Factoids

Permanente Dental Associates has 40+ years’ worth of history, beginning with a federally funded grant to the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in 1969. Today, PDA is proud to partner with the Kaiser Permanente Dental to provide exceptional care in Oregon and SW Washington.

1969

The Center for Health Research secured a five year, federally funded grant from the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) for a demonstration project designed to evaluate the benefits of a managed dental plan working in close association with an organized group practice medical delivery system (Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest).

 

1970 – 1979

1970	Opened first dental office. Membership was 5,000 – 6,000.
1973	Decision was made to design and market a prepaid comprehensive dental program to other interested groups in the Portland metropolitan area.
1974	Opened first dental office for general Health Plan members. James Pinardi was the first elected Dental Director.
1975	Second dental office opened. Membership reached 12,000.
1976	Third dental office opened. Our initial government contract expired and a subsequent unsuccessful bid caused us to lose that portion of our membership. With growth in our general membership areas, we were still able to maintain a membership of over 9,000.

1980 – 1989

1980	Opened dental offices in Salem and Vancouver. Began offering non-group enrollment on a limited basis. Membership had been increasing an average of 40% for the previous five years. Membership had now exceeded 35,000.
1981	Implemented our first Oral Health Appraisal Program (OHAP) designed to consolidate a number of services in one initial visit.
1982	Installed the Automated Dental Access Management (ADAM) system which consolidates the appointment making process, treatment records, and statistical data into a central computerized system.
1983	Rockwood Dental Office opens.
1984	The Dental Program reached a membership in excess of 55,000.
1986	Tigard and North Lancaster offices open.
1988	The North Interstate Services Building opens with dental offices. Clackamas Dental Office opens.
1989	Don Prasnikar elected as Dental Director. Hazel Dell, Grand Avenue, and Longview offices open.

1990 – 1999

1990	Cascade Park and Skyline dental offices open.
1991	The Eastmoreland Dental Office opens.
1992	Crestwood and MacArthur offices close.
1996	Glisan and Salmon Creek Dental opened.

2000 – 2009

2000	Aloha Dental opens.
2005	The Gresham Dental Office opens.
2006	Sunset Dental opens in its current location.
2008	Dr. John Snyder elected as Dental Director.
2009	PDA founds the PDA Management Services Organization (MSO) to act as the administering body for Permanente Dental Associates.

2010 – PRESENT

2010	The Dental Program launches the automated dental records system, AxiUm, converting from TEAM.
2011	Oregon City Dental opens.
2012	PDA’s first Journal of the American Dental Association cover article.
2013	The Dental Program now includes 200,000+ comprehensive members and 12,000+ PPO members
2014	PDA is again featured in the cover article of the JADA.
2016	Transition to Epic Wisdom– a fully integrated electronic record system– rolls out to the first offices.
2017	Cedar Hills Dental & Medical office opens – the first truly integrated medical and dental office for Kaiser Permanente. Epic Wisdom transition completes to all dental offices. Kaiser Permanente Dental at Johnson Creek opens.
2018	Beaverton opens newly redesigned medical and dental office with nurse embedded within dental office to help members close care gaps (diabetes management, preventive screenings, immunizations, etc).
2019	Kaiser Permanente Dental at Keizer Station opens – the 21st dental office and 3rd office to serve the Salem area. Dr. John Snyder is re-elected as Executive Dental Director, CEO. Membership nears 300,000.
TODAY	We are the only region within Kaiser Permanente to operate dental services – and fully integrated with medical via shared electronic records. Permanente Dental Associates currently consists of 160 dentists, specialists and denturists – 110 of the group are Shareholders.