Brandon Mark’s commitment to expanding access to dental care began long before he entered dental school. While on a mission trip to El Salvador during college, he treated patients who had never received basic dental care—an experience that reshaped his career ambitions.
“Seeing the impact dental care can have on people’s lives was eye-opening,” said Mark, a 2021 graduate of the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine. “We were treating patients who had no access to affordable care, and their gratitude after treatment stayed with me.”
That experience helped inspire Mark to launch mh2 Dental, a clinic network that is now expanding across Canada with a model focused on building new practices rather than acquiring existing ones. The company opened three locations in its first year and is currently developing two more, with five additional sites in the planning stage.
Mark said the goal is to deliver high-quality, affordable dental care while maintaining consistent patient experiences across locations.
During his time at Case Western Reserve University, Mark trained through hospital rotations at Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, where he gained early exposure to patient care. He credits mentors and classmates with helping him navigate the demanding program.
“Dental school was a real challenge,” he said. “Balancing classes, labs, and hospital rotations while studying for hours each day required discipline.”
At the same time, Mark was building entrepreneurial ventures. He launched a direct-to-consumer oral care brand called Hygiene Dr., which included a toothbrush donation program and eventually partnered with more than 1,000 dental professionals. He also pursued day trading during his studies.
Those experiences, he said, strengthened his interest in the business side of dentistry.
Unlike many rapidly expanding dental groups backed by private equity, mh2 Dental follows a different strategy. Instead of buying established clinics and consolidating operations, the company builds each practice from the ground up.
Mark said the approach allows the company to create consistent operating systems and patient experiences from the start.
“Acquiring practices can create challenges,” he said. “Differences in staff, renovations, and long-standing procedures can make consistency difficult, and patients sometimes leave when ownership changes.”
By contrast, starting new clinics provides greater control over design, operations, and patient care standards, he said.
Technology also plays a central role in the company’s operations. Clinics offer online booking, multiple digital patient intake channels, and extended hours, remaining open seven days a week in high-access locations.
But Mark said convenience alone is not enough.
“A lot of people still find dentistry intimidating,” he said. “We focus on creating clinics that feel warm and nonjudgmental so patients are comfortable coming in.”
Mark also credits his leadership style and self-awareness for helping him manage a growing company. After graduating, he learned he has ADHD, which he says helps explain both his challenges with traditional academic focus and his ability to concentrate intensely on projects that interest him.
“When I’m interested in something, I can hyperfocus for hours,” he said.
Before launching mh2 Dental, Mark also worked at large U.S. dental organizations including Hudec Dental and Aspen Dental. Observing their operations helped him understand how large clinic networks function.
He noted that patient behavior differs between Canada and the United States. In Canada, government programs or insurance plans often cover dental care, while U.S. patients are more accustomed to financing treatment themselves.
Those differences have influenced how mh2 Dental structures its operations and patient experience.
“It’s about taking what works in U.S. practices and adapting it to fit Canadian expectations,” Mark said.