Dr. Mark Paxton was raised in Bellevue, Washington and received his undergraduate degree from Washington State University in 1976. Dr. Paxton received his Doctorate in Dental Surgery in 1980 from the University of Washington and then completed a one-year, hospital based, general practice residency, at the University of Washington Hospitals in Seattle, Washington. Following his residency, he practiced general dentistry with the United States Air Force, and was stationed in Washington, D.C. and Wiesbaden, Germany. In 1989, Dr. Paxton began a four-year Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Residency at Travis Air Force Base in Northern California. Dr. Paxton’s training provided extensive experience in orthognathic reconstructive and facial esthetic surgery. Dr. Paxton is a Board Certified Surgeon and a Diplomat of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and also Board Certified with the American Board of Dental Anesthesiology.
Due to his interest in educational training and clinical research, Dr. Paxton was asked to remain on the teaching staff at Travis Air Force Base Medical Center following the completion of his residency. Through Dr. Paxton’s efforts as Research Director, clinical research projects on temporomandibularjoint (TMJ) surgery, maxillofacial reconstruction, rigid fixation and stability following orthognathic surgery, bone grafting and healing and many pharmacology studies have been completed.
In 1995, Dr. Paxton and his family re-located to Spokane, Washington and opened Spokane Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Shortly thereafter Spokane Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery became an accredited ambulatory surgery center by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and Accreditation Association of Ambulatory Health Care, Inc (AAAHC), the first of its kind in the Pacific Northwest and Inland Empire. In July of 2000, Dr. Paxton opened a satellite office located on the South Hill of Spokane, and also welcomed Dr. Melanie Lang, D.D.S., M.D. as an associate. In 2005 Dr. Bryan McLelland also joined Spokane Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. Together, Dr’s. Paxton, Lang and McLelland opened a third satellite office in Post Falls, Idaho in the summer of 2005.
In addition to providing patients with quality care and facilities, Spokane Oral and Maxillofacial along with the Northwest Foundation for Maxillofacial Research and Education offer various continuing educational lectures and events throughout the year to dental and medical professionals throughout the Inland Northwest.
Dr. Paxton's professional accomplishments also include an appointment by Governor Gary Locke to serve a three-year term as a member of the Washington State Dental Quality Assurance Commission. In 2006-2007, Dr. Paxton was nominated as the citizen of the Year by the Washington State Dental Association, Dr. Paxton has also served on the Executive Council for the Spokane District Dental Society, and was also appointed President of the Washington State Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons Society for 2001. Dr. Paxton is a current member of the Spokane District Dental Society Foundation, Sacred Heart Medical Center Pediatric Hospital Foundation and is a Trustee for the Washington State University ( WSU )Foundation. In addition, Dr. Paxton is a present member of the following professional organizations: American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Dental Association, Washington State Dental Association, American Cleft Palate Association, American Association of Hospital Dentists, Air Force Society of Clinical Surgeons, and the American College of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons. Dr. Paxton interest in the care of patients with craniofacial deformities has also enabled him to serve as a volunteer for the non-profit organization, Hearts in Motion. Over the past twenty years, Dr. Paxton and staff have traveled on missions to Central and South America. During these surgical missions Dr. Paxton has provided care to many children and adults with cleft lip and palate and other craniofacial deformities.
Dr. Paxton is married to Dr. Diane Paxton, an orthodontist in the Spokane Valley. The Paxton’s have two children, Christopher who pilots C-130 aircraft for the USAF and Lindsey who currently attends Gonzaga Law School. The Paxton family enjoys snow skiing, hiking, mountain climbing, biking and sailing adventures as well as spending time with family and friends.