On this page you can read comments, feedback and opinions from current and former PSQ dentists and PSQ shareholders.
Thursday, 1st December 2022 - Comments from Tier 1 (elite) group of PSQ dental practitioners
"There is systemic staff dissatisfaction causing widespread disengagement due to high staff turnover and low staff morale"
"Staff are leaving centres due to poor operational oversight and inadequate staff ratios for specialised procedures. When this is coupled with fear of retribution for speaking out then staff feel like they have no voice to change the work culture and leave"
"The PSG website claims their mission is to ’…combine professional ethics and patient care with efficient and effective operation systems and structures to deliver a superior level of service to dentists and patients’. The true reality of working at a PSG centre could not be further from this mission"
"There is systemic staff dissatisfaction causing widespread disengagement due to high staff turnover and low staff morale"
"Staff are leaving centres due to poor operational oversight and inadequate staff ratios for specialised procedures. When this is coupled with fear of retribution for speaking out then staff feel like they have no voice to change the work culture and leave"
"The PSG website claims their mission is to ’…combine professional ethics and patient care with efficient and effective operation systems and structures to deliver a superior level of service to dentists and patients’. The true reality of working at a PSG centre could not be further from this mission"
Wednesday, 30th November 2022 - Comments from a PSQ dental practitioner on PSQ culture
"Pacific smiles employs a significant number of people that depend on good decision making and leadership for their livelihoods.
Are the best days behind us? Are these the hallmark signs of a dental industry collapsing based on leaders wanting to make a quick buck? Are we going to be industry leader 10 years from now, Australian owned and operated?
The dentists that have worked with pacific smiles for 10 plus years have treated kids that became adults and are now treating their kids. These dentists and staff work for Pacific Smiles and have the following of patients because of the culture Alex Abraham’s provided in the past and will keep providing"
"Pacific smiles employs a significant number of people that depend on good decision making and leadership for their livelihoods.
Are the best days behind us? Are these the hallmark signs of a dental industry collapsing based on leaders wanting to make a quick buck? Are we going to be industry leader 10 years from now, Australian owned and operated?
The dentists that have worked with pacific smiles for 10 plus years have treated kids that became adults and are now treating their kids. These dentists and staff work for Pacific Smiles and have the following of patients because of the culture Alex Abraham’s provided in the past and will keep providing"
Wednesday, 30th November 2022 - Comments from current PSQ dental practitioner on Quality vs. Quantity
"We’re obviously heading for 200 clinics, would you rather 200 mismanaged clinics making losses teetering on the verge of collapse or 130 well oiled machines making decent profit year after year because the foundations on which they run are sound and based on sustainable growth"
"We’re obviously heading for 200 clinics, would you rather 200 mismanaged clinics making losses teetering on the verge of collapse or 130 well oiled machines making decent profit year after year because the foundations on which they run are sound and based on sustainable growth"
Saturday, 26th November 2022 - Letter from former PSQ dental practitioner
"I joined PSG in 2016 having emigrated from the overseas. At the beginning, I was very happy to be working at the centre - there were lots of patients, the practice manager was effective and motivated and the DA team was well trained and managed.
Fast forward to today, I have left the company in November 2022 because of declining standards in centre management, with the area manager diverting resources from our centre to prop up a failing PSG practice that has opened in close proximity, leaving our centre understaffed and unable to deal with the demands of a busy 6 surgery practice. Staff morale is low and clinicians are all aligned that the functioning of the centre is not as it has been in the past.
On return from maternity leave (having previously worked 3-4 days full time, all public holidays and all Sundays), I requested a start time of 9am rather than 8am due to my Childcare open time of 8am. This was initially denied and I was made to feel that I was asking for the impossible and that I should change my choice of daycare. This request was eventually accepted but I was made to feel undervalued and underappreciated as a dentist, having devoted a lot of time to PSG. I don't feel this request should have been so difficult, so as to accommodate return to work of a working mother in this day in age."
"I joined PSG in 2016 having emigrated from the overseas. At the beginning, I was very happy to be working at the centre - there were lots of patients, the practice manager was effective and motivated and the DA team was well trained and managed.
Fast forward to today, I have left the company in November 2022 because of declining standards in centre management, with the area manager diverting resources from our centre to prop up a failing PSG practice that has opened in close proximity, leaving our centre understaffed and unable to deal with the demands of a busy 6 surgery practice. Staff morale is low and clinicians are all aligned that the functioning of the centre is not as it has been in the past.
On return from maternity leave (having previously worked 3-4 days full time, all public holidays and all Sundays), I requested a start time of 9am rather than 8am due to my Childcare open time of 8am. This was initially denied and I was made to feel that I was asking for the impossible and that I should change my choice of daycare. This request was eventually accepted but I was made to feel undervalued and underappreciated as a dentist, having devoted a lot of time to PSG. I don't feel this request should have been so difficult, so as to accommodate return to work of a working mother in this day in age."
Tuesday, 22nd November 2022 - Former PSQ employee
"I just wanted to reach out to applaud you for taking a stance at PSG and putting forward a plan to turn the company around. I agree with your sentiments that the Board has lost its focus and places too much trust in the spin from the CEO.
I notice that PSG’s Performance and Strategic Update released last week totally ignored reviewing its costs. I look forward to exercising my rights as a shareholder and wish you well in your bid"
"I just wanted to reach out to applaud you for taking a stance at PSG and putting forward a plan to turn the company around. I agree with your sentiments that the Board has lost its focus and places too much trust in the spin from the CEO.
