to being a chronic over-dryer! Yet, I virtually
never have sensitivity issues. Why? Because (in addition to
#4) I always rub the primer for at least 30 seconds. Etched
and dehydrated dentinal tubules look a bit like worn shag
carpeting with all the fibers crushed down. Actively rubbing
the primer works it into the tubules. It is good practice to rub
for 10 to 15 seconds and then re-dip your micro-brush in
adhesive, repeating this process three times.
Contaminated Bond Surfaces
This is our toughest issue. We deal with blood, saliva,
crevicular fluid, and moving musculature. It’s tough, but
we must achieve clean, dry, and maintainable isolation
throughout the bonding process. This was the single big
issue of concern from the “CEREC® community” when PDS®
adopted CAD/CAM technology.
So, break out your laser, Isolite™, chlorhexidine, or whatever
it takes, but know that this is a must. I always use an Isolite
in the posterior, I go to great lengths to ensure the tissue
is not bleeding, and I am liberal with chlorhexidine for
decontamination.
Try keeping these concepts in mind, and free yourself from
sensitivity issues.
17
Our Xtraordinary Vendor
Partners
I know we’re weeks away from
Thanksgiving, but I just have to
express my gratitude.
I’m thankful I missed most of the traffic getting in and out of L.A.
for XP. I’m thankful the crazy old conductor Benjamin Zander
only kissed me on the cheek. And I’m most thankful for our
Xtraordinary Vendor Partners who step up each year to help
make XP such an amazing event.
Captek by Argen and Henry Schein both raffled off Kindle Fires.
Congrats to the winners! SOS (our new marketing products
company) had a money booth. Next year, Steve has promised to
go in, for which SOS will donate $1,000 towards a charity of our
choice. Staples stepped up for the first time and showed up as a
Gold sponsor, and this year for the first time ever we obtained
a Marquee sponsor. Thanks, Sirona, for your amazing support!
(Sirona Logo)
If you attended XP this year, you know it was the best one yet.
L.A. Live was buzzing with excitement. The Lakers, Clippers, and
Kings were all playing in town on the same weekend. In addition
to that, Sunday morning there was also a world class bike race,
America’s Greatest Race. Of course, there was also a fair bit of
excitement generated from all of the people walking around
wearing t-shirts with a giant smiley face.
Because we want to encourage relationships between you and
our Vendor Partners and their representatives, we’ll be giving
a $15 iTunes gift card, courtesy of Staples, to the first person
to accurately match the representative who attended XP with
their respective Vendor Partner and e-mail it to Heather Shulga
– [email protected]. Maybe it’ll inspire you to read all of the
communications put out there!
If you weren’t able to attend our annual Xtravaganza, I’m sure
you heard about it. Attendees came back inspired, with a
renewed sense of possibility and appreciation for this great
company that continues to grow and provide each of us with
such tremendous opportunities.
Match the Rep to the Vendor Partner
to win a $15 iTunes Gift Card!
As you know, we work very hard to ensure we work with only
the best vendors, suppliers, and providers of services. We
negotiate the best fees and develop special arrangements that
make our competitors jealous. And for that, our Vendor Partners
potentially have a steady stream of growth as we continue to
grow. Our loyalty to them has caused them to be equally loyal
and supportive of us.
Because our company’s success is shared with so many,
including our Vendor Partners, I’d like to recognize a couple here.
If you visited the vendor tables early, you probably walked away
with a few nice freebies, if not bags of them. And if you waited,
you either got a more than your fair share from companies
wanting to avoid hauling it back, or you wished you would have
visited earlier because they ran out. And no, the Louis Vuitton
briefcase was not raffled off.
Some may have spoken with Greg Townsend of Crest Oral B who
owned said luxury item. This year, they contributed at the Gold
level, and next year they’ve already committed to the Platinum
level. They gave out over 200 packets containing a toothbrush,
floss, paste, and mouthwash. We’re working closely with them
to improve our partnership. They’re providing us with $1.00
off coupons to include in our patient hand-outs. No one else is
getting that. Their parent company, Procter & Gamble, was a
major sponsor for the 2012 Summer Olympics. You’ve probably
already seen the tear-inducing commercials from them
promoting the best in competition and the human spirit.
Coastal, the administrators for our in-house discount plan, My
Smile Dental Plan (MSDP), were once again there to answer
questions. They have continued to improve the application
process, and this year they added a website component. You or
18
your patient can go to the website and sign up to pay. You will
never need to mail an application or check again.
1
2
3
5
4
Ivoclar Vivadent, Staples, Henry Schein, QSI or Crest?
Marquee: Sirona
Platinum: 3M ESPE/Unitek, Coastal Dental, Danaher, Henry
Schein, Ivoclar Vivadent , Nobel Biocare, Patterson Dental,
Posca Brothers, QSI Dental, Schick Technologies, Sirona
Gold: Alliance Data, Alliant Insurance Services, American
Orthodontics, Captek by Argen, Dentsply Tulsa/Int’l, GC
America, Glidewell Laboratories, Medusind, Crest/Oral B,
Sageview Advisory, Specialized Office Systems (SOS), Staples,
Strauss Diamonds, Ultradent, LED Dental (Velscope), Vident, Zila
Hygiene Hoopla
Connecting
I have spent the last 32 years of my career in dentistry (28 years as a dental hygienist).
Like most hygienists, I am very comfortable with educating
patients about their oral health and its relationship to overall
health; but is this what makes a hygienist successful? Recently,
I asked a group of hygienists what they felt their primary role
is in the dental office. Eight out of 10 hygienists answered,
“To educate the patient in the care and maintenance of their
teeth and gums.” This is often the answer I hear in hygiene
orientation. While I agree that education is important and
remains an essential responsibility of the dental hygienists, I
would argue that education is not the primary goal of the dental
hygienist. Instead, I would argue that creating a connection
with our patients is the most important role we have as dental
hygienists. When we effectively connect with our patients
through empathetic listening skills, explaining why we are asking
questions, double-clicking on key points, and finally confirming
understanding, we build a connection and over time a relationship
based in mutual trust. It is often said that “people don’t care how
much you know until they know how much you care.”
