An interview with Mario Polo

Dental Press J Orthod. 2017 Nov-Dec;22(6):14-24 14 How to cite: Polo M, Artese F, Seixas M, Rivera VLA, Mucha N. An interview with Mario Polo. Dental Press J Orthod. 2017 Nov-Dec;22(6):14-24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/2177-6709.22.6.014-024.int Submitted: September 09, 2017 Revised and accepted: September 22, 2017. I got acquainted to Dr. Mario Polo a couple of years ago through Dr. Mucha, who forwarded me an e-mail of Dr. Polo in which he demonstrated interest in sharing his knowledge on Botox treatment for gummy smiles in São Paulo, on a trip where he was accompanying his son. I thought that was an invaluable opportunity and arranged together with the Brazilian Association of Orthodontics in São Paulo an adequate lecture opportunity for him, which unfortunately I could not attend to, but was extremely appreciated by the attendees. We did finally meet personally in San Francisco during an AAO Meeting, where I could certify myself of Dr. Polo’s enthusiasm for his profession and great contribution for the specialty of Orthodontics. Dr. Mario Polo was born in a small suburb of San Juan, Puerto Rico. After attending the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine in San Juan, he continued his studies at the University of Texas School of Dentistry, where he received a Master of Science degree and specialty certificates in Pediatric Dentistry and in Orthodontics. Now in practice for 40 years, 20 of which he has been providing orthodontic and cosmetic treatment to participants of several international beauty pageants, he also is an Assistant Professor at the Postgraduate Department of Orthodontics of the University of Puerto Rico. Esthetics has always been his passion, both surgical and non-surgical / orthodontic. He has presided several local and national dental and orthodontic associations, and in 2011 was awarded the prestigious Gerald A. Devlin Award by the Middle Atlantic constituency of the American Association of Orthodontists. Sometimes referred to as “The Father of Botox in Dentistry”, his life made a big change in 2001 with his idea and eventual research about using Botox for smile improvement, something that gave rise to multiple international publications and presentations. Recently, he published a textbook chapter in Sergio Kahn’s textbook “Sorriso Gengival” and is currently working in the editing on a textbook on Botox as related to smile esthetics. He is a reviewer in several international orthodontic and plastic surgery journals. Dr. Polo has been married for 45 years, is the father of two sons (a neurointerventional surgeon in Houston, TX and a digital-media producer with National Geographic in Washington, DC), grandfather of three boys, and anxiously waiting for a granddaughter. In his free time, Dr. Polo enjoys nautical navigation, deep-sea fishing, and traveling. I hope you enjoy reading this interview and can appreciate Botox as an alternative treatment for excessive gingival exposure in smiling.