Stephen E. Thorne, IV, BA, MHA, is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Dental Services® (PDS), headquartered in Irvine, California. Mr. Thorne began his work in the dental field in 1989 when his father, a dentist, offered him a job managing a struggling dental office. That first office became a big success, and Mr. Thorne continued to work with his father for several years before venturing out on his own and creating PDS. Under Mr. Thorne’s leadership, PDS has established itself as a national leader on the oral-systemic link, working diligently to highlight the growing need for dental and medical healthcare providers to better collaborate to ensure better systemic health outcomes for patients. To that end, PDS was the first dental organization to implement Epic®, the most widely-used comprehensive health records system, into its supported dental 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, closing care gaps and reducing duplication.