I recently had a discussion with a non-dental friend of mine,
Jeff, regarding his recent visit to his family dentist. Although Jeff
has been a long-time patient of the dentist, he was seeing this
particular hygienist for the first time. The hygienist was pleasant,
but because she was behind schedule, she was all business.
Upon completion of his cleaning, the hygienist recommended
fluoride varnish “due to the recession in his mouth.” This was the
by Jan LeBeau
Director of Hygiene
first time fluoride had ever been mentioned to him, which made
him a bit puzzled as it was his understanding that fluoride was
recommended for children whose teeth were still developing.
He did not fully understand why the fluoride varnish had been
recommended based on the term “recession.” He was familiar
with the term recession as he is a banker by profession, but to
him, recession is all about money. Maybe these two concepts
are not far apart from each other; the hygienist wants him to
spend more money to prevent the effect of recession, and he
wants to save his money in case there is a recession! My point
here is that words generate concepts based on an individual’s
past experience. My friend did not understand how fluoride
could help with his recession, and he was not comfortable
asking for an explanation as he did not feel a connection with
this particular dental hygienist. As such, he simply smiled and
said, “No, thank you.” Had this hygienist taken just a few extra
minutes to connect or engage Jeff on a personal level rather
than rushing through a clinical procedure, Jeff would have
felt better cared for, more connected, and more comfortable
asking questions.
It is well known in the sales industry that people buy from people
they like. Patients have an easier time accepting treatment
from clinicians they connect with and like. Take the time to
really connect with your patients by understanding who they
are, their needs, and what motivates them before empowering
them with the information they need to make good healthcare
decisions. Patients will often say “no, thank you” when they
really want to simply ask “why.”
19
Monthly Feature
NEW
14
2
O ffice O penings
4
15
1
11
9
5
3
12
6
8
Opened in April
7
13
10
1. Castle Rock CO | 4/3/12
2. Wilsonville 1 OR | 4/10/12
3. Albuquerque 4 NM | 4/24/12
Opened in May
4. Midvale 1 UT | 5/1/12
5. Redondo Beach 1 CA | 5/11/12
Opened in June
6. DFW Regional Support TX | 6/12/12
7. Humble 1 TX | 6/18/12
8. San Antonio 3 TX | 6/18/12
9. Henderson 3 NV | 6/25/12
10. Pearland 1 TX | 6/26/12
11. Brentwood 1 CA | 6/27/12
20
Opened in July
12. Queen Creek 3 AZ | 7/5/12
13. Katy 1 TX | 7/10/12
14. Oregon City OR | 7/17/12
15. American Fork 1 UT | 7/26/12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
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21
Monthly Feature
Around the
PDS Family
®
22 |
Dr. Gorman from Folsom
networking at Connection
2012 Business Expo
Annette, Brandon and
Suzanne at Dublin Down
Las Vegas
Cindy, Heather, Anna and
Ana celebrate at the Las
Vegas 1 Easter Celebration
Cindy, Melissa, Nicole, Dr.
Freeman (with Declan),
Letty,Heather and Isabel at
the 2012 Easter BBQ
Team Citrus Heights and
the 100.5 Mascot
Fontana 2 has some fun on
St. Patrick's Day
Mesa 2 Grand Opening
Heather Felkins and Tracy
Turner at Hop N Shop in
Las Vegas
Sara, Brian, Ronald
McDonald and Luisa at Hop
N Shop Las Vegas Region
Laveen Relay For Life
The Smile Generation Team
at the LA Race for the Cure
Simi Valley 2 had a great
time at the LA Race for the
Cure on March 24th
Monthly Feature
All three Simi Valley offices
had a blast at the Gator
Run on April 14
Oxnard 2 at a local
Business Expo
Happy Easter from
Wilsonville, Oregon
Steve Thorne visits with
Ft Worth 2 staff
Serenity and Riley at
Pet-a-palooza Las Vegas
Isabel, Claudia, Kristen and
Cynthia at Pet-a-palooza in
Las Vegas
AZ SmileGen Team at the
Corey Lawaton Memorial
Tournament raising $17,000
for a family with a loved one
struggling with cancer in need
of medical funding
Simi Valley 1, 2 and 3 at a
local Expo
NV Region Picnic
Water Balloon Toss at the
NV Region Picnic
Winners of the NV Tugof-War Competition Rainbow and Mountain's
Edge
Dr. Pham and Sherrie
Seward on Western theme
day at Perris
Michael Hurley throws
out first pitch at Skeeters
baseball game
Renee Takkunen and her
Duathalon Partner take 1st
place in the Granite Bay
Duathalon
Smile Gen PNW at the
Haggin Oaks Golf Expo
Roseville 1 engaging
potential patients at
Downtown Tuesday Nights
| 23
Monthly Feature
Christy Cooper and Rachael
Parker at Race for the Cure
Las Vegas
NV Team at
Race for the Cure
Peoria 2 supports a local
PTO at their annual carnival
Fair Oaks Team at
Fiesta Days
Mesa 2 Chamber
Ribbon Cutting
Meet the team at
Redondo Beach 1
Potato Sack winners Dr.
