When dental hygienists, office managers, and medical staff at PDS Health try logging into pdsconnect2.com, they hit an immediate redirect. The URL shifts to pdshealth.okta.com, an authentication checkpoint that stands between employees and their work tools.
This is PDSConnect2, the internal platform that connects PDS Health’s workforce across 1,000 dental and medical practices in 24 states. More than 14,000 team members use it daily to access everything from payroll information to IT support tickets.
The redirect isn’t a technical glitch. PDS Health runs employee authentication through Okta, a security system that verifies user identity before granting portal access. This extra layer protects sensitive information that healthcare organizations must safeguard under federal law.
Table of Contents
What Employees Actually Use the Portal For
PDSConnect2 handles routine workplace tasks that keep dental and medical offices running. The platform gives staff access to:
Company communications: Weekly announcements, policy updates, and internal news reach employees through the portal’s notification system. Staff can also track Daily XP points, a gamification feature PDS Health uses for employee engagement.
Training materials: The knowledge base stores clinical protocols, administrative procedures, and compliance documentation. Dental assistants can look up sterilization guidelines. Front desk staff can review insurance billing processes. Medical providers can access updated treatment protocols.
Work management: Employees track assignments, view to-do lists, and coordinate projects through the portal’s task management features.
Technical support: When computers malfunction or software crashes, staff submit help desk tickets directly through PDSConnect2. The system routes requests to IT teams and tracks resolution progress.
The mobile app, which launched in 2024, extends these functions to smartphones and tablets. It requires iOS 17.0 for iPhones and comparable Android versions. PDS Health built the app in 26 languages to serve its workforce.
How Portal Access Works
Every new hire at a PDS Health-supported practice gets portal credentials during onboarding. The IT department creates accounts and assigns permissions based on job role and location. A dental hygienist in Nevada sees different tools than an HR manager at headquarters in Henderson.
The login process involves two steps. Employees enter their username and password on the Okta page. Then they verify identity through a second factor, either a code sent to their phone or an authentication app. This two-step verification meets healthcare security requirements.
Forgotten passwords get reset through the Okta interface. The system sends verification codes to registered email addresses or mobile numbers on file.
The Technology Behind the Platform
PDSConnect2 runs on ServiceNow, software that many large healthcare organizations use for employee service management. ServiceNow handles the ticket system, knowledge base, and workflow automation.
PDS Health connects multiple work systems through Okta’s single sign-on capability:
- Workday manages payroll and human resources
- Box stores documents and files
- Epic Systems runs electronic health records at medical practices
- Microsoft 365 provides email and productivity tools
- RingCentral handles phone and messaging
Employees log into Okta once, then move between these systems without re-entering credentials each time.
This differs completely from patient-facing systems. Patients who visit Smile Generation dental offices use MyChart, a separate portal built on Epic’s platform. MyChart handles appointment scheduling, medical records, and billing. PDSConnect2 deals only with employee functions.
PDS Health’s Structure and Scale
Pacific Dental Services started in 1994 when Stephen E. Thorne IV created a business model that let dentists focus on patient care while his company handled operations. The organization now operates as PDS Health following an expansion into medical services.
The company supports more than 1,000 practices from its Henderson, Nevada headquarters. Most are dental offices operating under the Smile Generation brand, but PDS Medical Group locations have grown in recent years.
PDS Health doesn’t own these practices. Instead, it provides administrative support:
- Insurance billing and claims processing
- Technology infrastructure and IT support
- Marketing and patient outreach
- Supply ordering and inventory
- Legal compliance and risk management
- Payroll and tax preparation
Practice owners maintain clinical independence. They make treatment decisions and manage patient relationships. PDS Health keeps the business side running.
This model supports a workforce of approximately 14,000 people. Some work at individual practices as dentists, hygienists, and front desk staff. Others work in corporate roles handling HR, finance, or practice development.
Security Requirements in Healthcare IT
Federal law requires healthcare organizations to protect patient information through the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. HIPAA sets strict standards for data security and access control.
PDSConnect2’s security setup addresses these requirements:
Multi-factor authentication prevents unauthorized access even if passwords get compromised. Someone who steals login credentials still can’t enter the system without the second verification step.
