The role of the Chair of Department of Pediatric Dentistry is multifaceted and carries significant responsibilities. The Department Chair is responsible for providing the overall vision for the department, clinical, academic, research and innovation, and administrative leadership to the faculty, staff, students, and residents. The Chair will work collaboratively with the Dean and other members of the faculty to develop and execute the department’s strategy to advance our clinical and academic missions. Responsibilities include clinician recruitment, education, supervision, strategic development, quality, and process improvement initiatives.
Daily Operations
Clinical Leadership
- Collaborate with the Dean’s Executive Council to develop and execute the department’s strategy.
- Advance clinical services, ensuring high-quality patient care.
- Recruit and supervise clinicians.
- Implement quality improvement initiatives.
- The Chair is ultimately responsible for reviewing the credentialing of all faculty within their clinical department.
- Expand the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and its academic and clinical offerings.
- Identify and develop new clinical programs consistent with national best practices and care models, patient and community needs, and financial feasibility.
Academic Leadership
- Foster an environment conducive to teaching, research, and education.
- Engage with dental students, residents, and fellows.
- Enhance the department’s educational programs.
- Supporting the developmental and professional needs of dental students, residents, other health professionals, staff, faculty and community pediatric dentists.
- Teach didactic and clinical practice to students and residents as required.
- The skill required to critically evaluate published articles is required
Research and Innovation
- Oversee research programs.
- Encourage faculty involvement in research.
- Promote innovation in pediatric dentistry.
Administration
- Encouraging and supporting diversity among a department’s constituents, creating an environment of professionalism, respect, tolerance, and acceptance.
- Supporting and accountable for the accomplishment by the department of excellence in the missions of education, training, research, and clinical care, with encouragement and emphasis on interdisciplinary activities for the School of Pediatric Dentistry within MMC.
- Managing Department staff, finances, and resources effectively and efficiently, in accordance with school policies
- Understanding the evolving worlds of pediatric dentistry, education, and research, and developing measures to evaluate the outcomes of related Departmental activities.
- The Chair serves as an advisor to the Dean of the School of Dentistry and as a member of the Executive Council of the School of Dentistry and meets periodically throughout the year with the Dean to review progress and plans for the future. A major review occurs periodically. This includes a Departmental self-review, an internal review by faculty from other departments, and an external review by chairs or eminent scholars from other institutions.
- The Chair is responsible for the efficient scheduling of the faculty's clinical, administrative and academic duties. The Chair, working with other administrative faculty members and staff, should publish clinical schedules for the use of their faculty members and clinical schedulers. The clinical schedule of each faculty member should reflect their assignment of duties as defined in their yearly contracts. To meet the Department's scheduling needs, the Chair should also be aware of room usage and facility resources.
- The Chair will, at all times, be aware of the clinical and academic practices of Departmental faculty. These practices must reflect a code of ethics that is acceptable to both national dental societies and MMC. It is the responsibility of the Chair to guarantee that all faculty are associated with acceptable, ethical medical practices. If the Chair becomes aware of any unacceptable medical practices, he/she must immediately meet with the offending faculty member for an explanation. The Chair must keep MMC Legal Services, Compliance and the SOD Dean's Office aware of any issues as appropriate.
Mentorship
- Assuring equitable salary and academic work conditions for Department faculty and facilitating their continuing professional development.
Finance
- The financial success of the Department is dependent upon correct, clear and timely documentation of each clinical encounter. The Chair, working with his/her billing Department, should continuously monitor the medical documentation of the clinical faculty to ensure that appropriate billing practices are followed. Whenever, the Chair or Departmental Billing becomes aware of incorrect documentation or an unacceptable billing decision, the Chair must take immediate action to rectify the problem. This may include meeting individually with the medical provider, sending clarification emails or having a billing/documentation presentation during a faculty meeting.
- The Chair should assist faculty in identifying start-up funds for faculty, residents and students. This process should also promote accountability where the outcome of start-up funded research is reported in forums such as a poster session or peer-review publication.
Required Skills
- Strategic and critical thinker
- Visionary and Innovative
- Integrity and accountability
- Decisive and results-oriented
- Credibility and presence
- Must possess good oral and written communication skills.
- Proven ability to cultivate strong relationships with various stakeholders and create an environment that fosters collaboration and trust
- Exceptional presentation skills and a high degree of poise when interacting with internal and external senior leaders
- Expertise in the latest evidence-based clinical guidelines and technological advances. Genuine enthusiasm for working in an environment of constant change and growth. Desire to train the next generation of physicians
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills to establish credibility quickly, build rapport, and easily interact with clinical and administrative leadership, as well as physicians and staff.
- Familiarity with CODA requirements.
- Experience with educational technology and electronic health records.
Required Education and Experience
- Minimum qualifications for the position are DDS or DMD from a U.S. or Canadian-accredited dental school.
- Completion of CODA-accredited postgraduate program in Pediatric Dentistry.
- Eligible for an Academic Appointment as Associate Professor.
- Relevant administrative experience
- Dental License to practice in the State of Tennessee
- DEA
- Clinical teaching experience at the predoctoral or postdoctoral level.
- Minimum of three (3) years of teaching and/or clinical experience.
Required License
- Unrestricted Tennessee Dental License
- Proof of Dental Degree
