ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Construction is underway on New Mexico’s first dental school, and it’s expected to fill more than a few cavities.

“We need more dentists and hygienists, and so the best way to do that is sort of grow your own,” said Mayor Tim Keller. 

The most recent data puts us well below the national average. While state leaders could recruit dentists from other states, they know it’s easier to train them right here in New Mexico.

“People are always surprised to find out that there’s no dental school in Albuquerque or in New Mexico,” said Keller. 

After 40 years of unsuccessful attempts, those days are finally coming to a close. City and state leaders broke ground on the Touro College of Dental Medicine’s newest campus in southeast Albuquerque.

“We’re putting a clinical campus for our dental school at the Loveless Biomedical Research Institute,” said Dr. Alan Kadish, president of Touro University. 

The $40 million expansion project is expected to train up to 200 dental students at a time with at least 100 state-of-the-art training chairs.

College leaders say space is limited, so students will have to begin their training at Touro’s New York campus, but will finish in Albuquerque — and that’s the point.

“People who go to professional schools, dental school, medical school, tend to practice where they train not 100% of the time, but a significant amount of the time. And so the absence of a dental school in New Mexico means that fewer people will choose to practice there,” said Kadish. 

One homegrown dentist knows that’s true.

“I think there’s about, like, 50% of my classmates that were from Albuquerque that didn’t end up coming back,” said Dr. Alyssa Candelaria, with Uptown Dentist Associates. 

Candelaria is a Volcano Vista and UNM grad, but she had to move to Nebraska to go to dental school, even though she didn’t really want to.

“100% I would have wanted to stay here in state,” said Candelaria. 

She knows she’s not alone.

“We actually have an assistant here who is, like, very interested in dental school. I think she’d be a great dentist, but she doesn’t want to leave the state,” Candelaria said. “I think if there was a dental school here, I think we have a lot more opportunity for other people to pursue that option.” 

City and state leaders are hoping more aspiring dentists do. There’s only 48 dentists per 100,000 people in New Mexico, well below the national average of 60 dentists.

“It’s become increasingly clear that overall survival and feeling healthy is contributed to by dental health,” said Kadish. 

Making New Mexico healthier, one new dentist at a time.

“I think it’s going to be really good for just a patient population here in general,” said Candelaria.

The new Touro Dental School is supposed to be up and running by next summer. 

Keller predicts we could see the first batch of homegrown dentists within 18 months.