Profiles in Partnership: Carol & Bill Pilmer and Dr. Sussi Yamaguchi: Partnership Helps Solve Lab's Personnel Problem

At five-person R Dental Ceramics in Solana Beach, CA, staff members often become like family to Co-Owners Carol and Bill Pilmer. Case in point: their relationship with Dr. Sussi Yamaguchi, who was applying to dental school when she worked at the laboratory in 2002.

Although she worked in the lab for less than a year, she and the Pilmers became very close, often spending time together outside of the lab. “When she was accepted into dental school, I think she called me before her mom!” laughs Carol.

Today, Dr. Yamaguchi is the Clinic Director of the University of California San Diego Student-Run Free Dental Clinics—to which the Pilmers donate one free C&B case per month—and she now works closely with the Pilmers to help solve one of their toughest business problems: finding qualified help.

The Pilmers like to hire and train pre-dental students—Carol calls them “sponges”...