An interview with Leopoldino Capelozza Filho

Dione do VALE, Laurindo Zanco FURQUIM, Omar Gabriel da SILVA FILHO, Susana Maria Deon RIZZATTO, Terumi Okada OZAWA

I was invited to introduce Prof. Leopoldino Capelozza Filho’s interview under a rather unfortunate circumstance. One of his greatest friends and scientific partners, Prof. Omar Gabriel da Silva Filho, was supposed to do so, but soon after receiving his questions, a health problem no longer allowed him to undertake this task. But with the grace of God he will soon resume his work and enjoy this historic participation. As regards our illustrious respondent of this issue’s interview, I am sure that many of his friends (and they are many) - had they been invited in my stead - would inevitably feel burdened by the responsibility of introducing “Dr. Dino, “ as he is fondly nicknamed. And they would all ask if such introduction was indeed necessary. It is estimated that over 3,000 copies of his book have been sold, including a best-seller published by Dental Press. Furthermore, this indefatigable master is poised to launch a new book with further innovations, focusing on his concept of an individualized orthodontics, which is at once realistic and minimalist, and according to which—were I to paraphrase him—“minimum can mean maximum.” Early in my training I was privileged to have Prof. Capelozza as one of my key mentors in Orthodontics. So I feel I am in a position to attest to the character, personal and scientific honesty, and common sense of this undisputed master. I had the chance to learn and awaken to a more open-minded orthodontic approach given his vast experience and his scientific criteria. He spearheaded this approach, based on patients’ morphology, and it has long been his unique diagnostic and treatment method. During the years I spent in residency at the Department of Orthodontics of “Centrinho” (HRAC-USP, Bauru), I was also able to keep track of his influential and clear minded performance in his daily struggle to enhance the outcomes of cleft patient treatment with the support of the entire Centrinho team. Countless lines would be needed to describe the impact of his views on the current behavior of Brazilian orthodontists, built over 30 years of orthodontic practice. Starting with his former students, like myself, who today closes ranks on the educational “front” and continues to convey my concepts in the training of new professionals, right down to the new orthodontists, who may have the golden opportunity to start a career very soon. Dino has benefitted us all. Those who know him well also know that a lot more could said of this ingenious friend. In this interview one can grasp a bit of Prof. Leopoldino Capelozza Filho’s lucid reasoning as he walks the reader through his treatment of cleft patients and his orthodontic practice, affording insights into compensatory treatment in all three planes (vertical, anteroposterior and transverse). Interviewers included the following distinguished colleagues: Dr. Omar Gabriel da Silva Filho, Prof. Terumi Okada, Prof. Laurindo Furquim, Prof. Suzana Rizzato and Prof. Dione Vale. Readers can expect to be enthralled by this fertile and unmissable chat with Dino as if they were talking personally with this unique icon of the orthodontic world. Good reading! Adilson Luiz Ramos

Saturday, April 20, 2024 00:19