I was introduced to Debbie when I bought my practice 4 years ago. My dental society's executive director referred me to her when I found myself in the midst of a very sensitive HR issue. I called Debbie and she assisted me over the phone - on the spot. After the call she faxed an article that supported her advice within 5 minutes of speaking with her. Following her suggestions the "crisis" was resolved in days. I circled back to her a year later as I encountered more challenging issues: getting a grip on my budget, addressing staff dynamics and implementing new protocols. I was unsure of how much I would "sign up for" but after meeting her she helped me to prioritize -we decided to focus on the annual budget planning. Spending a number of hours 1:1 with Debbie and seeing the wealth of knowledge she held - and in so many areas (that I was in need of!) - I found myself wanting more and more time with her. It was only a matter of months where I signed up to work with her in a more comprehensive consulting basis.
We now have monthly staff meetings, I have meetings with just Debbie and I also meet with her and my accounts manager to plan budgets. Debbie is very flexible and we often focus on the current issues of the practice. She tailors to my needs - to the growth or sometimes lack there of, of the practice. I can't see how I would have gotten to where I am without her, evolving into a more productive and efficient office than ever before. Her mind is always reeling and from this she provides different perspectives that have helped me come to a greater understanding of my career. She has an in-depth knowledge of not only the dental industry in our region of California but also across the nation where she has many other clients. It is nice to have a benchmark and know where I stand in relation to others in my business and more importantly to incorporate those systems that have been proven to be a success in other offices and she has helped me adopt them into my business while customizing them to my office's culture.
It is for all of these reasons that I asked Debbie to be a 2016 speaker at the Marin Dental Society and she graciously accepted and had one of the most attended meetings of the year. Finally I just adore her. I find her a person of integrity, kind and honest, interesting and fun. I enjoy my time with her.
Dr. Ana Arango Alexandria, VA
I approached Debbie because I acquired a practice and never had a professional transition from the owner. For that reason I had a lot of budget and planning issues with my dental office.
Debbie helped me by listening and analyzing my situation and based on that, she gave me a very professional diagnosis and the alternatives I had to rescue my practice! The most valuable tool she gave me was the year planning. It was awesome for the first time since I had my dental practice, to know what was my exact overhead and to have a goal that makes sense considering a break even number and how to make it profitable. She helped me to plan not only the budget, but the time I spent in the practice. She calculated for me how many days during the year I had to work in order to meet my goals and have less stress. The result was that now after two years of working with Debbie Castagna, I have a clear plan with my business, I have goals that I‘ve been able to achieve and exceed! I now have great knowledge of my practice and have made very important decisions that have directly impacted me and my practice. I would recommend Debbie to any Dentist who needs to have control of their dental office overhead and learn how to have a budget that will take you to a new level!
Dr. Julie Tran Alexandria, VA
An extraordinary coach is one that brings you to the next level and helps you attain goals and implement systems that at one point, felt impossible. Debbie has been my one and only extraordinary dental coach—and what I learn spills over into my life outside my practice. I was honored to have her guidance when I was an associate. When I purchased my own practice, her systems provide a strong foundation for practice success. Having her as a coach has taken my team and practice to the top of the mountain. Our meetings are more effective, our flow is smoother, the hiring process is streamlined and our production went up by $200,000 after a year of coaching. I have learned to love our annual budget meeting—and that had not been my favorite thing!
With Coach Castagna, we will continue to learn and thrive and deliver people-centered dentistry. Attention all dentists—she’s mine but we can share!
