Road to Leadership: Dr. Ron Mito, Class of 1976
Dr. Ron Mito, Class of 1976, GPR '77
Former Executive Associate Dean for Academic Personnel
For many individuals, an experience or person influenced them to pursue a certain path. In Dr. Ronald Mito’s case, it was a dentist from his hometown who turned a traumatic restorative experience into a focus to pursue dentistry. There were multiple events and conversations along the way that led Ron to an academic leadership position, most currently as the executive associate dean for academic programs and personnel. After 40 years of service to the dental school, Ron is retiring from this position and reflects on the life-changing ‘sentinel’ events that steered him along the way.
At 8 years old, Ronald Mito found out the hard way about how teeth were drilled and filled. After enduring a trip to a dentist, who used a drill powered by cords and pulleys with no anesthesia, his mother then took him to a younger dentist with more modern techniques. This younger dentist went on to act as Ron’s mentor throughout his adolescence and college years, and greatly influenced his decision to become a dentist.
“I knew I wanted to be a dentist at 8 years old,” said Ron. “I never wavered from that goal once. But, I also never thought I’d end up where I’m at now. It was a series of sentinel events that led me here.”
Ron grew up in a small town in Northern California, and at 12 years old began working for his father at his gas station. “I learned a lot of valuable life lessons pumping gas and cleaning windows,” said Ron. “Professionalism, customer service, and the importance and pursuit of education were principles that were ingrained in my character at a young age.”
Ron’s father was an instrumental figure in his life, and he followed his advice by choosing to go to U.C. Davis. It turned out to be a good choice. Among other things, he credits the university with providing a strong basic science education.
“In college, I learned that education isn’t about remembering every fact, it’s more about remembering the value of the information and the ability to relearn it,” said Ron. “It’s more about the concepts than the details.”
While classic rock, the Vietnam War, and the draft lottery were at their peak, Ron graduated with a Bachelor’s degree with honors in Biological Sciences and began applying to dental school. In 1972, he entered the UCLA School of Dentistry.
UCLA’s dental school wasn’t even 10 years old at that point, but the School had already built a good reputation for integrating basic science into clinical practice. “I loved dental school from the very beginning, but it wasn’t until I began treating patients that my love for providing a service to people came full circle,” reflected Ron. “The customer service skills I learned 15 years prior at my family’s gas station came back to help me.”
Ron graduated from the UCLA School of Dentistry in 1976 and went onto pursue a General Practice Residency certificate from the UCLA Hospital, which he completed in 1977. All through undergraduate school, dental school, and residency, Ron had plans to go back to Watsonville to take over the practice of his professional mentor. But after a long, introspective conversation with this mentor and friend, he came to the conclusion that his skills and training would be better suited for the larger population in Los Angeles.
After his postgraduate training and some prompting from a well-known medical anesthesiologist, Dr. Gerald Allen, Ron partnered with colleague, Dr. Joseph Chang, who had recently opened a private practice. They built one of the first practices in the country where the dentists, in conjunction with dental anesthesiologists, would provide treatment to patients under general anesthesia in their office. This was a novel concept at the time.
At first, the anesthesia was used for more complex cases, such as multiple restorations and surgical procedures. But, Ron and his partner began applying it for patients suffering from severe dental anxiety and phobia.
“We built a practice based on the management of fear,” said Ron. “We had people coming from all over the country to have dental treatment performed while under anesthesia. But, I realized that we were creating a population of people dependent on us who wouldn’t see anyone else.”
Ron felt he needed to approach dental anxiety with an alternative method and engaged Dr. Ken Mazey, a clinical psychologist, to help assess the patients and teach them coping skills and strategies through cognitive behavioral therapy. Through this process, they developed a rating system of fear and coping strategies, which are still used today.
While he was in private practice, Ron held a part-time faculty appointment at UCLA, and then in 1984 he was recruited for a full-time teaching position as an adjunct assistant professor by Dr. John Beumer. He taught hospital dentistry, directed the General Practice Residency, and became the Director of the Dental Fear and Anxiety Center. In 1986, he received a call from the dean of the UCLA School of Dentistry, who asked him if he would serve as the chair of Hospital Dentistry.
“That was another one of those sentinel events that changed my career path,” said Ron. “It was one of the first academic leadership positions I held and would kick-off my years of administrative service at UCLA.”
Over the years, Ron was asked to take on more and more responsibility. He served the School in several capacities, including associate dean for administration, associate dean for student affairs, and associate dean for clinical dental sciences. In 2011, he was appointed to his current position, in charge of all academic programs and faculty positions, and in 2015 was promoted to executive associate dean – a position second only to the dean of the school. Over the years Ron has served with five Deans, however the last 18 years were under Dr. No-Hee Park.
After he retires, Ron will continue working part-time for the dental school as a special assistant to Dean Paul Krebsbach, helping in any way he can. Through the many roles Ron has held, the valuable life and professional lessons he’s learned have helped pave his road to leadership and professional fulfillment.
Q and A with Ron Mito
Question: You are an alumnus of the UCLA School of Dentistry. What does that mean to you, and what is your advice for recent D.D.S. graduates trying to build their career?
Answer: I have a tremendous sense of pride and respect for the education I received at UCLA and for the people who trained me. Dental school can be overwhelming, and there’s a tendency to be worn down by the process, so you may not fully appreciate the value of your education until you are practicing and treating patients. Rigor can be mistaken for obstacles, but it exists to ensure the quality of education, safety, and compliance. Also, you should plan to continually learn and retrain yourself throughout your career.
Q: You have been a faculty member at the dental school for 40+ years. What do you feel has been your most impactful work?
A: Being able to mentor students has by far been the most fun and fulfilling part of my tenure. Students have a hunger for knowledge and experiences, and they sincerely want to help patients. Students, in general, have a bigger vision than just doing dental treatment. They want to impact the people they touch and most of them want to give back in some way.
Q: How do you deal with difficult decisions?
A: My advice is to take the emotion out of a situation. When you are faced with a difficult situation, you need to slow down, be contemplative, and ‘think grey.’ Be deliberative and make a decision based on facts and hearing all sides of a story. It’s rare that any decision needs to be made today.
Q: What are some of your life mottos that have helped you succeed?
A: Don’t rush to judgement about people. Learn to understand the other person’s perspective. It’s okay to agree to disagree. It’s not about winning, it’s about making a good decision.
Q: How long has the road been to the Dean’s Suite?
A: I never had that on my road map or a desire to be in the Dean’s Suite. As mentors, you must reach out to quality people and encourage them to take on new responsibilities. It’s a professional responsibility for leaders to cultivate future leaders, whether or not they are seeking it. I’ve always been lucky to have people ask me to be in leadership positions. It goes back to those sentinel events where you have to pick a road. As Ron’s father would always say, “when given a choice, pick”.
Q: There is currently a scholarship campaign being established to honor your dedication to the betterment of UCLA Dentistry, which will award student dentists who display excellence in professionalism, leadership, and service. What does this mean to you?
A: When I learned that Dr. Joan Otomo-Corgel, my UCLA classmate and friend, agreed to champion a scholarship in my honor, I was in total shock. What a surprise to learn of this effort, which includes support from Dean Paul Krebsbach, as well as committee members Drs. Carol Bibb, Tom Rauth, Steve Okamoto and Mitra Simanian. I have tried to be a role model for students in professionalism, leadership, and service and having a scholarship named after me that recognizes these qualities is absolutely my greatest professional recognition.