ASDOH - Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs

Description

The Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs serves as the chief clinical officer of the dental school, providing strategic and operational leadership for all patient care and clinical education programs and operations. This individual ensures that the school delivers high-quality, ethical, compliant, and patient-centered care while supporting the clinical training of predoctoral and postgraduate students. The Associate Dean oversees clinic operations, faculty calibration, infection control, sterilization, compliance, and the integration of clinical technology systems. Working closely with academic leadership, directors, and staff, the Associate Dean promotes a safe, efficient, and educationally enriching clinical environment aligned with accreditation standards and institutional goals. A DMD or DDS and eligibility for an active Arizona Dental License is required for this role.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Clinical Operations Leadership

• Provide executive oversight of all dental school clinics, including general, specialty, and community-based practice sites.
• Ensure efficient, patient-centered, and financially sustainable clinical operations.
• Provide oversight for clinical teams to coordinate care delivery and optimize workflows.
• Lead strategic planning initiatives for clinic expansion, technology integration, and patient access.
• Lead, liaise, and coordinate the ADEX examination and preparation sessions.
• Explore, develop, and oversee the clinical implementation of emerging technologies, in collaboration with the technology team, to enhance clinical effectiveness, improve patient care and education, and ensure the school remains at the forefront of technological advancement.
• Advise the Dean on clinical strategy, resources, personnel, technology, partnerships, investments, and other matters affecting the clinical mission of the school.

Clinical Education Oversight

• Collaborate with the academic leadership team to integrate clinical education with didactic and laboratory curriculum.
• Support faculty and program directors in delivering competency-based education aligned with CODA standards.
• Oversee student and resident clinical progression, assessment, and remediation processes.
• Promote evidence-based clinical teaching and support faculty calibration and development initiatives.

Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with all relevant local, state, and federal laws governing healthcare delivery, including HIPAA, OSHA, CDC, and infection control regulations.
• Maintain and enforce clinical policies and procedures consistent with professional standards and institutional guidelines.
• Oversee clinic credentialing, quality assurance, incident reporting, and patient safety programs.
• Serve as the liaison to institutional legal, compliance, and risk management offices on clinical matters.

Patient Care Quality and Experience

• Champion a culture of collegiality, trust, respect, and excellence in patient care, ethics, and professionalism.
• Monitor and improve metrics for patient satisfaction, service delivery, and access to care.
• Establish and implement systems for patient feedback, complaint resolution, and service recovery.
• Promote interdisciplinary and interprofessional care models that improve health outcomes.

Faculty and Staff Management

• Support recruitment, credentialing, onboarding, and performance evaluation of clinical faculty and staff.
• Foster faculty development programs related to clinical supervision, assessment, and professionalism.
• Collaborate with directors and senior directors to ensure appropriate clinical coverage and faculty workload distribution.
• Build and mentor a culture of collaboration, trust, and effective communication

Financial Resource Management

• Work with finance and business operations to develop and manage clinic budgets, billing systems, and revenue cycle performance.
• Monitor productivity, provider utilization, and resource allocation to support financial sustainability.
• Oversee procurement and maintenance of clinical equipment, supplies, and facilities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Education & Experience:

• DMD or DDS degree
• Active Arizona Dental License (Ability to acquire within 120 days of hiring)
• Greater than 9 years of experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of CODA standards, clinical education, and patient care delivery in academic settings.
• Curriculum management. Competency-based education and assessment. Modern pedagogical concepts and their application in health professions education
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
• Analytical & Critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, empathy

ATSU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverages, among more. If eligible, employee-elected benefits would begin the first of the month following hire date. For more information, please visit: atsu.edu/employment/benefits. 

A.T. Still University (ATSU) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities.