DCA Insider - December 2021 by Kelly Stillman

DECEMBER 2021

We Are Allies. There is nothing we can’t accomplish together.

ISSUE 8

Our Mission

Our Vision

To advance the practice of dentistry by partnering with and supporting dental professionals to create a lifetime of healthy smiles

To be the trusted partner of choice for the i ndustry’s best dental professionals

Our Values

Unleash Potential

Serve First

Move Forward

We make our allied practices and team members better by allowing them to focus on, and develop their strengths. We help to unlock growth in people and practices that wouldn’t be possible alone.

We always look out for our customers, because when we do, the rest takes care of itself. Our customers can be our allied practices, other team members, or the patient. No matter the customer, they are always our first thought.

We look for ways to grow with our partners. Our continuous drive to try new things and to learn from them enables us to improve and innovate.

Improve Lives

Lead Together

Expect Excellence

We inspire and improve the lives of each other and those in the communities that we serve. Our allied practices and support center are committed to making a difference.

We celebrate the differences that make our team members and allied practices unique. We learn from the best of each other and grow stronger together.

We are not average and we will not settle for average. We take pride in everything we do because everything we do supports our customers.

The Vital Few

Improve the operational support of our dental professionals allowing them to optimize their capabilities to provide high quality and state-of-the-art dental healthcare

Reach more families in need of quality dental healthcare

Create lasting value and expand our geographic footprint in new and existing markets through the affiliation of dynamic, growth-oriented practices

Improve communication at all levels of the company, promulgating our culture of service, quality and success

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021 3

CONTENTS

ISSUE 8

FEATURES December 2021

Message from the CEO: There is nothing we can’t accomplish together.

Here’s to 30 YearsOur Past, Present & Future

Growth at DCA: Well Ahead of Industry

JEFF KOZIEL

JAME S NICK

Successfully navigating the challenges of COVID and beyond. We are truly allies.

A look back on our President’s first year at DCA, and the many accomplishments from the last three decades.

Dental Care Alliance continues to lead the way, despite the many obstacles we have and continue to face in this pandemic.

Getting to Know Our Division Vice Presidents

DCA On Pace for Record Year

Engaging and Supporting Our Diverse Workforce

DAVE PEGG

K ELLY STILLMAN

Learn what makes our operations leaders tick - and get to know their teams across the DCA family.

Supporting an impressive number of new alliances takes a village. We’re proud that DCA is that for our newest partners.

At DCA, we know it all begins with you. That’s why we’re focused on our allies, our people, who make all the difference.

JERRY RHODE S

58 A Continued Commitment to Safely Serving Smiles DAVID QUIGLE Y, E SQ .

Safety is our number one priority. As COVID numbers surge with dangerous variants of COVID-19, diligence in following our Safe Smiles protocols will keep everyone safe.

Safely Serving Smiles Elena Sans Miralles, DDS, MS, MSc, PhD Ally since 2020, at at the Smiles at Fairfax office in Fairfax, VA

CONTENTS

Departments December 2021 14

Clinical Safe Smiles & Clinical Outlook for 2022 15 We are Proud of Our Valued Partners 16 Advancing Dental Hygiene to Help Leading Practices Lead - Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) 18 World Class Dental Hygiene 19 Hygiene Heroes - The Power to Save Lives 20 Building a Community for the Industry’s Best Dental Assistants 22 Happy Retirement, Dr. Labriola! Dr. David Konikoff Honored as Dental Innovator & Philanthropist

Marketing Data-driven Marketing Strategies

Analytics Analytic Dashboards Increasing Flow of Information Through DCA

Operations Putting the Practice First 23 Improved Support and Resources for Coupa 38 New Beginnings in an Unprecedented Year 39 De Novo Update 62 A Support Center Working for You 68 Support Center Directory

Business Development DCA On Pace for Record Year 8 Welcome Newest Allies 41 New Affiliation Referral Bonus Program

Information Technology Building a Stronger, More Secure DCA

Page 16 Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) pilot with Dr. Sarah Balaster. Pictured: Liannys Yero, RDH, trying out the new technology on her fellow dental hygienist.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Flip through this edtion of the DCA Insider or catch-up on previous issues on issuu.com

ON THE COVER

Our allies say it best Visit dentalcarealliance.com and meet some of your allies. Our website features DCA employees, doctors, and partners telling their stories of success. See and hear their DCA stories firsthand.

Facilities & Real Estate Investing in Our Practices Facilities, Real Estate, and Construction 65 DCA Supported Practices

Revenue Cycle Revenue Cycle Enhancements on the Horizon

Talent Acquisition Briggitte Martin, DDS Ally since 2001

Successfully Navigating the Challenging Landscape of Talent Acquisition in 2021 48 Bring Us The Best - DCA Elevates Bonus Referral Program

Human Resources Taking Care of Our Greatest Resources

Building a Stronger DCA

Page 50

Embracing a Stronger, More Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive DCA

Training & Development Our Continued Success is Dependent on You – Our Allies

Community Cares Getting Involved and Giving Back Through the U-SMILE Foundation

Our team had a chance to sit down with Dr. James Keith, a general dentist in our Imagix of Norcross office in the Atlanta area. Hear his perspective and expereinces that he shares as a leader and active participant on the DEI council at DCA.

There is Nothing We Can’t Accomplish Together.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

“

Since the beginning of this crisis, I am continuously impressed by the fortitude and creativity of our team members confronting COVID directly. As we climb out of this pandemic, I am optimistic that we are emerging stronger and more focused on patients, their health, and our ability to provide safe, high quality dental services.

As we close out the final months of 2021, I wanted to extend

dedicated group of team members that are focused on

my appreciation and gratitude to all our team members for

our patients and their overall health. The leadership team

the efforts over the past year and especially over the past four

remains committed to supporting and enhancing our team

months as we continue to grapple with COVID and its impact

members engagement.

on our team, practices, and country. The long-lasting impact

A second and critical impact we are facing is the widely

of COVID is now rippling through the economy and affecting

published supply chain issues. We have all seen the pictures of

all areas of healthcare—we continue to deal with these and

hundreds of ships anchored off the coast of California. While

further challenges as they arise.

we have been able to mitigate the direct impact of supply

Since the beginning of this crisis, I am continuously impressed

disruption of critically needed PPE supplies, we have seen

by the fortitude and creativity of our team members

delays in procuring equipment and associated replacement

confronting COVID directly. As we climb out of this pandemic,

parts. Our procurement teams and our folks involved with

I am optimistic that we are emerging stronger and more

equipment and supplies are working hard to assure we have

focused on patients, their health, and our ability to provide

the necessary equipment supplies and parts we need to

safe, high quality dental services. I want to specifically call

provide high quality patient care. In addition, we continue to

out our outstanding team of hygienists for their efforts this

focus on maintaining stocks of supplies for all of our practices.

year and the courage and commitment they have made to

Lastly, I want to encourage all of our teams to receive the

our patients. Our hygiene teams are outstanding and lead

COVID vaccine. We recognize that this is a highly personal

the industry with their skills, innovation and use of the latest

and controversial issue and I hesitate to force folks to do

technology, and focus on the patient experience and our

something many have rejected for reasons valid to them. The

collective growth. I am proud to be part of this team.

potential for mandates is significant, we will do what law and

Part of the continuing impact of COVID was the unanticipated

regulation require. The vast weight of evidence in support of

impact on team members and their attitudes toward

the vaccine and its safety is compelling. To me this is an issue

their work. This has been called the “Great Resignation”

of putting the patient first and our responsibility goes beyond

and appears to be a collective expression of mass

on own personal feeling and beliefs to the needs and safety of

dissatisfaction with the many working environments. We as

our patients and fellow team members, their safety, and the

an organization have not seen the significant effects of this;

health safety of our families.

however, we remain highly focused on our team members

Thank you for your continued commitment to those tenets,

and their satisfaction with their positions in the practices

demonstrating our U-SMILE values, and helping us to grow

and in the Support Center. We are fortunate to have a

stronger together.

Jerry Rhodes Chief Executive Officer Ally Since 2017

Welcome Newest Allies

Colorado

Maryland

New Jersey

New York

Texas

Virginia

Wisconsin

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

The latest DCA News

Visit the DCA website for everything you need to know on happenings within Dental Care Alliance and the industry.

Wisconsin

DCA Enters 21st State and Warmly Welcomes Leadership Team in WI

BJ Bolka, IV Market Vice President, Wisconsin

Billy Mauthe, III, D.D.S. Dental Director, Wisconsin

Jamie Dunkley Regional Manager

Patti Mohan-Rose Regional Manager

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Here’s to Our Past, Present, and Future 2021 has certainly been a year to remember. After joining the Dental Care Alliance family in October of 2020 – I shared my first experiences and gratitude as I came onboard in my first 90 days, this time last year. I was then, and continue to be today, impressed by our ability as a team to overcome challenges, support one another in good times and bad, and grow stronger together.

Jeff Koziel President Ally Since 2020

Smiles Through The Years Snapshots of DCA Allies through the past three decades.

There is nothing we can’t accomplish together. In our ever-changing world and a very tough marketplace, your efforts and focus on the things that matter are unmatched. Not only growing the business, but prioritizing the patient above everything else, welcoming new team members, and giving back to your communities have made us a better and more successful organization. Today, with you in mind and listening to your feedback, we’re continuing to advance our support, promulgate our culture, and celebrate our allies. You are what make us the industry leader that DCA and our allied practices are. We have had a record year and look forward to an even better 2022.

The most exciting part of 2021 was meeting you. I had the opportunity to visit many of our practices, including Orthodontics by Birth & Fletcher in the Greater Fort Worth community, Tioga Dental & Orthodontics in Gainesville, many of our Baystate Dental offices in Massachusetts, Family Dental of Flint, the Dental Associates of Northern Virginia offices; Advanced Dental Care offices in West Florida, Wadas Dental Center in Indiana, Forever Family Dental of New Lenox, and so many others. While the energy and teamwork in each office was unique, I saw demonstrated in every visit your commitment to safely serving our patients and living the U-SMILE values. Thank you for being leaders in the industry and in your communities.

Looking Ahead to 2022 In 2022, we will continue our efforts to focus on our allies, with a comprehensive approach to engagement and communication. Each of us has a role and responsibility for the engagement of our teams – it begins with you and me. Welcome & Support We’ve had tremendous growth so far in 2021 – with 14 new alliances and several more set to close before the end of the year. This year we have welcomed a dedicated team that is committed to ensuring a successful integration and Practice First support from day one. Despite changes in leadership and a challenging environment, our Talent Acquisition team has achieved record-setting hiring this year. As we scale the business to welcome new team members – whether through alliance, new hires, or additions to the business, planned improvements will ensure a best-in-class experience and create team members for life.

Attract, Retain, & Grow To that end, we are diligently working on retaining our team members. Just a few of the advancements that we have

recently or are soon to be implemented include a better onboarding experience, a New Hire checklist for managers, role-based training and tools, OM and RM development sessions, dedicated DA resources and support, and growth in Hygiene Coach support and coverage. We have mapped the lifecycle of the team member and are focusing on key moments that matter to ensure we make every experience one to remember. Earlier this year, we also boosted the internal referral bonus program – specifically for specialists, doctors, and hygienists – but all referrals for all positions that meet the criteria will give back to those who refer to the DCA family and are ultimately hired. DCA is committed to helping you grow and unleashing your potential. We will again in 2022 empower our teams to provide meaningful and constructive evaluations and will continue to focus on the development of our people.

Listen & Act Our 2021 DCA Engagement Survey showed an improvement in response rate (up to 73% from 29%), which is a great indicator of overall engagement and trust. In addition, our engagement score improved again to 4.14 (up from 4.05 in 2019, 3.80 in 2018). The top strengths identified overall include Meaningful Work and Service, Trust and Communication of Supervisors, and Diversity – and we’re continuing to grow that with our recognition and reward efforts in smile!, the DCA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion council, and the addition of Ally Day. Overall, while engagement is improving, we still have opportunity in the areas of Career

Development, Job Satisfaction and Loyalty, and Tools and Training. We will continue to elevate our onboarding experience for new hires, deliver world class training and development opportunities, and embrace the differences that make us unique.

Educate & Protect We are leaders in healthcare, and you demonstrate that daily. The safety and health of patients and team members remains our number one priority at DCA. We are making sure that we are prepared for the evolving landscape. While the challenges of COVID-19 are still present, we have the safety protocols, information, and access to be able to safely serve patients in our allied practices. As we have done from the onset of the pandemic, we urge everyone to continue to observe all safety precautions and policies, and to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if you haven’t already done so. While the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate is on hold, the DCA COVID-19 Taskforce is meeting regularly to ensure that – should it become law in the beginning of 2022 – that we are prepared to support all team members. If it becomes necessary for unvaccinated individuals to test weekly, we are working on an SOP and procuring testing supplies to meet those requirements. We will stay close to all developments and make sure you are in the know, as well. We strongly recommend all receive the vaccine and boosters.

Communicate & Celebrate As one of the newest allies at DCA, it’s been a treat to watch the 30th Anniversary Celebration this year. As one of the largest and most tenured DSOs in the

industry, we have much to be proud of at DCA. In honor of three decades of creating healthy smiles, this year we really focused on giving back to you and celebrating who we are. In the first quarter, we launched smile! and provided a gift to all team members with an opportunity to communicate, recognize, and reward our team members in a virtual community. In the coming months, we will also add rewards for our managers to provide regular recognition to their teams. We also launched the DCA SMILE Shop – complete with branded DCA swag that you can purchase and share. The SMILE Shop will add practice logos and additional apparel items after the New Year, so you can sport your gear in the office or on the weekend! Virtual Town Halls continued in 2021. By the end of the year, we will have held 16 meetings – all via Zoom. We encourage you to get engaged and attend the next one... it is our hope that at some point in 2022, we will be back together, and meeting live to share the latest news, celebrate the local success, and recognize our allies in your communities.

Our future is bright, and I sincerely look forward to continuing to meet and greet so many great allies across the DCA family in 2022. Here’s to our next 30 years!

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Industry Update

Growth at DCA: Well Ahead of Industry Can you remember what daily life was like in January 2020? What a difference a couple years can make. The past two years have changed our routines, our interactions – just about everything. The dental industry also changed dramatically. After a shutdown and then re-opening of just about every dental office in the country in 2020, regular dental operations have still not returned to normal. Visits take longer. The staff at the front desk now wear the PPE that was previously worn by the clinical teams. Schedules are constantly in flux and cancellations are elevated. DCA teams have responded to every needed change, every patient cancellation, and

every staff shortage with an ability that make the industry and other dental groups envious. The way our office staff has responded is remarkable. At the Support Center, everyone has been working to eliminate unnecessary tasks so that we can be more efficient to deliver an excellent patient experience. Our clinicians have been extraordinary in their ability to serve patient needs during unprecedented change. As shown in the graph below, the collective

effort of each team member led to a recovery that was faster during reopening, and a growth that was sustained longer even while the industry is still below pre-pandemic levels. In fact, we have shown growth for 15 consecutive months vs. pre-COVID levels. This is something everyone in the entire organization should be proud of and highlights our ability to fulfill our mission of creating a lifetime of healthy smiles.

DCA teams have responded to every needed change, every patient cancellation, and every staff shortage with an ability that make the industry and other dental groups envious.

James Nick Chief Revenue Officer Ally Since 2018

We don’t know what the future will hold for dentistry, but given the strength of our team, we are confident that we will be able to react quickly and stay ahead of changes, just as we’ve shown for the last 30 years.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Safe Smiles & Clinical Outlook for 2022 Who would have thought that we would still be navigating the COVID pandemic that began in March 2019? The decline of COVID-19 cases these past few months following the delta surge has been encouraging, and with our legal team, we continue to monitor Federal, CDC, and OSHA guidelines. When we reopened the majority of the offices in June 2020, our primary concern was the safety of our workforce. There were a lot of unknowns, I am happy to share with you that we saw no cluster outbreaks, and no documented transmission from patient to team member or vice versa. In accordance with CDC guidelines, we will continue to ask every team member to carefully follow the PPE protocols for masks and facial shields,

Dr. Don Gallo Chief Clinical Officer Ally Since 2011

and practice social distancing in and outside the office. We respect everyone’s right to choose; however, we also strongly encourage our workforce to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. On the clinical side, we look for 2022 to be the year of technology implementation. In addition, with our commitment to Dentsply Sirona and the procurement of Primescan scanners, we are piloting an Artificial Intelligence (AI) program to aid in diagnosing and case presentation, Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) pilot with Dr. Sarah Balaster utilizing EMS machines to not only gain efficiency but also reduce hand stress experienced from scaling and root planning, and exploring 3D printing for our removable prosthetics. Our goal in implementing this innovative technology is to create a more efficient less stressful work environment. I look forward to reporting out in the first quarter of 2022 on these pilots. Lastly, as our clinical leader I want to personally thank each provider, dental assistant, front desk team member, and managers for an amazing effort in 2021 to date, and let’s keep focus and close out the year strong. Take care and stay safe.

Technology Implementation in 2022: Procurement of CEREC® Primescan™ Intraoral Scanners from Dentsply Sirona.

Pilot program for Artificial Intelligence (AI) that aids in diagnosing and case presentation.

Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) pilot with Dr. Sarah Balaster. Pictured: Liannys Yero, RDH, trying out the new technology on her fellow dental hygienist.

Exploration of 3D printing for removable prosthetics.

Leading the Way with the New DCA DR App Coming in early 2022, Dental Care Alliance will launch a mobile application for our doctors – the first of its kind in dentistry! The DR app will turn our doctors’ mobile devices into miniature powerhouses of function and communication. Capabilities will include DCA News, doctor email integration, schedule viewing, calendar of events, digital case collaboration, and links to important resources like D.I.C.E. in a secure, HIPAA-compliant atmosphere. The app is currently in development and capabilities will be rolled out in a thoughtful, phased approach. The app is currently being piloted by some of our providers. We’ll ask for their feedback, make improvements, and then rollout the DCA DR App in a phased approach.

We Are Proud of Our Valued Partners Arkansas

Georgia

Texas

Michael Ashcraft, D.D.S., M.S. Scott A. Schoen, D.D.S.,

Arun Nayyar, D.M.D. Brett D. Gluck, D.M.D. Eugene Witkin, D.D.S. Jorge Paladines, D.M.D. Joshua B. Levenson, D.M.D. Lee M. Whitesides, D.M.D. Martha Virginia Kirkland, D.M.D. Patrick B. Toms, D.M.D. Pedro J. Perez, Jr., D.M.D. Winston Lee, D.D.S.