Mugleston and Leah from
Henderson 1
My Kid's Dentist in
Sacramento having fun
with Dinger at
Mommy and Me
San Clemente goes French
for Dr. Reagan's birthday
Redondo Beach 1
Ribbon Cutting
Dr. To and Dr. Pennington
having some fun at the
Redondo Beach 1
ribbon cutting
All smiles with the staff at
Redondo Beach 1 after their
Grand Opening Community
Appreciation Event
Tatum SMHS Football
Mouth guard Event
24
Palm Desert 2 celebrates
Christmas in July 2012
La Quinta Christmas
in July 2012
Beth Mollendor and Kellie
Odenthal hanging out with CJ
Wilson at his Throw a Strike
charity event proudly sponsored
by Smile Gen
Second Harvest
Food Drive Success
During the month of February, all 11 offices
in Jack Knudsen’s region partnered with
Second Harvest Food Bank (SHFB) and
hosted a food drive.
SHFB began in 1980 in response to increasing concerns
about the dual problems of hunger and food waste in
Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Over 440 nonprofit charities currently receive food from SHFB, and each
month over 1,900,000 pounds of food are distributed to
agencies such as homeless shelters, community kitchens,
day care centers, half-way houses, residential treatment
centers, shelters for the abused, and group homes.
Jack Knudsen’s region contributed to SHFB by collecting
a total of 4,461 pounds of food. The offices motivated new
and current patients to donate by offering those who
by Eilyn Dawes
Regional Marketing Assistant
donated a 20% off coupon toward their dentistry.
The outcome of the food drive was extremely positive
due to ongoing team engagement. “The food drive went
exceptionally well,” said Jack Knudsen, Regional Manager.
“It was great to see the team so involved and working
so hard to make this community food drive a success! I
want to especially thank our regional marketing team for
their support.”
SHFB was extremely grateful to all the offices. “Thank
you so much for all your efforts to make this a successful
food drive,” said Catherine Ferguson, Director of Donor
Relations. “Our agencies that picked up the food products
were thrilled; your terrific ‘office’ staff members made
such a huge difference in so many kitchens in the
Inland Empire!”
25
Monthly Feature
PDS Employee
®
Anniversaries
15
10
years
years
Dolores Von Felden-cain
Regional Manager
Hired: 6.23.97
"Dolores has developed strong
relationships over the years
helping in the growth of the Inland
Empire region. Congratulations
and THANK YOU for 15 years!"
-Paula Larson
Edward
Baker
RDH
Hired: 6.6.02
“I've watched Alen
progress from one of
the organization’s best
Lead Assistants to his
newest role as hygienist.
Patients are "wowed"
by his knowledge and
thankful for his no
nonsense approach when
recommending necessary
treatment. Allen has and
always will be such a
tremendous support to
me and I am so thankful
to have him on my team!”
-Barbara Vartanian
Jennifer
Bryant
Attorney
Hired: 4.2.02
“Jennifer is a great
advocate for our ownerdentists and PDS, even
helping to secure the
future of the DSO industry
in Nevada through her
tireless efforts. For 10
years, she has been a
key member of the Legal
department, earning PDS
Support Department of the
year twice! Perhaps most
impressive, Jennifer not
only has the sharp mind of
a hard working attorney,
she has the heart of PDS.”
-Steve Thorne & Dan Burke
Lisa
Chatwood
Operations Manager
Hired: 4.22.02
“Lisa is very dedicated to
the success of her office.
She not only mentors
all staff, but truly cares
about each and every one
of them. Lisa generates
warmth and acceptance.”
-Dolores Von Felden-cain
10
years
Nam
Dang
26
Guadalupe
Diaz
Dentist-GP-EE-OD-Mult
Hired: 6.1.02
Insurance Claims Auditor
Hired: 6.2.02
“Dr. Dang is an excellent
clinician, but first and
foremost, he is an
advocate for doing what
is right for the patient. His
belief in long term care
and relationships versus
instant gratification
has amassed him a very
loyal patient base. I've
sat in his chair and would
recommend him to
anyone.” -Paul Delmastro
“Nicole is an asset to the
Nevada region. With her
leadership, the team at
Alexander Dental Group
has great energy and team
spirit- and always with
a can-do attitude! I look
forward to seeing Nicole
continue growing in her
role. Thanks for all you do,
and congrats on 5 years!”
-Amy Spaulding
Marina
Dimucci
RDH
Hired: 4.12.02
“Marina has created
many PFL!! They are
very loyal to her and
really appreciate her
service.Marina has been
a great part of our team
for these last 10 years!!
We all appreciate her
dedication and service.”
-Guadalupe Santos
Lori
Grindle
Dental Assistant, Lead
Hired: 4.1.02
“Lori is a wonderful person
to work with and we
couldn't ask for a better
Lead Assistant. Her
optimism really helps
keep our team focused
and there is nothing
better than seeing
someone do what they
truly love to do everyday!”
-Anne Wurn (Azarovitz)
Ann MariE
Johnson
Specialty Benefits Coord.
Hired: 6.1.02
“Ann is a truly sincere, loyal,
caring, creative, thoughtful
and multi-talented team
member. RDA, SBC, BC,
Training, Marketing... she
will do anything you ask
her to do no matter how
far out of her comfort zone
it is. The value she adds
to our PDS family cannot
be measured. I can truly
depend on her 100% of the
time! The PNW thanks
you for your service!”
-Sarah Gargani
Monthly Feature
10
years
Alejandra
Martinez
Rgst Den Assistant, EF
Hired: 4.29.02
“Alejandra started as
an intern with us, and I
remember thinking, wow
this girl is going to be a great
assistant. Alejandra is an
amazing person, caring,
dependable, and loyal.
Patients call asking to make
sure Ally is going to be their
assistant when they come in.
Dr.'s love working with her,
she is one of our best RDAEF's! ” -Gloria Hernandez
Carlos
Moran
Dental Assistant, Lead
Hired: 5.6.02
“Carlos is exceptional
when it comes to building
patients for life. He's been
with us since day one, and
plays an intricate role as
the backbone to the office.”
