10 February 2022

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DSO Pacific Dental partners with Commonwealth

Katherine E. Pfaff

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Dental support organization, Pacific Dental Services, has inked a partnership with Commonwealth Primary Care, an accountable care organization in Arizona. The goal of the collaboration is to improve health and reduce costs for patients. At the start of the partnership, dental care will take center stage to ensure that those patients with diabetes or prediabetes obtain periodontal and oral healthcare. 

"Pacific Dental Services is proud to be a leading voice in advocating for better collaboration between medical and dental professionals in order to improve systemic health outcomes for patients," said Stephen E. Thorne IV, founder and chief executive officer at Pacific Dental Services. "In July 2021, we launched Union Village Modern Dentistry and Union Village Medical Group, our first fully integrated medical-dental practice in Henderson, Nevada. This partnership with Commonwealth is another exciting and unprecedented step toward fulfilling the promise of integrated care, enabling individuals with diabetes and periodontal disease in Arizona to receive comprehensive oral health care as part of their chronic disease management."

According to a 2020 CDC report, diabetes costs $327 billion in healthcare each year and 2.3 times more healthcare costs per individual. The link between diabetes and oral health is also clear with inflammation reflexively causing complications for either system. At the same time, periodontal disease treatment can reduce hospital or emergency care utilization. 

"Commonwealth is pleased to partner with Pacific Dental Services to close gaps in care and provide better access for patients in Arizona,” said Lance Donkerbrook, chief executive officer of Commonwealth. “Both of our respective organizations have long respected and promoted the coordination of health with the understanding that improving oral health will improve overall health. This novel integrated medical-dental approach is unique because it brings together patient education, care coordination and targeted outreach across our collaborative medical and dental specialties to improve the overall health of the patients under our care."

Source:  https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pacific-dental-services-partners-with-commonwealth-primary-care-aco-to-improve-health-outcomes-and-reduce-medical-expenses-of-acos-medicare-patient-population-301467096.html