Amy Jackson, D.D.S. Bradley Brunchmiller, D.D.S. Brian J. Peters, D.D.S. Michael Colangelo, D.D.S. Cristi Fletcher, D.D.S. Jennifer Tomblyn, D.D.S. Michael L. Kesner, D.D.S. Sheila Birth, D.D.S.

Arizona Brandon G. Goates, D.M.D. Nolan E. Cordon, D.M.D., M.S. Todd Jorgenson, D.M.D.

Colorado Ben Bailey, D.M.D. Eric Ringer, D.D.S. Kevin Andrus, D.D.S., M.S. Matthew K. Steuer, D.M.D. Nathan Ringer, D.M.D. Scott Horsley, D.D.S., M.S.

Connecticut Mark Samuels, D.M.D. Ronnie A. Guidice, D.D.S.

Florida Alexandre L. Ribeiro, D.D.S. Ana Maria Gallego, D.D.S. Briggitte a. Martin, D.D.S. Carolina Akerman, D.M.D. Christopher Petrotto, D.D.S. Cynthia Brush, D.M.D. Daniel James Gesek, Jr., D.M.D. David M. Feinerman, D.M.D., M.D. Dennis A. Corona, D.D.S. Eliza Suarez, D.D.S. P.A. Erika P. Tugendhat, D.D.S. Gordon B. Chiu, D.D.S. Helena J. Krajewski, D.D.S. Jason Bivens, D.D.S. Jeff Weiss, D.M.D. John Bibb, D.D.S. John I. Carter, D.M.D. Jorge Vargas, D.M.D. Justin C. Craighead, D.M.D., M.S. LThuy Nguyen, D.M.D. Maria Valdes-Domingoes, D.M.D. Matthew Freedman, D.M.D. Melissa Colon, D.M.D. Michael Derakhshan, D.M.D. Michael Domingoes, D.M.D. Michelle Smitley, D.M.D. Nestor Guzman, D.M.D. Paul Feldon, D.M.D. Robert S. Schaedel, D.M.D., M.D. Rodolfo Tejada, D.D.S. Sara Potter, D.M.D. Scott W. Imray, D.M.D. Stephen J. Walding III, D.M.D. Thomas Purcell, D.M.D. Vivian E. Diaz, D.M.D. William A. Mueller III, D.M.D. Zulima Munoz, D.D.S.

Illinois Courtney Botica, D.M.D.

Indiana Shawn R. Long, D.D.S.

Maryland Gregory Romano, D.M.D. Jennifer Virmani, D.D.S. Mohit Virmani, D.D.S.

Massachusetts Matthew Haluch, D.D.S. Vinay Kapoor, D.D.S.

Michigan Omar Wajeeh, D.D.S.

Minnesota Bryan N. Laskin, D.D.S.

New Jersey Anthony Caramico, D.M.D. Arthur Thurm, D.M.D. Carmine C. Russo, D.M.D., M.S. Craig Abramowitz , D.D.S. David Paltac, D.D.S. Lan Vu, D.D.S. Mario E. Ramos, D.M.D. Manaf Saker, D.M.D. Steven Goldstein, D.D.S. Suresh Ramaswamy, D.D.S.

New York Alan Farber, D.D.S. David S. Ritholtz, D.D.S. Edward I. Jutkowitz, D.M.D. Neil Kesselman, D.D.S. Richard Marcus, D.D.S. Richard Rausch, D.D.S. Robert Friedman, D.D.S. Steven I. Cooper, D.M.D. Steven D. Ritholtz, D.D.S.

Pennsylvania Andrew S. In, D.D.S. Edan Blumenthal, D.M.D. Jordan Blumenthal, D.M.D. Jung Won Seo, D.M.D. Mitchel Blumenthal, D.M.D.

Virginia April Kern, D.M.D. Brad M. Freedman, D.M.D. Bruce Taheri, D.D.S. D. Gordon Rye, D.D.S. David Konikoff, D.D.S. Duke H. Kim, D.D.S. Edward Delgado, D.D.S. Henry Herrmann, D.M.D. John Han, D.D.S. John Schehl, D.D.S. Joseph Desio, D.D.S. Marni V. Husson, D.D.S. Mary C. Dvorak, D.D.S. Michael Kuzmik, D.D.S. Michael Polifko, D.D.S. Neal A. Klar, D.D.S. Patrick B. Holmes, D.D.S. Riaz Rayek, D.D.S. Saeid Zeiaei-Nafchi, D.D.S. Scott B. Dudley, D.M.D. Silvija Valleru, D.D.S. Stephen A. Price, D.D.S.

West Virginia J. Scott Eckels, D.D.S.

Wisconsin Bernard Bolka, IV Brandon Kusik, D.D.S. Casey Floros, D.D.S. Chelsea Vraney, D.D.S. Louie A. Lange, III Michael Messer, D.D.S. Nicholas Mattila, D.D.S. Nick Sabel, D.D.S. Sami Martini, D.D.S. William C. Mauthe, III, D.D.S.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Advancing Dental Hygiene to Help Leading Practices Lead Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT)

Pam Boodhoo, RDH, practices Guided Biofilm Therapy on Florida Hygiene Coach LaDrika Bennet.

Dr. Sarah Balaster Periodontist, Family Dental Group Ally Since 2017

What is Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT)? Guided Biofilm Therapy, known as “GBT” for short, is a new more effective and efficient way of performing Dental Prophylaxis, Periodontal Maintenance and other periodontal treatments such as Scaling and Root Planing. GBT is a treatment methodology that was developed in Switzerland and is designed around the removal of Oral Biofilm (Dental Plaque) that uses a highly specialized and unique piece of equipment, the EMS Air Flow Prophylaxis Master. This unit is a blend of two technologies in one, containing both a piezo and an air polishing handpiece. The Air

Flow Prophylaxis Master and GBT treatment methodology eliminate the need for hand instrumentation and prophy-cup polishing. Using this new technology, providers are able to thoroughly and comfortably clean patients’ teeth with a pressurized stream of warm water, air and erythritol or sodium bi-carbonate powder followed by a specialized piezo and tip designed to easily and comfortably remove tarter in pockets and hard to reach places.

Guided Biofilm Therapy is a game changer for patients and providers. Both patients and providers appreciate how it is more effective than traditional dental cleanings removing 96.5% of biofilm compared to traditional dental cleanings that can leave behind up to 50% of biofilm in hard to reach places. Providers enjoy GBT’s efficiency notably, how it is able to reduce treatment time and provider fatigue through the unit’s ergonomic design and elimination of hand instrumentation and prophycup polishing. The Airflow effectively removes biofilm in up to 4mm pockets on natural teeth while a specialized piezo and tip can remove calculus in periodontal pockets up to 10mm. Patients also report increased comfort and reduced sensitivity with many calling GBT “the most pleasant Dental Cleaning they have ever experienced.”

Imagix of Roswell team in Georgia begins training for guided biofilm therapy procedures.

Hygiene Coach, Katie Schiller, RDH (left), Liannys Yero, RDH, (center), and Florida Hygiene Coach, Ladrika Bennet, RDH (right).

The Sweetwater Smiles team in Longwood, Florida are participating in the GBT pilot program.

Dr. Sarah Balaster, Hygiene Coach LaDrika Bennett, and Katie Schiller, RDH, on site to train the Sweetwater Smiles team.

What We Have Accomplished So Far - 2021

population and improve the lives of both patients and providers.

In the face of challenges and a changing market due to the ongoing pandemic in January 2021, DCA’s own New York Regional Manager Collen McFarlin, Dental Hygiene Coach Katie Schiller, and Dr. Sarah Balaster saw a need for change in how the New York Region was approaching Dental Hygiene care. These three thought leaders teamed up with EMS to create a small trial of this new Swiss technology and treatment methodology known as Guided Biofilm Therapy. The trial was a great success in NY, impressing operations, providers, and patients alike! Thanks to support from DCA’s forward thinking Clinical Director, Dr. Robert Friedman as well as our operations and clinical team Guided Biofilm Therapy has been implemented in four New York Offices, revolutionizing how we approach Dental Hygiene Care. In line with moving forward in the face of an ever-changing and challenging healthcare landscape, DCA’s operation and clinical sides have teamed up to unleash our full potential as providers and national leaders in Oral Healthcare. With the support of DCA’s leadership team, clinicians, operations and office staff are working together across regions to share best practices and pilot the integration of Guided Biofilm Therapy in our Allied Offices. We are currently in the course of a multi-regional pilot program tracking the integration of Guided Biofilm Therapy into four offices in the New York Region, two offices in the North Central Florida Region, and two offices in the Georgia Region. This pilot program will provide us with much needed information on how Guided Biofilm Therapy can best serve DCA’s national patient

Looking to the Future Dental Hygiene in 2022 DCA’s continued investment in and focus on advancing Dental Hygiene to help leading practices lead empowers or Dental Hygienist Allies. In 2022 we can look towards continued focus on advanced training and continuing education for our Allied Dental Hygienists. We look to integration of State of the Art Dental Technology and treatment methodologies as ways to elevate our Dental Hygiene team and provide them with the support and armamentarium needed to create continued excellent experiences for our patients in the year to come.

“

I have been in the dental field

over 25 years, 12 of those years I have worked for DCA. I love and take pride in my work, I feel a sense of accomplishment after each patient encounter. I love how useful my patients make me feel with our shared interactions. I am pleased to be able to incorporate the new game changing GBT technology into my patient care. I am very honored to be taking part of this systems trial. The feedback from patients have been so positive. This technology will be and is in my opinion beneficial to everyone.”

Pam Boodhoo, RDH Ally since 2012

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Hygiene Month Review

World Class Dental Hygiene The world of dentistry (and hygiene) has evolved so much that many best practices and standards of care can quickly become outdated. At DCA, we’re here to help educate and inform you on the latest and best standards of delivering exceptional patient care. In addition to our wonderful group of professional hygiene coaches that are there to support your success at DCA, we also hold a World Class Dental Hygiene course on the third Saturday of each month. This important workshop will help you prepare to be effective in your new role. Hygienists are compensated, will earn 6 CE credits, and make meaningful connections with others in the organization. We have the utmost confidence that through the completion of successful onboarding and the World Class Dental Hygiene course any new hygienists at DCA (or

Madeeha Rana, RDH Hygienist at DANV Burke Ally since 2007

anyone else who would like a refresher) will receive the right information to get on the road to a great clinical path, and insight into the resources and tools that are available to you with DCA. This is something that truly sets us apart from other organizations. At DCA, we understand that knowledge is power, and that learning is invaluable to all of us as we keep abreast of the latest trends and technology in the industry. While keeping up with latest recommended guidelines for patient care, we attempt to make this workshop interactive, engaging, and enjoyable! This is another unique advantage of becoming an ally of DCA! Please look for a calendar coming in 2022 and join us to unleash your potential and grow stronger together.

DCA Hygiene Coaches

LaDrika Bennett, CRDH North Florida Ally Since 2021

Celine Blasavage, RDH Connecticut Ally Since 2003

Christine Edwards Georgia Ally Since 2021

Cheryl Engleman, RDH Maryland Ally Since 2002

Barbara Greene-Brooks, RDH Maryland Ally Since 1992

Stacy Haluch, RDH Connecticut & Massachusetts Ally Since 2006

Silvia Jimenez Georgia Ally Since 2020

Nashwa Khaled Made Ya Smile Ally Since 2018

Andrea Koch, RDH Connecticut Ally Since 2018

Barbara Lutz, RDH New Jersey and Pennsylvania Ally Since 2005

Tara Pannell Virginia Ally Since 2004

Michelle Pass, RDH Central Midwest Ally Since 2021

Katie Schiller, RDH New York Ally Since 2017

Wendy Steward Virginia Ally Since 1993

Tracee Suggs Virginia Ally Since 2007

Summer Wenzel, RDH Pennsylvania Ally Since 2018

Katie Wilson Virginia Ally Since 2021

Marie Wingfield, RDH Maryland Ally Since 2012

Glory Grossbard Vice President, Hygiene Ally Since 1997

Hygiene Heroes The Power to Save Lives We are so proud of each one of you! What a surreal year again for all of us at DCA! I can’t begin to tell you how blessed we are to have clinical leaders like all of you! You have not only gone above and beyond providing optimal care for you patients, but also have provided additional days throughout this tough year and now in Q4 to help add hygiene days to meet patient demands. For all of that and more, we are so grateful! We want to thank you again for all the loyalty and dedicated hard work you have also provided to our practices at DCA. I’m very confident that we will end the year strong and even stronger in 2022! We also want to continue to share our message of continual growth for our hygienists. We have revised our Periodontal Protocol to stay ahead of the clinical guidelines of the AAP/ADA/ADHA. Our approach remains to stay ahead of the curve and providing the BEST clinical care model to our patients. Our revised protocol embraces the goals around overall health. The AAP and the ADA have captured the importance of this oral/systemic link with other risk factors that affect our patients overall periodontal prognosis along with risk factors that may affect overall health and progression of this pandemic disease. I’m also very proud that DCA has taken a forward step on the implementation and investment on our hygienists that are able to be certified on lasers across the organization. Kudos to all that are

using these new techniques to provide optimal patient care!!!! More to come on this for other regions as things evolve! What and exciting time for us Hygienists! Putting new technology and better services in place to take care of our patients demonstrates a commitment from DCA and how strongly we feel about the importance of our hygiene teams. We are committed to supporting your overall growth throughout your professional career with us! We have also launched the ORAL ID enhanced oral cancer screening in 80% of our practices. This is something that is critical to another service that we bring to the hygiene department that sets us above any other. Helping save patients’ lives is much of what we do, and early detection is key. This technology enables us to help catch anomalies early. We thank all our practices that also have embraced this current technology. Just recently, we launched a new pilot that is called GBT – Guided Biofilm Therapy. This is led by Dr.

Balaster, our hygiene coaches, and me to invest in our hygienists and utilize state-of-the-art technology to support an improved patient AND hygienist experience. We are currently piloting this technology Georgia, North Central Florida, and New York practices. This will not only be a win for ergonomic technology to further our hygiene department, but a much more forward-looking approach to helping our RDH’s to practice efficiently. Finally, I’d like to send a very warm “thank You” to our hygiene coaches that continue to support each one of you in developing your career as a hygienist and hero at DCA! They provide invaluable information and knowledge to help you grow and meet your expectations with us. We could not do this without them – they are your advocates and resources for all that you need to be successful! In closing, I want to thank all of you again for a wonderful year! Much to come in 2022 to continue to improve on patient care and help you go as far as you can dream with DCA!

2021 Hygienists of the Year In partnership with Hu-Friedy, Dental Care Alliance is pleased to award our 2021 Hygienists of the Year and Golden Nevi Award Winners! Patricia Ferreira, RDH Advanced Dental Care of Orlando Ally Since 1997 Tara Barrowclough, RDH Gentle Dental | Haverford Ally Since 2001

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Dental Assistants Training Scholarship

Melissa Stewart Dental Assistant, Tioga Dental & Orthodontics Ally since 2017

At DCA, we make our affiliated practices and team members better by allowing them to focus on and develop their strengths. We help to unlock growth in people and practices that wouldn’t be possible alone. The DA Training Scholarship Program will cover the costs of tuition for dental assistants who desire to expand their skills. This includes continuing to earn your DA certification, or becoming an expanded function DA. If it’s moving to chairside, our PSRs, treatment coordinators, and other office team members can grow into the dental assistant role. No matter where

Unleashing Potential

Building a Community for the Industry’s Best Dental Assistants The continual growth and support of our dental assistants is very important to us. Dental assistants are valuable members of our dental care teams and provide the support, increased quality of care and efficiency our patients are looking for. DCA has implemented great resources to support all DAs in the organization from the beginning.

Abby Frey DA Training Specialist Ally Since 2009

“

you want to go, DCA is here and committed to SUPPORTING YOU and your development! Please review the DA Training Scholarship Program Agreement and connect with your office manager for more details.

Dental Assistant Onboarding Program Welcoming all newly hired dental assistants to our teams is important to us. The DCA Career Academy provides exceptional training for new team members. To ensure all newly hired DAs feel welcomed, informed, and valued, they will join Abby Frey, LDA, CDA and Dental Assistant Training Specialist for a LIVE Welcome Call along with receiving a tangible Welcome Guide to support them through their first few months of becoming an ally.

I appreciated this zoom call. This course was needed! It was very informative and helpful. The instructor was very personable and kind!” Dental Assistant, Ally Since 2021

“

AWESOME course! My first time in 23 years of dentistry to have a DA team meeting (cool). Abby was great, in speaking, her visual tools and personality. Very pleasant, thank you for your time.” Thea Harris, Dental Assistant, Herrmann & Desio | Ally Since 1998

Empowering Today’s Dental Assistant Workshop This workshop is a DCA hosted workshop that focuses on the foundational and interpersonal skills that a great Dental Assistant embodies. We do not focus on new material or our technical skills specifically. We focus on how a strong foundation of communication, anticipation of the providers and preparedness directly influence and support the chairside skills of a Dental Assistant. Offering this workshop virtually and has been a joy to still connect until we can gather again in person.

Who is this workshop for? This workshop is for all experience levels. It brings validation and recalibration to the most experienced Dental Assistants and excellent guidance to the least experienced. Dentists are also welcome to join the workshop in support of their Dental Assistants.

How do I register? Registration for this virtual workshop is available on the DCA Career Academy. Search keyword “empowering” and select the session of your choice. It is hosted every second Saturday of each month, 9:00am-11:30am EST

“Good feedback with other assistants from different offices. Hearing outside opinions really helps” Dental Assistant, Ally since 2019

Coming Soon! Coming soon to smile! (DCA’s Virtual Community) – our very own Dental Assistant Neighborhood! We’re excited to announce a dedicated place for our dental assistants to continue to learn, grow and collaborate with other like-minded dental professionals is important to us. A place where they can Lead Together and celebrate the differences that make them all unique. Starting in 2022, all DCA dental assistants will have access to regularly updated personal development opportunities, dental assisting best practices, and a virtual connection to other DAs in the organization. All dental assistants are invited to suggest and provide feedback to help DCA better support you and meet your needs through our neighborhood. Please ensure you log in and activate your smile! account, so that when the neighborhood opens, you are set up and ready to grow stronger together with us.

