Dentistry alum Mark Crabtree has made access and service central to his career

By Mackenzie Meleski
School of Dentistry

Leadership is something that has always come naturally to Mark Crabtree, D.D.S. It’s been a guiding beacon in his career and something he hopes to teach to the next generation of dental professionals.

Since graduating from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry in 1985, Crabtree has made waves in advocating for his profession. As the co-owner of Martinsville Smiles, a private practice located in Martinsville, Virginia, Crabtree has been helping patients achieve healthy smiles for 41 years, but he also has been highly engaged in a wide range of community efforts – from serving as mayor of his longtime hometown to spearheading work to improve health care accessibility for people in need.

“I knew that I wanted to go into the medical field from an early age,” Crabtree said. “I was inspired by my mother going through nursing school when I was growing up and a surgeon who provided me with a life-changing surgery on my hip when I was in high school. It wasn’t until I went to college and was given the opportunity to shadow Dr. Fred Caffey that I realized dentistry was my calling.”

He recalled the early mentorship of Fred Caffey, D.D.S., who took him under his wing in many ways. Caffey allowed Crabtree to shadow him at his practice in Martinsville, gave him insights into treating patients and running a practice, and encouraged him to apply to dental school.

Crabtree would eventually join Caffey’s practice and work alongside him for 10 years until he became co-owner of the very practice where he had first begun to learn about dentistry.

A commitment to helping others

As a dental professional, Crabtree believes it is a duty and responsibility to pass on knowledge to the next generation. Working in private practice is only one aspect of a meaningful career in dentistry, he said.

“Being involved with your community and helping people is something I’ve always valued,” Crabtree said. “It’s a pillar of our society. We should all be actively trying to make our community better. When you walk out of the door to dental school, you’re walking into being a part of a community and it's your responsibility to use those hard-earned skills to help others.”

Early in his career, Crabtree shared his leadership skills as president of the Kiwanis Club and the Chamber of Commerce. Later, he served as mayor of Martinsville and joined various college and state boards, including serving as a member of the Wake Forest Board of Visitors and as rector of Longwood University. Roles related to the dentistry profession have included serving as president of the Virginia Board of Dentistry and the Virginia Dental Association, as a delegate in the American Dental Association House of Delegates, as chairman of the ADA Council on Access, Prevention Interprofessional Relations and as a member of the ADA Council on Government Affairs.

A lack of access to dental care is a pressing issue in many communities, especially rural areas where insurance and accessibility can prevent a person from seeing a dentist regularly. Crabtree observed a need in his hometown of Martinsville, where many people were losing access to dental care because of a shift in the job market.

To address this issue, Crabtree established a committee with Edward “Chopper” Snyder, D.D.S., to explore solutions to local health care needs. The group set up a Missions of Mercy project, which provides free dental care to residents with limited access to health care through a field clinic. The Missions of Mercy event not only helped people get the dental care they needed, but it also demonstrated to the local government that there was a crucial gap waiting to be filled.

“People lined up for hours to get help for their pain. It shows that there is a significant need that needs to be addressed,” Crabtree said. “How can we meet this need?”

A clinic for the community

Crabtree decided that the best way to help people in need was to open a community clinic. He researched what needed to be done, set up a budget of a million dollars and got to work. Crabtree worked closely with local organizations, members of Congress and the VCU School of Dentistry to pull together funding and resources.

Crabtree and Snyder together founded the Piedmont Virginia Dental Health Foundation, and the organization now runs the Martinsville Community Dental Clinic with Crabtree as president. Through the organization, hundreds of patients receive free or reduced-price dental care.

As a part of the VCU School of Dentistry external rotation program, fourth-year dental students travel to Martinsville to work and learn in the clinic. Dental students partake in public health and community engagement courses throughout their time at VCU.

“It’s important for students to get that real-world experience while they are in school,” Crabtree said. “It’s rewarding to see them continue to advocate for others and give back to their communities even after they graduate. It’s about instilling those ideas and showing them the value of service.”

Crabtree’s longstanding dedication to his community and profession has not gone unnoticed. In 2015, the Virginia Dental Association awarded him with its most prestigious award: the Emmanuel Michaels Distinguished Dentist Award.

He has also received fellowships from the American College of Dentists, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the Academy of General Dentistry, the International College of Dentists and the Virginia Dental Association. In 2008, he was honored by the Virginia Section of the Pierre Fauchard Academy with their Award of Honor, and he was named the VCU School of Dentistry Alumni Star.

For Crabtree, being a leader in dentistry is about helping patients and educating others.

“Dentistry is unique among the health professions. We have to advocate for ourselves and for our patients because it is not always included within the system, with resources and priority,” Crabtree said. “It is important for dentists to get involved and step up as leaders, so that we can give the best care possible to our patients.”

This story was originally published on the School of Dentistry website.