These interviews will be published periodically and archived to create a written history of how this way of practicing was created. Included will be the people and works that influenced the pioneers.

Deb Castillo has served dentistry in many roles from an office manager to consultant.

Deb was born on April 24, 1949 in Gladwin, Michigan. She spent most of her childhood in Fullerton. Calafornia. She started in dentistry in San Diego working in a friends practice at the front desk, then on to ICS, one of the early dental software companies in San Diego as Director of Training. She worked as a faculty member and facilitator at the Schuster Center for Professional Development in Scottsdale, AZ.

She has also served as Director of Practice Management at MidAm (Sky Financial) Columbus OH and Santa Ana, CA. Currently she is a coach to dental practices at the Growth Into Greatness Institute.

She lives in Bigfork, Montana.

ISOC: Who/what were the most important influences to you in dentistry?

Deb: My first dental experience was in a friends practice – we were learning the practice model that was a match together – we learned from Jim Pride for the nuts and bolts.

Omer Reed, Avrom King and Bob Frazer opened our eyes to Bob Barkley and started to shape the philosophy of care we were looking for.

Mike Schuster introduced so many others. My strongest influences have been the many doctors I have had the privilege to work with along the way.

ISOC: Why did you choose dentistry as a career?

Deb: It was accidental for me, my friend needed someone to work in his practice and I thought it would be a good part time position while I stayed home with the boys.

ISOC: What do/did you like most about practicing dentistry?

Deb: The Relationships. Least? The travel

ISOC: What kinds of things do you enjoy doing outside of your professional life?

Deb: Being a Grandmother, Skiing, Golfing, Fishing and doing all these with family and friends.

ISOC: Why did you move or change positions?

Deb: Sometimes it was a simple as the fact that we were moving, but most often it was time to grow a bit more

ISOC: Have you attained your major goals in life? Deb: Yes

ISOC: What has surprised you about practicing dentistry?

Deb: The commitment that the profession has to continued improvement both professionally and personally.

ISOC: What professional accomplishments are you most pleased with?

Deb: The friendships I have made along the way.

ISOC: What personal qualities improved the most over the years?

Deb: Follow through. Least? Over committing

ISOC: Have you changed over your lifetime?

Deb: Most definitely!

ISOC: What kinds of things did you enjoy doing as a child?

Deb: Reading, Camping, Modern Dance and going to the beach.

ISOC: Did you like to read? Favorite books and authors?

Deb: Yes – the Bronte Sisters, Tolstoy and other wonderful novels about characters, especially Southerners.

ISOC: What person had the most influence on you as a child?

Deb: I would have to say my Mother.

ISOC: Looking back, what were the most significant events as a child that influenced your career as a dentist?

Deb: My parents divorced and for the first time I found that I would need to be financially responsible for my self, this was a bit of a surprise but looking back, the best possible thing that could have happened for me.

ISOC: What was the most traumatic time in your life as a child or teenager?

Deb: My parent’s divorce.

ISOC: What was the happiest time in your life as a child or teenager?

Deb: Family times – we had boats in the harbor in Newport, CA as a kid and had wonderful times going to Catalina, etc. I learned that having fun is very important.

ISOC: What goal in life did you have as a child or teenager?

Deb: I wanted to be an airline stewardess – I was too tall and once again – thank heaven for unanswered prayers.

ISOC: What did you enjoy the most as a young person?

Deb: Being with my pals and doing something – anything that sparked of “adventure” was great.

ISOC: Did you have a favorite subject as a youngster in school?

Deb: Yes. What was it? History – I loved the stories.

ISOC: Where did you attend college?

Deb: Cal Poly Pomona

ISOC: What was your favorite subject?

Deb: Once again – History.

ISOC: What kind of student were you?

Deb: OK – usually made the Deans list as a Junior and Senior but did not graduate with honors because I had a great time as a Freshman and Sophomore.

ISOC: Were you happy in college? Deb: Yes

ISOC: What important values did your family impart to you?