Delaiha Williams Dental Assistant, Wadas Dental Center Ally since 2020

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Happy Retirement, Dr. Labriola! After 42 years of practice,

local and regional dental and

Dr. LaBriola will be retiring

oral surgery organizations.

at the end of December

Dr. LaBriola is a member

2021. He has been an Ally

of Omicron Kappa Upsilon

at Northern Virginia Oral

national dental fraternity.

& Maxillofacial Surgery

Throughout his career, Dr.

Associates in Annandale since

LaBriola was renowned for

1979. He received his B.S.

his expertise in delivering

and M.S. degrees from the

the full spectrum of oral

University of Maryland, and

and maxillofacial surgery

his D.D.S. from Georgetown

procedures, with a particular

University, graduating Cum

interest in the treatment of

Laude. He completed his oral

TMJ and facial pain disorders.

and maxillofacial surgery

He is listed by Washingtonian

residency at the University

Magazine as one of the area’s

of Louisville Hospital in

best oral and maxillofacial

Louisville, Kentucky; and he is

surgeons.

a Diplomate of the American

From top: Dr. Labriola pictured with the entire NVOMSA team. The team in Northern Virginia recently celebrated the distinguished career of Dr. LaBriola.A custom plaque created for Dr. Labriola by his team.

Please join all of us at Dental

Board of Oral and Maxillofacial

Care Alliance in wishing

Surgery, a Fellow of the

The Man, The Myth, The

American Association of Oral

Legend, Dr. J. Daniel LaBriola,

and Maxillofacial Surgeons

a long, healthy, and happy

and is active in numerous

retirement!

Dr. David Konikoff Honored as Dental Innovator & Philanthropist the Touro College of Dental

On November 21, 2021, Dr.

The generous contribution

Medicine (TCDM) has

from the Konikoffs will

officially opened the doors

also fund construction of

to its highly anticipated

the Konikoff Education

Konikoff Digital Dental

and Broadcast Center,

Studio located within Touro

planned for the fourth floor

Dental Health, the clinical

of TCDM’s Skyline Drive

training facility in Hawthorne,

Complex. This 3,500-square-

New York. Through this

foot space will be designed

transformational gift,

to accommodate teaching

the Konikoffs further

methodologies geared for

David Konikoff was honored

strengthened the school’s

today’s changing educational

at the Touro College of

progressive education in

landscape, focusing on small

Dental Medicine’s 5th Annual

digital dental technologies

group learning, distance

Gala for his leadership and

and enabled faculty at Touro

education and teaching,

innovation in the dental

Dental Health to perform

along with the ability to

industry and philanthropic

“same-day dentistry,” which

professionally broadcast.

endeavors throughout his

reduces multiple patient

distinguished 42-year career.

visits into a single visit—not

Dr. Konikoff for his

commonly practiced in a

commitment to innovation

dental school environment.

in dentistry.

Thanks to the gift from Dr. Konikoff and his family,

Please join us in thanking

Drs. Blumenthal, Abramowitz, and many other longtime colleagues and loved ones joined in the celebration honoring Dr. David Konikoff.

Improved Support and Resources for Coupa Ordering and Expense Management

This year Coupa Support went live with a dedicated page on D.I.C.E. which houses many valuable resources such as FAQs, links to the Coupa Training site, and the Coupa Tip of the Week on smile! Coupa Support has also implemented the use of the Fresh Service (help ticket platform) to monitor, respond, and report on technical Coupa related issues/requests.

DCA and our allied offices have been live on Coupa for more than two years! Coupa is our web-based Procure-to-Pay and Expense Management software which has enhanced the ordering process and allowed for better management of procurement, invoices, expense reports, and payments in one platform.

The Coupa System Offers:

Tip of the Week

Improved Agility Streamlined ordering and monitoring of orders at your fingertips in one tool.

Comprehensive Approach to Spend Management Ability to see what’s happening, understand, and control it in one unified platform

Improved transparency and relationships with suppliers

Talia Pandolfi Controller Ally Since 2017

In addition to refreshed resources, the Coupa Support, Accounts Payable, and Procurement teams have worked together to modernize the Order Resolution Process. The process was streamlined to capture efficiencies, provide more transparency, and further clarify roles and required actions of stakeholders. Coupa Support is always looking for ways to leverage software functionality to increase “value add” processes and increase efficiency at our offices and support center. Kate Wood, our dedicated Coupa Administrator and an ally since 2021, stays connected with the Coupa community to continue to find ways to leverage Coupa to support the business.

If you have ideas for improvement, please contact CoupaSupport@dentalcarealliance.com.

Data-driven Marketing Strategies

Capacity vs. Demand Increasing new patient visits has remained a challenge for many offices throughout 2021. While demand is growing overall, many practices are struggling with limited capacity to see new patients immediately. Our marketing call volume has increased 35% this year and we have seen record levels of new patients scheduling themselves via our website online appointment functionality. Despite this activity, we have struggled to increase new patient visits this year due, in part, to lack of appointment availability.

Changing Strategies

Shawn Wherry Vice President, Marketing Ally Since 2006

Thanks to the real-time data and forecasts in the analytics dashboards, we now have better performance visibility than ever before. The marketing team has used this information to refine our office marketing strategies and pull back on our marketing spend when we see limited provider availability. We are then able to reallocate those marketing dollars to offices that have more immediate needs. This approach has led to more efficient and effective use of funds, ultimately resulting in an annual savings.

The marketing team uses real-time data and forecasts in the analytics dashbards to refine office marketing strategies.

Paid digital advertising example (PPC/Adwords), targeting treatment-specific keywords and phrases

Digital Performance Remains Strong A significant portion of our marketing investment is spent on pay-per-click ads targeted to specific keyword phrases related to our allied offices’ service offerings. Through November, we have invested $3,277,866 in PPC generating more than 457,000 website visits and 125,000 leads (calls and online appointment forms) – a $26 Cost-Per-Lead. Our organic web performance and keyword rankings have shown tremendous growth in 2021 as well. Year to date our websites have achieved a 17% increase in organic new users, and we rank for more than 133,000 high value keywords on the first page of Google (a 3% increase YOY). Our practices’ Google Business profiles (GMBs) have seen a 32% increase in visibility for relevant search phrases compared to last year.

DCA’s in house digital team quickly executes and optimizes digital strategies to deliver a high volume of qualified patient opportunities with a low cost per acquisition.

Organic SEO Performance 2021

Increase in ranking high value keywords,

over 133,000

17%

Increase in organic new users to DCA practice websites

32%

Increase in visibility for relevant search phrases for GMB profiles YOY

on the first page of Google

Marketing + Scheduling In 2021, we implemented the Centralized Schedule Maximization (CSM) team, led by Erica Woolard, DCA’s Marketing Operations Director. The team was a marriage of the PSR SWAT team, created in 2020 to support the massive COVID-19 rescheduling effort, and the Online Scheduling team who had previously been in place to respond to all inbound appointment requests from our websites. Today the team of 13 works tirelessly to fill holes in our practice schedules through patient outreach and inbound appointment scheduling. Year to date, the CSM team has scheduled nearly 230,000 patient appointments resulting in $43,400,000 in collected revenue.

CSM Team | YTD

230,000

Patient Appontments Scheduled

43.4 MILLION

Dollars in Collected Revenue

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Marketing & Scheduling Go Hand in Hand Much work has been done over the last couple years to improve scheduling practices and processes to reach more families in need of dental treatment. With marketing focused on patient lead generation, its important to have systems in place to meet that demand and maximize practice schedules.

Healthy and productive schedules start with effective templates, and your templates allow the CSM Team to schedule patients efficiently for your practice.

Scheduling Best Practices Ensure all working providers in your office have completed templates utilizing the approved Hygiene and Doctor production types. If a provider is inactive in your office submit an IT ticket to have the production template removed and replaced with the block template. Templates should reflect accurate working hours and days. Train team members to follow the prescribed templates for scheduling consistency and production maximization. Use Denticon’s waiting list in conjunction with the Quick Fill texting feature to quickly notify interested patients of appointment openings while reducing time spent making outbound calls. Review the new patient column(s) regularly to ensure there are at least two available new patient appointment openings in the next seven days. Create availability if there are not sufficient openings.

A Look Forward 2022 will bring exciting changes on the digital front! We have been working for several months with our web developers to create customized, state-of-the-art website design templates that offer an enhanced user experience and better reflect our diverse mix of practice types. By the end of the year, we will have 5 different website templates ready for use. Our online scheduling functionality is also being improved to better integrate individual office insurance plan participation details. Throughout next year, we will be building and launching all new websites for our supported practices. The launch plans are being carefully finalized now so we can prioritize the site rebuilds for offices with the greatest digital needs. Stay tuned for more information to come in early 2022. Storytelling through videography and photography will be an important focus next year as well. Joey Balmforth joined DCA

Sneak Peek Five new, state-of-the art website templates will lauch for DCA practices by the end of 2022!

in June 2021 as our fulltime Visual Production Director. He is a skilled videographer, photographer and storyteller, and we are fortunate to have him on the team. Read below to learn more about him and see some of his recent work. He will be traveling to all markets next year to capture patient and practice stories, creating professional and compelling marketing assets for our websites and social media pages. We look forward to seeing our practices and allies shine through video in the coming year. Joey’s work allows us to elevate our marketing message in ways we haven’t been able to before. We are excited about the year to come, and we welcome your thoughts and feedback. We are committed to continuously improving our marketing support to our allied practices. If you have specific needs or ideas, please contact us at DCAMarketing@ DentalCareAlliance.com.

Storytelling through videography and photography will be an important focus in 2022.

Meet Joey Balmforth, DCA’s Visual Production Director:

Since joining DCA fulltime in 2021, Joey Balmforth has visited multiple offices and interviewed countless doctors and team members to tell the DCA story, and show our patients why our affiliated offices stand out against the competition. Click on the thumbnails below to view some of his recent productions. A Part of Something A DCA recruitment video that shares first-hand from our Allies what makes being a part of DCA so special and the support and opportunites that are available for our team.

Stronger Together Learn more about the DEI Council though a sit down with Dr. James Keith, an active participant on the DEI Council and a general dentist at one of our Imagix offices.

Welcome to Tioga Dental & Orthodontics One of many welcome videos created for DCA practices that highlght our state-of-the art facilites and the expertise of doctors and staff.

When I was in high school my dad wanted me to be a dentist. I’m not sure why but he always thought I’d make a good dentist, but I wanted to be an actor. It didn’t take long to realize it is really hard to make a living as an actor so I started learning the behind the scenes skills which eventually led me to film school at BYU where I received a degree in screenwriting. After graduating I got a job working for one of the largest production studios in Utah where I spent 5 years producing videos for high profile clients like Adobe, Utah Jazz, Donny and Marie, Lifelock and many others that are mainly only a big deal in Utah. In 2016 a friend of mine in marketing asked me to help him create website videos for a dental office and I loved it. We did a few more offices before I made up my mind to fully commit to working only with dental offices. Since then, I’ve filmed in over a hundred different dental offices in all but 7 states. Now I consider dental offices to be my home. Turns out my dad was right. (But don’t tell him I said that.... I’ll never hear the end of it).

Joey and his wife, Kari, with their five children.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Analytics Working for You

Analytic Dashboards Increasing Flow of Information Through DCA One of the main objectives of the Analytic Dashboards is to increase the transparency of information, such that managers within the company, from office managers up to senior leaders, are analyzing the same information to make decisions.

Matt Thiel Vice President, Analytics & Revenue Programs Ally Since 2019

Since we launched the Analytic dashboards in early 2020, we have seen an enormous increase in the amount of information flowing throughout the company. As the amount of available information increases, new challenges and opportunities emerge. One particular challenge is information overload, also called “analysis paralysis”, which occurs when the available information

overwhelms the user and actually can make it more difficult to solve problems. To address this challenge, we have introduced consolidated KPI dashboards for both the Office Managers and Regional Managers, to focus on the KPI metrics most impactful to the business. The OM KPI Scorecard is limited to only the top 12 KPIs that are most impactful to offices. These KPIs are focused on specific actions the office can take to impact results. In most cases, we find that offices do not need to focus on all 12 KPIs, rather, only the top 2-3 KPIs with the most opportunity. A link to the Consolidated KPI Dashboard can be found under the Analytic Dashboards section of D.I.C.E. Additionally, there is new training available on the DCA Career Academy. Just search for “Office Manager KPI Dashboard” to access it. DCA’s largest opportunity, with regards to analytics, is to increase the analytic skill sets of team members throughout the company. Analytics can mean different things to different people: from data visualization and dashboards all the way up to advanced analytics like predictive models. I don’t think of analytics as any one thing in particular. Analytics is not just a set of numbers on a dashboard, it is a way of using data to dissect, predict, and solve business problems. The data and dashboards do not have the power to impact the business all by themselves; skilled practitioners on the front lines (like office managers) must interpret the reports and take action to manage the business. Based on the dashboard usage statistics shared to the right, I am encouraged with how quickly the organization has adopted the analytic mindset.

Analytics Usage by the Numbers Key statistics summarizing the use of analytics since inception in early 2020.

Current number of dashboards

1,200

Number of daily subscription emails to users

400,000

Number of dashboard views since inception

% of Users Accessing Dashboards Weekly 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%

“Analytics is not just a set of numbers on a dashboard, it is a way of using data to dissect, predict, and solve business problems.”

20% 10% 0% Division Vice Presidents

Regional Managers

Office Managers

Dental Directors

Overall

How Can You Engage in Analytics? Providers

Talk with your office manager about key metrics. Is your schedule full? Are a high number of patients cancelling? What percentage of patients are confirming their appointment? What can be done to improve these metrics?

Office Managers

Watch the new training video for the Consolidated KPI Dashboard. Use the dashboards as a guide for conversations with your regional manager and ask for help/guidance as needed.

Office Staff

Ask about your office’s metrics. Which areas are performing well? Where are the opportunities for improvement? What can you do to help?

In conclusion, the analytic dashboards have significantly increased the flow of information throughout the company, increasing information transparency as well as the usage of analytics by the field. I believe the usage of analytics can make everyone’s job easier, provide more time to focus on the patient experience, and at the same time continually improve DCA’s operational performance.

Dr. Riaz Rayek, Ally since 2015, with team members at the Smiles at Fairfax office in Fairfax, Virginia.

Putting the Practice First

Dale Hockel Chief Operating Officer Ally Since 2018

More than ever this year, we have expanded and utilized our analytics resources to help us better understand and manage the business. DCA’s Analytics team (James Nick, Matt Thiel, Alex Pallares, and Jake Gaecke) have done an amazing job with this! Using these innovative tools and resources, this year we have seen a marked improvement in our business performance. Just a year ago, I could not have imagined the access that we now have into daily business performance that is needed to lead and make changes. Huge shout out to the team! Initially when the Analytics Team was developing and deploying the analytical tools and resources to us, I was concerned how quickly we would be able to adopt and utilize. So, the team quickly got to work with weekly team cadence calls to discuss and share the new analytical tools,

resources, and dashboards. The team started developing operations best practices on how to use the tools and resources with developed standard operating processes to ensure everyone learned together. Everyone was engaged and curious to learn the features and functions of these new tools. We started with our “Plans to Achieve” calls every Friday morning, which evolved to look deeper at what offices were successful and why; and conversely what offices were not and to identify the root cause(s) and improve. Through this work, it has been tremendously gratifying to see this team grow, make improvements, and develop solutions by collaborating together! Before COVID, we had a focused initiative to improve our ability to answer the phone and secure a patient appointment (Call Answer and Call Conversation). We asked all

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Best Practices - An In-house dashboard created by Brittany Junjac, Office Manager at Gentle Dental of Warren, that shares metrics directly from the Analytics Dashboard for her office.

Through the team efforts, determination, and visibility to the metrics, collectively we improved our Call Answer Rate and Call Conversion significantly and we have maintained it! offices to secure a whiteboard and post the offices percentages to help inform all team members of the result and drive performance. Through the team efforts, determination, and visibility to the metrics, collectively we improved our Call Answer Rate and Call Conversion significantly and we have maintained it! Since then, the teams adoption of the Analytics Dashboards has been impressive, and perhaps even more exciting to see is that these tools are starting to cascade into the practices with our team members. As an example, I recently visited some of our practices in Michigan and came across a best practice that I wanted to share. Brittany Junjac,

the OM at our Gentle Dental of Warren office, took it upon herself to develop an In-House Dashboard – using a simple whiteboard – to transcribe and share metrics directly from the Analytics Dashboard online for her office. Knowing the success we have seen using these tools, I would like to encourage all our office managers and dental directors to create an In-House Communication Board to display our shared KPIs and measures of success in every office. Having visuals to help reinforce our goals and measurements of success is a wonderful recipe for success in any environment. When we are better informed, we are more closely aligned on the patient and business outcomes as a stronger team. My thanks and a great job to everyone who is already doing this! For those just getting started, please reach out to your regional manager if you need help getting started. Along the same lines of alignment and communication – we heard from our team members during the last engagement survey that while we’ve made improvements, we still to work on more effective communicate. An easy first step in this complicated equation is the Morning Huddle. My ask is that every office manager leads a daily morning huddle with the entire team. It’s a quick touchpoint to prepare for the day ahead, hit on important news or topics, share successes and opportunities, and ultimately better align the team. I truly believe this simple, singular action – when performed consistently – will improve communications and employee engagement at the local level. As you can see, I thought I would take this DCA Insider article to help reinforce a few best practices and help us grow stronger together. What can I say? I’m shameless...

Being an Ally is Important to Me I have been with DCA for a few years now and I have enjoyed being part of the team, and being able to bring my background and experience to support our team members in accomplishing their goals. Right from the beginning it was a great fit for me. It was great to learn the business from the clinical and operational team members, everyone was open and eager to share what was working and what I needed to work on! The Operations Team that I was entrusted to lead was established, but I felt could benefit from my experience with building a team and infrastructure for significant growth. We were around 260 practices then and we are now at over 360! As DCAs’ COO I take my responsibility to lead and develop the team I am entrusted with very seriously. There are many individuals and their families that depend on the decisions that I/we make at work to ensure we have a place to come to work every day. I don’t take this lightly. Looking back on the last year, I am extremely grateful for my family, faith, and DCA allies I get to work with! I have been blessed with a wife of 35 years who still seems to want me around and four grown kids who actually pick up the phone when I call and want to hang out with me. I believe that we all are influenced by our family and friends over the years, hopefully for the better, and I could not think of a better work family to be growing with! We have a great team and if feels good to be an ALLY with you!

