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Henderson Modern Dentistry, a practice supported by Pacific Dental Services®, is comprised of three offices: Henderson Medical Group, Henderson Modern Dentistry and Henderson Kids’ Dentistry and Orthodontics. The practice is home to a total of 23 dentists, hygienists and staff, and offers a range of services, from general dentistry and hygiene to periodontics, oral surgery, endodontics, pediatric dentistry and orthodontics.
“Dental support organizations, or DSOs, provide the support dentists want and need,” says Danielle Moody, senior manager of practice management and medical integration for Pacific Dental Services. “A team of industry experts in marketing, billing, maintenance, payroll, etc. support us 24/7 with a wealth of administrative knowledge and resources.” This frees up clinicians to focus on patient care, she adds. “Because these clinicians are part of a larger team, they can collaborate with other clinicians on cases, patient issues and best practices. The practice team has access to training and advancement opportunities, as well as benefits not usually available at traditional private practices, such as vacation time, 401(k) opportunities, health coverage, etc.”
Patients benefit as well, with affordable, quality care, Moody points out. “Supported clinicians often accept benefit plans, they are conveniently located and they offer more convenient hours. Offices like those supported by PDS® offer patients modern care, including digital radiography, electronic health records and same-day dentistry, as well as a team of in-house specialists, from pediatric dentists to periodontists and a general physician.”
Indeed, comprehensive and quality care is one of the values patients find most appealing about PDS-supported offices, notes Moody. “We pride ourselves with creating the Perfect Patient Experience® (PPE®). It starts with an authentic and welcoming connection on the telephone, being greeted with a smile, connecting on a higher level with their healthcare provider and knowing we are there to meet their dental and medical needs. When patients have a dental issue that requires a specialist, they are able to take care of the problem without being referred to another office. Their records and information stay within the same office, creating an environment for the general dentist and specialist to collaborate on an individualized treatment plan.” And patients appreciate that PDS-supported practices accept most dental and medical insurances, making their healthcare more affordable, she adds. “Our approach to accessibility and quality care bring exceptional value to our supported offices.”
Efficiency in Group Practice: How does your practice implement new technology efficiently and effectively?
Danielle Moody, senior manager of practice management and medical integration for Pacific Dental Services: Embracing and utilizing the latest and greatest technology in dentistry and medicine has helped set us apart from other healthcare providers. Using these resources efficiently, we have empowered our supported clinicians and enabled them to prevent disease, instead of simply treating the symptoms. Simple ultrasounds can provide information to clinicians about a patient’s risk of cardiovascular events before they happen. Specialized technology equips dentists for oral cancer screenings with better visibility than the human eye can detect. The technology we have in each practice enables our supported clinicians to educate their patients, ultimately giving people the tools to be in charge of their healthcare.
Efficiency in Group Practice: As more millennials enter the dental industry, how has this impacted your practice?
Danielle Moody, senior manager of practice management and medical integration: Being a part of a DSO has helped us attract millennials, as well as Generation Z candidates. They are looking for stable employment, which is something PDS-supported practices can offer. We find it’s very important that we stay current in the way we communicate and interact, lest this group perceive us as being outdated and disingenuous. For instance, we appreciate that video calls have become much more common today. Pacific Dental Services values individuality, and this carries over to our approach to recruiting younger dental professionals. It seems to be working: In December 2018, Pacific Dental Services surpassed 700 supported dental offices.
Efficiency in Group Practice: We hear more and more about the connection between oral and physical health and the need for dentists to take a holistic approach to patient care. How has this impacted the way your dental professionals work with patients?
Danielle Moody, senior manager of practice management and medical integration: PDS-supported clinicians are aware that dentists have an opportunity to make a huge difference in the general health of their patients, beyond simply treating the oral cavity. There is a strong correlation between disease of the oral cavity and systemic health issues, such as coronary artery disease, strokes, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s disease. As oral health care providers, our supported clinicians are often the first contact patients have with an integrated healthcare system. Cooperation, collaboration and integration of healthcare between dentists and primary care physicians can only improve the health and lives of patients. And when patients understand their personal risk associated with oral disease, they can take steps to better control their health.
At Pacific Dental Services, the DSO platform empowers us to move faster and accomplish more in a shorter period of time, all of which translates into higher quality care for the patients that we serve. We rely on the latest technology, the most up-to-date research and the collaboration of the best minds in healthcare. Our supported clinicians have an opportunity to collaborate with one another, and leverage resources and expertise to ensure they provide patients with the highest level of care and the best possible experience.
Efficiency in Group Practice: In your experience, what does the growing DSO market mean for traditional solo practices?
Danielle Moody, senior manager of practice management and medical integration: There will always be room in the market for solo practices, small group practices, DSOs and more. When you look at the population of potential patients versus the number of practicing dentists, there is still plenty of opportunity for more dental offices throughout the nation. The solo practice dentist and the DSO-supported dentist usually have the same goal: to provide the best possible care for the patients they treat. The platform we have created allows practice owners and clinicians to focus on patient care while a support team takes care of the business concerns, which can be a distraction from clinical excellence. We understand that the opportunity to serve patients remains vast and plentiful for everyone. Considering the resources DSOs invest in patient education, marketing and new patient acquisitions, I’d say they’re helping to broaden the opportunities and increase the pie for everyone.
