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Should You Work for Pacific Dental Services (PDS)?

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Categories: Practice Management, HR and Accounting;
Should You Work for Pacific Dental Services (PDS)?

A new grad’s guide to the good, the bad, and the CEREC

For new grads eyeing Pacific Dental Services (PDS), the message boards paint a picture that’s equal parts training ground and cautionary tale. With over 1,000 offices and a reputation for churning through associates, PDS provokes passionate opinions from dentists who’ve been there, done that, or swerved to avoid it entirely.

Let’s break down what’s consistently echoed, where the nuance lies, and what you can actually gain, or lose, by signing on for your first year out of school.

The volume is real
PDS is high volume, heavy on HMO plans, and laser-focused on production. You’ll see a lot of patients fast, and that’s not always a bad thing. Several dentists said their time at PDS or similar “mills” gave them speed, system knowledge, and scheduling instincts that still pay dividends decades later. One doc said he saw 68 patients in a single day for $550, and though it was grueling, the experience still shapes how he runs his own practice today.

But so are the limits
If you’re looking to sharpen your endo, surgical, or prostho skills, PDS probably isn’t your place. Most specialty procedures are routed to in-house specialists. Composites often get bypassed for CEREC inlays and crowns, and many general dentists report feeling like glorified hygienists doing exams, prophies, and indirect restorations all day long. One associate joked that you’d better enjoy scanning and designing because assistants often handle that too.

The business model
Several threads expose the inner workings of the PDS playbook: base metal crown “diagnosis” as a loophole to upsell all-ceramic restorations, same-day treatment as the holy grail of productivity, and performance metrics (like daily production and SRP conversions) tracked and coached relentlessly. Critics describe it as corporate pressure disguised as “clinical autonomy,” while defenders argue it’s a real-world lesson in running a dental business.

Clinical ethics vs. corporate reality
Here’s where things get heated. Some dentists flat-out call the business model unethical. Others say ethics still come down to the individual provider. Many warn that practicing within this kind of upsell-heavy framework can desensitize you, shifting your ethical compass without you even noticing. Others see it as a phase “mouth reps” before moving into ownership or a more autonomous role.

Is it worth signing a contract?
The contract matters. Some say PDS withholds your last month’s pay to cover redos, or includes a production draw that might leave you owing them if your numbers slump. Most advise not to sign anything longer than necessary. A one-year contract is often framed as “maximum” by new grads, but even that can feel like a long time if you’re stuck doing bread-and-butter dentistry with no growth. Have a dental attorney read every word before you sign.

Ownership at PDS: real or just branding?
PDS does offer equity buy-ins. But you’re not buying the practice, just a share in the entity that collects clinical income while the DSO controls everything else. Some dentists say they earn $500K+ as minority “owners.” Others argue it’s smoke and mirrors: you get production percentages, not true ownership privileges, and your influence over staff, hours, or systems is minimal.

Final word
If you’re broke, burned out, or boxed in by limited options, PDS can be a bridge, not a destination. You’ll get reps, learn systems, and possibly make a livable income. But you won’t touch complex procedures, you may get nudged toward questionable treatment plans, and you’ll have little say in how the office runs. If you go in with eyes open and an exit plan, you might leave stronger. Just don’t confuse that with becoming the dentist you want to be.

Working at PDS can teach you how the sausage is made. The real question is whether you want to keep eating it.

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