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

with our

Division Vice Presidents A United Leadership Team, Focused on Supporting Our Allies

Division Q&A

Florida Division Shawna Eury DVP, Florida Ally Since 2009

What does it mean to you to be an ally? Being an Ally to me means, ensuring I am collaborating with my team and working side by side with them through thick and thin. We have an amazing team and every position is so valuable to our success. A true ally appreciates their team and isn’t afraid to get in the trenches with them. Identify your division’s greatest success or something you have overcome in 2021. In 2021, the Florida division has been abundantly successful. We have done a phenomenal job surpassing our revenue and EBITDA goals month over month this year, despite the setbacks of COVID. As many have, we have seen team members become ill or have had to handle personal responsibilities associated with the pandemic. Our team rises to the occasion every time and puts our patients first. The Florida team has leaned in stronger and more powerful than

ever before with a mindset of no challenge being too large. We are Florida Strong and persevere despite our environment! What are you looking forward to in 2022? As we conclude 2021, I can’t help but be hopeful for 2022. Our team continues to be innovative and strive for excellence. We are the best team in the industry, leaving me with zero doubt in thinking that 2022 will be nothing less than an unparalleled success. What makes your division unique? When you think of the Florida division, the first thing that comes to mind is TEAM. We are a united front that collaborates on all aspects of the business and uses a hands-on approach to get the job done. Florida collaborates on best practices and shares them across the division to ensure team success. We learn from each other which comes easily when we embrace each other’s talents and strengths. The unity in Florida makes us an unstoppable team!

Choose your favorite U-SMILE value and describe what it means to you. My personal favorite U-SMILE value is Unleash Potential. I firmly believe the best players in the DSO sector are already on our team. My journey with DCA began in the field and has taken me to great heights within the organization. Therefore, I hold this value near and dear to my heart. As we listen to the voices of our teams looking for more in their careers, it only makes sense to embrace their drive and provide them with the tools they need to expand their horizons. We have great leadership who has taken these employees under their wings and truly allowed them to shine. In 2021 alone, Florida has promoted 38 of our team members within the Division. These promotions vary from PSRs, dental assistants, hygienists, hygiene coaches, office manager, directors, and vice presidents. I’m extremely proud of all the great promotions happening within the Florida division!

What are you grateful for this holiday season? This holiday season I am grateful for my DCA family and my two beautiful daughters Taylor and Kenzie. I couldn’t be more blessed and privileged to be a part of such a great team!!

“

We have great leadership who has taken these employees under their wings and truly allowed them to shine. In 2021 alone, Florida has promoted 38 of our team members within the Division.

Shawna Eury with Regional Manager, Tony Belton at the DCA Support Center in Sarasota, Florida. Click the image above to view their stories.

Florida Division Team Regional Managers

Dental Directors

Tony Belton Ally Since 2018

Maria Daizi Ally Since 1997

Lisamarie Diaz Ally Since 2011

Trixie Mahar Ally Since 2005

Amy Moody Ally Since 2009

Monica Richey Ally Since 2013

Elizabeth Jimenez Ally Since 1999

Dr. Alex Cardounel Ally Since 2013

Dr. Dennis Corona Ally Since 2005

Trey Mueller Ally Since 2016

Division Q&A

Northeast Division Joe Eckerle

DVP, Northeast Ally Since 2018 What does it mean to you to be an ally?

What are you looking forward to in 2022?

Being an Ally is being a “teammate”. Great teammates share their expertise and ask for advice to improve. Allies go out of their way to help the team. I am fortunate to work with a team of allies and I strive to be one for every office in the Northeast.

In 2021 we “Unleashed the Potential” in Northeast by promoting several leaders and by having several of them to step out of their comfort zone to help DCA achieve our 2021 goals. I look forward to helping more allies reach the goals that they have set out for themselves in 2022.

Identify your division’s greatest success or something you have overcome in 2021. I would like to say that the Northeast has overcome huge challenges but to be honest, this team of office and regional managers working closely with their dental directors had a plan in place in early 2021 to exceed expectations in the Northeast, and they have delivered in most categories that we measure as a company.

What makes your division unique? Our regional team is what makes the Northeast unique. We truly have a team that likes each other, helps each other and looks out for each other. There are now “State Lines” between any regional manager. Choose your favorite U-SMILE value and describe what it means to you. Unleash potential is my favorite U-SMILE value and

the Northeast has definitely practiced this value through 2021. Seeing people grow and work towards future personal growth is part of our day to day activities in the Northeast. Not only do we have clinical mentoring programs throughout the division to help our providers grow, we also have development plans on the operations side. Our goal is to allow people to grow by experiencing more than just their current duties and to learn more about their mentor’s duties. As a result of this we have seen the Northeast become a spigot for many promotions within and to positions outside of the Northeast. It hurts to lose great people, but the Northeast will never hold someone back, and it’s wonderful to watch our allies succeed individually. In

2021, these promotions in the Northeast have helped DCA “Unleash its potential”. What are you grateful for this holiday season? My health and my family.

“

Unleash potential is my favorite U-SMILE value and the Northeast has definitely practiced this value through 2021. Seeing people grow and work towards future personal growth is part of our day to day activities in the Northeast.

Northeast Division Team Regional Managers

Dental Directors

Kara Keller Connecticut Ally Since 2017

Colleen McFarlin New York Ally Since 2017

Dan Sparks Pennsylvania Ally Since 2001

Yarellys Torres New Jersey Ally Since 2019

Jeff Wingfield Maryland North Ally Since 2011

Beth Wynacht Maryland South Ally Since 2019

Mike Strout Massachusetts Ally Since 2020

Dr. Edan Blumenthal Pennsylvania Ally Since 1988

Dr. Mitchel Blumenthal Pennsylvania Ally Since 1986

Dr. Robert Friedman New York Ally Since 2004

Dr. Steven Goldstein New Jersey Ally Since 2005

Dr. Matt Haluch Connecticut & Massachusetts Ally Since 2014

Dr. Barry Lyon Maryland Ortho/Pedo Ally Since 2007

Dr. Lorne Yasbin Maryland Ally Since 2002

Division Q&A

Ortho Division Eduardo Laventman DVP, Orthodontics Ally Since 2007 What does it mean to you to be an ally? Being an Ally represents several things. First, is the fact that I belong to a group of leaders who share a common goal. Nevertheless, it also entails a big responsibility. As an Ally, I want to make sure that I play my role as a leader and mentor to my great team, offices, staff, and providers, as well as a social responsibility to ensure we are putting patients first and we are providing the best quality of dentistry while maintaining all the expectations that a patient has towards an office and their level of service and customer care. Finally, being an ally also represents to me the opportunity to demonstrate who DCA is, what we do and how we can improve the lives of our patients and our fellow allies. Identify your division’s greatest success or something you have overcome in 2021. I believe that our greatest challenge has been a combination

of turnover and patient cancellations. As a division, I am very proud of our team and how we dealt with this, focusing on same day starts, understanding that we can overbook without compromising the customer service patients can expect from the practice, and overall working together as a team to ensure we are providing the best service while meeting our financial expectations. What are you looking forward to in 2022? I am looking forward to continuing the great success we have had as an Orthodontics division. I believe there are great opportunities to grow and I’m looking forward to implementing our action plans to ensure that we succeed. Among those opportunities, we have: • Extend capacity on Fridays • Add more new allied practices to the division • Implement unified charge out codes to increase the accuracy of our analysis and data • Finish conversion of Denticon in Main Street

What are you grateful for this holiday season?

offices and be able to test the software thoroughly What makes your division unique? The obvious answer is that we are a team that is focused on two specialties of dentistry – pediatrics and orthodontics. But the right answer is the quality of our team from top to bottom, with a unique knowledge in both orthodontics and pediatrics, that makes this division a force to be recognized. Choose your favorite U-SMILE value and describe what it means to you. My favorite value is Lead Together, as it truly represents our division. Each leader has responsibilities, but each one of us knows that we cannot do it alone. We rely on our peers and our team members to ensure that we are aligned in our efforts and can succeed together. Everything we have done or implemented involves the commitment and buy-in of every one of us. This year has been an amazing success story on this very important value.

Personally, I am grateful for my family, my health, and my work. As a DVP, I am grateful for the team I have the honor to lead. Each month you make me shine, and it is only the result of your own leadership and efforts. I wish to acknowledge that not only I am fortunate but amazed by the talent and engagement of our amazing division.

“

...being an ally also represents to me the opportunity to demonstrate who DCA is, what we do and how we can improve the lives of our patients and our fellow allies.

Click the image above to see Eduardo’s journey with DCA.

Ortho Division Team Regional Managers

Sandra Diez Main Street 1 Ally Since 2000

Jennifer Goodwin Ortho West Ally Since 2000

Dental Directors

Jennifer Larsh Main Street 2 Ally Since 2009

Susan Lawrence Main Street West Ally Since 2012

Dr. Matthew Freedman Ally Since 2008

Dr. Jorge Vargas Ally Since 2006

Division Q&A

Southeast Division Nicole Lipp

DVP, Southeast Ally Since 2010 What does it mean to you to be an ally? Defined, being an Ally means to ‘align and support a common cause’. I truly feel my role is to help the providers and offices stay aligned with the common goal of offering the best dental experience to our patients. Part of that is to work with the dental directors and regional managers to ensure our doctors have the technology and systems in place to provide the best quality care to our patients. Identify your division’s greatest success or something you have overcome in 2021. Working through the staffing shortage and competitive wage demand proved to be very trying. It was a constant battle to find new ways to fill the open positions and alleviate

the daily pressures felt in the field. At the same time, ensuring our current team members were feeling valued and appreciated. We have overcome it together and are continuing to find creative ways to attract and retain our allies. What are you looking forward to in 2022? We have several refreshes, expansions and de novos planned for 2022. I’m excited for our patients and field teams to experience refreshed offices and updated technology. Some of our teams have been working with dated equipment and I look forward to their shared excitement! What makes your division unique? The Southeast division is unique in that we have 60 offices embedded across

seven regions, but in just two geographical states. Our offices represent all specialties in the dental industry. Choose your favorite U-SMILE value and describe what it means to you. My favorite U-SMILE value is Unleash Potential. It is incredibly rewarding to support and watch firsthand as team members grow and become more successful in their roles. allies succeed individually. In 2021, these promotions in the Northeast have helped DCA “Unleash its potential”. What are you grateful for this holiday season? I am grateful for so many things in life. My health and wonderful family; husband, Robert and 2 children, Aaron and Sophia. Their love and support can carry me through anything life throws at me.

I’m also grateful for the wonderful team I am fortunate to work with everyday. They are supportive and collaborative and truly elevate each other’s performance and mine.

“

The Southeast division is unique in that we have 60 offices embedded across seven regions, but in just two geographical states. Our offices represent all specialties in the dental industry.

Southeast Division Team Regional Managers

Summer Cook Mid-Atlantic 7 Ally Since 2014

Sue Lortie Georgia Ally Since 1983

Sarah Fowler Mid-Atlantic 5 Ally Since 2009

Jessica Rose Mid-Atlantic 6 Ally Since 2012

Dental Directors

Dr. Michele Mattioli Virginia Ally Since 1992

Esther Leiva Mid-Atlantic 4 Ally Since 2007

“

Dr. Stephen Price Virginia Ally Since 1973

Dr. Gene Witkin Georgia Ally Since 2000

“I am thankful for my Southeast team – they are so supportive and fun - and we are growing stronger together and I appreciate them each day!” Sue Lortie, Regional Manager, GA, Ally Since 1983

Division Q&A

West Division Craig Murray DVP, West Ally Since 2016 What does it mean to you to be an ally? Being an Ally to me is how we support and look after our team within DCA. What brings us together across 360+ offices, 21 states, and thousands of coworkers. It reminds me every day of all the great knowledge we have collectively, and no one is on an island. Identify your division’s greatest success or something you have overcome in 2021. The Western Division has had to remake itself from the ground up. That started with the renaming of the division and has continued with new team members including three new regional managers and many allies at the office. We have shown resilience from a weeklong snowstorm in Texas to floods and power issues in Michigan with everything in

between in the Mountain and Central Midwest. All team members have come back wanting to succeed.

not the case prior to 2021 and this has been one of the great turn arounds for the year in the West. More to come but we are on the right path.

What are you looking forward to in 2022? We will continue to build upon the strengths of all team members. Our regional managers, dental directors along with the office managers have shown great progress on how we continue to build on our 2021 success stories. I also look forward to the growth of the division through same store as well as the growth through partnerships and new offices.

Choose your favorite U-SMILE value and describe what it means to you. Unleash potential. Nothing accomplished in the dental field is done in a vacuum. The West has shown it takes us all to be successful and that has been promoting within, increase or training and helping all allies to achieve their goals. What are you grateful for this holiday season? My family and friends.

“

The West team continues to show how to build great relationships and build a culture that fosters team work and openness.

Click on the image below to learn more about Wadas Dental, one of our West Division offices located in Munster, Indiana.

What makes your division unique? The West team continues to show how to build great relationships and build a culture that fosters team work and openness. This was

West Division Team Regional Managers

Dental Directors

Kelly Grays Mountain Ally Since 2006

Grace Gregson Illinois and Indiana Ally Since 2018

Dr. Jason Cooper Indiana Ally Since 2012

David Lieske, III South Central Ally Since 2021

Michelle Templeton Michigan Ally Since 2021

Dr. Michael Kesner Texas Ally Since 2004

Dr. Dennis Corona Michigan Ally Since 2011

Dr. Erin Shanahan Illinois Ally Since 1992

Dr. Brandon Goates Arizona Ally Since 2007

Dr. Scott Schoen Arkansas Ally Since 1993

Scott H. Horsley Colorado Ally Since 2021

Dr. Matthew Steuer Colorado Ally Since 2013

Dr. Todd Jorgenson Arizona Ally Since 2003

Affiliation Integration

New Beginnings in an Unprecedented Year As the new Vice President of Affiliation Integrations, I have been charged with the responsibilities and duties of assisting the integration of new partner offices into the DCA family. As the husband of a partner dentist who partnered with DCA in December of 2017 (Dr. Cindy Brush and Tioga Dental & Orthodontics, respectively), I have a unique understanding of the affiliation integration process from the “other side”.

My background as Vice President of Finance for Tutogen Medical as well as my experience growing the “family business” for ten years combined with the three years I worked for DCA as a Regional Manager of North Florida has enriched my perspective of the many aspects that play into a successful integration. Towards this effort, the Affiliations Integration team was formulated to assist in every aspect of this process. This team boasts over 80 years

of collective dental operational experience, delivering exceptional support for our new affiliations. We are developing a project management, planning, tracking, and workflow system that, with its implementation, will simplify and organize every aspect of the integration process. We are excited to share that 2022 looks very bright as our Business Development team continues with their amazing success of delivering top notch

dental partners to DCA. The Affiliations Team has worked closely with our Business Development Team closing 14 affiliations totaling 35 offices so far this year and we expect several more to close before year-end. Upon completion, this would be a record number of affiliations for DCA in one year, expanding coverage in the states of Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Colorado, as well as entering Wisconsin for the first time.

Affiliation Integration Team

Matt Brush Vice President, Affiliation Integrations Ally Since 2010

Bridget O’Neill Director, Affiliate Integrations Ally Since 2011

Natashia Pagán-Vargas Director, Affiliate Integrations Ally Since 2015

Joe McLaughlin Consultant Ally Since 2021

Paula Poggi Project Manager Ally Since 2021

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

De Novo Update De novos (new start-up offices) are a strategic growth strategy for DCA, and we look to expand our efforts in this area in 2022. Adding de novo responsibility to my team this past summer was timely as DCA’s first de novo for 2021 was with my wife and I, opening our first partner start up office on March 1, 2021, with Tioga Celebration. This once again provided me with a unique perspective on the process. We’ve opened three additional de novos. Utilizing capacity metrics, extensive market analytics and increased engagement by our operations team will create six additional de novos in 2022, another milestone for DCA. I look forward to building on the de novo success during the past five years as well as streamlining the integration of affiliations, as I feel both aspects of growth for DCA are crucial to attract the top-notch doctors and staff we want to provide the very best in comprehensive dental care to our patients.

Looking Ahead De Novos Opening in 2022

Tioga Dental and Orthodontics opened it’s second location in Gainesville, FL. Tioga Dental at Celebration Pointe is a brand new, state- of-the-art de novo dental practice led by Drs. Cynthia Brush, Sara Potter, and Justin Craighead. The new office opened to patients on March 1, 2021.

The Little Neck de novo is a fully renovated, state-of-the-art facility led by Dr. Adam Rice, Ally Since 2020, Dr. Amy Namsupak, Ally Since 2016, and Dr. Vanessa Hofilena, Ally Since 2018. The new office began welcoming patients on June 21.

Dental Associates of Florida Implant & Cosmetic Dentistry Sun City, FL Dental Associates of Florida Oral Surgery Lakeland, FL

Dental Associates of Florida (DAF) opened the Dental Specialty Center of Lakeland, its first specialty office, on Monday, July 12, 2021. DCA also welcomed Dr. David Lee, DDS, MD to the Dental Care Alliance family. Pictured above: Dr. David Lee and the Dental Specialty Center of Lakeland team.

Konikoff Dental Associates of Battlefield Blvd, Pediatrics Chesapeake, VA Main Street Children’s Dentistry & Orthodontics of Windemere Orlando, FL Klar Vorhees Holmes Orthodontics opened a de novo location in Edinburgh, VA in December. This is the sixth location for the brand.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Business Development

DCA On Pace for Record Year Seasons Greetings to the DCA Family! Santa and his elves have not been the only busy ones leading up to this holiday season. The DCA Business Development, Legal, and Affiliation Integration teams have been hard at work all year as we reignited our affiliation efforts in early 2021. We have remained steadfast in our commitment to continue to build a best-in-class family of practices. To date we have completed 14 new alliances. We are pleased to report that we are on pace for a record year for new partners joining DCA. While there is still much work to be completed between now and when the ball drops, we expect to finish the year with 18 new affiliations all of whom are wonderful extensions of the patient-first culture our current practices embody today. Reaching new heights is always a celebrated achievement, but what we are most proud of is the caliber of character of each alliance, their doctors and their teams. There is truly no better feeling then when you have conviction in the partnership because of the people. A close second, is when your partner has the equivalent conviction in DCA. So much so that they want to invite their most trusted professionals to become part of this wonderful family. Of the alliances we will complete this year, nearly one-third will be from direct referrals from current DCA partner doctors. For that, we say THANK YOU and please keep them coming, we will treat them like family! Speaking of thanks, I want to take the opportunity to say how thankful I am for the first-class individuals with whom I have the opportunity to work. Mike

Calder, Ryan Zeman, Austin Hunter, Matt Martinez, and our newest teammate Mandy Gast! The thanks don’t stop there, Dave Quigley, Jessica Savidge ( big congrats on the wedding!), Matt Brush, Bridget O’Neill, Natashia Pagán-Vargas, Joe McLaughlin, Tracy Pham, Meghan Anderson, Eduardo Laventman, and Dr. Matt Freedman. The shout outs could go on and on. I know this, every time we ask for help and involvement from our work family, there is never a hesitation, but rather “tell us what we can do to help”. For that, we say THANK YOU! So as we close out 2021, we do so with new heights squarely within reach and a never better team of professionals that strive daily to build a best-in-class family of practices and deliver on the commitment to be stronger together. How lucky are we that as the calendar year changes our opportunity remains the same! Each day is a gift. Wishing each and every one of you and your loved ones a safe and blessed holiday season.

