Three Key Executives Added to the Ranks of West Coast Dental Support Organization

Western Dental (with its affiliate, Brident Dental & Orthodontics) serves approximately 2.5 million patient visits annually in 240 offices throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. In California, Western Dental is the leading provider of services to the Denti-Cal program – part of the Medi-Cal public insurance program that provides health care benefits for more than 13 million low-income individuals and families. Western Dental dentists provided care to more than a half-million Denti-Cal beneficiaries in 2017 and is committed to continuing to partner with the State to help improve the program.

Western Dental recently announced the appointment of three key executives: Chief Marketing Officer, Pediatric Director, and Vice President of Plan and Payor Strategic Relations:

Leslie Gibbs, CMO

Chief Marketing Officer – Leslie Gibbs

Leslie Gibbs joins Western Dental with more than 20 years of global brand management success, generating growth for iconic brands in health and beauty, retail optical, non-profit, consumer electronics, and consumer packaged goods, with a proven ability to lead departments and create positive, measurable results. Most recently, she was chief marketing officer for Intoxalock, a national leader in ignition interlock breathalyzer devices based in Iowa. She previously held positions with Digital Branding Partners, Bonne Bell, LensCrafters, and Proctor & Gamble.

Ms. Gibbs has a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management; a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Ohio University; and she attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where she studied Digital Marketing and Advertising.

“It’s exciting to be working with talented people who share a vision of building an integrated dental company – a Dental Home – that provides convenient and affordable access to the best dental care possible.” – Leslie Gibbs, Chief Marketing Officer

Corina Ramirez, DDS

Pediatric Director – Corina Ramirez, DDS

Recently named Pediatric Director of Western Dental, Dr. Ramirez has been seeing patients at the Kids Smiles of Whittier office in Los Angeles, which became part of Western Dental via the company’s acquisition of Children’s Dental Group in August of last year. Read that story HERE.

As Pediatric Director, she will have the primary responsibility of ensuring quality of care for pediatric patients throughout Western Dental, including its 24 dedicated pediatric offices.

This position will support the pediatric clinical team and will help develop and retain pediatric clinical providers. Dr. Ramirez will shape and drive clinical protocols, clinical metrics, and the patient care experience in collaboration with pediatric dentists, regional and office management, corporate leadership and the quality management team.

Dr. Ramirez has more than 30 years of dental industry experience. She received her Doctor of Dental Surgery from University of Southern California, where she graduated in the top four percent of her class.

She received pediatric specialty training at University of California – Los Angeles, where she also served as the chief resident of the class of 2006. Dr. Ramirez currently holds a part-time Clinical/Lecturer Faculty position at UCLA, and she is involved with multiple dental and nonprofit organizations.

“We have a great group of pediatric dentists, and it will be exciting to help build this team on a solid foundation of excellence in clinical quality and service.” – Dr Ramirez, Pediatric Director

Lynn Thompson, VP

Vice President of Plan and Payor Strategic Relations – Lynn Thompson

Thompson has worked for more than 20 years in the healthcare industry, with experience in leading development and management of national dental and vision networks to serve patients covered by individual, commercial, and government plans; payor-provider contracting; and overseeing strategic relationships and national dental and vision initiatives.

Thompson joins Western Dental after serving as Director of Network Management at Premier Access/Avesis in Southern California and as Director of Provider Relations for Premier Access Insurance/Access Dental Plan, now part of Premier Access/Avesis.

Thompson also worked as a Director of Provider Relations at SafeGuard Dental and Vision Inc. in Aliso Viejo. She began her career as an Accounts Manager for Dentalxchange.com in Irvine.

Thompson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in English Literature and a minor in Speech communication at California State University, Long Beach.