Meet Marty and how he is repairing the world to improve lives

For more than half a century, Dr. Martin Sterling – affectionately known as Marty – served as a dentist in the Greater Toronto Area. From his distinguished practice at Yonge and Bloor to his well-earned retirement in 2024, Marty’s career was defined not only by professional excellence, but also by his unwavering compassion for the most vulnerable.

Marty has always embraced life with joy – catching baseball games at the Rogers Centre, enjoying Broadway shows, travelling, and sharing laughter and meals with friends. Yet, beyond these simple pleasures, his deepest calling has always been something more profound: improving lives and repairing the world.

Living the Spirit of Tikkun Olam

In Judaism, tikkun olam (תִּיקּוּן עוֹלָם) means “repairing the world.” For Marty, this was never just a concept, it became a guiding principle.

During the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s and 1990s, fear and stigma led many medical and dental professionals to outrightly turn patients away. LGBTQ+ individuals living with HIV/AIDS often faced rejection at the very moment they needed care the most. Just as there were adversaries, there were also allies.

Marty became one of those allies. When patients disclosed their HIV/AIDS status, he did not turn them away. Instead, he worked with his staff to foster safety protocols that protected his team while ensuring that patients received compassionate dental care at his office. His downtown dental office, among others, became a haven of dignity, humanity, and hope. Word spread quickly, and Marty and team soon provided dental care to many patients living with HIV/AIDS. Organizations such as the AIDS Committee of Toronto reached out to thank him for his courage and solidarity for the LGBTQ+ community. Despite this, Marty had attended several patients’ funeral services over those years.

It wasn’t always easy doing the right thing. Some patients left his practice when they learned of his stance, or simply because he was Jewish. But Marty remained steadfast. He knew that providing care was not only his professional duty as a dentist, but a moral one. Many of their lives were extended, enriched, and dignified because Marty was one of the dentists who chose compassion over fear. The discovery of HIV treatment (azidothymidine, AZT) in the late-80s helped address stigma, especially with Princess Diana publicly shook hands with someone living with HIV.

In addition, Marty helped many low-income individuals, particularly seniors, who are on the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). Even when treatment costs exceeded what the program covered, he absorbed the expense.

Extending Compassion Beyond the Dental Chair

Marty’s generosity has never stopped at dentistry. His commitment to tikkun olam extends globally through refugee sponsorships. He was a key partner in Andrew's crowdfunding project to support refugees.

Most recently, Marty took part in the Government of Canada’s Group of Five private sponsorship program. Marty and his group rallied to support another refugee who had been disowned by his family and faced persecution in his home country. When bureaucracy delayed his application in Canada, the young man sought asylum in Europe. While awaiting EU citizenship, Marty and another sponsor personally funded (and still continues to fund today) his housing and living expenses to ensure his survival and dignity until he could stand on his own feet.

A Legacy of Courage and Care

It is never easy to stand against fear, prejudice, or indifference. Yet Marty did so consistently, humbly, and with courage. His story is a powerful reminder that repairing the world begins with each of us choosing empathy over judgment, and action over silence.

His action remind us:

when we act with compassion and courage, we can repair the world and improve lives.

“If you help one person, you are making the world a better place” – Marty.