-Michelle Hart
Nicole
Oftelie
Operations Manager II
Hired: 6.1.02
“Over the years Nikki has
taught me that patience,
compassion, and empathy
with each and every person
I come in contact with
makes me a better person
and leader. I'm truly grateful
for her contribution to my
success, the success of her
office, and the success of her
team that she loves with all
her heart." -Paul Delmastro
Cynthia
Orozco
Specialty Benefits Coord
Hired: 4.12.02
“Specialties Rock with Cyndi.
We definitely wouldn't
be office of the year 2012
without her. MV2 2012!”
-Brian Taylor
Lee
Padolina
Rgst Den Assistant, EF
Hired: 5.16.02
“Dr. Mar said: I’ve been in
Camarillo for 6 ½ years, and
without Lee, I could not
have survived. Because
of her abilities, my life has
been transformed as a
dentist.” Nadire said: “We
could not do it without
Lee. She’s the best at what
she does especially the
'impressions'! We love you,
Lee!!” -Alek Hagigi
& the Camarillo Team
5
years
Janeth
Abalos
Rgst Den Assistant
Hired: 4.18.07
“I had the pleasure of
hiring Janeth 5 years
ago. She is a wonderful
team member that is
considered a key player
by her doctor. Janeth's
smile and warm friendly
way is appreciated by
her patients. Congrats to
Janeth on her 5 years and
here is looking forward to
5 more.” -Todd Fischer
Melissa
Berdine
Operations Mgr Trainee
Hired: 5.9.07
“There is only one word
to describe Melissa,
Catalyst. She drives her
team to strive to the
next level month after
month. Melissa is always
positive and her staff
loves working with her.
She leads by example and
has tremendous patience.
Congratulations Melissa!”
-Stanley Foreman, Jr.
Marina
Aguayosutton
Dental Assistant, Lead
Hired: 4.11.07
“Marina is the glue
that keeps our office
together. She is a great
leader and good friend.”
-James Mallory
Joelene
Bitting
Payroll Coordinator
Hired: 6.6.07
“Congratulations on your 5
year Anniversary Joelene.
The payroll department
is blessed to have her on
the team. She is incredibly
dedicated to exceptional
customer service, which
has been noted in
numerous support office
QFE’s from the dental
offices. Way to go Joelene,
keep up the great work!”
-Brady Aase
Starla
Allmon
Biller
Hired: 6.27.07
“Starla joined us from
one of our offices as a
receptionist and over the
years has showed great
determination growing
into one of our billers at
PDS. She is always more
than willing to help out
her offices and goes above
and beyond. Congrats
on 5 years with PDS!”
-Vanessa Perez
Amores
Bradford
Benefits Coordinator
Hired: 5.10.07
“Amores is a vital part of
our team. She is the “Jane
of all Trades.” She has
developed a trusting
relationship with many of
our patients. Amores has
been an important part of
the growth and success of
the office. We are so lucky
to have her as part of our
team and look forward
to a bright future for her."
-Hedy Orchard
Richard
Ashton
Martha
Bautista
Dentist-GP-EE-OD-Multi
Hired: 6.19.07
Dental Assistant, Perio
Hired: 5.16.07
“Dr. Ashton has
developed many new
Owner Doctors and has
taken on the challenge
of leading our case
acceptance workshops
for our Associate Doctors.”
-Kevin Lawton
“Marty has excelled at
maintaining multiple
positions here at PDS:
DA, Lead DA & Surgical
Assistant. With her
hard work ethic and
compassionate nature,
she is a positive attribute
to the Surgical Team. We
look forward to having
Marty part of our PDS
family for many more
years.” -Deborah Fabean
Carlena
Brown
Rgst Den Assistant
Hired: 6.6.07
“Carlena has a great
connection with everyone.
She truly makes a
extraordinary effort
to make every patient
feel comfortable. She
can make everyone
smile and laugh.”
-Erica Bailey-Gutierrez
Elizabeth
Brutus
RDH
Hired: 4.18.07
“Elizabeth is a
perfect example of a
outstanding self starter.
She's always focused
on what she can do to
help the office achieve
higher productivity
not only for herself
but for all Clinicians.”
-Erica Bailey-Gutierrez
27
Monthly Feature
5
years
Kimberley
Buckingham
Specialty Benefits Coord.
Hired: 4.4.07
“Kim is my 3 time XP
award winner! Kim is a
vital part of our team, she
is a hard worker and is
always going over and
beyond her call of duty.
Kim takes pride in her
work and insures all of our
patients are treated with
the utmost PPE. Thank
you for all of your hard
work and committment!”
-Tricia Cooper
Jason
Chiakowsky
Dentist-ORTHO-EE
Hired: 5.23.07
“Dr. Chiakowsky has
been a integral part of
the success and growth
of our practice. He is
great at connecting with
his patients and their
parents. His attention
to detail shines through
his completed cases.”
-Erica Bailey-Gutierrez
Sara
Eckenrod
Exit Clerk
Hired: 4.4.07
"Sara is my right hand girl
and I appreciate all of her
hard work every day.
She is always enthusiastic
and ready to tackle any
opportunity that comes
her way. She is dedicated
and loyal and a true asset
to RDG.” -Lisa Chatwood
28
Evan
Bull
Cash Recon Specialist
Hired: 6.13.07
“Evan has been tremendous
player on the cash team. He
is the “go to person” when
another team member
needs help with a difficult
reconciliation problem.
Evan loves a good challenge
which makes him perfect to
oversee our ERA trackers.
He thinks out of the box and
is instrumental in helping
to modernize some of our
processes." -Tammy Spicer
Denise
Cline
Dental Assistant, Lead
Hired: 5.16.07
“Denise is the consummate
team player that always
has the best interest of
the practice at hand. She
continually displays
leadership in her unselfish
development and
mentoring of those around
her. The staff and patients
truly love being around
her. We’re privileged to
have her on our team.”
