You Should Know: Pacific Dental Services
by Chelsea Knorr, Editor, Orthotown Magazine
Stephen Thorne, Founder, President and CEO of Pacific Dental
Services tells us about the company and all the reasons
orthodontists should know about it.
What is your background?
Thorne: I founded Pacific Dental Services (PDS) in 1994,
building an organization that provides business and administrative
support services for clinicians. By handling the administrative,
non-clinical tasks, the PDS-supported dentists and specialists
can spend their time focusing 100 percent on their patients.
Tell me about PDS, and what you provide to orthos.
Thorne: PDS is a support organization that provides
business and administrative support for practices. The PDSsupported
GP clinician contracts with dental specialists,
including orthodontists, to deliver high levels of cost-effective
comprehensive care to their patients.
As a PDS-supported orthodontist, the clinician has the
autonomy to focus on providing outstanding orthodontic
care while letting the office staff manage all the non-clinical
aspects of a practice.
You are in an elevator. A man asks what your company
does. You have 15 seconds before the door
opens. What do you say?
Thorne: PDS provides a full scope of business and
administrative support services including marketing, payroll,
human resources, real estate and accounting. By providing
these non-clinical services, PDS-supported clinicians can
spend their time focusing on their patients and providing
high quality, comprehensive care.
What is the philosophy at Pacific Dental Services?
Thorne: PDS is dedicated to being the provider of
choice in the markets where we serve, supporting dentists
and orthodontists.
How can an orthodontist begin working with you?
Thorne: The first step is to find, and apply for, a position
in a PDS-supported office. Orthodontists who are interested
in working in a PDS-supported office can visit: www.pacific
dentalservices.com/careers/dental-specialists/overview.
What can orthodontists expect when they pick up
the phone and contact PDS?
Thorne: We have career opportunities for orthodontists
at PDS-supported offices across the western, central southeastern
U.S., and we’re growing quickly. An orthodontist
working for a PDS-supported office will be equipped with
the latest tools, equipment and supplies in order to deliver
the most comprehensive care possible, providing them with
a modern and private workspace to treat their patients. The
typical PDS-supported orthodontist will treat 45-50 patients
per day.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Thorne: PDS-supported orthodontists work for the
practice’s owner dentist. The orthodontist will have clinical
autonomy and will diagnose and treat all specialty care. The
orthodontist will be part of a growing pediatric program in
one of the largest orthodontic provider programs.
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