Academic Faculty Director - Dental Assisting

Salary: $62,819–$96,479 (based on education and experience), plus a 10% Allied Health Salary Adjustment and an additional $10K Department Head Responsibilities Adjustment. This position is located in the Pima County/Tucson area and requires in-person work.

About The Position

The Dental Assisting Academic Faculty Director provides strategic leadership, administrative oversight, and instruction for the college's accredited one-year Certificate program. Located in the state-of-the-art Center of Excellence in Health Professions at Pima’s West Campus, this full-time administrator ensures compliance with the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) while managing budgets, curriculum, and faculty. The Director also spearheads interprofessional collaboration with other health profession programs to model an integrated, modern healthcare learning environment.

This twelve-month contract position begins in the 2026-2027 academic year (July–June) and includes day, evening, and weekend duties. The role combines teaching, leadership, and administrative responsibilities. The academic faculty director model is subject to review and may change in two years. Faculty may teach in person, online, hybrid, or virtual learning environments, and course scheduling may include daytime, evenings, and/or weekends.

The program is a 29.5-credit cohort that integrates in-person lectures, lab training, and clinical rotations, preparing entry-level students for careers in private dental offices, clinics, and public health centers.

Responsibilities

• Program Leadership & Administration
  • Develop and manage the program budget, ensuring strategic allocation of resources.
  • Direct curriculum development, evaluation, and coordination to maintain high academic standards.
  • Oversee scheduling and utilization of program facilities, labs, and equipment.
  • Lead all aspects of CODA accreditation compliance, including preparation and maintenance of required documentation.
  • Establish and refine student admission criteria and enrollment procedures.
• Faculty Management & Supervision
  • Recruit, select, and recommend qualified candidates for faculty appointments, tenure, and promotions.
  • Supervise, mentor, and evaluate faculty performance to foster professional growth and instructional excellence.
  • Determine and assign faculty teaching schedules, workloads, and course allocations.
• Instruction & Student Success
  • Teach an instructional load per semester to support students.
  • Evaluate and assess student performance through diverse testing and grading methodologies.
  • Provide proactive academic advising and career mentorship to students.
• Collaboration & Community Engagement
  • Cultivate and maintain strategic community partnerships to expand educational and clinical opportunities for students.
  • Convene and collaborate with a Program Advisory Committee to align training with industry trends.
  • Represent the department or campus on college-wide committees and task forces.
  • Participate in departmental meetings, discipline groups, and institutional initiatives.
  • Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and collegial environment when communicating with faculty, staff, and students.

Requirements

Minimum qualifications for this Occupational/Workforce discipline include:

• Must hold at least one of the following active credentials:
  • Certified Dental Assistant (CDA): Current certification through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), or
  • Licensed Dentist: A dentist licensed to practice in Arizona.
• Two years’ experience as a dental assistant with direct, proven occupational experience applying the principles of four-handed dentistry.
• A baccalaureate degree or higher.
• Current CPR-BLS certification through The American Heart Association.

The selected candidate will:

• Work a flexible schedule including afternoons and evenings as needed to meet student demand.
• Teach in multiple modalities, including in-person, online, and hybrid.

Skills

• Ability to teach a broad range of courses in Dental Assisting.
• Ability to adapt and modify instruction based on student needs and learning styles, including working with accommodations and accessibility.
• Knowledge of appropriate and effective use of assessment information to improve instruction.
• Evaluation of students' educational progress, including maintaining high instruction and learning standards and assessing academic progress in meeting course objectives and student learning outcomes.
• Teaching in multiple modalities (e.g., online, web-enhanced, D2L) with knowledge of curriculum development, course design, and delivery.
• Knowledge of resources available to students to assist with academic and personal challenges, and ability to help students access those resources; skilled in providing academic advising.
• Competencies in multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusivity, with knowledge of diverse community college student populations and the ability to address diversity in effective instructional practice and student learning.
• Knowledge and appreciation for the Community College mission.