-Robert Wright
Laura
Edwards
RDH
Hired: 5.9.07
“Such AMAZING patient
care ethic. Laura takes
time to completely explain
all details of each visit
with the patient and is
extremely knowledgeable.
She is eager to help the
team, is compassionate
about her job and her
patients and a true team
player. Congratulations
Laura!” -Laura Mchugh
Alba
Carlisle
Dental Assistant, Lead
Hired: 5.30.07
“Alba brings a fun, spunky
atmosphere to the office.
She is very outgoing, and
wants to do anything she
can to give all our pts a
PPE! Thanks for all you
do for us and our office
and our patients Alba!”
-Ana Hernandez
Todd
Cockrell
Dentist-GP-EE-OD-Multi
Hired: 6.19.07
“Dr. Cockrell is a leader
that people gravitate to.
He always looks to help
out others in our region
and now in opening a
new region for PDS.”
-Kevin Lawton
Cassandra
Ehrig
Dental Assistant
Hired: 6.27.07
“Cassandra is always a
pleasure to work with
and comes to work with
a smile and is willing to
do whatever it takes to
make the day a great one.
She puts her patients and
team members first and is
a huge asset to N. Rancho
Cucamonga Dental Group.
Her upbeat, get it done
personality is contagious.”
-Jessica Maldonado
Anabelle
Castro
Dental Assistant, Lead
Hired: 4.25.07
“Anabelle is my Lead
Assistant and my friend.
I enjoy working with
Anabelle and appreciate
all of her hard work.”
-Lisa Chatwood
Vianca
De Meo
Operations Manager
Hired: 4.18.07
“On numerous occasions
Vianca has stepped into
difficult situations and
performed extremely well.
She never shies away
from a challenge and her
persistence in regards to
constant improvement
is contagious. She is a
valuable asset to the PDS
family. Congratulations
on your 5 years Vianca.”
-Jeff Brown
Magaly
Espino
Rgst Den Assistant, EF
Hired: 6.27.07
“Maggie is a great staff
member that always
focuses on PPE, making
Same Day CERECs a
standard for our office,
keeping our budget in line
and working hard to make
Highland stand out. An
Isolite could never
replace her!” -Jesse Flor
Elias
Chambers
Dentist-GP-EE
Hired: 5.16.07
“During Dr. Chambers'
tenure, he has consistently
provided his patients with
an exceptional experience
and has continually offered
outstanding dentistry. He
has always maintained
a friendly rapport with
his patients and staff. He
is an a valuable member
of our team at Shadow
Mountain Dental Group.”
-Ali Shahrestani
Minu
Diaz
Dental Assistant, Ortho
Hired: 5.2.07
“Minu travels with the
OC Ortho Team and is an
integral part of the Lake
Forest Dental Group Team.
Minu is exceptional at
setting up our Orthodontist,
as well as our SBC. She is
the backbone of our Ortho
Team. I'm proud to say that
LFDG's overall success
is, in part, due to her
contribution to our Team."
-Christina Lowe
Elsie
Finai
Dental Assistant
Hired: 4.11.07
“Elsie is one of the
hardest working Lead
DAs that I have worked
with. She is very calm;
her demeanor has put
many patients at ease.
Elsie runs the back office
very efficiently and all
the D.A.s look to her
as their mentor. Elsie,
we are so grateful you
are a part of our team!”
-Sharon Brown
Monthly Feature
5
years
Joylove
Fuller
Dental Assistant, Perio
Hired: 6.20.07
“Dr. Patrick Huston, our
periodontist, feels that
Joylove is an invaluable
team member. In so much
that he has her coming
to all the offices he works
in to ensure a smooth
day. Congrats on 5 years!”
-Tina Nguyen
Karina
Guillen
Dental Assistant
Hired: 5.9.07
“Karina is fun loving,
enthusiastic, caring
AND makes the BEST
tuna melts! She thought
about switching to an
office closer to home
but ultimately decided
that Anaheim Hills is
where her heart is- I
cannot imagine our misfit
family without her.”
-Nicole Oftelie
Joseph
Hoang
Accounts Payable Clerk
Hired: 5.9.07
“Joe is a vital part of the AP
Team. He has a very strong
work ethic and strives for
excellence. He is always
early for work and ready
to help out where ever he
can. Joe is always willing to
do what it takes to get the
job done. He is a great asset
to the Accounting Dept.”
-Jacqueline Todd
Regina
Garcia
Dental Assistant
Hired: 6.13.07
“Regina Garcia is an asset
to the Upland team. She
brings energy and fun to the
practice. Patients request
Regina as an assistant and
the Upland staff loves her as
well! Thanks for your years
of dedication!” -Lucy Lopez
Michelle
Hart
Operations Manager
Hired: 4.11.07
“Michelle is a delight to
work with. Her positive,
unique and humorous
disposition set the tone
for a motivating working
environment for her staff,
and where patients feel
like long time friends.”
-Dolores Von Felden-cain
Jennifer
Hoff-Wiles
Javier
Garza
Collections Clerk
Hired: 5.2.07
“It’s been great working with
Javier! He is a team player
and hardworking.
Congratulation on your five
years!" -Elizabeth Espadas
Kimberly
Hernandez
Rgst Den Assistant
Hired: 6.13.07
“Kimmie is a team player
and liked by her peers and
patients. I enjoy her
contagious smile and
giggle. She is a true
pleasure to work with.
Thank you Kimmie!”
-Lisa Chatwood
Monique
Hutchison
Dental Assistant, Ortho
Hired: 4.18.07
Support Back Off Trainer
Hired: 6.6.07
“Jennifer is a kind and
considerate person, she
treats patients like they
are her family, and is
always willing to help
where needed!"
-Gloria Hernandez
“Monique strives to expand
the knowledge & skills of
our DA’s & Regional Back
Office Trainers through
implementation of the
DA Essentials Program.
