From Olympic Skier to Practice Owner with Dr. Diana B. Velicu Gardner

In this episode of the GC Orthodontics Exchange, host Dr. Antonino Secchi sits down with Dr. Diana B. Velicu Gardner, owner of LVL Orthodontics in Dallas. Before orthodontics, Diana spent years competing for the Romanian national ski team, and that same discipline carried her through dental school in Bucharest, a move to the US for orthodontic residency, and eventually practice ownership. It's a conversation about reinvention, resilience, and building something of your own. Episode Highlights: • Training for years on the Romanian national ski team before pursuing orthodontic residency at UCLA • Immigrating to the US and building a new life in Dallas • Taking over LVL Orthodontics and growing it into a thriving practice in just over a year • Keeping TADs and MARPEs treatment in-house, and her go-to system in GC EXPERIENCE rhodium • Balancing practice ownership with life outside the office Not every path to practice ownership looks the same, and Dr. Velicu Gardner is proof. If you're building something of your own, regardless of your starting point, this episode is worth the listen.