Bookpleasures.com welcomes as our guest,  Wall Street Journal  best-selling author,  The Smile Dr.  (also known as Dr. Richard Castellano MD, in day-to-day life) and author of  The Smile Prescription.

Dr. Castellano is an experienced facial rejuvenation artist, innovator and. As the Founder/Medical Director of ImageLift® Dr. Castellano has performed over 10,000 laser and cosmetic treatments, making him one of the most sought after facial plastic surgeons in the U.S. today.

Dr. Castellano has made hundreds of live appearances including guest interviews on The Daily Buzz, FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS, and numerous other media outlets.    

Norm: Good day Dr. Castellano and thanks for participating in our interview.

What is a facial rejuvenation artist and how and why did you become interested in plastic surgery? As a follow up, what is ImageLift®?

Dr. C -  ImageLift is the art of looking younger ( In today’s world, people treat us differently based on appearances and based on how young or how old they think we are.  We are also treated differently based on how much or how little we smile.

My primary job is to help people SMILE more, and if they want to look younger, I can do that as well.  And if they want to look any younger than that, they just have try ACTING younger!  Smiling is the most attractive thing we can do with our face, and there is nothing a plastic surgeon can do that will ever look as good as mother nature’s free facelift… a genuine smile!

Norm: Could you briefly tell our readers what  The Smile Prescription  is all about?

Dr. C - The Smile Prescription is based on science and research. It has proven that smiling is a skill. A language. It’s a muscle that must be developed. The fact is, most people are living as smile weaklings. Smiling is healthy for our mind, body and sex-life.  The Smile Prescription involves a series of activities and exercises that anyone can do to improve the quality of their life and their relationships through the power of smiling!

As The Smile Dr., I love sharing this with others and bringing JOY back into their lives.  Just flip the switch, make someone else smile, and see what it does!  We have the science, results, and joy to prove it.  When you understand this, and convince yourself how powerful it is to smile, you’ll love it.

Norm: What motivated you to write the book  and  what were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?  

Dr. C - The book was written for my family and my patients and for me to give back in a powerful way! I love to see people smile, especially my family, friends, and patients. And I feel compelled to help the world smile more. 

The world will be a better place when people smile more frequently and more genuinely.  It’s harder to spread negativity, anger, and violence when you’re smiling, Every day we are bombarded with so much negativity, anger, and violence as it is - I absolutely believe anything we can do to turn it around will be powerful!

Norm: Why is your smile one of the healthiest exercises your body can perform?

Dr. C - Research has proven that we can live up to 7 years longer, it lowers our stress levels and increases endorphins and serotonin, and, strange but true, smiling predicts longevity of marriage. Being sociable supports mental health and it all starts with a smile.  Smiling is the best way to build your personal and professional network.  Smiling, feels good, looks good, and is good for you!

Norm: In your publicity concerning your book it is indicated that  smiling people make more money & have more sex.  Would you care to explain?

Dr. C - We live in a world where the very nature of “change" has changed.  Success leaves clues.  When you study the most successful people, you will find a common theme that they tend to smile more and their actions and behaviors encourage smiling in those they live and work with. 

First impressions are crucial in relationships and business success, and smiling makes great first impressions.  It is well researched and documented that married couples have more sex than unmarried couples and singles.  Smiling and intimacy in our relationships go hand in hand!

Norm: Are there any particular exercises that we should do pertaining to the way we smile?

Dr. C - YES!  The Smile Challenge is the easiest way to start.  Everyone that you see, share a smile with them and see if you can get them to smile back at you!  It’ll lift their day and your day.  If you do the Smile Challenge correctly, it might feel a little funny at first… BUT with practice, it will start feeling natural and become second nature.  Find a Smile Buddy and get them to help you with the challenge! Start by taking selfies together and send them to a friend you want to smile. Learn this and HAVE FUN!

Norm: What was the most difficult part of writing this book and what did you enjoy most about writing this book?  

Dr. C - The most difficult part in writing this book was finding time in between taking care of my patients, and juggling quality time with my family.  As a doctor, I am a stickler for science. 

A lot of research and effort went into how powerful the simple act of smiling truly makes in our lives.  Once I had the facts on how powerful smiling really is, the book practically started writing itself.  It excited me so much to share this with my family, friends and patients… it kept me up late at night and got me up early in the morning.  Because I absolutely believe The Smile Prescription is the answer to making the world a better place.

Norm: What is the biggest thing that people THINK they know about your subject/genre, that isn't so? As a follow up, what is the most important thing that people DON'T know about your subject/genre, that they need to know?

Dr. C It’s very challenging for people to practice “conscious smiling” and we often elicit the help of alcohol, drugs or hours of mindless TV to feel good.  When we discover we can have this anytime we choose, it is very freeing and entertaining! 

What is the most important thing people don’t know?  That they can develop their smile as much as they choose.  Anyone can have a winning, megawatt smile, if you convince yourself to practice and be present with your smile.  We can make our smile as bright as we want it to be!

Norm: What process did you go through to get your book published?  

Dr. C  I worked with book agent, Bruce Barbour, and he helped guide and cultivate the idea for The Smile Prescription.  I also had assistance from my editor and co-creator, Thom McFadden, the Coach to the Stars and studied the most effective and successful personal development leaders of our time:  Tony Robbins, Oprah, Steven Covey, Wayne Dyer, Brendon Burchard, Jeff Walker, Deepak Chopra, and even Joel Osteen. 

Their inspiration helped channel my message in a way that others can understand.  After I wrote, rewrote, and then rewrote another dozen times, we finally agreed the book was ready to share with the world!

Norm: With your busy practice, how do you find or make time to write?  

Dr. C  It fills me up to find new ways to smile and help other people smile more, so I make the time to live and teach The Smile Prescription. I would like to add that my wife is the woman of my dreams, and she and my family have supported me through late hours, out of town travel, and in listening to me talk nonstop about smiling (  I continue to work after the kids have gone to bed, this is my mission in life, this is my dream to smile and help others to smile.  I have dealt with mental illness in my family, and I have had depression myself, and I know what it is like not to smile. 

I will never let myself get there again, I am a smiloholic, and I am totally addicted to feeling good, helping others, and creating as much value as I can in life!

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about you and  The Smile Prescription?

Norm: What is next for Dr. Rich?

Dr. C  We are currently setting up interviews and making contacts with the media around the country.  I am also lecturing across the country to health-care providers on the therapeutic benefits of physicians smiling more for patients.  As we continue to spread the word, we will share the of The Smile Prescription by offering seminars and keynote speeches to share this most unique and important message!

Norm: What question do you wish that someone would ask about your book, but nobody has?  

Dr. C How can I stop smiling so much, my face hurts, I am so happy, I literally am bursting with Joy and I don’t know what to do with myself??  Can you help me Dr. Rich, the Smile Dr.?

Norm: Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors