He received his dental degree from University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1962 and his master's degree in orthodontics from University of Washington School of Dentistry in 1966. He worked in private practice for more than 37 years of his life along with being on the clinical faculty in the orthodontic department at the University of Washington. This education when combined with clinical teaching opened a number of opportunities in serving the specialty of orthodontics. While a young man in the early years of practice, Turpin was appointed by the president of the American Society of Orthodontists to be one of 8 members to represent the Pacific Coast Society of orthodontists in making the organization more "user friendly" to new and younger members. Although this effort was a well-meaning attempt by the national president to involve young members, it failed to make many useful changes in the larger organization. With this background of association activity, Turpin was able to become editor of the Bulletin of the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists (1976–1988), a regional journal serving orthodontists on the West Coast. This journalistic experience allowed Turpin to move up to a more broadly respected publication, The Angle Orthodontist, where he served on the board and was the editor from 1988 to 1999. He then became editor-in-chief the American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics, serving from 1999 to 2011. He was also called upon to serve as its interim editor in chief from 2013 to 2014 when Dr. Vince Kokich died unexpectedly. Turpin served one 5-year term on the executive committee of the World Federation of Orthodontists (2010–2015). He is a diplomate of the ABO and member of College of Diplomates of the American Board of Orthodontics. Additional positions held in the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Washington included being named the Moore/Riedel Professor from 2010 until 2019. He has recently retired from teaching.
Turpin is married to Judith Clark Turpin and have three children together.
