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November 3, 2022
His colleagues, who were really friends, all used the same words when they shared memories of Dr. Mark Doherty: Generous. Compassionate. A champion for oral health.
A forceful and unwavering advocate for oral health access for the underserved, Mark died on October 7 at age 75. He is survived by his wife (of 53 years) Deborah, two children, five grandchildren, and three siblings. Many of his colleagues at the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health came to know his family over the years.
“Mark’s family — you were his biggest accomplishment and he spoke of you often,” said Carolyn Brown, DDS, MS, senior advisor and consultant at CareQuest Institute. “There are many grieving while equally also celebrating your life and contributions.”
Mark earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1974. In 1979, he founded Commonwealth Mobile Oral Health Services, which brings dental teams to Massachusetts schools for children who may not have access to care. It still operates today. He went on to work at the Dorchester House Multi-Service Center, initially as Director of Oral Health Services and later as Director of Oral Health Policy.
“It was a big piece of his heart — making sure kids got access,” said Danielle Apostolon, training specialist, value-based care at CareQuest Institute.
Mark served as DentaQuest Institute’s Safety Net Solutions (SNS) executive director from 2005 to 2019. With deep passion and expertise, he and his team gave training and technical assistance to oral health providers nationwide.
“Mark was a champion for safety net oral health programs, especially community health centers,” said Scott Wolpin, DMD, chief dental officer, Eastern Shore Rural Health System, Inc.
Wolpin continued, “Mark saved many dental programs from closing their doors and instead turned them around so they could expand their reach. . . . I will never forget his mantra, ‘We need to be a higher version of what we are asking our clients to be.’”
Caroline Darcy, former SNS project manager, reflected on Mark’s warmth. “Our SNS team was our family with Mark as the patriarch. He never hesitated to take time to talk with me or to take a call from someone in need of advice.”
Colleagues remember that he treated everyone with this giving spirit.
“He loved life, and he loved helping people,” said Susan Lawson, director of oral health services, Ohio Association of Community Health Centers. “Mark always made me feel so important. He helped me, as a brand-new oral health coordinator at the primary care association, learn what our centers needed to be successful. He was patient and kind to everyone. Mark always said, ‘Anything for you, Susan,’ and he meant it.”
In 2019, Mark became cofounder and executive director of D4 Practice Solutions, continuing his focus on improving dental access, outcomes, and quality.
“There was nobody like him,” said Danielle Apostolon. “His love for patients, as a provider, first and foremost. And he was always focused on treating underserved communities, thinking about how to do the work in a sustainable way.”
Many colleagues remembered Mark’s drive for excellence.
“To know Mark was to love him. He was fiercely passionate about the work we did,” said Laura Skaret, BS, RDH, manager, clinical innovation, CareQuest Innovation Partners. “He firmly believed there was no reason our team couldn’t have fun while we worked extremely hard to make the world a little better every day. Mark injected life and fun into every situation and showed me how to live every day to the fullest.”
This upbeat energy and sense of humor are another part of his legacy. One past SNS colleague, Da-Nell Pedersen, MPA, reminisced about “how much we laughed.” Pedersen offered a memory of Mark’s joyful approach on the job: “We worked hard and put so much passion into what we did at Safety Net Solutions, but Mark always made it fun.”
“I’ll never forget when he told me he wanted to play Irish music during his presentation at one of the value-based care convenings we did,” she said. “I was terrified about how it would be received. But you know what? Everyone loved it. Mark taught me not to take myself so seriously, which I desperately needed. I am a better person for knowing him.”
Accomplishments of an Oral Health Champion
During his long and accomplished career, Mark received many honors, including the College of Holy Cross Sanctae Crucis Award for Contributions to National Healthcare, the 2016 National Network for Oral Health Access President’s Award, and the 2020 Pierre Fauchard Academy’s Distinguished Service Award for the J. Murray Gavel Chapter. Over time, Mark also served on several oral health committees, including as a trustee for the Massachusetts Dental Society. He also authored or coauthored several dental health publications.
While dedicated to oral health, Mark’s talents extended beyond dentistry into sports. He was an accomplished boxer, becoming — at age 65 — the first master boxer to capture the title in every major masters tournament in the US. His in-ring accomplishments were profiled this year in a short documentary, “The Legend of Doc.” Sharing his passion as an athlete, he wrote the book Arm Wrestling for Everyone in 1986.
His sportsmanship came through in his professional life, too.
“I've seen him negotiate some tough situations,” said Bob Russell, DDS, MPH, MPA, CPM, FACD, FICD, dental director and bureau chief, Oral and Health Delivery System Bureau, Iowa Department of Public Health. “He could have walked away. Instead, he took the criticism and humbled himself for the greater good. Mark was a fighter in spirit and was certainly known to give a punch or two. However, he knew strategically when to take the punch.”
Colleagues will cherish Mark’s memory as a passionate teacher and leader.
“Simply put, Mark was my hero,” said William Donigan, DDS, MPH, chief dental officer at Kintegra Health. “I have his Superman bobblehead on my shelf, and when the bureaucracy gets in the way, I remember Mark always saying, ‘Remember why we do it! For the patient!’”
Mark set an example that many strove to follow in their work.
“He was a mentor to me, even though he may not have known that,” said Nathan Suter, DDS, chief innovation officer at Enable Dental. “That is how I remember Mark. The type of leader that sparked a fire in many young dentists like myself to improve the oral health care delivery system.”
Amy Martin, DrPH, MSPH, chair and professor in the Department of Somatology, Division of Population Oral Health, at the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, agreed. “Mark was always the encouraging mentor. There are so many favorite memories of Mark… most of all, his personal investments in people.”
Many of those people are now continuing the work he did and inspiring others to do the same.
“So many of us have him to thank for so many professional achievements,” Martin said. “His mentorship included how to lead impactful change, calculated risk taking… but above all else the courage to challenge ourselves. Mark, along with his team of staff and advisors, has left an indelible ‘mark’ on the nation’s fabric of dental safety net providers.”
Editor’s Note: Read Mark’s full obituary, including information on donating to a food bank in his community.