Description

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Department of Prosthodontics, College of Dentistry, is seeking an Open Rank Professor and Chair. This is a full-time non-tenured faculty position. 
Responsibilities

The Chair of the Department of Prosthodontics provides visionary leadership and administrative oversight for all departmental operations, including academic, clinical, and research activities. This role ensures alignment with the mission of the College of Dentistry and compliance with CODA accreditation standards. The Chair fosters excellence in education, patient care, research, and service while promoting innovation, interprofessional collaboration, and professional development.

The Chair provides administrative and leadership oversight for all departmental operations across four divisions: Pre-Doctoral Fixed Prosthodontics, Pre-Doctoral Removable Prosthodontics, Pre-Doctoral Implant Prosthodontics, and Post-Doctoral Prosthodontics. Responsibilities include developing and managing departmental budgets, recruiting, mentoring, and evaluating faculty and staff, and ensuring compliance with accreditation standards and institutional policies. The Chair leads monthly departmental meetings, conducts division director meetings at least twice annually, and attends biweekly Administrative Council and biannual Student Status Committee meetings. Additional duties include overseeing faculty calibration sessions, monitoring course director reporting on student progress, supervising the Senior Dental Lab Technician, and participating in college committees as assigned. The Chair also leads departmental strategic planning to ensure alignment with the college’s mission and goals and represents the department in college-wide and university-level initiatives, serving as a key advocate for its academic, clinical, and research priorities. Service and administration will account for no more than 50% of the Chair’s mission.

The Chair is responsible for developing and overseeing preclinical and clinical prosthodontic educational programs, maintaining curriculum integrity, monitoring student didactic and clinical progress, coordinating teaching assignments, and appointing course directors. The Chair supports curriculum innovation and continuous improvement, delivers didactic lectures, and provides clinical instruction. Proficiency in digital platforms such as Blackboard, Excel, and Banner is essential for managing these responsibilities effectively. Teaching should account for at least 30% of the Chair’s mission.

The Chair facilitates and supports faculty and student research initiatives, promotes scholarly activity and publication within the department, and actively seeks external funding and grants to advance research and educational goals. In addition, the Chair participates in research as a committee member for postgraduate projects and contributes to predoctoral summer research initiatives, fostering a culture of inquiry and academic excellence. Research and scholarly activity will not account for more than 20% of the Chair’s mission.

The Chair ensures the highest standards of patient care within clinical teaching environments and integrates evidence-based practices into all aspects of clinical instruction. This role oversees prosthodontic clinical operations, maintaining compliance with OSHA, HIPAA, and institutional regulations. The Chair must demonstrate proficiency in Axium EDR, collaborating with the Axium team to implement system improvements and generate reports for tracking clinical data and student progress. Additionally, the Chair is responsible for quality assurance of all prosthodontic restorations, including both in-house and outsourced laboratory cases, to uphold excellence in patient care and educational outcomes. Private clinical care of patients is optional and will account for no more than 10% of the Chair’s mission.

Requirements

Qualifications
EDUCATION: DDS or DMD from an accredited institution. Completion of formal training in a CODA-accredited Prosthodontics program, earning a certificate in Prosthodontics. 

EXPERIENCE: Three (3) years of clinical practice experience. Demonstrated leadership experience in academic or clinical settings.

LICENSES: Certificate in Prosthodontics. American Board of Prosthodontics certification is preferred. Must be eligible for licensure in the State of Tennessee. Employment is contingent upon obtaining a Tennessee dental license.

DEPARTMENTAL PREFERENCES:

This position requires a comprehensive set of skills that blend administration, technical expertise, teaching, interprofessional collaboration, and patient-centered care in an academic environment. Applicants should have a minimum of 10 years of experience in dental education, with at least 5 years in a leadership and/or administrative role.

Candidates must possess a deep understanding of dental materials, occlusion, biomechanics of oral structures, advanced restorative techniques, basic laboratory procedures, and advanced treatment planning. Excellent communication skills are necessary to educate and collaborate with students, patients, and faculty members. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in digital dental technology and/or implant dentistry.

For benefits information, please visit

https://www.uthsc.edu/hr/benefits/documents/benefits-preview-packet.pdf