Her positive attitude
& contributions to our
team are appreciated
& recognized. Congrats
on your 5 years!”
-Joann Cunningham
Kathy
Ghaferi
Operations Manager
Hired: 4.11.07
“Kathy is extremely
knowledgeable and
motivated. She has been
an asset to my team and
I look forward to many
more years to come.
Thanks for everything and
Congratulations on your
Five Year Anniversary!”
-Sonia Escamilla
Nancy
Hernandez
Rgst Den Assistant, Lead
Hired: 6.29.07
“Nancy always has a
smile for everyone
and makes the office a
brighter, happier place
for employees and
patients alike with her
infectious laughter. She is
a pleasure to work with.”
-Jacqueline Patino
Melissa
Jewell
Dental Assistant
Hired: 6.11.07
“Melissa is a reliable
assistant, is always willing
to help everyone, she
is a great team player!”
-Gloria Hernandez
Candice
Green
Dental Assistant
Hired: 5.30.07
“Candace brightens every
single day she works, like
sunshine on a beach!
Without fail, she is here
ready to work, with the best
attitude, and a smile on her
face. Tatum Smiles is lucky
to have her on our team!”
-Jessica Phipps
Teresa
Hernandez
Dental Assistant, Ortho
Hired: 6.20.07
“Teresa is a dedicated
and enthusiastic Ortho
Assistant. She always
goes the extra mile to
make sure our Ortho
days run smoothly. She is
wonderful with patients
and the Ortho team.
Teresa is a great asset to
the team. Congratulations
on your five years!”
-Dr. Gilda Torossian
Holly
Krigbaum
Dental Assistant, Lead
Hired: 5.23.07
"Holly is a great part
of our team. She has
excellent customer
service towards our
team and our patients.
She has contributed
greatly in helping me
lead our team. Thank
you for being such
an important part of
our Hesperia team.”
-Guadalupe Santos
29
Monthly Feature
5
years
Thoren
Leming
Benefits Coordinator
Hired: 6.20.07
“Thoren has always been
dependable, is empathetic
with her patients, listens
to their needs, and will
help them get their
dental work completed.”
-Gloria Hernandez
Mary
Nakaki
Regional Support
Manager
Hired: 5.9.07
“Mary displays selfless
dedication to the region
in order to enhance the
financial health of our
offices and the total
patient experience.
Congrats on 5 years!”
-Koert Takkunen
Jenelle
Paulo
RDH
Hired: 4.2.07
"Jenelle is an important and
integral part of our family,
She has a great attitude, is
always smiling, positive,
and consistently going
above and beyond for our
patients and her team.
Jenelle is a great leader,
mentor, and hygiene team
coach. We are very luck to
have Jenelle as part of our
family.” -Anna Grimley
30
Susan
Matthews
Benefits Coordinator
Hired: 5.23.07
" It is a pleasure seeing Susan
develop from a receptionist
into a very strong BC in
the past five years. She is
a huge part of our office
success, and I know the
office would not be the
same without her playful
sarcastic charm. Thanks for
all your dedication Susan!"
-Angela Davis
Robert
Nakaki
Dentist-GP-EE-OD-Multi
Hired: 5.16.07
“Dr. Nakaki is dedicated
to clinical excellence
and continues to set the
bar on total patient care.
Valued member of the
Pacific Northwest Region.
Congrats on 5 years!”
-Koert Takkunen
Kate
Prichayane
Viktoriya
Melnychuk
Rgst Den Assistant, EF
Hired: 5.02.07
“It is a blessing to have
Viktoriya on our team. Her
vast knowledge, expertise
and support makes her
invaluable to Market West.
Viktoriya has a calm and
friendly demeanor. Patients
love to see Viktoriya and
request her often. Thank
you so much for all that you
do to make each day run
smoothly.” -Tricia Cooper
Cynthia
Ortiz
Dental Assistant
Hired: 6.20.07
“Cynthia is an exceptional
dental assistant, and a
great role model in the
office. She is extremely
dedicated to the office
and her team and always
ready to take the day
head on with a smile. I
can honestly say that she
is a GREAT asset to our
team. We all love her!”
-Twyla Pardon
Dorena
Ramirez
Dental Assistant, Oral S
Hired: 5.16.07
Specialty Benefits Coord
Hired: 6.6.07
“Kate is an integral part
of our Southwest Region
traveling Oral Surgery
Team. Her experience
and talent bring a wealth
of knowledge and skill to
the Team. I look forward
to seeing her grow and
develop further in the next
5 years. Congratulations
Kate on your 5th
anniversary with PDS!”
-Marla Boddy
“Dorena Ramirez is
awesome at what she
does. She treats every
patient like her family, and
exemplifies the PDS core
values on a daily basis."
-Michelle Hart
Jessica
Monson
Receptionist
Hired: 6.25.07
“Jessica is a very caring
person who puts patients
first. She is a great team
player! We appreciate all
your hard work!” - Bea &
the Yorba Linda Team
Priti
Patel
RDH
Hired: 5.16.07
“Priti is in the top 5% of
hygienists along with
the top 10% post hygiene
doctor production. She
provides great care
and education to her
patients which is what
contributes to her high
case acceptance. She
is dedicated to her
patients, team and to
her partnering doctors.”
-Julie Axt
Elizabeth
Ramirez
Benefits Coordinator
Hired: 4.11.07
“Liz is such a tremendous
asset to our office. She
handles the patients so
quickly, efficiently and
effortlessly. She ensures
insurances costs are
correct, and that the
patients are taken care of
creating PFL. Liz's laugh
is contagious and makes
everyone smile. It is a
pleasure to work with her!”
