Dr. Mark Ortega Named 2024 Alumnus of the Year

Mark Ortega ’05, D.D.S. ’15, M.S.D., a dedicated pediatric dentist based in Long Beach, Calif., has earned the UCLA School of Dentistry’s 2024 Alumnus of the Year Award.

The honor was presented Friday, May 17, in Anaheim, Calif., during the School’s annual alumni celebration held in conjunction with CDA Presents the Art and Science of Dentistry.

“Dr. Ortega embodies what it means to be both a patient-centered practitioner and a life-long learner,” said School of Dentistry Dean and Professor Paul H. Krebsbach. “As a pediatric dentist, he proactively educates families on early caries detection. As an alum, he supports the next generation of UCLA-trained practitioners through teaching and mentorship. Dr. Ortega is as passionate a dental Bruin as you’ll ever meet and an ideal choice for our 2024 Alumnus of the Year!”

Dr. Ortega owns Sandcastle Pediatric Dentistry, a practice that has been a fixture in the Long Beach community for nearly 60 years. Leaning on the evidence-based dental education he received at the UCLA School of Dentistry and during his postgraduate residency at the University of Washington, Dr. Ortega strives to instill a foundation of good oral health practices in patients and parents alike.

That knowledge-sharing extends to his work as an educator in the School of Dentistry’s pediatric dentistry clinic, where he has mentored both residents and D.D.S. students since 2018. This year’s initiatives have included hosting UCLA pediatric dentistry residents at his practice to discuss his own journey, and presenting cutting-edge technology by lecturing about minimally invasive techniques utilizing laser dentistry.

Since 2021, Dr. Ortega has served as president of the School’s Dental Alumni Association while concurrently serving as a board member of the Greater Los Angeles Hispanic Dental Association. He remains active with the School’s chapter of the Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA), supporting the group through lectures and community health fair engagement. Last summer, he hosted fellow Bruins for an evening of mingling and mentorship through the School’s Dinner for 12 Dental Students initiative.

“What an incredible honor! I have always been a proud Bruin, but for my alma mater to recognize me this way is truly remarkable and humbling. I owe a debt of gratitude to be fortunate enough to have great mentors like Dr. Ed Hewlett, Dr. Francisco Ramos-Gomez, Dr. Marvin Marcus, and Dr. Dan Cook to impart so much of their support and joy in giving back to the community around them,” Dr. Ortega said. “This acknowledgment reflects the collective efforts of those around me who made my journey in dentistry possible. I am committed to giving back to our School and helping bring our Bruin family together.”

As a UCLA Dentistry student from 2011 to 2015 – graduating with honors – Dr. Ortega served as his class president for four years, was president of HSDA, and was selected for the Miyata Endowment for Educational and Cultural Exchange program with two Japanese Universities.

That passion for international dentistry and community outreach has continued into his professional life, with Dr. Ortega providing care for underserved children on trips to Mexico, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic. He is an active member of several professional affiliations, including the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry,  the California Society of Pediatric Dentistry, and the Hispanic Dental Association.

Dr. Ortega, who also earned his B.A. in psychology from UCLA, was nominated for the Alumnus of the Year Award by classmate Farzad Moghaddam, D.D.S. ’15. Dr. Ortega and his wife Christine ’07, M. ‘19  –  a former lecturer in the Section of Prosthodontics – welcomed their first child, Elise, earlier this year. Away from the office, he enjoys SCUBA diving, golfing, gardening, and cheering for Bruin athletics.

Click here for more information on the Alumnus of the Year Award and a list of past winners.