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Dentistry has often been regarded as separate from healthcare. Despite mounting evidence linking oral disease to systemic conditions, many dental practices still operate in isolation from general healthcare providers.
Stephen E Thorne IV, Founder and CEO of PDS Health, is challenging this paradigm, positioning dentistry as central to advancing overall health.
“We recently celebrated our 30th year, marking our evolution beyond being just a dental company,” he says. “Now known as PDS Health, we’ve expanded to include a growing, integrated medical business,” he says. “Oral health in America is booming – we’re truly in the golden age of dentistry.”
Thorne’s connection to dentistry runs deep.
“My dad was a dentist and my grandfather was also a dentist,” he explains.
His career began supporting his father’s practice at just 14 years of age, when he took up the challenge of installing a new computer system.
“It took me a couple of months to get the computers and the network installed, but it forced me to learn all the details of the business from the ground up,” he recalls.
This formative experience laid the foundation for his future success.
“I remember seeing the challenges my parents faced in running a practice,” he says. “If you want to have a good practice you need to be a great clinician, but you also have to be a skilled businessman and leader.”
Recognizing an opportunity to forge his own path, Thorne started his own company in 1994 with a vision to give dentists greater autonomy.
The early years were tough – he went nearly two years without a paycheck – but that persistence laid the groundwork for what has become a thriving organization.
“We will exceed US$3 billion in revenue this year,” he says. “We’re one of the largest dental companies in the world, and it has been a lot of fun.”
Despite its scale, Thorne remains committed to his original mission.
“Our goal has never been to be the biggest – it’s always been to be the best,” he says. “We partner with incredible clinicians through our owner–doctor model, which allows them to focus on patient care while we handle operational and administrative tasks.”
PDS Health is advancing a groundbreaking approach that integrates oral health with overall health, and Thorne is confident this will have a profound impact on global health outcomes.
“Oral health is integral to our overall health,” he says. “Yet, dentistry has been separate from medicine since the 1840s. In the United States, it’s the only healthcare profession with its own unique coding system – an outdated approach that no longer serves patients well.”
The link between oral health and overall health is gaining widespread recognition, fueled by shifting perspectives and groundbreaking research. Studies have shown that oral bacteria, such as fusobacterium nucleatum, can reduce the effectiveness of cancer treatments, while other research links periodontal disease to systemic conditions like cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.
“People are starting to understand the Mouth–Body Connection, and consumer demand is growing as they realize oral health plays a critical role in health and longevity,” he says.
This shift is supported by the growing awareness that oral health significantly impacts chronic conditions and overall healthcare costs.
Aging populations in the United States and across the developed world are further driving demand for integrated health models, prompting PDS Health to explore global expansion.
“We’re seeing demand to bring our style of integrated practices to Europe and other regions,” he says, emphasizing the global relevance of PDS Health’s approach to dentistry and medical integration. “I’m not trying to disrupt the industry, but I want to massively improve it.”
To maintain its competitive edge and capitalize on these favorable market trends, PDS Health focuses on its core strengths and a methodical approach to innovation.
“We’re known in the industry as a technological leader, but I see it differently,” he says. “Our strength lies in evaluating new technologies and excelling at implementing the ones that are proven to work.
“My job is to try to figure out where things are headed, and place our bets on those trends.”
PDS Health’s track record reflects this forward-thinking vision.
“We were among the first to adopt digital X-rays and digital patient charts,” he says. “We were also the first to go to same-day crowns made in the office, and were the first organization to implement systems centered on the Mouth–Body Connection.”
This has helped PDS Health to maintain its commitment to offering customers the best services possible.
“We have built a culture of clinical and operational excellence, driven by a dedication to create the perfect patient experience,” he says.
“Consistently delivering that experience at scale is what has been proven to work.”
While PDS Health is built on a foundation of proven practices, Thorne recognizes that adaptability is essential in an industry evolving at an unprecedented pace.
“Innovation in healthcare used to happen over decades; now, advancements are happening in months,” he says. “We remain flexible, ready to adapt to new data and advancements that help us stay ahead.”
Driving change within an organization of PDS Health’s scale requires alignment across its extensive network.
“We’re focused on getting everyone to embrace shared institutional knowledge and align with what works,” Thorne says. “With 16,000 people working today, that’s one of our greatest challenges.”
Thorne emphasizes the importance of thoughtful decision-making when adopting new practices.
“We try not to do anything new until we know it will help us get to the next level,” he says.
This strategic approach ensures that innovation aligns with the company’s goals of improving patient care and operational excellence.
Partnerships are another critical component of PDS Health’s success. The organization has cultivated strong relationships with key vendors and industry leaders to drive meaningful innovation.
“We view vendors as our partners,” Thorne says. “It’s a mental shift; rather than simply telling them what to do, we work together to find solutions. These partnerships have been instrumental in bringing innovations to life.”
By collaborating with partners such as Dentsply Sirona, Patterson Companies, and Dentognostics, PDS Health continues to advance its mission of integrating dentistry and
medicine.
“These relationships allow us to leverage leading-edge technologies and help our clinicians deliver exceptional care,” Thorne says.
At the heart of PDS Health’s approach is a commitment to service and creating meaningful opportunities for its team members to contribute to their communities.
“A big part of our company culture is service,” Thorne says.
“When people get involved in acts of service, it changes their perspective on life, who they are and what they’re all about.”
This commitment extends to the company’s purpose statement: ‘Healthier, happier patients.’ By aligning innovation, collaboration and service, PDS Health is redefining what’s possible in both dentistry and healthcare.
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