The Department of Periodontology at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry invites applications for a full-time Registered Dental Hygienist position. The successful candidate will join a dynamic predoctoral dental education program committed to excellence in teaching, patient care, service, and community engagement. The Faculty/Clinical Instructor will provide didactic, preclinical laboratory, and clinical instruction to predoctoral students and post doctorate residents while supervising the delivery of comprehensive periodontal care to a culturally and medically diverse patient population. The individual will promote evidence-based periodontal therapy, clinical excellence, professionalism, patient safety, and interprofessional collaboration consistent with the mission of Meharry Medical College.
Daily Operations
- Provide direct clinical supervision and instruction to predoctoral dental students during patient care experiences in the Department of Periodontology.
- Evaluate student performance and competency in accordance with departmental clinical standards.
- Ensure quality patient care while maintaining compliance with institutional policies and accreditation standards.
- Foster critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills through evidence-based instruction.
- Supervise students in patient assessment, diagnosis support, treatment planning, implementation of periodontal therapy, and post-treatment evaluation.
- Provide timely formative and summative student evaluations.
- Deliver lectures, seminars, demonstrations, and laboratory instruction within the predoctoral curriculum.
- Assist with development, implementation, and continuous improvement of educational materials and instructional methods.
- Participate in student assessments, practical examinations, written examinations, and competency evaluations.
- Utilize contemporary educational technologies and active learning strategies.
Required Skills
- Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, and instructional communication skills.
- Ability to teach effectively in both clinical and laboratory settings.
- Ability to evaluate student performance objectively and provide constructive feedback.
- Knowledge of current evidence-based periodontal therapy.
- Proficiency in contemporary non-surgical periodontal treatment techniques.
- Knowledge of current trends, technologies, and best practices in dental hygiene education.
- Knowledge of patient management strategies for culturally diverse and medically complex populations.
- Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, residents, students, staff, and interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
- Strong commitment to professionalism, ethical conduct, diversity, equity, inclusion, and student success.
Preferred Skills
- Knowledge of adult learning principles and student-centered teaching methodologies.
- Strong organizational and time management skills.
- Experience with education technology and electronic health record systems
- Record of research, publication or scholarly contribution
- Experience with interprofessional education and collaborative practice
Required Education and Experience
- Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
- Current licensure or eligibility for licensure as a Registered Dental Hygienist in the State of Tennessee.
- Clinical experience (2 years minimum) in dental hygiene practice.
- Experience providing comprehensive preventive and non-surgical periodontal therapy.
- Current Basic Life Support (BLS)/CPR certification.
Preferred Education and Experience
- Master’s degree in Dental Hygiene, Education, Public Health, Health Sciences, or a related discipline.
- Previous teaching experience in an academic dental institution.
- Experience supervising dental or dental hygiene students.
- Experience with competency-based dental education.
- Experience using electronic dental records and digital radiographic systems.
- Experience participating in curriculum development.
- Demonstrated scholarly activity, presentations, publications, or professional service.
- Experience working with diverse, underserved, or medically complex patient populations
Required Licensure, Certification or Registration
- Current Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) license in the State of Tennessee or eligibility for Tennessee licensure.
- Certification to administer local anesthesia in accordance with the Tennessee Dental Practice Act.
- Certification to monitor nitrous oxide analgesia as authorized by the Tennessee Dental Practice Act.
- Current Basic Life Support (BLS)/CPR certification from an approved provider.
Preferred Licensure, Certification or Registration
- Certification in laser-assisted periodontal therapy.
- Certification in advanced periodontal instrumentation.
- Membership in the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA).
- Active participation in professional dental hygiene organizations.
- Additional certifications supporting advanced clinical education.