Role-based permissions limit what employees can see based on their job functions. Clinical staff access treatment protocols but not payroll systems. HR managers see personnel records but not patient charts.
Audit logging tracks who accessed what information and when. If a data breach occurs, administrators can trace the source and scope.
PDS Health works with CyberArk to manage privileged accounts, the high-level access that IT administrators need to maintain systems. These accounts get extra monitoring because they can reach sensitive data across the entire organization.
The company also uses Box Shield for document security and integrates with Microsoft 365’s compliance tools. This layered approach creates multiple checkpoints between employees and protected information.
Where PDSConnect2 Fits in Modern Healthcare
Dental support organizations like PDS Health emerged over the past three decades as practice management became more complex. Insurance billing requires specialized knowledge. Technology systems demand constant updates. Compliance rules change frequently.
Large DSOs can afford dedicated IT departments, security specialists, and compliance officers. Individual dentists can’t. The centralized support model spreads these costs across hundreds of practices.
Employee portals became necessary as these organizations grew. When PDS Health supported 100 practices with 1,000 employees, direct communication worked. At current scale, a centralized platform is the only practical way to reach everyone.
The mobile app reflects how healthcare work has changed. Dental hygienists check schedules between patients. Office managers submit supply orders from home. Traveling executives access documents from airports. The workforce is distributed and mobile. The portal had to match that reality.
Getting Help and Support
Employees who can’t access PDSConnect2 have several options. Password resets happen through the Okta login page. Technical issues with the portal itself require a help desk ticket, which staff can submit through pdshealth.service-now.com or by calling IT support.
The ServiceNow system tracks every ticket from submission to resolution. Employees get updates when technicians take action. Average resolution times vary based on issue complexity, but the platform prioritizes problems that prevent staff from working.
For new employees still learning the system, PDS Health maintains training documentation in the portal’s knowledge base. Step-by-step guides cover common tasks like submitting time off requests, updating contact information, and accessing pay stubs.
PDSConnect2 represents how workforce management works in distributed healthcare organizations. Thousands of employees across two dozen states need access to the same information and tools. Cloud-based platforms authenticated through systems like Okta make that possible while meeting security requirements that protect patient data and employee privacy.
When dental hygienists, office managers, and medical staff at PDS Health try logging into pdsconnect2.com, they hit an immediate redirect. The URL shifts to pdshealth.okta.com, an authentication checkpoint that stands between employees and their work tools.
This is PDSConnect2, the internal platform that connects PDS Health’s workforce across 1,000 dental and medical practices in 24 states. More than 14,000 team members use it daily to access everything from payroll information to IT support tickets.
The redirect isn’t a technical glitch. PDS Health runs employee authentication through Okta, a security system that verifies user identity before granting portal access. This extra layer protects sensitive information that healthcare organizations must safeguard under federal law.
What Employees Actually Use the Portal For
PDSConnect2 handles routine workplace tasks that keep dental and medical offices running. The platform gives staff access to:
Company communications: Weekly announcements, policy updates, and internal news reach employees through the portal’s notification system. Staff can also track Daily XP points, a gamification feature PDS Health uses for employee engagement.
Training materials: The knowledge base stores clinical protocols, administrative procedures, and compliance documentation. Dental assistants can look up sterilization guidelines. Front desk staff can review insurance billing processes. Medical providers can access updated treatment protocols.
Work management: Employees track assignments, view to-do lists, and coordinate projects through the portal’s task management features.
Technical support: When computers malfunction or software crashes, staff submit help desk tickets directly through PDSConnect2. The system routes requests to IT teams and tracks resolution progress.
The mobile app, which launched in 2024, extends these functions to smartphones and tablets. It requires iOS 17.0 for iPhones and comparable Android versions. PDS Health built the app in 26 languages to serve its workforce.
How Portal Access Works
Every new hire at a PDS Health-supported practice gets portal credentials during onboarding. The IT department creates accounts and assigns permissions based on job role and location. A dental hygienist in Nevada sees different tools than an HR manager at headquarters in Henderson.
The login process involves two steps. Employees enter their username and password on the Okta page. Then they verify identity through a second factor, either a code sent to their phone or an authentication app. This two-step verification meets healthcare security requirements.
Forgotten passwords get reset through the Okta interface. The system sends verification codes to registered email addresses or mobile numbers on file.