I notice that PSG’s Performance and Strategic Update released last week totally ignored reviewing its costs. I look forward to exercising my rights as a shareholder and wish you well in your bid"
Wednesday, 16th November 2022 - Letter from current PSQ dental practitioner
"I started working for PSG over 10 years ago. Back then it was a great place to work at and had good, experienced staff to work with. However, over the past 3 to 4 years staff rotation has become common and various issues have come to light. I feel that by sharing what is happening at a local practice level on a regular basis, we can highlight the issues we have had over the past few years and am sure others can relate. I believe bad management decisions filters to the bottom at a local practice level.
We have no manager or Acting Centre Manager (ACM) onsite – all the staff decided to leave practice at lunchtime without telling the practitioners, technically leaving it unmanned for 15 mins. Recently we had two walk-ins that I dealt with at the reception desk, the phones rang three times in this period. This is bad business as patients are trying to get through with no answer at the other end. If there was a manager present this would not have happened, but we can’t seem to employ or retain our managers"
"I started working for PSG over 10 years ago. Back then it was a great place to work at and had good, experienced staff to work with. However, over the past 3 to 4 years staff rotation has become common and various issues have come to light. I feel that by sharing what is happening at a local practice level on a regular basis, we can highlight the issues we have had over the past few years and am sure others can relate. I believe bad management decisions filters to the bottom at a local practice level.
We have no manager or Acting Centre Manager (ACM) onsite – all the staff decided to leave practice at lunchtime without telling the practitioners, technically leaving it unmanned for 15 mins. Recently we had two walk-ins that I dealt with at the reception desk, the phones rang three times in this period. This is bad business as patients are trying to get through with no answer at the other end. If there was a manager present this would not have happened, but we can’t seem to employ or retain our managers"
Tuesday, 8th November 2022 - Current dental practitioner with PSQ and shareholder
“I have owned PSQ shares since well before the Initial Public Offering. As an experienced senior dentist working in both PSG centres and external private practice, I feel compelled to provide comment on the performance of the current PSG management. The last two years have been challenging with the COVID lockdowns. It has significantly changed the business environment with private general dental practices facing narrower profit margins due to higher consumable and labour costs. This, coupled with private health insurance annual fee increases (in Preferred Provider Agreements), has restricted the scope of earnings. However, the government’s stimulus supports over the last two years have also shown to be the best years for me as a dentist, with gross billings consistently exceeding $150,000 per month.
Given the high level of business activities at the coal face of dentistry, as a Shareholder, I am very disappointed with PSQ’s financial performance over the last twelve months. The rapid expansion of the PSG network has come at the expense of supporting existing PSG dental centres, dentists, and support staff.”
“I have owned PSQ shares since well before the Initial Public Offering. As an experienced senior dentist working in both PSG centres and external private practice, I feel compelled to provide comment on the performance of the current PSG management. The last two years have been challenging with the COVID lockdowns. It has significantly changed the business environment with private general dental practices facing narrower profit margins due to higher consumable and labour costs. This, coupled with private health insurance annual fee increases (in Preferred Provider Agreements), has restricted the scope of earnings. However, the government’s stimulus supports over the last two years have also shown to be the best years for me as a dentist, with gross billings consistently exceeding $150,000 per month.
Given the high level of business activities at the coal face of dentistry, as a Shareholder, I am very disappointed with PSQ’s financial performance over the last twelve months. The rapid expansion of the PSG network has come at the expense of supporting existing PSG dental centres, dentists, and support staff.”
Sunday 6th November 2022 - Shareholder Comment
"There is nothing wrong with the company, just the leadership. Change is needed"
- Former employee and current shareholder
"There is nothing wrong with the company, just the leadership. Change is needed"
- Former employee and current shareholder
Sunday, 6th November 2022 - Current dental practitioner with PSQ and shareholder
“To me it seems that over the last few years the focus of Pacific Smiles has gone from an ethical, compassionate approach to dentistry and education to an approach focusing on opening new centres, which they can't staff or run adequately. The morale of employees is lower than I've ever experienced”
“To me it seems that over the last few years the focus of Pacific Smiles has gone from an ethical, compassionate approach to dentistry and education to an approach focusing on opening new centres, which they can't staff or run adequately. The morale of employees is lower than I've ever experienced”
Friday November 4th 2022 - Shareholder Comment
"This is a fantastic proposal and one that we are highly supportive of. Boards need an active ownership mindset – something that is severely lacking in many ASX companies. We look forward to going on the journey with you"
- PSQ Shareholder (3.8%) & Fund Manager (Melbourne)
"This is a fantastic proposal and one that we are highly supportive of. Boards need an active ownership mindset – something that is severely lacking in many ASX companies. We look forward to going on the journey with you"
- PSQ Shareholder (3.8%) & Fund Manager (Melbourne)
Thursday, 3rd November, 2022
"The business has a number of great strengths:
Our concerns relate to governance, the CEO and Board oversight. As founder and a major shareholder, I feel we need to act urgently to make the Board changes necessary to restore profitability and earnings"
- Dr. Alex Abrahams
"The business has a number of great strengths:
- Skilled dentists and staff
- Our Pacific Smiles brand
- Strong growth and earnings potential, and
- A high-quality investor base
Our concerns relate to governance, the CEO and Board oversight. As founder and a major shareholder, I feel we need to act urgently to make the Board changes necessary to restore profitability and earnings"
- Dr. Alex Abrahams