GC Orthodontics Exchange

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.

In this episode of the GC Orthodontics Exchange, host Dr. Antonino Secchi sits down with Dr. Ed Davis, an orthodontist practicing in Columbia, South Carolina, for a conversation that moves from career origin story to national advocacy work.

Dr. Davis traces his path into the specialty, from childhood orthodontic treatment that hooked him on the puzzle of tooth movement to a dental career shaped by an unexpected mentor: his childhood dentist, who also happened to be his church organist. He talks candidly about the leap from resident to practice owner, buying and building two offices at once while waiting on South Carolina's licensing timeline to catch up.

The conversation then turns to Dr. Davis's leadership work with the AAO and AAO PAC, where he discusses efforts to reduce orthodontic student debt, push for in-person exam and radiograph requirements ahead of patient treatment, and build support for the specialty at the state and federal level.

Episode highlights:
• His path into orthodontics and the mentor who shaped it
• Buying and opening two practices simultaneously as a new grad
• His work with the AAO PAC and current advocacy priorities
• Advice for new grads on debt, DSOs, and living within your means
• Life outside the office, including a decade of summer musical theater with his daughter

From building a practice from the ground up to shaping policy on a national stage, Dr. Davis offers a grounded look at what it takes to build a career and a specialty worth showing up for.

Some episodes you can just feel the energy through the mic. This is one of them. Dr. Antonino Secchi sits down with Jillian Waters and Stephanie Sanchez, two treatment coordinators at Fravel Brewer Orthodontics, who bring serious passion to a role that doesn't get talked about enough.

A few things they get into:
• The paths that brought them to the treatment coordinator role
• The art of translating clinical talk into real-people language, and why being a mom helps
• What to do when a patient says "let me think about it" 
• The misconceptions patients show up with the most
• Creative ways their practice shows up for their community, from volunteering at a food bank and sponsoring kids' fun runs to hosting school field trips right in the practice

This episode is a conversation about the human side of orthodontics, and the people who make patients feel like they're in the right place.

In this episode of the GC Orthodontics Exchange, host Dr. Antonino Secchi sits down with Dr. Michael Pickard, a Canadian-born orthodontist practicing across three locations on the Washington-Idaho border, for a candid conversation about an unconventional path to orthodontics and the clinical philosophy he's built along the way.

Dr. Pickard's journey took him from building roads and competing as a U.S. ballroom dance champion, to a career in petroleum engineering at Exxon, before ultimately finding his way to dental school at UCLA and orthodontic training at Baylor. That engineering mindset never left, and it shows in how he approaches clinical work.

Key highlights from this episode:
• Why Dr. Pickard chose self-ligating brackets from the start and has never looked back, including his wire sequencing philosophy and how he thinks about torque control
• His approach to blending braces and aligners in the same treatment plan, and why that flexibility has opened doors for patients who once said "no" to braces
• How efficiency in orthodontics isn't about speed. It's about quality, smart scheduling, and empowering your team
• The case for (and against) indirect bonding, and how working with models made him a sharper bracket positioner
• Building a three-location practice while protecting work-life balance in a tight-knit university community

Dr. Pickard's story is a reminder that the road to orthodontics looks different for everyone, and that a commitment to quality, whether you're building roads or straightening teeth, makes all the difference. 

Dr. Bryn Cooper is back for her second appearance on the GC Orthodontics Exchange. The Houston-based orthodontist, who opened her practice over a decade ago plasterless, paperless, and fully digital, joins host Michael Wilgus for a deeper dive into the world of digital orthodontics.

In this episode, Dr. Cooper shares her journey from beta-testing 3D printers before the competition existed to running two fully digital practice locations today. She breaks down the clinical realities of indirect bonding and aligners, where each modality shines, and what she's learned from using seven different jig systems throughout her career.

Dr. Cooper also tackles the "efficiency" conversation head-on — pushing back on the idea that reducing appointments is the whole story, and making the case that patient experience has to be part of the equation.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Dr. Cooper went 100% digital from day one and what that looked like before the technology caught up
• The real difference between planning in a digital environment vs. placing brackets chairside
• Where aligners fall short and when braces deliver more predictable results
• How to think about efficiency beyond just chair time and appointment reduction

Whether you're just beginning to explore digital workflows or looking to refine your existing approach, this conversation is packed with honest, practical insights from a clinician who's been doing it longer than most. And if you haven't caught Dr. Cooper's first episode yet, make sure to go back and give it a listen!

In this episode of the GC Orthodontics Exchange, host Dr. Antonino Secchi sits down with two Illinois-based orthodontists, Dr. Bethany Middleton and Dr. Alison Neely, who share a practice and a passion for their work. From winding career paths to clinical philosophy, this conversation is packed with insight for orthodontists at every stage.

In this episode, Drs. Middleton and Neely share:
• Origin Stories: How both doctors made the leap from general dentistry to orthodontics, and the personal sacrifices that made it possible.

• Practice partnership: How Drs. Middleton and Neely found each other and built a multi-doctor, two-location practice in Springfield, Illinois.

• Work-life balance: Why orthodontics offers a unique lifestyle advantage and how that shapes career decisions.

• Clinical philosophy: Their experience transitioning to the CCO System bracket prescription and their standardized wire sequence approach.

• DSO vs. private practice: Honest advice for new graduates navigating a challenging financial landscape.

• Life outside the office: Travel adventures, hobbies, and what keeps them grounded beyond the clinic.

Whether you're a new grad weighing your career options or an experienced clinician curious about the CCO System, this episode offers a candid and inspiring look at life in orthodontics.

What happens when you sell a successful orthodontic practice and decide to start over somewhere new?

In this episode of the GC Orthodontics Exchange podcast, host Dr. Antonino Secchi talks with Dr. Shari Wolsky about her journey from building a thriving practice in Ohio to relocating, rebuilding, and redefining success in Colorado.

In this conversation, Dr. Wolsky shares:
• How an unexpected opportunity led to a major career move
• The realities of selling a practice and starting again
• Lessons learned from consultants, staffing, and practice finances
• How aligners, technology, and longer appointment intervals changed her workflow
• Why private practice still offers unmatched flexibility, especially for women in orthodontics
• Advice for residents and early-career orthodontists choosing between DSOs and ownership

Whether you're a resident contemplating your first position, an associate considering ownership, or an established orthodontist thinking about a fresh start, Dr. Wolsky's journey offers practical wisdom and encouragement to take the leap.

This episode is an honest, encouraging look at growth, risk, and creating a practice that supports both your career and your life.

Join host Michael Wilgus, Regional Sales Manager for GC Orthodontics, as he sits down with Dr. Bryn Cooper, a Houston-based orthodontist, for an inspiring conversation about navigating the modern path to practice ownership.

In this episode, Dr. Cooper shares her unique journey, from secretly taking the DAT as an economics major to opening her own scratch start practice just months out of residency. She candidly discusses the challenges of being a female orthodontist in a male-dominated field, the realities of working for a DSO as a stepping stone, and the vulnerabilities of leadership that nobody prepares you for in dental school.

Key Topics Discussed:
- Why Dr. Cooper chose orthodontics (hint: it wasn't just because of her orthodontist grandfather)
- The changing landscape of DSOs and OSOs for new graduates
- Navigating gender dynamics and expectations as a female practice owner
- The myth of work-life balance and finding what truly matters
- Building a practice from scratch with limited business experience
- Leadership lessons learned the hard way

Whether you're a resident preparing to graduate, an associate considering ownership, or an established orthodontist reflecting on your journey, Dr. Cooper's honest insights and practical wisdom will resonate with you.