Dave Pegg Chief Development Officer Ally Since 2017

Business Development Team

Mike Calder Vice President of Development Ally Since 2018

Mandy Gast Vice President of Development Ally Since 2021

Ryan Zeman Vice President of Development Ally Since 2018

Austin Hunter Associate Ally Since 2020

Matt Martinez Associate Ally Since 2021

Of the alliances we will complete this year, nearly one-third will be from direct referrals from current DCA partner doctors. For that, we say THANK YOU and please keep them coming, we will treat them like family!

New Affiliation Referral Bonus Program Do you know a dentist who would benefit from affiliating with Dental Care Alliance? Maybe the dentist is looking for support to further grow his or her practice? If so, we’d love to speak with them! As a thank you for making the connection, we’ll reward you with a monetary referral bonus once the transaction closes. This bonus opportunity is available to ALL team members – you do not need to be a doctor to make the referral. We know that many of our team members have relationships with other dentists in their markets, and we would love to speak with other dentists to learn more about their needs and explain DCA’s flexible affiliation benefits.

“

You don’t get the business education in dental school that you would think you would need to own and operate a practice on your own…DCA has been supportive in that role and they are doing a good job! Courtney Botica, DMD Ally Since 2016

Please contact the Business Development team with any referrals - email partnerships@dentalcarealliance.com today!

The referral bonus is up to 1% of the sale price. On a $1,000,000 transaction, that is a $10,000 bonus!

“

The thing I love most about DCA is their ability to recognize the strengths of each doctor they work with. Bryan Laskin, DDS Ally since 2018

Dr. Botica’s journey with DCA has been one focused on owning and operating her own practice. Click the image above to view her story.

Building a Stronger, More Secure DCA

Chris Scott Chief Information and Security Officer Ally Since 2021

Since joining Dental Care Alliance (DCA) in July, I have been continually impressed with the leadership, operations and shared services teams which support the organization. In my 30 years of working in and leading Information Technology (IT) teams, I have not had the privilege to start a new job where IT is universally respected and “in demand”. As DCA continues to grow and evolve, it will be my pleasure to build on the very solid foundation we already have in IT, and work toward continuous improvement and support excellence for our company. After interviewing nearly all our senior leaders and visiting several DCA offices, I set the top three priorities for IT and built roadmaps for both IT and IT Security to execute against. Everything we do as an IT team should support one of the priorities outlined, and have a direct, positive impact on the organization overall.

IT Priorities

2022

System Standardization IT Security Program Acceleration IT Organization Maturity

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

1. System Standardization We have made several decisions regarding system standardization in recent months. When I refer to a “system”, that equates to software to support practice management systems (PMS), telephones & telephony systems, as well as imaging/X-ray/pano systems. From a PMS perspective, our largest footprint is with Denticon, which we will continue to proliferate. Currently we are converting legacy QSI offices to Denticon and those efforts will be complete in May 2022. After QSI, we will focus on other general practice (GP) platforms to convert to Denticon as well. On the telephone & telephony side, we are actively piloting a platform called Weave which combines a myriad of functionality to provide a better team member and patient experience and is integrated into the PMS. If Weave proves successful in the 18 pilot offices, we will work toward converting all offices to Weave in 2022. The last prong of system standardization is imaging/ X-ray/pano, which will take a considerable amount of analysis and planning to pull off, however, this analysis will start mid-2022 with an action plan coming toward end of next year.

implementations which will further strengthen our IT SEC posture. We are in the midst of implementing a data loss prevention (DLP) software which will provide unprecedented visibility to the data movement on our network and will also provide a way to classify personal health information (PHI) and encrypt data on USB drives. Next, we will be implementing an identity and access management (IAM) solution to automate the creation and deletion of user accounts and privileges. We are also working to kick off a privileged access management (PAM) solution which will allow for maximum security for administrative user accounts. Lastly, next year we will be deploying the industry’s best endpoint detection and response (EDR) software, CrowdStrike, which allows us to monitor all activity on our end user devices and servers and includes 24/7 external monitoring.

3. IT Organization Maturity The third priority is IT organization maturity, which is something that is executed over time, and essentially builds the IT team into a world-class support organization. We will begin setting business wide ticket service level agreements (SLAs) and start publishing how our teams are performing against them. We will also continue to upgrade our talent The image above shows the features of Weave, a platform that combines a myriad of functionality to provide better team member and patient experiences and is integrated into the PMS.

2. Security Program Acceleration From an IT security program acceleration perspective, we have done an incredible amount of work in a very short time. The team has made significant progress on IT security training, phishing campaigns, server operating system upgrades, and most recently the implementation of a 14-character complex password policy. For the remainder of the year, and 1Q 2022 the team will be focused on several

as opportunities arise and will work toward adding needed capacity at several positions. This will allow us to continue to grow and support the organization as it continues to grow and evolve itself. The larger DCA gets, the more formal IT processes and procedures we will need to implement to ensure maximum coverage for the offices, and to maintain service levels. As we head into 2022, we are exploring our options for remote office support, or “boots on the ground” to augment the central support model we currently have. Our goal is to continue to evolve, continue to improve, and become the world-class support organization needed to support DCA!

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Investing in Our Practices Facilities, Real Estate, and Construction Kenneth Ziff, Vice President of Facilities and Real Estate, and the support team manage lease administration and renewals, office construction projects, and facilities maintenance management. Ken joined DCA in November 2021 and brings more than a decade of extensive experience in real estate, construction, facilities management, procurement, and operations management. He is an astute and accomplished global leader with demonstrated success in all aspects of building, developing, and maintaining world-class facilities. Nick Schorr serves as Senior Project Manager for the DCA Construction Team. He is involved with and manages all construction projects. There are many reasons that we might open a De Novo, expand, or even relocate a practice. The providers may need more space due to demand and ability to see patients who want an appointment. The landlord may be selling the property. The doctor or office manager may see an opportunity with a local mall to add a dental clinic. The ‘why’ comes in all shapes and sizes, but no matter the reason, Dental Care Alliance Facilities and Real Estate team is here to support our practices in creating the optimal patient experience in a safe and welcoming environment.

2022 Project Plan The following projects are planned in the coming months and into 2022.

De Novos

Relocations

Expansions

Dental Associates of Florida Implant and Cosmetic Dentistry Sun City, FL

Dental Associates of Florida Lakeland, FL

Dental Associates of Northern Virginia, Skyline Falls Church, VA

Dental One Associates of Eagles Landing Stockbridge, GA

Dental Associates of Florida Oral Surgery Lakeland, FL Konikoff Dental Associates of Battlefield Blvd, Pediatrics Chesapeake, VA Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics of Windemere Orlando, FL

Real Estate & Facilities Team

Kenneth Ziff Vice President, Real Estate Operations Ally Since 2021

Nick Schorr Senior Project Manager, Construction Ally Since 2020

Lauren Johnson Project Coordinator Ally Since 2019

Nicole Sutton Leasing & Property Administrator Ally Since 2021

Revenue Cycle Enhancements on the Horizon Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) is how an organization handles the finances and processes associated with patient care from start to finish. It begins when a patient is first scheduled for an appointment and continues through the services provided to the billing afterward. Patient scheduling offers the opportunity to gather information vital to the claims process, such as insurance information to verify eligibility. At time of service, collecting patient co-pays and prior balance is paramount. The revenue cycle process includes charging and billing insurance as well as submitting patient statements. After medical services have been paid, another key RCM process emerges. Payment posting and reconciliation helps ensure the office and provider get collections allocated correctly. Managing past due patient accounts and accounts receivables impacts cash flow through the collection cycle. The objective of RCM is to provide revenue cycle human resources, processes, and technology to Dental Care Alliance and our allied offices to ensure revenue is managed timely and efficiently while maximizing cash collections.

Claims Preparation • Patient Registration • Patient Eligibility

Reporting • Reporting Analysis

Revenue Cycle Management

Claims Submission • Change Entry • Rules Engine • Claims Transmission

Claims Management • • • •

Payment Posting Denial Management A/R Follow Up Patient Collections

2022 Revenue Cycle Enhancements

Providing our team members with tools and training they need to master the remote work environment.

Partnering with our allied offices to provide RCM support to maximize efficiency.

Continuing to work with technology-driven RCM vendors that enable automation of RCM tasks.

David Neal Vice President, Revenue Cycle Ally Since 2018

Making the leap from denial AR management to addressing and preventing them at the front-end of the cycle.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Successfully Navigating the Challenging Landscape of Talent Acquisition in 2021

In the discipline of recruiting – especially in healthcare

and cancelled interviews. Amongst the DCA Talent

settings – attracting top talent is

Acquisition team, we are living

often seen as the most difficult

the motto “Stronger Together”

issue to navigate, followed by

by closely partnering and

ensuring candidates feel safe in

collaborating with our Operations

the workplace, hiring a diverse

teams with an “all hands-on

workforce, managing the virtual

deck” approach. We know that

hiring and on-boarding process, and

our allies have a robust network

managing the increase in no-show

of contacts, and we welcome and encourage you to share new opportunities with those you

Factors contributing to a challenging & diminished work force: The potential of COVID-19 spreading in the workplace Pandemic insecurity is driving the workforce to seek more remote roles

know and trust. Coupled with our new and innovative hiring strategies, at DCA our future is bright with a winning combination to ensure hiring talent for the long run is a top priority for all. Our successful strategy must start with the realization that

Jeff Koziel President Ally Since 2020

we will not solve the current hiring challenges by applying past solutions. The pandemic and now The Great Resignation have both

Childcare facilities closing or operating with lean staffing and reduced available enrollment Schools still not open or are on a virtual/ in-person rotation causing the need to be present in the home

effectively changed the way we source and hire candidates.

Implementing New Strategies to Secure Talent at DCA

Regardless of these or any other challenges that may come our way in the future, at DCA we still need to secure talent to support our 360+ practices and ensure an excellent patient and team member experience for all. Finding committed, long-term talent has become more competitive and more expensive than in previous years.

Optimizing career sites like LinkedIn and other large job boards to source and connect with talent

Creating personal text and email campaigns to reconnect with former active (and passive) candidates in our applicant tracking system (ATS)

Ramping up the remote interviewing and hiring process by scheduling the provider interview immediately during the first screening call

DCA is focused on connecting

Getting Creative

with potential new hires earlier

In many cases, DCA is also

than ever. By promoting the DCA

offering sign-on and welcome

brand through our Dental School

bonuses to entice new

and University Residency Programs

applicants. Additionally, we

strategy under the leadership of

are heavily focused on touting

Karen Riley, Ally since 2021, we are

the DCA model: our unique,

well positioned to connect with

but shared culture, values,

future providers and their program

and work-life balance, along

directors. Through these efforts,

with opportunities for growth,

we are actively influencing our

development, and mentorship.

ability to create relationships and

In mid-2021, we enhanced

address future hiring needs across

Bring Us the Best internal

our allied brands. Making these

referral incentive structure,

contacts, building and showcasing

which provides current allies

our reputation, and collectively

with the opportunity to

reaching out to aspiring providers

connect with their network,

and their Program Directors we

refer quality candidates, and

believe will truly make a difference

realize a bonus as a result

in the future of TA at DCA.

of hiring and welcoming someone new to the family. We have invested heavily in

Finally, we are customizing our

Enhancing our social media presence and recruiting tactics across various networks

Utilizing radio spots and digital media including the creation of a recruiting video, and digital brochures

Meet the Talent Acquisition Deb Packard Team: Strategic Specialty Talent & Programs Partner Ally Since 2021

Barry Ames GP/Pedo/Ortho Recruiter CT, DE, IL, IN, MA, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, WI, WV Ally Since 2015

Christa Bass Senior Hygiene Recruiter CT, FL, GA, MI, NJ, NY & WI Ally Since 2015

Jeff Dreels GP/Pedo/Ortho Recruiter AR, AZ, CO, FL, MD, TX, VA, WV Ally Since 2002

Betsy Layhew Hygiene Recruiter AR, AZ, CO, DE, IL, IN, MA, MD, MN,OH, PA, TX, VA, WV Ally Since 2012

Cyerra Mann Staff Recruiter CT, DE, GA, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY Ally Since 2017

Carla Nesta Staff Recruiter FL, IL, IN, MN, OH, WI & WV Ally Since 2017

Jenni Obriot Staff Recruiter AR, AZ, CO, Support Center, PA, TX, VA Ally Since 2021

Karen Riley Director, Talent Acquisition Programs Ally Since 2021

approach and processes to attract and retain the best talent by

COVID-19 safety with protocols

providing an exceptional recruiting

including: vaccine availability,

and on-boarding process and

temperature checks, COVID-19

ensuring their retention. To that end,

case monitoring, tracking,

we have adapted and scaled the

and management. Our Talent

Talent Acquisition team to manage

Acquisition team is working

the variations in hiring volume.

closely with all Hiring Managers

Thank you for your partnership

and Dental Directors to ensure

and support as we work together

a smooth and quicker hiring

in 2022 and beyond to attract and

process to capture the top talent

welcome the industry’s very best to

in a competitive market.

Dental Care Alliance.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

DCA Elevates Referral Bonus Program

Bring Us the Best Our Referral Bonus Program awards you when someone who you refer is hired by DCA or anyof our allied practices.

The best compliment we can receive is a referral from you! At Dental Care Alliance, we know the importance of attracting top talent to join the industry’s best – and the recruiting landscape in dentistry is more competitive than ever! As such, DCA has increased the referral bonus amounts for GP dentists and hygienists, and added a new level to the bonus program to encourage referrals for specialists. We invite you to consider your network and refer qualified candidates that would be a good fit to join the DCA family today!

Specialist

The details.

Full-Time Bonus

Hygienist

Dental Assistant

If you refer someone to DCA or one of our allied practices who is eventually hired, you will receive a bonus after their 6-month anniversary is reached, in accordance with the following guidelines. • Applicant will apply through the Dental Care Alliance careers website (dcacareers.com) and MUST enter your full name in the “Referred By” field. • After the referred new hire reaches his/her 6-month anniversary, you will receive the referral bonus.

5,000

2,500

Dentist (GP)

2,500

Full-Time Bonus

Manager or Accountant (Office or Department)

All Other Positions

750

• Bonuses are paid during the regular monthly bonus payroll run. • The value of the bonus varies on the position filled, as outlined below. • Part-time positions receive half of the full-time bonus amount (see image at right).

750

Full-Time Bonus

500

Full-Time Bonus

Text HR

Taking Care of Our Greatest Resources As 2021 comes to a close and we find ourselves looking forward to a New Year, the Human Resources team would like to take the opportunity to thank our allies across the organization for the hard work, dedication, and teamwork you all have displayed. This year has been a rollercoaster ride and it seems everyone is busier than ever. As we gather and celebrate the holidays, you are encouraged to slow down and soak in the spirt of the season; be grateful for your loved ones and those you call family and let them know your appreciation for their contributions in your life. For it is family that is most important. As we look to the coming year, keep an eye out for

some new and exciting things coming from the HR Department. One upcoming change is the PTO request and approval process which is currently being integrated into Kronos. This feature will allow for requests and approvals to be completed electronically via the Kronos timekeeping system. Once the manager has approved the timeoff, the PTO will then be automatically assigned to the employee’s timecard. We also have some exciting changes to our benefit plans. Our Minimal Essential Coverage (MEC) Plan will now be administered by Baybridge. With Baybridge, team members who elect MEC coverage will have the ability to create an online profile, download medical cards, and keep track of benefit year services, allowing for maximization of your healthcare options. Additionally, our prescription coverage

will now beprovided by EmpiRX. EmpiRX will provide covered DCA employees with 24/7 customer service, guaranteeing that your prescription needs are met at one’s convenience. For those allies that are reaching the stage in which you qualify for Medicare, DCA offers Transitions, a service that assists team members in making this switch to provide peace of mind in knowing you are covered for all of your essential healthcare needs. As we look toward 2022, we are excited for the future of the organization and continue to be passionate about taking care of our greatest resources, and bringing you the very best in benefits, employee relations, and operational partnership. Please take care and reach out to us if there is anything you need.

Stay connected with the Human Resources Department with TEXTHR. Get the latest company updates and important benefit information, conveniently sent via text to view when it’s convenient for you. For any questions, email Tracy Pham (tpham@ dentalcarealliance. com) or Meghan Anderson (manderson@ dentalcarealliance.com).

Connect with @dentalcarealliance @dentalcarealliance @dentalcarealliance @dcacareers

Steve Duval Vice President, Human Resources Ally Since 2014

Visit the HR page on D.I.C.E. to learn more about these benefits.

@dentalcarealliance Dental Care Alliance

Embracing a Stronger, More Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive DCA

In 2020, we launched and introduced the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council. This council comprises team members from around the country and in varying backgrounds and roles. I hope you’ve seen the regular

At Dental Care Alliance, we believe in the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness. A more diverse organization is one that better represents the consumers and patients we serve and better prepares us to evolve and change in the future as new opportunities (or challenges) emerge. Without inclusion, we risk becoming an organization that is not open to new ideas and new people. Without diversity, we risk becoming insulated from the real world.

communications to all team members highlighting various days of importance to our diverse group of individuals. I know that I’ve personally learned a lot about different cultures and backgrounds from them and hope you have too. Recently, our team had a chance to sit down with Dr. James Keith, a general dentist in our Imagix of Norcross office in the Atlanta area. I want to thank Dr. Keith for being an active participant on the DEI Council, and sharing his perspective and experiences with the rest of the group. He is a great leader we are lucky to have at DCA. I hope you enjoy learning more about Dr. Keith, his style, and our DEI Council.

