Dr. Joseph Parkinson will head the new Touro College of Dental Medicine in New Mexico, addressing the state’s dentist shortage.

The goal is to tackle the dentist shortage in the state, which is currently falling short of national standards for dentists per person. The students will kick off their education in New York at Touro College of Dental Medicine and then finish their last two years in New Mexico, where they’ll get hands-on experience treating patients.
The campus will be located at the Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute. Dr. Parkinson has quite the background, starting his career as a general dentist in Missouri back in 1998. He later worked at the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Dentistry and most recently held positions at East Carolina and Tennessee universities.
Touro University President Dr. Alan Kadish praised Parkinson’s experience, saying he’s the perfect fit to lead the New Mexico campus. New Mexico is currently short by 88 dentists to meet national benchmarks, according to a local think tank. Parkinson is eager to create a thriving environment for students and faculty alike at this new facility.