-Luann White
Evangelina
Moreno
Specialty Benefits Coord
Hired: 5.30.07
“Evangelina is a highly
talented knowledgable
BC. Evangelina is goal
orientated and is focused
on results. She is driven
to succed and continues
to grow personally and
professionally. I am very
proud of all that Evangelina
has accomplished. Happy
5 year anniversary!”
-Dr. Espeleta, Robert, Erica
& the rest of your M3 family
Priya
Patel
Dentist-GP-EE-OD
Hired: 4.9.07
“Dr. Patel's dedication
to her patients and
unparalleled ability to
connect with her patients
results in patients for life
and deliver the dental care
they need.Congrats on 5
years!" -Koert Takkunen
Marco
Ramos
Rgst Den Assistant
Hired: 6.27.07
“Marco is a very
dependable and
responsible team
player. He is also
our CEREC MASTER!
Congratulations on
5 awesome years!"
-Alexander Parker
Monthly Feature
5
years
Tina
Rice
Biller
Hired: 5.23.07
“Tina is a great asset to our
billing team for Arizona. She
is dependable, motivated,
and a great team player. She
will always do whatever
it takes to make our team
successful. Thank you for all
you do! Congrats on 5 years
with PDS!" -Vanessa Perez
Marvilyne
Sibal
Benefits Coordinator
Hired: 5.09.07
" Marvee bring happiness
and joy to the office. She is
sweet, smart, and strives
to provide great customer
service to patients
and unconditional
support to the team. Her
organizational skills,
loyalty and dedication are
a huge asset to the office.
It is a pleasure to work
with *Marvee-licious*.”
-Soraya Almora
Lindsey
Taylor
Marketing Coordinator
Hired: 6.27.07
“Lindsey has been a
tremendous asset to PDS
throughout her 5 years as
initially she came on board
as a BC, then OMT, and for
the last year as Marketing
Coordinator. Her attention
to details, passion and
outgoing personality make
her an amazing fit –I’m
very proud to have her on
our team!"
-Valerie Carlborg
Charlotte
Rodriguez
Benefits Coordinator
Hired: 5.14.07
“Charlotte you have been
a great asset to Murrieta
1. You have grown so much
from starting in back,
receptionist to really good
BC. Thank you for all your
commitment and hard
work you have done for
us out here. We could not
have done it without you."
-Theresa Gomez
Sonal
Singh
Dentist-GP-EE-OD
Hired: 6.6.07
“Dr. Singh joined our PDS
family right out of dental
school. She was one of
those rare gems we knew
would excel quickly. She
is very engaged in the
success of her practice
and truly cares about
her team. Dr. Singh is
someone you would not
just want as a business
partner but a friend.”
-Joanna Rodgers
Michelle
Thies
Rgst Den Assistant, EF Un
Hired: 6.18.07
“Michelle has been an
essential part to the
success of our practice. Her
knowlege and
hard work has helped her
doctor be a Platnium winner
last year and previous
years as well.
She is warm and friendly
with the patients and with
the office staff as well.
Congrats on your
5 years!” -Sharon Torres
Michael
Roelandts
Regional Manager
Hired: 6.20.07
“Michael has helped his
region post some very
solid results and has been
an asset to leadership
team in Arizona. "
-Kevin Lawton
Stephanie
Stepan
Manager of Endodontics
Hired: 5.14.07
“Stephanie is dedicated
and has been recognized
on multiple occasions
as "going above &
beyond" the call of
duty. These attributes
played a significant role
in her recent promotion.
She is a hard worker
with an extremely
positive attitude− her
enthusiasm is contagious.”
-Mark Laramore
Esther
Thomas
Operations Manager
Hired: 6.13.07
“Esther is a loyal and
dedicated employee.
She demonstrates a
commendable level of
patience daily in her office
and is always looking for
the best solution for the
team and the patients.
Thank you for all of the
hard work these past 5
years!” -Melanie Smith
Azuhara
Romero
Benefits Coordinator
Hired: 6.13.07
“Azuhara has grown to not
only coordinate GP but also
specialty. She doesn't limit
herself to just doing her
specified duties. Being a
great team player she helps
the back office in exams,
cleaning rooms, and seating
patients. I am please to
say Azuhara is an asset to
Bernardo Heights Dental
Group. -Terence Sweet
Gilberto
Sumaya
Dental Assistant, Lead
Hired: 4.9.07
“Mr. Gilberto Sumaya is one
of the best people I know.
He is an extraordinary
RDA, but even a better
person. I appreciate the
excellent job he does
everyday with his team
and the genuine care
he gives to our patients.
He is my superstar!”
-Lisa Chatwood
Camloan
Tran
Dental Assistant, Oral S
Hired: 5.2.07
"Cam is a vital and
dedicated part of the
Specialty Department.
The Doctors know she
is detailed and she can
be counted on in any
situation. The assistants
enjoy working with her
because they know she
will do whatever it takes
to get the job done.
Congrats on 5 wonderful
years.” -Pearl Vaca
Sharareh
Shahin
RDH
Hired: 5.29.07
“Sherry is truly an asset to
the team and company.
She has true passion for
what she does. She is a
very hard worker that
cares about her patients.
Congratulations on five
years. Wish you the
best and look forward
to many more years.”
-Mimi Tavakoli
Alma (LEAH)
Susbilla
Rgst Den Assistant
Hired: 6.20.07
“Leah is our ray of sunshine
and our cheerleader. Leah
is dependable, energetic
and is always ready to
get the day going. Leah's
vast knowledge and fun
presence will always keep
the patients coming back
for more. Thank you for
your committment and
hard work!” -Tricia Cooper
Lesley
Tran
Assistant Controller
Hired: 6.27.07
“Lesley has been an
indispensable member
in our department. She
is a dedicated employee
and is always willing to
put in the extra time. She
is our project leader who
always makes sure things
get done. We are proud
to have her on our team.”
