Mark Saxen, DDS, PhD, comes to Pitt Dental Medicine from Indiana University School of Dentistry where he served as clinical associate professor in the Departments of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Hospital Dentistry and the Department of Oral Pathology, Medicine, and Radiology. He founded Indiana Office-Based Anesthesia, where he provided anesthesia services to the Indianapolis dental community for more than twenty years.
Dr. Saxen earned his dental degree from Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine in 1978. As a Dentist Scientist Fellow, he earned a PhD in pharmacology and toxicology and a Certificate in Anesthesiology from the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University in 1993. Dr. Saxen is an active member in the American Dental Association, American Society of Anesthesiologists, Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia, and the American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists, which awarded him the Leonard Monheim Distinguished Service Award in 2021.
Dr. Saxen’s career reflects his strong interest in interdisciplinary collaborations, particularly in the areas of office-based anesthesia safety, clinical outcomes, and pharmacology. He is a past-president of the American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists, the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology, and the American Board of Dental Specialties. His most recent research interests include perioperative intraoral fires and total intravenous anesthesia. He was drawn to Pitt by its strong tradition of academic excellence and unparalleled opportunities to work together with the medical and scientific communities. He envisions a department composed of creators, educators and leaders that will shape the future of this unique dental specialty.