Since graduating from VCU School of Dentistry, Julia Giardina, D.D.S., M.S.D., has been making waves in her beloved community of Harrisonburg, Virginia. It’s a mutual love in a town where “everybody knows your name”, according to Giardina. 

Despite being early in her career, Giardina has already achieved an impressive list of accomplishments. She is the owner of Giardina Orthodontics, serves as the senior director on the board of the Virginia Association of Orthodontists, and is a recognized philanthropist and supporter in her community.

Dentistry wasn’t always the plan for Giardina. In fact, she originally felt drawn to physical therapy. What she did know was that she wanted to help others and utilize her science and research skills in her profession.

“I was always passionate about health and wellness,” she said. “Then I ended up shadowing a dentist and I saw how it combined healthcare with artistry and technology. I get excited as I envision the final smile transformation before we begin, and nerd out with the different ways we can explore physics and biomechanics in patient care. This is especially true in orthodontics, which beautifully combines all of my passions.”

Originally hailing from Southwest Florida, Giardina received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Florida. After graduation, she found herself moving from tropical Florida to the more mild Virginia, and met this change with a sense of purpose.

“I was excited to be at VCU because of the nationally-renowned faculty and the opportunities that I would have here in coursework and research,” Giardina said.

After completing dental school in 2019, Giardina felt drawn to a residency program in orthodontics. She recalled interviewing at over 10 schools around the country for her orthodontics residency. However, she ultimately chose to keep VCU and Richmond as her home for another two years for the school’s offerings of didactic and clinical courseload.

Completing her residency at VCU also gave her the opportunity to work closely with Steven Lindauer, D.M.D., M.D.Sc., and Bhavna Shroff, D.D.S., M.Dent.Sc., M.P.A., Eser Tufecki, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., M.S.H.A., and who she had admired for their dedication to their residents and their acclaimed research in the field. Giardina also noted the mentorship of Parthasarathy A. Madurantakam, D.D.S., M.D.S., Ph.D..

“Drs. Lindauer, Shroff and Tufecki are so acclaimed and well-known in the field of orthodontics, I wanted to have the opportunity to learn from and do research with them,” Giardina said. “I was able to really learn and grow with their guidance.”

As an orthodontic resident, Giardina conducted research on screening tools for evaluating pediatric obstructive sleep apnea in orthodontic patients. She worked closely with her mentor, Tufecki. Years later, she continues to incorporate her findings and her research skills into her own practice.

“Research pushes you to learn so much about a topic that might be important to you or your patients. The whole point of higher education is to learn and then go to your community to share that knowledge,” Giardina said. “You dive into something and learn to understand it really well; and those are skills and knowledge that you can apply to other areas of your practice.”

After completing her residency, Giardina had the opportunity to purchase a long-standing orthodontic practice in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It was not only an extraordinary chance to establish herself as an orthodontist and be a leader, but also to finally end long-distance with her husband. The couple had been together since meeting at the University of Florida, but had to spend three years living apart while finishing different academic programs.

It was in Harrisonburg that the couple were able to start their careers, with Giardina in orthodontics and her husband in chiropractic, and start a family as well. Giardina described the small town of Harrisonburg as being the “perfect” place for them to grow their professions and their family.

“It feels like ‘Cheers’, where everyone knows your name,” Giardina said. “I love going anywhere and seeing people I know, whether they’re patients, business owners we’ve worked with, or coaches of teams we’ve supported. Everyone is so kind and so welcoming; it’s a very close-knit community.”

Now with one 20 month-old son and a dog, Jerry, they have made Harrisonburg a true home. For all that the town has given their family, they have made it their mission to give back.

Choosing to focus their efforts on supporting children’s education, Giardina created a scholarship for high school students in Harrisonburg to use towards undergraduate studies. They also financially support local children’s organizations, ranging from sports teams to theater productions to high-level sponsorships for the local children’s museum.

“Education is a core part of my identity,” Giardina said. “I believe so strongly in its importance and it is why I am where I am. I want to give other people the opportunity to pursue a higher education and have the resources to chase their passions.”

The family also supports Blue Ridge Casa, (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for Children, a nonprofit organization that advocates for abused and neglected children in the region. The organization recruits, screens, trains, and supports volunteer CASAs who serve as the voice for children in court proceedings and help ensure they are placed in safe and permanent homes.

Helping animals is another one of Giardina’s passions. She and her husband are heavily involved in supporting the Rockingham SPCA, with her husband serving on the organization’s board. In addition, the family’s dog, Jerry, keeps patients company and provides comfort and fun at her practice.

To Giardina, being a dentist and orthodontist is not only about helping patients achieve healthy smiles, but about using her skills and resources to help her community on a broader scope.

“Support the people who have supported you,” Giardina said. “As healthcare providers, we are valued and loved by our communities, and I want to show that back. It’s not transactional, but rather a mutual support of each other.”

For her efforts, Giardina was recently named to the 2025 Daily News-Record’s Top 15 under 50 in Harrisonburg. She was nominated due to her significant achievements, leadership, and contributions in her professional field and dedication to the Harrisonburg community and beyond. She was previously honored with the Daily News-Record’s 10 Under 40 award in 2023.

“It’s an honor to be recognized in this way and also appreciated by my community,” Giardina said.