In a community where excellence is the expectation, LVL Orthodontics is raising the bar on what patients can expect from orthodontic care. Led by board-certified orthodontist Dr. Diana-Beatrix Velicu Gardner, the Highland Park practice blends advanced technology with a highly personalized, concierge-style approach. The result is a patient experience that feels every bit as elevated as the smiles it creates.
"At LVL, I've always believed patients deserve to be treated as a whole person, not a set of teeth," Dr. Velicu says. "They want a provider who understands their timeline, their goals, and their life circumstances—and builds a plan around that. That's the standard I hold myself to with every patient who sits in our chair."
A Concierge Approach to Smile Design
From the very first visit, patients experience a level of care designed around convenience, accessibility, and personalization rather than lengthy wait times and standardized treatment plans. "It means patients get expert-level care without the usual friction," Dr. Velicu says. "Same-week consultations instead of six-week waits, direct access to our team rather than a phone tree, and treatment plans built around each patient's actual life, not a one-size-fits-all script."
Patients leave their first appointment with a digital simulation of their future smile, offering a preview of what’s possible before making a commitment. “Whether it's straightforward Invisalign or something more complex, every patient gets board-certified precision, delivered in a way that feels unhurried and personal, the way a five-star experience should,” she shares.
That emphasis on precision has defined Dr. Velicu's career from the very beginning. A graduate of Romania's prestigious Carol Davila University, she completed her orthodontic residency and earned her master's degree at UCLA, where she served as chief resident. Before pursuing orthodontics, she also competed as an Olympic skier—a background she says continues to guide her work today.
"Skiing at that level teaches you something you can't learn any other way—that precision isn't optional, it's everything," she says. "A fraction of an inch, a split second, and the outcome changes entirely. I carry that same standard into treatment planning."
Innovation with Intention
At LVL, innovation begins with a simple question: How can the patient experience be improved? "Staying current isn't about chasing trends—it's about making sure every advancement we bring in genuinely makes the experience better for the person sitting in the chair," Dr. Velicu says.
One example is C5 Hidden Orthodontics, for which LVL is the exclusive Dallas provider. "Discretion matters deeply here," Dr. Velicu says. "Many of our patients are professionals, parents balancing full lives, or people who simply don't want treatment to be the first thing others notice. That's a big part of why we brought C5 Hidden Orthodontics to Dallas, and why I've built our clear aligner protocols around precision and discretion."
Placed behind the teeth, the system allows patients to straighten their smiles without visible wires. Alongside advanced clear aligners and treatment options like MARPE—which can help certain patients avoid more invasive procedures—LVL offers solutions that are tailored to modern lifestyles.
As treatment options have become more subtle and lifestyle-friendly, Dr. Velicu says it's no surprise that more adults are pursuing orthodontic care than ever before. “Adults today see orthodontic treatment less as something you ‘should have done as a kid’ and more as an investment in how they show up in the world now,” she says. “When the options are this discreet and this comfortable, there's really nothing holding them back anymore.”
For Dr. Velicu, however, the most meaningful transformations aren't measured in perfectly aligned teeth. "What I remember most isn't the teeth," she says. "It's the moment someone stops covering their mouth when they laugh."
"What I remember most isn't the teeth," she says. "It's the moment someone stops covering their mouth when they laugh."