Dr. Jeff Heinz says he needs only one word to describe his life: grateful. Gratitude was the theme of a speech he gave recently at a prestigious orthodontic conference, where he talked about becoming a T9 paraplegic in a motorcross accident while in dental school in 2011, and how it didn’t stop him from becoming the only orthodontist in the world to use a wheelchair.

Heinz, 36, returned to dental school only months after inpatient rehabilitation. “It was really hard,” he says, “but at that point I knew I had only two choices, one of which I could never live with, and another that would be a treacherous road but could ultimately let me regain the ‘normal’ that I longed for so badly.”

Being back in school was therapeutic for Heinz. “I didn’t have time to feel bad for myself or to dwell on the past — I barely had time to breathe some days!” he says. “I quickly found that I needed to be more prepared than my classmates, whether that meant studying more for exams or never forgetting something from the clinic dispensary, so I didn’t have to make multiple trips back for equipment. I didn’t have time for inefficiencies.”

After a year of practicing general dentistry, he went back to school to specialize in orthodontics. “I love the transformations and seeing how giving someone a big, beautiful smile makes them light up like a Christmas tree,” he says.

Today, he is also grateful for the beautiful life he is building with his wife, Katie, and their 2-year-old son, Jack, while juggling his own bustling private practices in West Michigan. Here’s a look at how he spends his day.

5 a.m. I get up early so I can work out. I have a home gym where I do cardio and strength-training. After showering and getting ready, I’ll grab a protein shake and some fruit before heading out. Tuesdays are my favorite because I go into the office a little later, so I’m able to make breakfast for Jack and hang out with him for a while.

7:30 a.m. I arrive at the office. I started Heinz Orthodontics in 2020 in Rockford, Michigan. I opened a startup in the middle of the pandemic, but it was the right opportunity at the right time. And in 2021, I purchased a second location, an established practice, in Grand Rapids. I split time between both locations.

I have a team of 15 people. Our day starts with a team huddle where we talk about special cases that might be coming in that day, or any announcements or reminders we need to communicate. At the end of each huddle, we link arms in a circle, and we go around and say one thing we are grateful for that day.

10:30 a.m. Patients are lined up in a row of chairs, having brackets and wires replaced, getting impressions or being fitted for an aligner. I try to empower my team with as much knowledge as possible. Replicating my knowledge in each team member means the less I need to be everywhere. However, on super busy days you might still find me in sterilization cleaning up, or taking phone calls. And, of course, there is always a lot of charting and computer work to be done between patients.

I haven’t had to make too many accommodations inside my clinics, other than purchasing some new chairs that I could maneuver my wheelchair underneath and finding drills that could be operated with hand pressure versus foot pressure.

When I’m not working, I like to:

Ski, fish, hunt and golf.
On my bucket list is: Getting to see the Isle of Man motorcycle race in person.

Favorite sports team:

Detroit Lions.

Advice for aspiring dentists in wheelchairs:

It’s tough. It’s a grind. But don’t let using a wheelchair be the thing that dictates what you want to do for the rest of your life. I’ve been wildly surprised by how much I can adapt with hard work, determination and good people by my side.

12 p.m. I head out to visit a local dental office to introduce myself and the services my practice offers. These “lunch and learns” are a great way for me to connect to the community and establish relationships with other providers. I’m a people person, so meeting people is fun.

Even though I am the only orthodontist in a wheelchair, I have never really had problems finding a job or being accepted when I was working for others all those years ago. People have always been more interested in my personality and skillset.

2 p.m. My wife is a physician assistant at a nearby dermatology practice and works two days a week. On the days she is off, Jack is a frequent visitor to the office. He really likes sitting on my lap as I wheel around. He’ll go into the exam room with me when I’m doing new patient consultations. He is a real charmer and great salesman!

3:30 p.m. Reviewing before-and-after photos is probably one of the favorite parts of my job. Just seeing the difference we can make in their [lives], their confidence and oral health is amazing. Getting your braces off is a big milestone we like to celebrate in the office. Everyone in the office claps and the patient gets to ring a gong.

5 p.m. By this time, we have seen anywhere from 65 to 80 patients today, and it’s time to head home. I make it a point to leave by 5 p.m. so I can spend some time with Jack before he goes to bed. Coming into the house and hearing him scream “Dadda” never gets old.

Jack has a really cool playroom in our basement with a blow-up bounce house and an obstacle course, so we go down there to play a lot. I love getting on the floor and rolling around with him. If it’s nice outside, one of his favorite things to do is to go for a ride in my track chair around the yard.

7 p.m. Once we get Jack in bed, my wife and I start dinner. If we’re really on top of our game, we’ll do some meal-prepping on Sundays so we have ready-to-go meals for lunches and dinners; otherwise we split dinner-making duties. After dinner we’ll catch up on the day’s events, maybe watch a couple shows on TV or invite the neighbors over to hang out.

10 p.m. Time to go to bed and get ready for the next day, but not before I brush, floss and put in my retainers. Yes, I absolutely practice what I preach!

Follow Dr. Heinz at @heinzorthodontics on Instagram and Facebook, and @dr.hotwheelz on TikTok.