Determined Entrepreneur: Dr. Jay Parehk

Billy Bruce


    He's never ridden a bull named Fu Manchu or climbed the Rocky Mountains, but skydiving isn’t out of the question, nor is anything else most people would consider dangerous. He’s also awesome at straightening teeth and providing amazing customer service.
    On Mother’s Day in 2007, three years after the release of Tim McGraw’s mega-hit “Live Like You Were Dying” and two months after earning his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree, then 30-year-old Dr. Jay Parekh suddenly found himself living the lyrics. “I’d been married nine months,” he said. “My life was just getting started.”
    Intense back pain forced his wife Lindsay to rush Parekh to the emergency room. A 10 centimeter grapefruit-sized mass that eventually expanded to 15 centimeters was growing in his pelvis. He was diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer, and given a year-and-a-half to live.
    Let’s rewind for a moment. After graduating at age 16 from Permian High School in Odessa, Texas, (yes, "Friday Night Lights" fans, he went to THAT school) Parekh earned a degree in biochemistry from Texas Christian University and completed dental school at the Texas A&M Baylor College of Dentistry. He then traveled north to complete his residency at The Ohio State University. “I was single and figured it would be good to go to a Big Ten school,” he laughed. “I had a dog and he was willing to travel.”
    Following his residency, Parekh took a job at a dental practice in Dayton where he was introduced to a co-worker’s daughter, whom he described alternately as “hot” and “the woman of my dreams.” He and Lindsay married in the summer of 2006 and began the process of building a practice in Mason, Ohio. Then the cancer struck and his dreams quickly crumbled. Medical bills poured in. Financial problems mounted. He was forced to quit working due to an intense chemotherapy regimen.
    Enter Dr. Eric Hickman, a local dentist who contacted Parekh in 2009 about coming to Portsmouth to work. Hickman purchased a practice in Portsmouth from longtime local dentist Dr. Charles Wilson in 2006 and later purchased an Ashland, Ky, office. Parekh accepted, commuting daily for seven years via private plane from his home in Mason. “My daughter (McKenzie) was in school,” he said of his unusual daily commutes. “I’d already moved her to Cincinnati and didn’t want to move her again.”
    Enter God. “At first, I was pretty negative,” Parekh said of his cancer diagnosis and journey to recovery. “Then I just put my problems in God’s hands and everything started getting better. At one point, faith is pretty much all we had. My wife thought I was crazy because I was so positive.” In 2012, back on his feet financially and in remission from cancer, Parekh purchased both dental offices from Hickman and renamed them Brace Yourself Orthodontics. Four years of peace and prosperity ensued as he built a reputation as a leader in orthodontic surgery, specializing in straightening teeth while using high-end equipment and advanced procedures to ensure diagnostic accuracy. Then, in 2016, his nephrologist delivered another blow. “The chemo and radiation caused my kidneys to fail,” he said. “I needed a transplant.”
    Enter Kelly McDaniel, an Ashland native with a heart for helping others. “Kelly didn’t know me,” Parekh said, adding that McDaniel's husband had donated a kidney to her mother years prior. “She always wanted to give back.” And she certainly did. After multiple people were tested, McDaniel proved to be the best match for Parekh. The ensuing transplant was successful.
    Since receiving McDaniel's selfless gift three years ago, Parekh, who now lives in Ashland and drives his car to work like the rest of us, practices in both the Ashland and Portsmouth offices every week, rotating days in each location. His 11 staff members follow him from office to office and, judging by the jovial atmosphere in his Portsmouth office on the day of his interview, thoroughly enjoy having fun while they care for patients.  The fun starts at the top. Treatment Coordinator Sherry See, Dr. Wilson's daughter, has worked in the field her entire life. “He's a great boss,” See said of Parekh. “He's a great friend. He's great to his staff.”
    Ironton resident Stephanie Bias shared glowing praise for “Dr. Jay” and all of the Brace Yourself staff, from their kindness and humor to their efficiency. Her two children have been in Parekh's care since February. “No kid wants to go to the dentist,” she said. “But from the moment you walk in the door till the moment you leave, it's actually fun. They explain everything so a child can understand. They treat everyone like family.”
    When asked if the cancer scare altered his perspectives, Dr. Parekh laughed, which he seems to do often. “I used to save everything for a rainy day, but now I seize the opportunity. I want to enjoy life while I'm young and relatively healthy.”
    According to Bias, he's managed to share that joy with his staff and patients. “I highly recommend them to anyone,” she said. “It's a phenomenal experience.”
    When was the last time you enjoyed going to the dentist?