About

As a parent, Dr. Mark strives to treat patients the way he wants his children to be treated. That is why Ascend Pediatric Dentistry’s mission is to foster a compassionate and fun dental environment where kids grow up not being scared of the dentist.

Dr. Mark became a dentist because his childhood hero was a dentist. His grandfather, a World War Two veteran from humble beginnings, became a dentist after the war. Dr. Mark has many fun memories of his grandfather, and ultimately chose dentistry to be more like him. Science was also a big part of Dr. Mark’s life because his mother was an anatomy professor, always requiring him to work extra hard in science classes.

During Dr. Mark’s undergraduate education, he became interested in working with children. At that time, his nephew was diagnosed with autism. To better understand his brother’s situation, Dr. Mark began volunteering with local programs that helped children with special needs. Through this he not only gained empathy for parents of children with special healthcare needs, but also had a lot of fun. He found that putting smiles on kids’ faces and giving them individualized attention brought meaning to his life.

Dr. Mark attended dental school at the highly ranked University of Washington School of Dentistry, followed by his pediatric dentistry residency at top-ranked Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. Dr. Mark's mentor in residency served on the leadership of the Board of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

Outside of work, Dr. Mark enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children. They frequently travel, hike, camp, and mostly go outdoors. They are from Washington state originally, but they came to Gilbert, Arizona visiting friends during one winter. They remember watching their son laughing on the lawn of the airbnb playing cornhole in his wet swimsuit. They couldn't get over how happy their son looked and knew immediately that this vibrant, sunny state was the perfect place for them to raise their family. They made the move in 2023.

For your convenience and to minimize wait times, we offer online forms that you can complete at home before your child's appointment, allowing you to focus on your little one rather than paperwork when you arrive.

Once it’s time for your child’s appointment, one of our team members will bring you and your child back to one of our kid-friendly dental chairs. We’ll take recommended X-rays for kids three and older to check for hidden dental issues. Then, your child will get a teeth cleaning from one of our dental assistants in an age-appropriate, fun way.

Dr. Mark will perform an oral exam, and look for signs of cavities, gum disease, oral development issues, and more. After, you’ll just stop by our front desk on the way out to schedule their next checkup while your child picks out a prize.

If Dr. Mark notices concerns with your child’s oral health, he’ll discuss them with you right away and help you set up an appropriate treatment plan based off of guidelines from the Board of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Treatment is always individualized with a compassionate approach, with priority for the most conservative options possible.