Today we’d like to introduce you to Brad Jennings.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I joined Dr. Woody Tottenham’s practice in 2004 and purchased his practice in 2006. He had very nice, expensive art from things like Disney or Snoopy which I honestly couldn’t fake my way into having that theme. Lol I tried to think of what kind of office theme reflected me, and the answer was obvious, music. It started out with autographed photos or posters with a couple of my personal guitars on the wall in this tiny little office. In 2013, my practice had exploded, and I desperately needed bigger space to meet demand. This also meant that I could finally design my new office with my Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame theme in mind! Most orthodontists would likely design their orthodontic office with clinical efficiency making up 99% of the design and leaving 1% for cosmetics…not me. My architect and I designed it the other way around from display cases to even the brick wall with concert flyers on it like you’d see in the 80’s.
I made the leap from autographed pictures to actual band owned equipment after I had a life changing event on July 14, 2010. My family was in Destin for vacation. Long story short is that I drowned after going after my 5 year old son and nephew who had been swept out by a rip current. My ER discharge papers said “non-fatal drowning”. That was a life defining moment for me because I could have easily ended up like another dad down the beach who wasn’t as lucky doing the same thing. So how does this segway into my office? After I got home, I realized what “life is too short” actually means. A few days later, I saw where Gene Simmons of KISS was selling one of his stage played basses, and I got to hang out with him the day of the show. Call it situational ethics or rationalizing the purchase, but I told myself that I needed to enjoy an experience like this when I had the chance. The first thing you see when you walk in my office is that bass that Gene played complete with his fake blood that he spits during his solo!
Fast forward to today. My hobby has spiraled out of control with an office that I think rivals the actual Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. If you are a fan of rock music, there’s a very good chance that we have something from your favorite band. Each piece in my collection has a plaque that tells the story of how I acquired it and its history with the band. I have been fortunate to meet and actually get to know some of my rock heroes, even being invited to the house of former KISS lead guitarist, Bruce Kulick. In 2015, KISS even featured my office on all of their social media. I guess things come full circle eventually.
In the last 4 years, I decided to expand our patient’s experience by bringing my Pug, Millie, to the office where she is rapidly creating a massive fan club all on her own. It all started when she was just a puppy, and I brought her to work for fun. At some point during the day, she walked over to a patient sitting in the chair and pawed at the chair. My patient picked her up and Millie immediately laid down on her chest and took a nap. Well, not long after that, we had to create office hours for Millie because kids were wanting to base their appointments around when she would be there! lol Millie napping on patients has become a huge hit with patients now all because she enjoys a good nap.
Houstonians are fortunate in that there are many amazing orthodontists in the Houston area that will take excellent care of your children and yourself. Along with straightening my patient’s teeth, the goal of Jennings Orthodontics is to give our patients an amazing experience, and that is something where I feel that we are at the top. Even in college, I was thinking of ideas that would appeal to both young and old if I ever had my own office and Jennings Orthodontics was born.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been all champagne and roses along the way, but I’d say it’s been an amazing ride overall. Things were definitely tough raising three kids on a teacher’s salary all while I didn’t make a nickel until age 30. I always told myself to suffer some today for a better tomorrow. “Adversity is Opportunity” is my favorite quote. Some stress in life is needed to motivate and push yourself harder to achieve your goals. I wouldn’t change anything for the world.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a board certified orthodontist. All I do all day, all week, and all year is straighten teeth from kids to adults with braces or clear aligners. To become an orthodontist, you have to first make excellent grades in college pre-med to get accepted into dental school which is 4 years. If you are one of the top in your class in dental school, then you have a shot at being accepted into orthodontic residency which is an additional 3 years. When patients ask me how long it takes to become an orthodontist, I tell them: “It’s like graduating from high school only to start back over at 1st grade”.
I have been straightening teeth in the Memorial area for over 21 years. My guitar logo has become a staple in the community from sponsoring schools to swim teams where I’ve become known as the rock ‘n roll orthodontist. If you’ve ever been down Memorial between Wilcrest and the Beltway, you’ve seen that giant guitar logo with Jennings Orthodontics on it. It’s all about the experience that we can provide for our patients. I can’t tell you the number of times that a new patient has come in and said “This is the most amazing doctor’s office that I’ve ever seen!”, and it never gets old to hear.
How do you think about happiness?
I’m most proud of having three wonderful children who are writing their own stories in life. My professional life has far exceeded my expectations. I get to go to work, listen to rock music blaring through the office (yes blaring), hang out with an amazing staff and incredible patients, and this is called work. Remember to suffer some today for a better tomorrow!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.DrJenningsOrtho.com
- Instagram: jenningsorthodontics
- Facebook: drjenningsorthodontics