James Nick Chief Revenue Officer Ally Since 2018

“

With the DEI council here at DCA, it’s an opportunity for the organization to embrace all employees to hear all employees, and to make sure that the organization represents all employees as a whole where voices can be heard, concerns can be heard, thoughts can be shared, and collaboration can be had. Click the image to view Dr. Keith’s interview and learn more about DCA and the DEI council.

James Keith, DDS, MBA Ally since 2021

Introducing Ally Day October was Global Diversity Month, and we were proud to announce a new company holiday at DCA: Ally Day. This important addition to our regular holiday cadence reinforces our commitment to our most valuable asset – our people. Our Allies. Our Allies are what make DCA the prominent Dental Support Organization that it has become over the last 30 years. We are proud of our Allies, and we want each to celebrate a company holiday on a day of importance to them. In June, when the federal government passed the federal Juneteenth holiday, the DEI Council began to discuss the concept of a holiday honoring diversity. While

we appreciated the Juneteenth federal holiday, we discussed proposing a holiday that was inclusive no matter a person’s background or race. We ultimately ended up with a new company holiday that was to be observed at the discretion of each individual. After a little background work, we presented this to the executive team and it was unanimously approved – the first new company holiday introduced at DCA in its 30th year! I’m proud of the DEI Council, and especially Meghan Anderson and Kelly Stillman, for their effort to get this completed and rolled out across the organization. I’m proud that this holiday is consistent with everything the DEI Council was.

Women in DSO’s mission aligns closely with the DEI Council; their mission is to highlight and support contributions of women in Dental Support Organizations, by creating the platform to grow and empower women leaders in DSO. Through this effort, we hope to get many female leaders and future leaders involved – which will connect them with events, resources, and people to help develop their careers further. We are closely aligned to the mission of growing and empowering women leaders here at DCA. I’m excited to have Shawna Eury, Division Vice President for the Florida Division, serve as DCA’s first representative on the Board of Directors for Women in DSO.

Women in DSO® Ensuring development of underrepresented employees and ensuring equal opportunities for them is paramount to future success of our organization. We are committed to Unleashing the Potential of our entire workforce. To this end, DCA has recently joined, as a Founding DSO Member, the industry group Women in DSO.

Click the image above to learn more about DCA as a founding DSO group member, or visit womenindso.org to learn more.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Our Continued Success is Dependent on You – Our Allies The year 2020 brought us COVID-19 and its effect has changed the world of work and our lives in many ways. As an organization, we quickly expanded our capabilities to adapt to this unprecedented and massive change. At DCA, this involved rapidly training our allies on new safety protocols and guidelines, the implementation of PPEs, and establishing a new process for the patient experience at the office level. Fast-forward 18 months later, we are still dealing the impact of COVID-19. One of the most prevalent outcomes is what is currently being referred to as the “Great Resignation”. Organizations are facing the loss of existing team members and the difficulty of hiring qualified new ones. As a result, keeping and finding talent has become more difficult. This journey has brought new focus

on the importance of the team member experience. What can we do to enhance our team members’ experience and develop an allycentered culture? First, let’s talk about why team members typically leave an organization. As you know, sometimes it is for personal reasons, such as higher salaries, relocation, childcare, change of career, etc. However, at times those reasons are totally within our control. Industry research coupled with our most recent team member engagement survey indicate that team members’ main point of contention is most commonly around training and limited growth opportunities. To better understand the relationship between training and turnover, we conducted an analysis that examined the impact training completion had on turnover rates. This study covered patient service representatives, treatment coordinators, and dental assistants. These positions currently participate in two types of training: 1. Onboarding call 2. Series of online courses on the DCA Career Academy.

Marie-Line Rigaud Director of Training & Organizational Development Ally Since 2009

The takeaway from this analysis - new hires expect to be provided with the training and tools to succeed. The overall new team member experience rests heavily on

our ability to build and develop their skills for them to feel confident in their ability to fulfill their roles.

Training and Turnover Rates A study was conducted to better understand the impact training completion had on turnover rates.

29% Team members that did not complete both trainings show the highest termination rate.

18% Team members that completed one training (either the onboarding call or the online training), show almost identical termination rates.

8% Team members that completed all trainings have the lowest overall termination rate.

Supporting our Allies How do we continue to create an experience that makes new allies want to stay and grow with DCA? Some of the additional resources developed and implemented in 2021 to support the offices and new hires include:

Unleash Your Potential

New Hire Checklist Tracy Pham has collaborated with members of the Support Center and Operations teams to create a New Team Member Checklist. Throughout the first 90 days of employment, the Checklist will guide and provide managers with specific steps and interactions to welcome, inform, and orient the new team member as he or she is introduced to the practice. As the manager and team member work through the checklist together, they are building a foundation for success, and they are taking an active role in engaging our new team members in adopting our mission, vision, and core values. Once the introductory period has concluded and each item is completed, both manager and team member should sign off on the Checklist and the manager will submit the completed form to your Human Resources Department.

The DCA Career Academy’s purpose is to provide all office team

Onboarding Guides

members, under the DCA umbrella,

Training Onboarding Guides have been developed for new patient service representatives, dental assistants, treatment coordinators and office managers. Development is currently underway for hygienists, as

with the necessary learning and development opportunities to help them succeed in their job. The

well. These guides are intended to make the onboarding strategy more

Academy creates, promotes, and

effective by introducing new hires to critical information such as:

fosters individual and organizational effectiveness by developing and

Our Mission, Vision, and U-SMILE Values.

offering a variety of innovative

How to access the DCA Career Academy Courses and online tools available for their specific roles and duration of these programs

and diverse in-class, webinars and e-learning programs in support of DCA’s commitment to team member development, partnership, and enrichment.

Office Manager Toolkit

The Academy accomplishes this If you haven’t already received

through a series of in-class and

it, the Office Manager Toolkit

e-learning training modules and

should be arriving in your offices

the use of a Learning Management

soon. This resource is specifically designed for new office managers. It will help them navigate through the different platforms within DCA. This important reference guide will help new office manager to quickly acclimate to our culture.

System (LMS). The LMS is an application that enables us to administer, document, track, report, and deliver a variety of training courses. The LMS acts as a platform for online courses, and also supports

The Office Manager Toolkit is a

a range of other uses such as the

living resource that will continue

registration and management of

to grow, develop, and add topics

classroom programs. The system is

and information that is most important to you. These resources are all available on D.I.C.E.

available 24/7 and can be accessed

We encourage you to utilize them as you welcome new team members.

using any desktop computer, mobile phone, or tablet. Currently the system is used to provide new hires

At the end of the day, we all know, our allies are at the core of our success. Thank you for your efforts to make them feel welcome from day one.

with basic job knowledge and to support the offices in developing their staff.

dcacareeracademy.com

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Engaging and Supporting Our Diverse Workforce DCA Allies from Left: Paula Mejia, Office Manager at Silver Line Smiles, Dr. Todd Jorgenson, Periodontist and Clinical Director, Arizona, Allison Rowan, RDH, Dental Hygienist at Baystate of Holyroke, Dr. Edan Blumenthal, General Dentist and Clinical Director, Pennsylvania & South New Jersey, Tony Belton, Regional Manager, Florida Division, Support Center

Team member engagement and patient satisfaction are closely linked. Patient satisfaction is critical for the healthcare industry for multiple reasons. Foremost, positive patient experiences help ensure success in ongoing treatment and return visits, and lead to greater patient recovery.* The same is true in dentistry. It’s impossible to deliver an exceptional patient experience if team members are not fully engaged. At Dental Care Alliance, we are focused on the things that matter – you. Our people, our allies, supporting you and ensuring that you are safe, healthy, and empowered to deliver the very best

Kelly Stillman Vice President, Communication & Culture Ally Since 2018

care for the patients that we serve. Over the last couple of years, we have developed a robust engagement strategy and defined engagement as a key priority for each and every individual. In 2021, DCA made significant investments in programs and resources to help support engagement and truly make a difference in the lives and health of our team members. In March, we launched smile!, our recognition and reward program powered by Reward Gateway and designed exclusively for DCA. Recognition becomes part of the daily routine when it is accessible and engaging to use. smile! provides all DCA team members with fun and unique opportunities to interact, share important news, learn together, celebrate victories, and simply say ‘thank you’. We recognize the unique role that each person plays in the success of the practice; and we honor you through major industry days – or even months – of recognition, such as National Dentists Day, Dental Assistants Recognition Week, and Office Manager Appreciation Month. Custom

resources like eCards, available in smile!, make these celebrations visible and more meaningful to all. smile! serves to bring us closer together as a DCA family. The program provides important company information and engaging and easy ways to help team members feel appreciated when they succeed and contribute to our mission. This new program reflects the spirit of our people and is a central, accessible, virtual community where allies from across the country can connect and grow stronger together. In November, we welcomed Jessica Beverick to the DCA family in the role of Insights and Engagement Specialist. She will help define and support an engaged company culture by delivering data analysis, scalable analytics and insights that will inform the business and support DCA’s business strategy and culture of service. Through curious, innovative, and analytical thought, Jess will build dashboards for talent metrics and employee engagement, report on communication and engagement initiatives, current and new employee satisfaction, and

*Source: https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/key-top-tier-reputation-financial-performance-lies-workforce-engagement-press-ganey-research

At Dental Care Alliance, we are focused on the things that matter – you. Our people, our allies, supporting you and ensuring that you are safe, healthy, and empowered to deliver the very best care for the patients that we serve.

gauge company-wide net promoter scores. Even with the challenges of COVID-19 and the great resignation, team member engagement has improved at DCA in each of the last two years, as measured through the annual engagement survey. One of the first things that Jess will focus on is finalizing our engagement plan for 2022 and designing and delivering our first pulse check survey in the first quarter. We will focus on our engagement score questions –

which are listed below – in addition to our key successes and opportunities from the 2020 survey – career development, training, and tool and resources to support you. Please mark your calendars for January 25, 2022, and look for more information on how you can share your voice in the pulse survey after the new year. With our continued focus on engaging team members throughout their entire journey, the Dental Care Alliance team is confident that we will continue to attract, support, and retain the industry’s best dental professionals.

DCA ENGAGEMENT BY THE NUMBERS

1. I would recommend this organization to family and riends who need care. 2. I would like to be working at this organization three years from now. 3. I am proud to tell people I work for this organization. 4. I would recommend this organization as a good place to work.

2019

5. I would stay with this organization if offered a similar position elsewhere. 6. Overall, I am a satisfied team member.

2018

4.14 1

Overall Engagement Score in 2021, a .09 increase from 2019

New DCA Ally Making Experiences Great

Jessica Beverick Insights & Engagement Specialist Ally Since 2021

3 2

Areas of Success in 2021

The response rate to the 2021 survey increased by more than 44%, more than doubling the response rate from 2019.

73%

Questions that Comprise Engagement Scores:

2021

2021 showed an overall higher engagement score and response rate than 2018 and 2019

Areas of Opportunity from 2021 Career Development + Tools & Training Score from 2021’s survey, where employees felt their work was meaningful and that they had good communictation and trust with their supervisor. Based on a scale of 1 – 5, with 5 being the highest.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Get Engaged Through DCA’s Virtual Community smile! serves to bring our team members closer together, providing important company information and engaging and easy ways to help team members feel appreciated when they do good work and contribute to our mission.

This new program reflects the spirit of our people and is a central, accessible location to house DCA’s virtual community.

Get connected on smile! for immediate access to: • A community of your colleagues – new and old! • Real-time recognition and accolades – send, receive, and like! • The latest company news and feed of the most recent updates • Access from anywhere and real-time communication from across the miles • A convenient list of today’s (and immediately upcoming) birthdays and service anniversaries… never forget again! • Discounts and savings at hundreds of your favorite national retailers

#WhenUsmileWeSmile Access from any browser at dcasmile.com or on the go with the Connect+ mobile app, available in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

The role of recognition in team member engagement: Recognition is powerful, and research shows it’s not just a nice thing to do – it also has tangible business impacts. Something we should all care about!

82%

of employees believe that praise and recognition helped them improve their job performance

81% 78% 70%

of employees say recognition makes them feel more committed of employees say being recognized helps them be more productive of employees say they wish they received more recogniton Sources: Gallup, Globoforce & KRC Study

Click the video thumbnail to learn more about smile!

• Focused wellbeing resources to build a more balanced and healthy you • Quick links to important team member resources …and much more! To get started, look for your activation email, log in and build your profile, add a photo, recognize a colleague, and make someone else smile! by sending an eCard. smile! is fully supported 24/7/365 to help you with any questions you may have. From the Home page, click the Help Desk tile or click here to find a variety of additional FAQs, plus you can speak to someone directly via either LiveChat or email.

4,800+ Team Members. 360+ Practices. 21 States. 1 smile!

Shop + Give Back

DCA Swag for Everyone! As part of our 30th Anniversary celebration, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the DCA SMILE Shop! After the success of our Pop-Up Shop earlier this year, today we officially launch our permanent store with an awesome selection of DCA gear. Every purchase made will directly benefit the U-SMILE Foundation and its mission to serve first by providing world-class dental healthcare services and education for communities and individuals in need. The DCA SMILE Shop offers shoppers a selection of high performance apparel items and accessories from name brands like The North Face®, Nike®, Travis Mathew®, and OGIO®. Each item has multiple color and style options that can be customized with the DCA logo. We will continue to add items to the site and provide you with the latest trends in DCAbranded gear! You can also look forward to the addition of practice brands in 2022!

For every purchase made through the SMILE Shop, we will give back 1% to the U-SMILE Foundation! We invite you to log in to the DCA SMILE Shop to explore exclusive DCA-branded apparel, accessories, and more! Visit dcasmileshop.com to start shopping!

Your favorite brands customized for DCA!

Creating Your Account To get started, you will need to create an account by visiting www.dcasmileshop. com and entering your email address in New Customers section of the login page. Then click ‘Sign Up’ to complete your account setup.

Shopping and checkout is similar to the experience with other online retailers. You will have the opportunity to provide specific shipping and billing information, and can complete your purchase with any major credit card. We are also working on adding the capability to pay using other secure electronic methods such as PayPal®, ApplePay®, and Venmo®. As we learn more about that process, we will announce additional information. After you complete an order, you will receive an email confirmation with an order and tracking number to the email you provided at check out. Our supplier partner is committed to a smooth and efficient fulfillment process. While some items are in stock, some of the DCA SMILE Shop apparel is made-to-order. Any apparel piece that is a made-toorder item takes approximately 10-15 business days for production. Shipping times may vary. Need help? Should have questions about the website, your order, or shipping times, please contact our DCA SMILE Shop Customer Care team by email at programs@shumsky.com or by phone at 800.414.8946.

Thank you for your support and happy shopping!

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

A Continued Commitment to Safely Serving Smiles

David Quigley, Esq. General Counsel Ally Since 2012

It’s officially flu season. As we continue to fight the pandemic, please remember that while COVID-19 remains a dangerous and serious threat, it is not the only one out there. Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness and can cause mild to severe illness. Every year in the United States, on average 8% of the population gets sick from flu each season, with a range of between 3% and 11%, depending on the season. The first and most important step in preventing the flu is to get a flu vaccine each year. The flu vaccine has been shown to reduce flu related illnesses and the risk of serious flu complications that can result in hospitalization or even death. The Centers for Disease

Control (CDC) also recommends everyday preventive actions (like staying away from people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes and frequent handwashing) to help slow the spread of germs that cause respiratory (nose, throat, and lungs) illnesses, like the flu.

Did you know? The CDC, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) recommend that all U.S. health care workers get vaccinated annually against influenza. Health care workers include (but are not limited to) doctors,

nurses, dental personnel, laboratory personnel, students and trainees, contractual staff not employed by the health-care facility, and persons (e.g., clerical, maintenance, administrative, billing, and volunteers) not directly involved in patient care but potentially exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted to and from health care workers and patients.

Why should you get vaccinated? 1. Influenza (the flu) can be a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Anyone can get very sick from flu, including people who are otherwise healthy. 2. You can get flu from patients and coworkers who are sick with flu. 3. If you get the flu, you can spread it to others even if you do not feel sick. 4. By getting vaccinated, you help protect yourself, your family, and your patients.

Why is it important to get a flu vaccine every year? Flu viruses are constantly changing, so flu vaccines may be updated from one season to the next to protect against the viruses that research suggests will be common during the upcoming flu season. Additionally, your protection from a flu vaccine declines over time. As such, yearly vaccination is needed for the best protection.

Who should get vaccinated? Everyone six months and older with few exceptions, should receive a flu vaccine every year. A flu vaccine is especially important for people who are at a higher risk of serious complications such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions.

What’s new for 2021-2022? A few things are different for the 2021-2022 influenza (the flu) season, including: 1. The composition of flu vaccines has been updated. 2. All flu vaccines will be quadrivalent (four component), meaning designed to protect against four different flu viruses. 3. Flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines can be given at the same time Dental Care Alliance strongly encourages all team members who have not yet received a flu shot to do so as soon as possible. Many doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics offer flu shots at low or no cost. In fact, you can get your COVID-19 vaccine and a flu shot in the same visit!

All team members are required to submit a flu vaccine record or the declination form to vaccines@dentalcarealliance.com as soon as possible but no later than December 31, 2021.

Neighborhood locations that offer the ability to schedule an appointment or walk-in to receive the flu shot:

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

COVID-19 Updates The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) recently updated its Infection Prevention and Control Guidance (“IPC”) for healthcare settings.

The updated Infection Control Guidance for Healthcare Professionals about Coronavirus (COVID-19) is applicable to all U.S. settings where healthcare is delivered, including dental settings. These updates do not contain substantial changes in recommended practices but, rather, have primarily been made to streamline and consolidate existing healthcare IPC guidance so that it is applicable to multiple settings and scenarios, making it easier to for healthcare providers to find relevant guidance.

Updates to the interim IPC recommendations include: 1. Clarified source control recommendations for healthcare personnel, patients, and visitors, to better align with community guidance. 2. Updated quarantine recommendations for fully vaccinated patients with exposure to SARS-CoV-2 to be consistent with community guidance.

Dental healthcare personnel continue to be on the front line of the nation’s fight against COVID-19. CDC recommends Dental healthcare personnel get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible. CDC continues to update public health guidance documents based on the best available science. You can find the most up-to-date information about infection prevention and control practices on CDC’s COVID-19 page.

Find a COVID-19 Vaccine: Search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you. Then securely submit your records to vaccines@dentalcarealliance.com.

