A 66-year-old highly regarded oral surgeon in Idaho died after his vehicle collided with an elk on a highway near the Idaho-Utah border on September 14, according to multiple news stories published on September 18.
Dr. Mark E. Baker, who practiced for decades at Oral Surgery Specialists of Idaho in Pocatello, was driving his vehicle along Interstate 15 in Pocatello, ID, when he struck an elk that ran into the roadway at about 9:30 p.m. on September 14, according to the stories.
Baker was pronounced dead at the scene.
The practice where he worked posted a heartfelt tribute to him on its Instagram page on September 18.
“Dr. Baker leaves behind a legacy that reaches far beyond the walls of our practice. The lives he touched, the patients he cared for, and the relationships he built will continue to be a lasting part of his story,” according to the post.
Born in Finland, Baker moved to the U.S. as a child and grew up in Sacramento, CA. He is a graduate of the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry, and he completed his residency at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis, according to the dental practice's website.
In his free time, Baker loved hunting, skiing, and spending time outdoors with his family. Also, he was on the board of Idaho Condor, an organization that sends Idaho doctors and dentists to Peru with premed students for humanitarian work in indigenous villages, according to the website.
