Meet Our Team 1

Dr.William Rizzo DMD
(Dr. Bill)

University Of Pittsburgh School Of Dental Medicine

Dr. Rizzo offers all phases of dentistry. He has advanced training in cosmetic procedures including laminate veneers, cosmetic crowns and Invisalign invisible orthodontia. At our office we offer Nitrous Oxide analgesia (laughing gas), to help the more anxious patients. Dr. Rizzo also performs more complex procedures such as wisdom teeth extractions and root canals, alleviating the need to “refer” to specialists, in most cases.

Educated first at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where he obtained a bachelor degree in finance, Dr. William Rizzo then graduated from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Dental Medicine, and chose to complete a one year general-practice residency at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Pittsburgh.

“That was a very rewarding time for me”, Dr. William Rizzo said. “I was given the opportunity to help veterans from World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, and even Desert Storm. My grandfather is a decorated veteran from World War II. He earned the Purple Heart and Silver Star, so I was able to talk with a lot of these men and relay stories about my grandfather as I listened to them. It was a great experience for me.” In addition to the gamut of conditions Dr. William Rizzo faced with such a diverse group of patients, he and the other practitioners conducted frequent health fairs, at which, in one day, they would screen between 300 to 600 people for oral cancer. As a result of early diagnoses, many lives were saved.

Dr. William Rizzo and his wife Tracey relocated to Orlando in 1998, and he began working as an associate dentist in established offices. After gaining practical experience in an office setting, Dr. William Rizzo knew the type of dental practice he wanted to open. He assembled an experienced staff of dental professionals; equipped his office with state-of-the-art technology; established relationships with many major insurance carriers; and transformed the office space into a warm, inviting place where people of all ages could go for high-quality, yet reasonably priced, dental care. Dr. Rizzo has been married to his lovely wife, Tracey, since 2000. They have 3 beautiful daughters, Callie, Reilley and Rymer Jean. Dr. Rizzo is an avid golfer and skier. He also enjoys spending time at the beach with his family.

Meet Our Team 2

Dr. Jeffrey Rizzo DMD
(Dr. Jeff)

University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine

In the office he offers all types of dentistry from simple tooth colored fillings to more complicated procedures such as crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, implants, veneers and Invisalign. Dr. Rizzo enjoys all aspects of general dentistry and he regularly participates in continuing education with a particular emphasis in cosmetic and implant dentistry. When he is not working at the office he enjoys spending time with his wife Lisa and their 2 children Franklin and Mackenzie.

Dr. Jeffrey Rizzo graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, with a degree in Management Science, and he received his dental degree from University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. While in dental school he attended additional externships in maxillofacial prosthodontics and implant dentistry.

Upon graduation, he moved to Central Florida and joined a large multidisciplinary dental practice that had specialists in orthodontics, periodontics, oral surgery and endodontics. It was his day to day interactions with all the different specialists and their teamwork like approach to treatment planning that helped him hone his dental skills in all facets of dentistry.

He worked on patients with basic treatment needs to patients who needed full mouth reconstruction. It is this same approach that he institutes in his day to day interactions with all of his patients.

Melissa Castro ‘Mel’

Office Manager

In 2002 Melissa started her career in dentistry and worked as a Front Desk Receptionist where she was provided the chance to train as a Sterile Technician. This is where her passion for dentistry began. She studied and became an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant. After spending so many years in a clinical role, Melissa decided to return to an administrative role. She gained experience as a Treatment Plan Coordinator, and Trainer. Where she had the opportunity to train over 100 employees. She was also the Hygiene Department Manager and ultimately the Office Manager in 2011. Melissa met the Rizzo brothers in 2006 and decided to join the Rizzo Dental Group family in 2022.

She is happily married, and her family has been living in Central Florida for over 20 years. When she is not working or spending time with her family, she enjoys using her spare time tapping into her artistic nature and creating something special. She enjoys everything from event planning, creating custom gifts to working on pieces of art using mixed media.

Kathy Brennan

Financial Manager

Kathy Brennan is a native Floridian born and raised in Orlando. She attended Valencia Community College and has been working in dentistry for over 18 years as a Front Desk Coordinator/Office Manager and joined Rizzo Dental Group in 2012. Kathy is married to her husband Steve and has two grown children, Katelyn and Mitchel and a grandson. She enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends as well as traveling, watching baseball, hiking and yoga.

Janie Vega

Janie Vega

Dental Hygienist

Janie Vega graduated from Valencia College with an Associate Degree in Applied Science in Dental Hygiene and an Associate in Arts in 2008. She completed her undergraduate studies in St. Petersburg College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science in 2011. She has been in the dental field since 1999, initially as a Front Office Coordinator for two years in New Jersey, and as a Certified Dental Assistant for eight years, six of which were at Rizzo Dental Group. She has been a Registered Dental Hygienist at Rizzo Dental Group since 2008.

Janie takes pleasure in reading, art, and theater. She enjoys traveling and experiencing different cultures with her beautiful daughter, Olivia.

Valerie Harrelson-Polulack

Maria Gutierrez

Dental Hygienist

Maria Gutierrez is from Bogota, Colombia and graduated from dental school at Fundacion Universitaria San Martin in 1996. Maria lived in Chicago for many years and moved to Orlando in 2001. Maria obtained her Dental Hygiene license in 2007.

Maria enjoys the Florida weather and biking on the weekend with friends.

Valerie Harrelson-Polulack

Margarita Lilly

Dental Hygienist

Margarita has been working in the dental industry for over 40 years. She started out as a dental assistant in 1982, worked as an orthodontic assistatnt, and later graduated from Miami-Dade Community College in 1986 with an Associate in Arts degree and in 1989 with an Associate in Science degree. After her boards, she started working in oral surgery in Jackson Memorial in Miami. it was also an honor to work as a civilian hygenist with the Department of Defense in Babenhausen, Germany.

In her spare time, Margarita enjoys working in her garden, playing with her two cats and traveling with her husband.