Stephen Thorne, CEO of Irvine, Calif.-based DSO Pacific Dental Services, and his wife, Pamela Thorne, recently donated $4 million to the University of the Pacific to launch a teaching and patient care facility.
The gift creates the Pacific Dental Services Health Care Collaborative, a first-of-its-kind facility, and will include construction of a clinical and academic building on the school's Sacramento campus that will provide healthcare services to the public, including underserved and vulnerable populations, and integrated educational environments for students.
The project's clinical model is focused on value-based, personalized care and will provide training opportunities to students interested in various roles in the healthcare industry, including dentists, physician assistants, nurses and pharmacists.
Mr. Thorne's father and two of his brothers are alumni of the university, according to a June 16 news release.
Architectural plans for the facility are in development, with expectations to break ground in 2023 and open in 2024.
Pacific Dental Services is one of the largest DSOs in the country, with more than 875 supported practices across the U.S.