Stay Connected With D.I.C.E. (Dental Care Alliance’s Information Center for All Employees) provides the most up-to-date information on our organization, affiliated practices, and our support departments. The latest operational dashboards, department-specific information on who to contact when you need assistance, and important SOPs and information for safely serving smiles. All current employees with an email address on file in Kronos have access to D.I.C.E. using any internet browser.

Find us online at dice.dentalcarealliance.com

Find department-specific pages on D.I.C.E., and much more. • Analytic Dashboards • Benefits Corner • COVID-19 Guidance + Support Line • Clinical + Operational Leadership • Clinical Connect + Equipment/Supply Barter Board • DCA CARES Program • DCA Insider Archives • Facilities Help • Reopening Playbook + SOPs • Respiratory Protection Program • Revenue Cycle A/R + OTC Initiatives • Standard Operating Procedures • Safe Smiles Initiative • FAQs + Contact Information for Support Departments

Enter your DCA or personal email address on file in Kronos to get started! Email dice@dentalcarealliance.com for assistance or suggestions

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

A Support Center Working for You

Together, we’re dedicated to driving dentistry forward Just as each tooth has a counterpart and a strong support system, we are a team working together with our allied dental professionals toward the common goal of providing patients with an exceptional dental experience.

Accounting & Finance

Ally Integrations Ensures a successful integration

Analytics & Revenue Programs

Communications & Culture

Oversees all Accounting functions and establishes related controls and best

and serves as the central point

Leverages data to answer difficult

support center departments

practices. This includes monitoring

of communication for DCA’s

questions about what happened, why

to craft and deliver key internal

banking activities, paying bills,

newest partners.

it happened, and what DCA should

communications. Manages online

processing expense reports, preparation

Matt Brush Ally Since 2010 Vice President, Affiliation Integrations mbrush@dentalcarealliance.com 352.219.9923

do about it. We look for pockets of

reputation and responses to patient

opportunity hidden within the data,

feedback received through Google and

leveraging scale & insights across the

social media sites. Drives team member

entire business to provide tailored

engagement through recognition,

guidance at the Division, Region, and

reward, and pulse survey strategies.

and review of financial data and reports distributed to the offices, analytical procedures, budgets, and projections.

Talia Pandolfi Ally Since 2017 Controller tpandolfi@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (007222)

Office level.

Matt Thiel Ally Since 2019 Vice President, Analytics & Revenue Programs mthiel@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (002309)

Partners with senior leaders and

Kelly Stillman Ally Since 2018 Vice President, Communications & Culture kstillman@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (001097)

Dental Hygiene

Facilities & Real Estate

Human Resources

IT Systems

Creates exceptional clinical value to the

Collaborates with leadership to ensure

Assists DCA-affiliated offices with

Develops world-class, cutting-edge

practice and effectively communicates

a safe, clean, and comfortable facility in

employee relations, payroll, and benefits.

information technology systems and

treatment plans with patients.

which to serve patients. We partner with the finest service providers to maintain

healthy smiles for life.

the DCA assets while being good

Glory Grossbard Ally Since 1997 Vice President, Hygiene & Practice Development ggrossbard@dentalcarealliance.com 786.298.7853

stewards of the budget.

Steve Duval Ally Since 2014 Vice President, Human Resources sduval@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (005001)

positions our IT infrastructure, clinical

Constructive coaching helps create

Kenneth Ziff Ally Since 2021 Vice President, Facilities & Real Estate kziff@dentalcarealliance.com 941.718.9379

systems and digital consumer strategies.

Joel Olivio Ally Since 2010 Director of IS/IT jolivio@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (00507)

Go Further with an Ally. IT Operations

Insurance Plan Management

Legal & Compliance

Facilitate data availability for all interested

Credentials providers, negotiates and

Covers the entirety of our organization’s

departments; Provides enterprise wide

renegotiates contracted fees for all

legal and compliance needs with a

reporting/data feeds internally and

Health Plans to ensure the best possible

multidisciplined, cohesive approach.

externally; Validates of revenue data for

reimbursement for services rendered.

affiliate systems; Supports Revenue Cycle with AR management by means of process automation/oversight and data analysis; Supports the IT Conversion Team with data needs for system conversions.

Nicole Chaulsett Ally Since 1998 IT Operations Manager nchaulsett@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (007553)

Mike Cole Ally Since 1999 Vice President, Insurance Plan Management mcole@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (007246)

David Quigley, Esq. Ally Since 2012 General Counsel dquigley@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (007552)

Marketing

Procurement

Revenue Cycle

Collaborates closely with our partners

Our procurement team aggressively

Leads as a partner for AR, denial

to execute sophisticated, forward-

negotiates pricing and maintains

management, EFT/ERA cash posting

thinking strategic marketing plans

relationships with the best

and other revenue cycle initiatives.

developed for affiliated practices

manufacturers in the dental industry,

and brands to meet defined growth

to ensure all DCA-affiliated practices

objectives, increase new patient flow,

have access to the highest quality

and improve patient retention.

supplies at significant discounts.

Shawn Wherry Ally Since 2006 Vice President, Marketing swherry@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (007228)

Kevin Burke Ally Since 2021 Director, Procurement kburke@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (001112)

David Neal Ally Since 2018 Vice President, Revenue Cycle dneal@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (007560)

It’s not just a part of our name. It’s who we are. We are allies. And when you are aligned with someone who shares your vision and desire to improve lives, great things happen. We’re a collective support system for doctors, specialists, hygienists,receptionists, and office staff committed to improving the health of our patients and the communities we serve. A sum that’s greater than its parts. An evergrowing network and support system.

“

I appreciate DCA’s willingness to invest in us. Since becoming an ally, there are so many more things we’re able to provide for our patients, such as advanced technology in all locations.

Wendy Steward Talent Acquisition & Retention

Tax & Process Automation

Training & Development

Establishes and implements tax policy

Provides flexible and innovative

Identifies, screens, and hires the

and oversees tax compliance and

learning and growth opportunities to

industry’s best candidates to fill open

planning for the organization.

support our commitment to employee

Daniel J. Burke, CPA Ally Since 2018 Vice President of Tax & Process Automation dburke@dentalcarealliance.com 941.955.3150 (007291)

development, partnership and

positions within the organization. Ensures engagement and provides recognition and other important support programs to promote an optimal workplace for DCA teams

Jeff Koziel Ally Since 2020 jkoziel@dentalcarealliance.com

enrichment.

Marie-Line Rigaud Ally Since 2009 Director of Training & Organizational Development mrigaud@dentalcarealliance.com 305.274.2499 (008016)

Hygiene Manager Konikoff Dental Associates Ally Since 1993

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Serve First & Improve Lives

Getting Involved and Giving Back Through the U-SMILE Foundation As we look forward to 2022 and make progress coming out of the pandemic, I see some great opportunities to fully launch the USMILE Foundation. We created the Foundation to align with our company values, and as we look ahead a couple of exciting new events to support it are on the horizon. As a reminder, the USMILE Foundation has three pillars.

3 PILLARS

Providing free dental work to the underserved with a concentration on our veterans and children.

Setting up and providing scholarships to current students in the dental field.

Craig Murray DVP, West Ally Since 2016

Continuing the work of DCA CARES, a program developed during COVID-19 which helps our internal team members that might need extra support during any catastrophic event.

In Q1 of 2022, we will hold our First Annual U-SMILE Foundation 5K race to benefit the DCA CARES Program – which was established at the onset of the pandemic to provide relief to DCA team members with life-altering circumstances because of COVID-19. Lauren Johnson and Megan Martin are leading the effort to organize our First Annual 5K. The goal is to have a course around our Support Center so that we can hold this event this live. We also welcome our allied offices or other regions to do this as a group. Those who participate will receive performance running shirts, racing bibs, finisher medals, and a couple of unique awards, as well. All DCA team members, family, friends, our current vendor partners, and anyone else we can get to have a little fun outside are invited to join us! Later this year, we’re also planning a golf tournament to support the Foundation. Handicaps will be confirmed by all those I have had the opportunity to play with. In 2022, the Foundation will also be working with our operations and clinical teams to organize Give Back Saturdays, where we’ll provide pro bono dental services to underserved communities. Please look for more information on dates and locations for our 2022 U-SMILE Foundation events coming soon. I sincerely hope you will join us for these events, and if you have any other ideas, please feel free to reach out to us at givingback@u-smile.org.

Participants in DCA’s first annual 5K, benefitting the DCA CARES Program, will receive performance race shirts and finisher medals.

Give back to the U-SMILE Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to the U-SMILE Foundation when you select it as your charity of choice.

Supported Practices Arizona Cordon Orthodontics, Cave Creek East Valley Implant and Periodontal Center Mesa Scottsdale Phoenix Precision Dental, Gilbert

Arkansas

Arkansas Maxillofacial Surgery Little Rock Bryant Ashcraft Orthodontics Little Rock Jacksonville

Colorado Colorado Springs Oral Surgery Colorado Springs North Colorado Springs South Pueblo Red Rocks Endodontics Lakewood Wheat Ridge

Connecticut Huntington Family Dental Group, Shelton Lighthouse Dental Care, Stratford Long Wharf Dental Group, New Haven Premier Dental of Connecticut Danbury Fairfield Farmington Valley Hartford

Delaware New Castle Dental Associates, New Castle

Florida Advanced Dental Care for Kids Bradenton Advanced Dental Care Bradenton Brandon Citrus Park, Tampa Clearwater, Largo Designer Smiles, Orlando

Englewood Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton Manatee Dental at College Park, Bradenton Manatee Dental of East Bradenton Mandarin, Jacksonville Mount Dora Ocala Oceans Dental Group, Palm Coast Ocoee Orange Avenue Dentistry, Orlando Orange City Orlando Pembroke Pines Quail Meadows, Ocala RDV at Sportsplex, Orlando Riverview Rockledge Dental Sarasota Sarasota East Shady Road, Ocala Sweetwater Smiles, Longwood Tampa Temple Terrace Anastasia Dental Associates, St. Augustine Argyle Dental Center, Jacksonville Boynton Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery & Implant Center, Boynton Beach Dental Associates of Florida Bartow Brooksville Central Brandon Lakeland Lutz Plant City Sun City Tampa Walding & Associates, Lakeland Winter Haven Dental Specialty Center Aventura Baptist, Miami Cape Coral Cutler Bay Forest Hill, West Palm Beach Fort Myers Homestead Jupiter Miami Beach Naples Palmetto Center for Dental Specialties Sunrise Center for Dental Specialties Imray & Gesek Baymeadows, Jacksonville Orange Park

Park Street, Jacksonville

Georgia

Main Street Children’s Dentistry & Orthodontics Aventura Baptist Medical Plaza, Miami Cape Coral Clermont Ft. Myers Homestead Jupiter Kendall, Miami London Square, Miami Miami Beach Miami Lakes Naples Orange City Palmetto Bay Palmetto Hospital, Hialeah Plantation South Broward, Cooper City Waterford Lakes, Orlando Wellington, Royal Palm Beach Winter Park

Buford Family Dentistry

Miami Center for Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry, Miami Pediatric Dental Associates, Miami Tioga Dental & Orthodontics Celebration Pointe Gainesville Towncare Dental Altamonte Springs Bonita Springs Cape Coral Clermont Cutler Bay Dental Associates of Hollywood Dental Associates of Kendall Dental Center at Aventura Dental Center at Baptist, Miami Forest Hill, West Palm Beach Fort Lauderdale Ft. Myers G&G Dental Associates, Tamarac Hialeh Square Homestead Jupiter Dental Group London Square, Miami Miami Beach Dental Center Naples Naples Center for Cosmetic Dentistry Palm Dental Center, Hialeah Pembroke Pines Pinecrest, Miami Plantation Dental Services Sunrise Dental Group, Plantation Superior Dental, Plantation West Kendall, Miami Winter Park

Dental One Associates College Park Drs. Grant & Conger, Dalton Eagles Landing, Stockbridge Fayetteville Kennesaw Marietta Toco Hills, Atlanta Imagix Dental Alpharetta Dental Professionals of Vinings, Atlanta Hickory Flat Dental, Woodstock Johns Creek Dental, Suwanee Legacy Pediatric Dental & Orthodontics, Kennesaw Norcross Roswell Suwanee North Point Periodontics & Dental Implants, Alpharetta Northside Oral Surgery, Dunwoody Patrick Toms DMD, Gainesville Quality Orthodontic Care Alpharetta Johns Creek Town Center Dental, Suwanee

Illinois Forever Family Dental of New Lenox Maple Shade Dental Camp Crossing, East Peoria East Peoria Peoria, Dunlap The Foehr Group, Bloomington

Indiana Brace Yourself Orthodontics Elkhart South Bend The Dental Center Goshen Granger Mishawaka Plymouth South Bend (Adult) South Bend (Pedo) Warsaw

Wadas Dental Center Crown Point Munster

New Jersey

Ohio

American Dental Center, Union

Maryland

Eckels Orthodontics, Marietta

Dental Arts of South Jersey, Voorhees

Pennsylvania

College Park Dental, College Park Dental One Associates Annapolis Belair, Abingdon Beltway, Baltimore Columbia Cross Keys, Baltimore Drs. Lasher and Harriman, Waldorf Frederick Oxon Hill Steeplechase, Capitol Heights Valley Dental Associates, Owings Mills Westminster Greater Maryland Oral Surgery Frederick Gaithersburg Silver Spring Main Street Children’s Dentistry & Orthodontics Elkton Forest Hill Glen Burnie Havre de Grace Perring Parkway, Baltimore Naylors Court Dental Partners Pikesville

Massachusetts Baystate Dental Belchertown Chicopee Greenfield Harrison Holyoke Ludlow Northampton Springfield Sturbridge West Springfield Westfield Wilbraham

Michigan Family Dental Group, Flint Gentle Dental Grand River Avenue, Detroit Gratiot Avenue, Detroit New Baltimore Shelby Township St. Clair Shores Warren Westland

Dental Solutions Blackwood Deptford Voorhees Diamond Spring Dental Associates, Denville Garden State Dental East Brunswick Newark Roselle Park Toms River Midland Park Family Dentistry, Midland Park Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics of Midland Park Thurm Dental Group Ridgewood Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Glen Rock Ramsey

New York Cooper Perodontics & Implantology, Roslyn Dentists’ Office of the Hudson Valley, Lake Katrine Dolson Avenue Dental, Middletown Family Dental Group Brewster Fishkill Jefferson Valley Farber Center for Periodontics & Dental Implants Hauppauge Medford Jutkowitz Periodontics & Implantology Manhattan Roslyn Heights Kids Family Dental Long Island Dental Specialty, Huntington PDA Dental, New York City Ramapo Dental Care, Suffern

Minnesota

Richard L. Rausch, DDS, New York City

Lake Minnetonka Dental, Wayzata

Saw Mill Dental, Yonkers

Dental Solutions 13th Street, Philadelphia Bala Cynwyd Cedarbrook, Wyncote Grant Avenue, Philadelphia Jenkintown Market Street, Philadelphia Media Roxborough, Philadelphia Stoney Creek, Springfield Upper Darby Gentle Dental Allentown Blue Bell Collingdale Haverford Oregon Avenue, Philadelphia Springfield Thorndale West Chester

Texas Austin Children’s Dentistry & Orthodontics Austin Avery Ranch, Austin Hutto Leander Round Rock Bright Smiles Family Dentistry Marble Falls Pflugerville Grapevine Dental, Grapevine Made Ya Smile Cypress Eldridge Lakes Friendswood Katy Kingwood Pearland Rayford Crossing Rosenberg Sienna Plantation Spring Cypress Sugar Land West Eight Crossing Woodlands Orthodontics by Birth & Fletcher Arlington Burleson Fort Worth Keller Randol Mill Family Dentistry, Arlington

South Texas Orthodontics La Cantera, San Antonio Northwest – Tezel, San Antonio Schertz Stone Oak, San Antonio

Virginia Atlas Walk Dental, Gainesville Ballston Dental Arts, Arlington Brad M. Freedman, DDS & Associates, Alexandria Dental Associates of Northern Virginia Alexandria Burke Fair Oaks, Fairfax Skyline, Falls Church Tyson’s Corner, Vienna Dental Care of Alexandria & McLean Alexandria McLean Dental One Associates Fairfax Fredericksburg Manassas Springfield Woodbridge Woodson Square, Fairfax Dental Specialty Centers of Virginia Chesapeake Virginia Beach Drs. Delgado & Kuzmik Alexandria Vienna, Tyson’s Corner Elite Dental Group Arlington Virginia Dental Center Cosmetic & Family Dentistry Hermann & Desio Family Dentistry, Falls Church Klar Voorhees Orthodontics Courthouse, Virginia Beach Edinburgh, Chesapeake Greenbrier, Chesapeake Hilltop, Virginia Beach Kempsville, Virginia Beach Suffolk Konikoff Dental Associates Battlefield Boulevard, Chesapeake Cedar Road, Chesapeake Edinburgh, Chesapeake General Booth, Virginia Beach Harbour View, Suffolk Konikoff Kids, Virginia Beach Little Neck, Virginia Beach Lynnhaven, Virginia Beach Shore Drive, Virginia Beach Volvo Parkway, Chesapeake

Northern Virginia Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Associates Annandale Manassas Woodbridge Pediatric Dental Care, Fairfax Polifko & Dvorak, Woodbridge Rye Smiles for Life, Fairfax Silver Line Smiles, McLean Smiles at Fairfax Corner, Fairfax Taheri Dental Group Manassas Woodbridge

Quick Reference Department Contact Information Accounts Payable

—

accountspayablesupport@dentalcarealliance.com

Analytics

—

analytics@dentalcarealliance.com

Benefits

—

Business Development

—

dcabenefits@dentalcarealliance.com (941) 359-8492 partnerships@dentalcarealliance.com

Central Business Office

002301

cbo@dentalcarealliance.com

Collections

002334

collections@dentalcarealliance.com

Communications

001097

communications@dentalcarealliance.com

West Virginia

Coupa

Eckels Orthodontics Parkersburg Ripley

Credentialing Contact Center Help

—

coupasupport@dentalcarealliance.com

008032

credentialing@dentalcareallance.com

—

contactcenterhelp@dentalcarealliance.com

DentRite

001800

dentrite@dentalcarealliance.com

Wisconsin

D.I.C.E.

