Martin L. MacIntyre DDS

1937 - 2026

Martin L. MacIntyre, DDS
02/18/1937 - 02/18/2026
Martin Lewis MacIntyre, 89, died peacefully on February 18, 2026 with his family at his side. He was born in St.Louis, MO to Alice Sonnenschein and Leslie D. MacIntyre. The family relocated to Washington, D.C. where Martin spent his childhood. Reared by parents who were active in the Ethical Society, he learned the obligations of citizenship and service for humanity. His life was dedicated to family, community, preventive dentistry and an interest in Scottish history.
At fifteen, Martin received a Ford Foundation Scholarship to participate in a study "They Went To College Early", by the University of Chicago at Shimer College and earned a Bachelor of Arts. He chose dentistry as a profession and graduated from Washington University, St Louis. Following graduation he did an internship at the U.S. Public Health Hospital in Staten Island, NY and remained with PHS for 23 years. In 1966 he entered a residency program at the PHS Dental Health Center in San Francisco that included attending the University of Michigan for a Master of Public Health. In 1971, he was the Director for Project ACORDE, a national dental education materials development program for which he received a USPHS Commendation Medal. He obtained a dental position for the Southeast Neighborhood Health Center, Hunters Point and served there for two years. His last assignment with PHS was Regional Dental Consultant to plan and monitor government dental programs in western states and Pacific Islands.
Martin was hired as the first Preventive Dentistry Coordinator for Saudi Aramco Oil Company in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in 1984. This gave him an opportunity to develop, implement and evaluate a preventive dental program for a large patient population from around the world. It was the capstone of his dental public health career. He received awards from Federation Dentaire Internationale for the Aramco Preventive Program in 1989 and for the Caries Control Treatment procedure in 1993.
After twelve happy years as expatriates, Dr. MacIntyre and his wife, Rosemary, returned to San Francisco. Martin had been active in city issues in the past and he looked forward to be back home in his beloved city. He will be remembered for organizing the Lake Street Traffic Safety Committee in 1970 that resulted in approval for seven stop signs and the first bike lanes in the city. He was a Board member of San Francisco Tomorrow, President of PAR, 1972, and Founder of the Coalition of San Francisco Neighborhoods. He was a leader in down-zoning initiatives and Citizens for Representative Government, the organization that put Proposition K, District Elections of Supervisors, on the ballot. Upon his return, he was President of University Terrace Association and petitioned for a parking permit designation for his neighborhood. He was part of the neighborhood group that appealed to the city for control of amplified sound in Golden Gate Park.
Martin shared his father's love of Scotland. For many years Martin's father and then Martin served as Lieutenant to Glenoe 10th Chief of Clan MacIntyre. In summer of 2008 he convened the first world gathering of Clan MacIntyre in Taynuilt, Scotland. He wrote and published, "Clan MacIntyre, A Journey to the Past" (Regent Press) in 2018. He initiated a fundraiser to build a cairn and a bench along Loch Etive, the homesite of the chiefs of Clan MacIntyre. It was completed in 2025.
Martin is survived by his wife of 63 years, Rosemary, two daughters, and 4 grandchildren, Laurie (Diego), grandson, Oliver Corti, Florence, Italy, and Sarah (William) Alice, Grace and Nora Doherty, San Francisco.
Please join the family on Saturday, March 28 at 3PM to celebrate Martin's life at 41 Temescal Terrace, San Francisco.