Michael L. Bentley, D.C.
My early years of searching for a profession always left me in thought of what it would be like to be a doctor. My family doctor was a professional baseball player who just loved to take care of people and talk at length about his baseball years. We discussed the length of schooling and what practice was really like. Early on I made the important decision to become a physician.
The search began on what type of doctor I wanted to be. Playing after school on a snowy day, I slipped and fell injuring my low back. I thought nothing of it until the next day when I got out of bed and noticed I wasn’t able to stand up straight. This back pain slowly worsened and led me to my family doctor who thought I injured my kidney, so off I went for testing. When the results came back, he told my mother that my kidney was fine and suggested medication for my pain. My mother was not a big fan of medication for her children so she called my aunt who worked for a chiropractor. That was the beginning of my saga in this wonderful field.
Dr. Donathan was a larger than life chiropractor. He was kind, gentle and charismatic. His gentle touch and explanation of my injury where spot on. The chiropractic approach was successful and returned me to my sport activities in no time. I could stand straight again and felt like a new kid. I was hooked and the decision was easily made for me to become a chiropractor.
I started at Henry Ford Community College and later transferred to the University of Michigan to fulfill my undergraduate requirements. Dr. Donathan provided me direction in seeking a chiropractic college and I chose National College of Chiropractic in Lombard, Illinois to begin my studies. I completed my studies in 1989 and graduated from National with my chiropractic degree. Ohio was close to my family in Michigan, so I returned from college and began the hunt for a place to practice. I initially looked in Defiance and Canton, but settled for Maumee once I found a perfect fit with Dr. Rohrs. He welcomed me in 1989 and was instrumental in helping me begin my career. I took over the helm in 1990 as Bentley Chiropractic, Inc.
Education is fundamental to all physicians, so I attended classes to help obtain my certifications as a certified sports physician and licensed acupuncturist. These new avenues have helped me keep my patients and athletes in tune and back in the action. I have been associated with the Toledo Walleye Hockey Team as an official chiropractor since their arrival in 2009. I am sure we all have stories that have molded our directions in life. My story is one that helped mold who I have become and it has helped me grow in a small and inviting community. I welcome you to come visit our family practice and see the difference in what we can do to help your individual story. All the best in health, Dr. Bentley.
Matthew R. Syrek, D.C.
Growing up, I played soccer my entire life, and as in any sport, injuries occur. For me, it was a severely sprained ankle while in High School. My mother insisted on taking me to the chiropractor, who happened to be Dr. Bentley, but being a naïve teenager, I said it is not my back that hurts, it is my ankle. After a few treatments and rehab exercises, I was back on the field ready to go. Ever since then, I wanted to be a chiropractor and have been living out my dream.
I was born and raised in Maumee, attended St. Joseph’s grade school and graduated from St. John’s Jesuit in 1995, Miami University in 1999, and received my Doctor of Chiropractic from National University of Health Sciences in 2003. After that, my wife and I moved to Cincinnati and began my chiropractic career. I have taken additional training to become a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician, giving me the opportunity to help athletes of all ages. My practice in Cincinnati was a part of a multi-disciplinary orthopedic clinic, allowing me to gain additional knowledge of how injuries are treated by different specialists. This knowledge and experience allows me diagnose and treat injuries and conditions with confidence.
In 2017, our family decided to come home. Elizabeth, my wife, and our 3 beautiful daughters, Mallory, Ashlyn and Annabel are excited to be calling Maumee home again.
I enjoy helping patients of all ages. I am an official chiropractor for the Toledo Walleye. I am BWC certified, and have an extensive background in personal injury cases. I look forward to helping you get back to what you enjoy the most.