Deb: My southern mother – “get your education – that’s something no one can ever take away from you” (you need to say this with a bit of a drawl to get the whole effect), also, act like a Lady – sound like a Southern mother’s advice to a daughter?

ISOC: College?

Deb: Get your head in the game and you can perform.

ISOC: How did you and your spouse meet?

Deb: Tom was my brother’s roommate in college. Date of wedding? August 8, 1969

ISOC: Please recall one of the best parts of your marriage.

Deb: Birth of our children

ISOC: What are the most significant things you have learned from your marriage?

Deb: It gets so much better with age.

ISOC: How many children do you have? Deb: Two boys

ISOC: What were you like as a parent?

Deb: A bit of as Steel Magnolia

ISOC: If you had a chance to change anything about being a parent, what would it be?

Deb: The boys are such wonderful young men – I wouldn’t want them to be any different and therefore I wouldn’t change anything.

ISOC: Looking back, what major value, principle or philosophy is the most important to a dentist?

Deb: Connecting to and having a desire to understand people.

ISOC: Is this different than what you thought early in your career?

Deb: Of course, we always thought you just needed to be a “good Dentist”

ISOC: What has been your biggest mistake?

Deb: Not taking risks.

ISOC: What has been your biggest lesson learned?

Deb: Keep showing up – it has a lot to do with accomplishing your goals.

ISOC: What was the main turning point in your life?

Deb: Going back to work when my children were in school.

ISOC: If you could live your professional life over, what would you change?

Deb: Not much, I’ve been pretty lucky.

ISOC: What are the most important books/authors you have read in your professional life?

Deb: Covey, Scott Peck, 5th Discipline, Execution, As a Man Thinketh, Psyco-Cybernetics, and some others I can’t remember I’m sure.

ISOC: What important wisdom/thoughts would you impart to dentists:

Deb: Always be a student, but then I would give this same advice to everyone

ISOC: Early in their career?

Deb: Focus just as much on learning about relationships as you do on technical.

ISOC: Mid-career?

Deb: Take time to appreciate.

ISOC: Late career?

Deb: Share your knowledge and give a “hand up” to those who follow.

ISOC: What do you think will be your greatest legacy?

Deb: My children

ISOC: What was easiest for you in practicing dentistry?

Deb: Staying interested.

ISOC: Hardest?

Deb: Time Management

ISOC: Looking out ten years, what do you think dentistry will be like?

Deb: The private care and managed care practices will move farther apart in every way. Patients will fall into either the category of private care or public more – if the demographic projections are true.

We will have a vastly underserved patient population; but I’m not sure this is valid. I believe an underlying assumption here is that the female doctors will be part time during child rearing years. I have not seen that trend with my clients.

ISOC: Challenges?

Deb: Handling a large underserved population.

ISOC: Practice models?

Deb: Private care, Managed Care and a Blend of the two

ISOC: What will no longer be important?

Deb: Don’t even know this one

ISOC: What new things will be required?

Deb: Much in the technical arena and very little in the relationship arena, we already have great resources for how to connect to people.

ISOC: What do you think this way of practicing should be called? It has been called: health centered, relationship based, person centered, values based, philosophy based, volitional or ?

Deb: I think Health Centered or Patient Centered. A definition of “professional” is one who puts the needs of his client above the needs of the professional. So relationship based or patient centered works well for me also.

ISOC: What can you tell dentists about: L.D. Pankey, Harold Wirth, Bob Barkley?

Deb: If you choose to leave a legacy – study these models.

ISOC: What is their most important legacy?

Deb: Move away from being a fixer and try to see and deal with the root cause.

ISOC: What circumstances/people led to the creation of health centered or relationship based dentistry?

Deb: Frustration with not being able reach the goals they had for their patient’s simply by knowing how to do the technical work – until they could facilitate the patient’s understanding of dental disease.

ISOC: Where do you see health centered dentistry in ten years?

Deb: Stronger than ever.

ISOC: Any other thoughts or comments?

Deb: Whew – I really can’t think of anything you didn’t cover.

Deb Castillo can be reached at www.greatnessinstitute.com