Pacific Dental Services Evolves into PDS Health

As the organization transforms from a dental company to an overall healthcare one, Pacific Dental Services is introducing a new name, PDS Health.

This change reflects the company's growth from its beginnings in dental support to becoming a leader in healthcare innovation. PDS Health aims to revolutionize patient care through the integration of dental and medical services. For 3 decades, Pacific Dental Services was a leading U.S. provider of dental and medical support services.

In announcing this transformation to PDS Health this week, the company is signifying its evolution into a comprehensive healthcare support organization. Pacific Dental Services has over the years been at the forefront of the oral healthcare industry, dedicated to enhancing patient outcomes in communities across the country.

"When we founded Pacific Dental Services 30 years ago, our goal was to become the greatest dental company in America. Along the way, we've not only become a leader in the field but have continued to elevate the standard," PDS Health Founder and CEO Stephen E. Thorne IV, says in a press release. "Today marks the next step in our journey as we extend our commitment beyond dental care. By continuing to build strong partnerships with clinicians and aligned organizations, and deepening collaboration between dental and medical professionals, we can ultimately bring about needed change in healthcare and meaningfully improve patient health. We recognize for dental-medical integration to maximize its impact on patient health, there is much work to be done; we seek to be a leader at the forefront of these initiatives and be a key player in leading the change."

The organization’s new focus beyond comprehensive dentistry comes at a time when much has been written and researched in recent years about the oral-systemic connection. Plenty of scientific evidence shows that oral health directly impacts overall health, and vice versa.

PDS has long pioneered the inclusion of dental specialty areas such as orthodontics, oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, and pediatric dentistry into general dentistry practices. Recently the organization expanded into primary medical care.

The announcement this week of the introduction of PDS Health is more than just a name change. It represents a redefinition of the organization's identity and reflection of its broadened mission to drive dental-medical integration to improve patient health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

PDS Health states a commitment to driving innovations and curating new technologies designed to strengthen dental-medical integration. The goal is to help clinicians implement a primary care model that is predictive, preventive, and personalized, all deeply rooted in the understanding of the Mouth-Body Connection®.

With its experienced executive leadership team, PDS Health anticipates a future filled with innovation and transformative health solutions.The company's purpose―healthier, happier patients―remains at the core of its strategic direction and operations.

New Headquarters

PDS Health also unveiled its new headquarters in Henderson, Nevada. The 36,000-square-foot building includes executive office spaces, meeting rooms and expansion areas for future initiatives, the company states. The facility will also house the future Thorne Center for Excellence, a leadership academy established to help build the next generation of clinical and non-clinical leaders for the company.

The company officially opened its headquarters Monday, April 22, at a grand opening event attended by Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, City of Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero and Henderson city officials.

PDS Health will continue to operate support centers in Irvine, California, Dallas, Texas, and the Henderson location. Additionally, there are plans to open an additional support center in Miami later this year, the company says.

Celebrating 30 Years of Service

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the organization's founding, celebrating 3 decades of growth, innovation, and service. The company is known for offering great mentorship, access to advanced, proven technology and an environment that elevates the roles of oral health care professionals to improve the overall health of patients.

As part of its efforts to enhance dental-medical integration, the organization has achieved many significant milestones, such as implementing Epic (EpicSystemsCorporation), the largest electronic health records system in the U.S., across all supported dental practices.

It also opened several co-located dental and medical practices in Las Vegas, and established a joint venture with MemorialCare health system to open co-located oral health and primary care practices in Southern California, with the inaugural site launching successfully in December 2023.