Purpose Under Pressure: Pacific Dental Services Through COVID-19
When the first surge of COVID-19 hit the U.S., many state governing boards local health departments across the country called for shutdowns of dental practices, intimating that dentistry is “non-essential.” By April of 2020, it was estimated that only 4% of dental offices in America were open to patients.
For a company that had only seen rapid growth since its founding, it was a challenging time for Pacific Dental Services, a privately held company that supports more than 800 dental offices nationwide through its innovative business support model.
According to CEO Steve Thorne, “It was like we were in an elevator and someone cut the cable. It took us 25 years to build and create the company, and it almost all went away in 25 days.”
Revenue plummeted. The company had to enact its first-ever furloughs. There was real concern about the long-term viability of the business. Yet only three months later, Pacific Dental Services had dramatically bounced back, with most staff back at work, revenue stabilized, and the company taking a vocal leadership role in the industry.
How did they do it?
Pacific Dental Services recently hosted a virtual Learning Visit for the Higher Ambition Leadership Alliance community. CEO Steve Thorne, Dan Burke, Chief Enterprise Strategy Officer, and Trish Elliott, Vice President, People, and Systems, shared how the deeply embedded Pacific Dental Services values came to the forefront during the crisis to guide strategy, inspire and connect employees, and reassure owner doctors, team members, and industry partners.