-Emilio Mariolis
31
Monthly Feature
5
years
Silvia
Valdizon
Rgst Den Assistant
Hired: 6.13.07
"Silvia is a great asset to
our team here in Hesperia
2. She is a hard worker and
our patients and team love
her! We can often hear her
cracking up with one of our
patients, which never fails
to put a smile on all of our
faces!" -Guadalupe Santos
Chamarie
Yarbrough
Plan Fee Coordinator
Hired: 4.19.07
“Chamarie is an incredible
blessing to the team.
Her past experience
researching claims has
given her insight to create
plans to identify issues
that can cause pended
claims and to rectify them
before billing takes place.
In addition to her expertise,
she has a marvelous
sense of humor, overall
willingness to get tasks
completed, deep concern for
others and beautiful spirit
of teamwork that has been
the icing…and sprinkles…
on the cake. Thank you for
being you, Chamarie! God
bless you and Congrats on 5
years!” -Lori Baer
Abel
Vallejo
Dental Assistant
Hired: 4.18.07
“Abel is an integral part
of our team. He has an
amazing ability to connect
with patients and always
puts them at ease. His
sincerity shows in all
that he does, both for the
patient and for the team.
Congratulations on your 5
years!” -Laura Mchugh
Yelena
Vasiliev
Rgst Den Assistant, EF II
Hired: 6.13.07
“Yelena is Dr. Gill's right
hand and we all feel very
fortunate to have her as
part of our team. She is
hard working and always
makes sure the patient
leaves happy and has
no concerns. Her sense
of urgency, efficiency
and speed make her a
very valuable employee!”
-Marcela Truxal
Cecilia
Vasquez
Dental Assistant, Lead
Hired: 5.4.07
“Cecilia Vasquez does a
great job as back office lead,
she always has a smile on
her face and tries to put one
on the face s of her team
as well. Ceci takes it upon
herself to make sure every
team members birthday is
celebrated and decorates
their work area. Thanks for
all you do Ceci!" -Lucy Lopez
Roxanne
Wohlsein
Dental Assistant
Hired: 4.4.07
“Roxanne has been a true
blessing to our office. She
is always in a great mood
and always connects well
with the patients. She
has always gone above
and beyond to help all the
employees in the office.
Roxanne is one of the best
Dental Assistants I've had
the pleasure to work with
and her best quality is:
SHE IS ALWAYS SMILING!"
-Sharon Brown
Joanne
Zamora
Rgst Den Assistant
Hired: 4.4.07
“Joanne Zamora is a big
part of Upland 2, she
brings her energy and lots
of fun to the practice. Her
patients and her team
love her. Thanks for a
Great 5 years Joanne!”
-Lucy Lopez
Congratulations
EVERYONE!
32
Education
Development
The LearnCenter is
Here!
What is the LearnCenter?
The LearnCenter is Pacific Dental Service’s Learning
Management System (LMS) that puts learning at
your fingertips and you in the driver’s seat on your
education roadmap. The LearnCenter is our onestop shop for your learning needs.
How does it work?
All it takes is two clicks and you’re in the
LearnCenter. From the PDSconnect homepage,
click on the MY Self tab, and then click on
“LearnCenter (Pacific Dental University).” Please
note: you must be logged into PDSconnect as
yourself. Refer to the PDSconnect Login job aid on
the MY Self page.
Want a step-by-step guide on how to…? Find it in the Job Aids. There are over 200 job aids to help you:
from logging into PDSconnect to using CEREC® to scheduling.
Ever wonder, “What does that acronym mean?” Go to Terminology in the LearnCenter and find out. You
will find PDS terminology and dental terminology, including dental terminology in Spanish!
How do I know what workshops or online courses I need? Program summaries and syllabi for job
specific roles are in the Reference Materials, along with coaching forms, guides, PPO workouts, and
much more!
Did you know you have approximately 50 training videos waiting at your fingertips? Want to know
more about case acceptance or the 4 for 45? Go to the Video Gallery and start viewing!
Our instructor-led workshops provide you the opportunity to interact with others from your area in job
specific roles. Enrollment in workshops is just three simple steps:
1. In the LearnCenter, select Workshops.
2. Search for your workshop either by category, vicinity, or date.
3. Select your workshop, and then hit the “Enroll” button in the upper right corner.
Also in the LearnCenter: Online Courses and My Training History, where you can re-print duplicate,
earned CEU certificates from your desktop. New materials are regularly added to the LearnCenter, so
check back often.
Email your Education Development Advisor ([email protected]) for more information on the
LearnCenter.
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Fallen Phrases
Instructions: Reconstruct the phrase from the jumble of letters under the grid.
(The letters appearing in each column of the completed phrase are scrambled directly under that column.)
Answer
The perfect patient experience is a dental care experience that exceeds each patients unique expectations.
Introducing the CEREC® Connect Training Series Online Courses
Questions about completing a CEREC Connect case? The CEREC Connect Training Series online courses can help!
These four courses cover how to submit a restoration and digital lab slip using the Sirona Connect Portal. Each of the
four phases (Administration, Acquisition, Model, and Connect) are covered in detail.
PDU270—Administration Phase
PDU271—Acquisition Phase & Model Phase Part I
PDU272—Model Phase Part II
PDU273—Connect Phase
To check out the CEREC Connect Training Series, visit the Online Courses page in the LearnCenter.
Featured Workshops
CLN195 - Diagnosis and Treatment Planning for the GP
This course offers the opportunity to work in a group setting reviewing and utilizing key diagnostic skills. You will
clinically evaluate several patient cases and brainstorm the best approach to patients, esthetics, sensitivity, and
clinical efficiencies pertaining to each case.
This workshop is available regionally and open to all Dentists, so visit the Learn Center, locate the workshop in your
region, and enroll in the next class!
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2860 Michelle Dr.
Irvine, CA 92606
(714) 508-3600
www.PacificDentalServices.com