Reappointment displays commitment to dental-medical integration
IRVINE, CALIF. July 6, 2021 – Leading dental support organization Pacific Dental Services® (PDS) announces Charles Rodgers, DDS, Vice President of Clinical Quality, has been reappointed to a two-year term on the Epic® Dentistry Steering Board. Dr. Rodgers joins a prestigious advisory panel of 12 dentists from across the Epic community who convene monthly to provide guidance on development of the dental module of the Epic electronic health record. Elected by their peers, Specialty Steering Boards guide Epic’s content and strategy for their specialties. Their work on best practices is shared with the whole Epic community, benefiting millions of patients.
PDS was the first dental support organization in the world to implement Epic, the most widely-used comprehensive health records system, into supported practices. All organizations using Epic can easily exchange patient data for improved patient care, allowing PDS-supported dentists and specialists the ability to coordinate care with other clinicians who serve their patients and their families, closing care gaps and reducing duplication. Patients also experience incredible benefits to being able to see their acute, primary, and dental health history all in one place. This powerful tool helps connect what is happening in their mouth with the rest of their body, leading to better overall health for the patient.
“It is an honor to be reappointed to the Epic Dentistry Steering Board to help promote the importance of having a single patient record to increase collaboration between dental and medical professionals,” said Rodgers. “With what we know about the oral-systemic link, it is crucial for all healthcare professionals to promote the practice of proper oral hygiene as a way of achieving and maintaining optimal whole-body health.”
There is overwhelming evidence to show that bacteria and inflammation in the mouth can indicate and even cause systemic conditions throughout the body. At PDS, we call this the Mouth-Body Connection®. These conditions of the mouth, including gum disease, have been linked with other medical conditions such as oral cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and more.
Dr. Charles Rodgers is a 1987 graduate of Loma Linda University School of Dentistry and a multiple-office owner dentist supported by PDS. He currently serves as chair of clinical quality for the PDS University – Institute of Dentistry, Vice President of Clinical Quality for PDS, and oversees clinical guidance as chair for the PDS National Dental Advisory Board. In his 25+ years of practice experience, he has had numerous speaking engagements, published articles, and more.
Since its inception in 1994, PDS-supported practices have been committed to clinical excellence and providing the Perfect Patient Experience® through modern dentistry with advanced, proven technology. These clinical treatment tools are at the forefront of oral and whole-body health care and include CEREC® CAD/CAM same-day crowns, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and digital X-rays, soft tissue diode lasers, salivary diagnostics, and the VELscope® oral cancer screening system. PDS patients are also offered integrated dental specialties oftentimes conveniently located under one roof, such as endodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, periodontics, dental hygiene, and pediatric dentistry.