001097

dice@dentalcarealliance.com

Modern Dental Care

Facility Service

Apple Town Dental Care, Appleton Castle Rock Dental, Mauston Dental Design Studio, Oshkosh Dental Health Center of Stevens Point Floros Family Dentistry, Fond du Lac MKE Family & Implant Dentistry, Milwaukee Lakeview Complete Family Dental, Manitowoc Mauthe & Associates, Fond du Lac Omro Dentistry, Omro Oshkosh Family Dentistry, Oshkosh Paradise Dental Professionals, West Bend The Art of Modern Dentistry, New Berlin Westside Dental, Sun Prairie Willow Bay Dental, Green Bay

eMaint X4

facilities@dentalcarealliance.com — https://x41.emaint.com

(Facilities Work Orders)

ces@henryschein.com

Henry Schein Equipment Service

064049

Human Resources

—

(941) 306-1823

Inclusion & Diversity

—

inclusion@dentalcarealliance.com

Insurance Fee Schedules

—

feeschedules@dentalcarealliance.com

(800) 645-6594

Insurance Plan Entry

002307

InsPlan@dentalcarealliance.com

Kronos

008026

kronoshelp@dentalcarealliance.com

Marketing

—

dcamarketing@dentalcarealliance.com

Media Requests

—

media@dentalcarealliance.com

Patient Satisfaction

—

Procurement

patientsatisfaction@dentalcarealliance.com (941) 216-1983

002320

orders@dentalcarealliance.com

Refunds

—

refunds@dentalcarealliance.com

Talent Acquisiton

—

TA@dentalcarealliance.com

Treasury

—

treasury@dentalcarealliance.com

Scheduling Maximization Team

—

CSMTeam@dentalcarealliance.com

smile!

—

smile@dentalcarealliance.com

Support Services IT, LMS, Schedule Changes

002400

support@dentalcarealliance.com (941) 552-2400

Community Cares

This holiday season, for the eighth year in a row, Dental Care Alliance participated in the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program. The generosity of our team members shines bright and this year – even with a largely remote workforce – were able to donate toys and $325 to this wonderful cause. Our thanks to Debbie Wise, Executive Administrative Assistant, and an Ally since 2000, for coordinating this effort! For more information on or to donate to the Toys for Tots program, please visit toysfortots.org.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

DCA Support Directory We are here to help you. Please use this information to connect with any member of the DCA Support Team with questions or needs. Full Name Aaron D’Amico Abby Frey

Ext

Title

Full Name

Ext

Title

Full Name

Ext

Title Executive Assistant (J. Rhodes, D. Hockel & M. Olan)

002300

Insurance Coordinator

Carla Nesta

007257

Lead HR Coordinator

–

DA Training Specialist (507) 208-8770

Carol Juliano

007231

Accounts Payable Coordinator

Caroline Ramsdell

001103

Staff Accountant

Debra Packard

–

Specialty Recruiter (417) 850-3322

Caryn Ackerman

007247

Office Manager & Administrative Assistant (Russell Allen)

Debra Ziglar

–

Accounts Payable Coordinator

002401

Executive Assistant (Dr. Matzkin)

Denise Arechavaleta

008030

Director of Service Excellence (305) 710-7245

Staff Accountant

Debbie Wise

007237

Abrilla Sanchez

–

Alberto Suarez

009128

Contact Center Coordinator

Alex Bardenhagen

009123

Sr. Contact Center Coordinator

Catherine Blasko

Alex Gibson

–

Sr. Contact Center Coordinator

Cassondra Parsons

–

Insurance Coordinator

Denise Gharky

–

Staff Accountant 2

Alex Pallares

007275

Senior Data Analyst

Chase Statzer

–

Systems Administrator

Diane Gallardo

–

Claims Specialist

Alice Ricciardi

–

Insurance Coordinator

Chelsea Mason

005007

HR Coordinator NE

Alyssa Duran

–

Insurance Coordinator

Chelsea Thompson

007309

CBO Refund Specialist

Amalia Trujillo

–

HR Coordinator

Chris Scott

002417

Chief Information Officer

Amanda Newberry

–

Fee Schedule Analyst

Christa Bass

005005

Amber Altiero

–

Insurance Coordinator

Christopher Raymond

Senior Recruiter

–

Helpdesk Representative I

Ana Atiles

008008

Sr. Payroll Specialist

Christopher Ta

002412

Helpdesk Representative I

Ana Cabiedes

008019

Claims Rep

Cindy McKenzie

008027

Asst. Instructional Designer

Angelique Swann

–

Implant Project Manager

Cindy Tomblin

005009

HR Coordinator

Annette Cason

–

Insurance Coordinator - CBO

Claudia Buchanan

001045

Buyer

Staff Accountant

Claudine Walters

007238

Integration Accounting Manager

Anthony Caiazzo Anthony Gallant Anthony Hueston

001086 001099 –

Digital Marketing Director Senior Staff Accountant

April Cutler

007245

Staff Accountant

April Grinchenko

002307

Insurance Coordinator (Verifications)

April Snowden

009013

CSM Team

Ashley Mofford

–

Insurance Coordinator

Ashley Ratliff

–

Revenue Cycle Manager

Austin Hunter Autumn Rogers

007054 007173

Azure Larsen

–

Barry Ames

007544

Ben Sapkota

–

Business Development Coordinator Insurance Data Specialist Insurance Coordinator Dentist Recruiter iCIMS Administrator

Colleen Edel

003085

Doctor Administrator

001089

Director of Marketing Operations

Erin Keating

009112

Insurance Coordinator - CBO

Erwin Goodwin

007290

Staff Accountant

Faye Lucchesi

002316

AP Coordinator

007280

DentRite Customer Service

IT Operations Specialist

Heather Brealey

002326

IT Operations Specialist

Jake Gaecke

002303

Senior Data Scientist

James Jean-Louis

001050

Buyer

VP of Tax

James Murray

001107

Digital Marketing Specialist

Training Specialist

James Nick

001095

Chief Revenue Officer (920) 265-4362

Jamie Pruitt

007295

IT Operations Specialist

Jeff Dreels

007271

Employment Manager/Dentist Recruiter (941) 809-5245

Jeff Koziel

–

Systems Administrator

007558

Chief Operating Officer (317) 292-4044

Dale Hockel

David Pegg

–

David Quigley Deanna Franciotti

007552 –

Helpdesk Representative 1 Debbi Rassel

Fee Schedule Analyst

Network Telecom Analyst

007294

002402

Lead Insurance Coordinator

007282

002419

Erica Woolard

Greg Lindman

D.J. Schlehlein

Board Member (941) 809-5940

Caitlin Schlabach

Eric Jackson

Director of Planning & Analysis

Delegated Credentialing Coordinator

007542

IT Integration Manager (386) 986-0451

Senior Recruiter

007274

007279

David Nichols

002409

007225

Grace Dragotta

Crystal Chouinard

Administrative Director - Northeast (Evolve Ext. 60001)

C.J. Nocella

Ellen Peacock

Director of Practice Development (786) 298-7853

Revenue Cycle Supervisor

–

002421

Accounts Payable Coordinator

–

Betty Guarino

Bryan Weston

007256

Glory Grossbard

Crystal Barron

VP of Revenue Cycle

Director, Affiliate Integrations

Accounts Payable Coordinator

Insurance Coordinator - CBO

007560

–

002325

Elizabeth (Beth) Bruns

–

David Neal

Bridget O’Neill

IT Operations Specialist

Genesis Medrano

007555

Recruiter

Technology & Accounting Policy Director

009201

Edna Kittendorf

DVP, West (857) 272-5156

Craig Murray

005004

007226

Eddie Parmenter

Gabriela SmithFranco

Betsy Layhew

Brian Peddie

Insurance Mail Coordinator

Executive Vice Chairman (201) 303-5648

Darnelle Gomez

002304

–

Craig Abramowitz

CSM Team

Bobbi Coil

Dustin Edwards

IT Integration Specialist (941) 374-5122

009016

Sr. Staff Accountant

Chief Clinical Officer (786) 972-0458

002405

007291

–

008034

Cory Ramos

Danny Burke

Blair Hohmeister

Don Gallo

Assistant Controller

Insurance Coordinator

Beth Vaniderstine

Sr. IT Operations Specialist (941) 504-4124

007386

–

009144

007547

Corrine Stoltzfus

Dan Cayetano

Berenice Quintero Hernandez

Donel Petrin

Debbie Wagner

007272

–

IT Admin Developer

Chief Development Officer (610) 304-5029

President

General Counsel & Compliance Officer

Jeleany Mesa

008029

Payroll Specialist

Patient Service Rep 2

Jenifer Woods Lammi

002334

Collections

Jennifer Gomez

008014

Credentialing Coordinator

Jennifer Obriot

009321

Senior Professional Recruiter

Jennifer Seeds

010120

Consumer Experience Specialist

Jenny Gil

008026

Specialist

DentRite Customer Service Supervisor

AP Coordinator

Title

Full Name

Marketing (Main Street FL)

Raygena Bailey

–

Facilities Manager (941) 404-9277

Rebekah LaBarrie

Matt Martinez

–

M&A Associate (305) 613-9943

Matthew DeLoach

–

Assistant Account Manager

Matthew Plough

001084

Staff Accountant

Matthew Thiel

002309

VP of Analytics & Review Programs (920) 209-2329

Megan Martin

007233

Assistant Accounting Manager

Meghan Anderson

007240

Human Resources Manager

Full Name

Ext

Title

Full Name

Jerobi Rizk

–

Helpdesk Representative I

Mariella Gomez

009015

007557

Chief Executive Officer (484) 678-7466

Marion Williams

–

Insurance Coordinator

Jerry Rhodes Jessica Gay Jessica Ramos

001020

Sr. Benefits Administrator

Jessica Savidge

007196

Associate General Counsel

Jody Annis Joel Olivio Joseph Balmforth

007241

IT Financial Analyst

002418

IT Technical Services Director (941) 348-9161

–

Visual Production Director

Josh Maggard

001115

Digital Marketing Specialist

Juanita Honor

002323

Accounts Payable Coordinator

Juergen Mohr

007236

Sr. Staff Accountant

Julian Wilder

002406

Network/Telecom Analyst (941) 376-3746

Julie Johnson

007550

Legal and Compliance Coordinator

Karen Harper

001063

Marketing Operations Specialist Director of Talent Programs (410) 960-0540

Karen Riley

–

Kate Wood

007297

Coupa Administrator

Katrina Argotte

008028

Claims Rep

Kelly Knake Kelly McCormick Kelly Stillman

–

Melanie Ahrens

Ext

–

Melissa Rothenbach

007298

Michael Bergelin

001068

Michael Calder

–

Accounts Payable Coordinator

001097

VP, Communications & Culture (317) 741-8842

Michael Tremba

002413

IT Help Desk

Michaela Muniz

002362

Director of Insurance Plan Management

Michelle Axberg

001072

Insurance Mail Coordinator

007246

VP of Insurance Plan Management/DentRite (727) 424-2990

Mike Cole

Mike McGarigle

007292

Assistant Accounting Manager Executive Chairman (941) 809-5944

Human Resources Specialist

Kenneth Ziff

064049

Vice President, Facilities and Real Estate

Mitch Olan

007541

Kevin Burke

001112

Procurement Director

Molly Benz

–

Kim Bastien

001077

Insurance Coordinator

Laura Cortes Laura Warren

009017 –

Helpdesk Representative I

Lauren Johnson

007556

Project Manager (R/E Operations)

Leslie Williams

007244

Sr. Accounts Payable Coordinator

Lisa Altiero

–

Lisa Keith

009020

Contact Center Coordinator

Lisa Liquori

002332

Insurance Coordinator

007261

Payroll Manager - Northeast (Evolve Ext. 60009) (201) 739-2260

Lisa Pallotto

Insurance Coordinator

Senior Brand Manager 941-376-4501

007281

Administrative Assistant (Credentialing/DentRite)

Nader Mityas

–

Sr. Systems Administrator

Neko Cruz

–

Insurance Coordinator

Monica Chouinard

Brand Manager CSM Team

VP of Business Development (South Central) (720) 581-5668 Insurance Coordinator

001047

001098

Brand Manager

002308

Kendra Bennett

Kyle Olivarri

Financial Analyst

Michael Duff

IT Operations Specialist

007288

CSM Team

Nelly Garcia

007220

Accounting Clerk (Treasury)

008006

Business Support

–

Staff Accountant 2

HR Assistant

Pamela Boyle

007227

Staff Accountant

Sr. Contact Center Coordinator

Patrick Perry

002410

Helpdesk Representative I

VP, Business Development (904) 742-4684

Paula Poggi

–

Affiliate Project Manager

Marie-Line Rigaud

008016

Paula Walters

007285

Accounts Payable Coordinator

CSM Team

Peter Menke

007252

Staff Accountant II

Insurance Coordinator

Peter Savage

–

IT Operations Specialist

Rachel Black

001054

Purchasing Coordinator

Training & Organizational Development Director (786) 877-6080

Treasury Management Supervisor

Ryan Zeman

–

VP of Business Development (815) 793-3421

Sandy Goding

007281

Accounts Payable Coordinator

Savannah Newbanks

002422

IT Integration Coordinator

Scott Gehrke

–

Serifat Bello

007260

Accounts Payable Coordinator

Shauna Pierce

008010

Payroll Manager (305) 502-5405

Shawn Wherry

007228

VP of Marketing (941) 914-4768

Sim Son

002414

IT Help Desk

Sonya Francisco

002330

Insurance Coordinator

Sophia Eteau

007243

Accounts Payable Coordinator

Stefanie Grossman

001056

Creative Director

Stephanie Gomez

008032

Credentialing Supervisor

Stephanie Toney

–

Ravonna Vimpeny

–

AP Coordinator

SQL Developer/Admin

CSM Team

Steve Duval

005001

VP of Human Resources (352) 430-4326

Steven Cole

–

Credentialing Specialist

Susan Stith

001075

Associate Marketing Coordinator

Talia Pandolfi

007222

Controller (813) 774-2265

Teresa Ishak

–

Staff Accountant 2 Finance

Tirita Shelton

–

AP Coordinator

Tony Persaud

–

IT Support Desk Manager

Traci Dunn

007242

Insurance Data Specialist

Tracy Pham

001082

Human Resources Manager

William Cole

–

007249

Vickie Arthur

Madison Ramirez

Marie Barillas

Ruthie Farquharson

Lease Administrator (618) 741-7752

Paige Mckenzie

009019

Chief Financial Officer

IT Operations Specialist

Staff Accountant 2

Maria Gacek

007549

007289

–

Russell Allen

Nicole Soler

Madison Martin

Mandy Gast

Accounts Payable Coordinator

IT Operations Manager (941) 650-4734

Ocli Cundins

002445

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Corporate Tax Manager

Network Telecom Analyst

Rosie Chersia

Nicole Chaulsett

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Revenue Cycle Supervisor

Senior Construction Project Manager

Livie Paret

Sr. Credentialing Specialist

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Roseanne Armstrong

Nick Schorr

Nicole Sutton

Accounting Clerk (Treasury)

CBO Insurance Coordinator

IT Integration Specialist

Accounts Payable Coordinator

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Richard Papaluca

Nick Potts

Lisa Soto

Maggie Crymer

Renard Bryant

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Travis Mcclellan

William Sizemore

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Accounting Clerk (Treasury)

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Insurance Coordinator

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Senior Accounts Payable

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Zackary Fischer Zayda Trujillo

Senior Staff Accountant

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Sarasota Support Center 6240 Lake Osprey Drive Sarasota, FL 34240 Main: (941) 955-3150 Fax: (941) 388-6989

Helpdesk Representative 1 Claims Rep

1991

2021

s the end of 2021 draws near and our anniversary celebrations come to a close, we humbly look back on our shared success over the last 30 years. We would like to again recognize our allies from across the organization who share our anniversary year – 1991 – and to say thank you.

Allies Since 1991 Michelle Burns, RDH New Castle Dental Associates

Dr. April Kern General Dentist Silver Line Smiles Ally Since 2015 Dr. Jasmine Abdullh General Dentist Wadas Dental Ally Since 2017

Addie Darden Office Manager College Park Dental

Dr. Matt Haluch, Clinical Director, Massachusetts & Connecticut Ally Since 2014

Janice Gamble, RDH Main Street Children’s Dentistry & Orthodontics of Havre de Grace Amy Hall Office Manager, Ashcraft Orthodontics of Little Rock Susan Lobaton, DMD American Dental Center of Union Sharon Lovett Dental Assistant, Dental Solutions of Upper Darby

Our People Set Us Apart

Rebecca Nukes Credentialing Coordinator, Support Center Lissette Ojeda-Almaguer Lead Dental Assistant, Dental Specialty Center of Cutler Bay Cynthia Sakowski Dental Arts of New Jersey Regina Sheerin Dental Assistant, Konikoff Dental Associates of Cedar Road Frieda Simmons Patient Service Representative Patrick Toms, DMD

This DCA brand video was created as a testament to our rich legacy of success, evolution and bright future. Click on the image above to view video.

In January we marked the beginning of our 30th Anniversary with exciting updates to our DCA brand – a complete revitalization of our outward appearance, a new state-of-the-art website and improved messaging to better reflect who DCA is today. With a real focus on our allies – you – the unique indivudals who make up this great organization.

DCA INSIDER / DECEMBER 2021

Smile & Celebrate 30th Anniversary gifts were provided to each team member from our Pop-Up Shop, which eventually became the SMILE Shop that is fully functional today. Team members can select branded DCA gear – and will soon be able to order practicebranded swag, too!

Community & Culture We launched the smile! platform and centralized communications, recognition, and reward.

Special Edition We published the 30th Anniversary edition of the DCA Insider. Read it on

Share Your Story We held several contests that were focused on our U-SMILE Values and awarded prizes to our allies across the family for sharing their stories. Thank you to all of our allies who took the time to share your stories of giving back to your local communities. Read more about our Allies in Action Contest Winners on smile!

But most of all,

we wanted

to celebrate you.

And to say thank you, time after time.

In this,

our 30th year,

we are better, together, and stronger than ever. Thank you for being our allies. 31 never looked so good!

grateful merry, joyful and

This holiday season, we are most grateful for you. Our partnership with our Allies is incredibly important to us – and in times like these, we all need to trust and rely on each other more than ever before. We are so glad that you have chosen to work with us, and we remain focused on the things that matter - you, your health and safety, and the exceptional care that we provide to the patients we serve. As demonstrated over the last two years, in good times and in challenging ones, we are truly stronger together. There is nothing that we cannot overcome or achieve together.

Today and every day, we are grateful that you are an Ally at Dental Care Alliance. Wishing you all the best this holiday season – whenever, however, and whatever you celebrate. May your days be merry, joyful, and full of gratitude. Here’s to an exceptional 2022!

DCA-75-21