FARMINGTON — The first dermatology-only medical practice based in Franklin County has opened with Dr. Joshua Sparling preparing to see patients starting Sept. 8.

Sparling joins the medical staff of Franklin Memorial Hospital on Tuesday.

The addition of a dermatology practice is a service that the community has been requesting for quite some time, said Rebecca Ryder, president/CEO of Franklin Community Health Network.

It’s a specialty that’s in high demand but not necessarily one that Franklin Health would have sought out if Sparling had not approached the hospital last year, said Leslie Hawkins, Franklin Health administrator.

Sparling most recently has provided surgical and dermatology services for military patients in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in New York. He received his medical degree at Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire and completed his residency in dermatology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

With ties to Maine, he was interested in returning to the area but rather than start his own business, he was seeking employment through a hospital system, she said.

With only about a dozen dermatology practices in the state, most are private practices located in areas such as Portland and Waterville. Most have long waiting lists for patients, she said.

While Franklin Health has been adding specialist coverage, including heart and cancer specialists through outpatient clinics in the last few years, most dermatology services are not preformed within a hospital setting.

“We probably wouldn’t have looked for it but because of his desire, it became an opportunity to provide a service needed in the area,” Hawkins said.

Franklin Health Dermatology will offer treatment for a full range of dermatological conditions affecting all ages, including acne, psoriasis, rosacea, eczema, dandruff, excess sweating, hair loss, excess hair and disorders of the mouth, tongue, lips and nails.

Most services will require a physician referral to provide information and prevent duplication of services provided by the local doctor, she said.

With state-of-the-art equipment, including photo light therapy, Sparling’s services will include biopsies of moles or growths, treatment of pre-cancerous lesions, removal of skin cancer and benign growths, skin patch testing as well as complete skin exams, skin care advice and treatment of skin infections.

Cosmetic procedures such as Botox, sclerotherapy for leg veins and chemical peels for facial blemishes or aging will also be available on a limited basis.

Sparling’s office will be at 105 Mt. Blue Circle, which is less than one-fourth mile west of the hospital on Route 2. An open house is expected to take place at the end of the month or early October, Hawkins said.

For more information or appointments, call 779-2410.

abryant@sunjournal.com

Dr. Joseph Sparling

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