The Technology Behind the Platform
PDSConnect2 runs on ServiceNow, software that many large healthcare organizations use for employee service management. ServiceNow handles the ticket system, knowledge base, and workflow automation.
PDS Health connects multiple work systems through Okta’s single sign-on capability:
- Workday manages payroll and human resources
- Box stores documents and files
- Epic Systems runs electronic health records at medical practices
- Microsoft 365 provides email and productivity tools
- RingCentral handles phone and messaging
Employees log into Okta once, then move between these systems without re-entering credentials each time.
This differs completely from patient-facing systems. Patients who visit Smile Generation dental offices use MyChart, a separate portal built on Epic’s platform. MyChart handles appointment scheduling, medical records, and billing. PDSConnect2 deals only with employee functions.
PDS Health’s Structure and Scale
Pacific Dental Services started in 1994 when Stephen E. Thorne IV created a business model that let dentists focus on patient care while his company handled operations. The organization now operates as PDS Health following an expansion into medical services.
The company supports more than 1,000 practices from its Henderson, Nevada headquarters. Most are dental offices operating under the Smile Generation brand, but PDS Medical Group locations have grown in recent years.
PDS Health doesn’t own these practices. Instead, it provides administrative support:
- Insurance billing and claims processing
- Technology infrastructure and IT support
- Marketing and patient outreach
- Supply ordering and inventory
- Legal compliance and risk management
- Payroll and tax preparation
Practice owners maintain clinical independence. They make treatment decisions and manage patient relationships. PDS Health keeps the business side running.
This model supports a workforce of approximately 14,000 people. Some work at individual practices as dentists, hygienists, and front desk staff. Others work in corporate roles handling HR, finance, or practice development.
Security Requirements in Healthcare IT
Federal law requires healthcare organizations to protect patient information through the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. HIPAA sets strict standards for data security and access control.
PDSConnect2’s security setup addresses these requirements:
Multi-factor authentication prevents unauthorized access even if passwords get compromised. Someone who steals login credentials still can’t enter the system without the second verification step.
Role-based permissions limit what employees can see based on their job functions. Clinical staff access treatment protocols but not payroll systems. HR managers see personnel records but not patient charts.
Audit logging tracks who accessed what information and when. If a data breach occurs, administrators can trace the source and scope.
PDS Health works with CyberArk to manage privileged accounts, the high-level access that IT administrators need to maintain systems. These accounts get extra monitoring because they can reach sensitive data across the entire organization.
The company also uses Box Shield for document security and integrates with Microsoft 365’s compliance tools. This layered approach creates multiple checkpoints between employees and protected information.
Where PDSConnect2 Fits in Modern Healthcare
Dental support organizations like PDS Health emerged over the past three decades as practice management became more complex. Insurance billing requires specialized knowledge. Technology systems demand constant updates. Compliance rules change frequently.
Large DSOs can afford dedicated IT departments, security specialists, and compliance officers. Individual dentists can’t. The centralized support model spreads these costs across hundreds of practices.
Employee portals became necessary as these organizations grew. When PDS Health supported 100 practices with 1,000 employees, direct communication worked. At current scale, a centralized platform is the only practical way to reach everyone.
The mobile app reflects how healthcare work has changed. Dental hygienists check schedules between patients. Office managers submit supply orders from home. Traveling executives access documents from airports. The workforce is distributed and mobile. The portal had to match that reality.
Getting Help and Support
Employees who can’t access PDSConnect2 have several options. Password resets happen through the Okta login page. Technical issues with the portal itself require a help desk ticket, which staff can submit through pdshealth.service-now.com or by calling IT support.
The ServiceNow system tracks every ticket from submission to resolution. Employees get updates when technicians take action. Average resolution times vary based on issue complexity, but the platform prioritizes problems that prevent staff from working.
For new employees still learning the system, PDS Health maintains training documentation in the portal’s knowledge base. Step-by-step guides cover common tasks like submitting time off requests, updating contact information, and accessing pay stubs.
PDSConnect2 represents how workforce management works in distributed healthcare organizations. Thousands of employees across two dozen states need access to the same information and tools. Cloud-based platforms authenticated through systems like Okta make that possible while meeting security requirements that protect patient data and employee privacy.
