Vice Dean, College of Dental Medicine

## Job Type:Staff##

Job Description:

Kansas City University (KCU) is seeking a visionary, mission-driven, and collaborative leader to serve as the Vice Dean of the College of Dental Medicine at its Joplin, Missouri campus. The Vice Dean is a key member of the College’s leadership team and is responsible for overseeing the academic and clinical operations of the dental program while advancing KCU’s mission to improve the well-being of communities—especially in underserved and rural areas across southwest Missouri and the broader four-state region.  

The Vice Dean will support the Dean in implementing the strategic vision of the College, managing day-to-day academic and clinical operations, and ensuring compliance with accreditation standards. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to rural oral health, academic excellence, interprofessional education, and community-based clinical education.
** Essential Duties and Responsibilities
**** Academic Leadership
*** Provide oversight for the academic programs within the College, ensuring alignment with KCU’s mission, values, and strategic priorities.
* Supervise faculty leaders to ensure delivery of an innovative, student-centered,  competency-based curriculum and patient-centered clinical dental care.
* Promote and support a culture of clinical and teaching excellence, scholarly activity, and continuous curricular improvement.
* Ensure compliance with Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) standards and all applicable accreditation and licensure requirements.
** Clinical Operations & Community Engagement
*** Provide strategic and operational oversight for the College of Dental Medicine Oral Health Center.
* Ensure high-quality, patient-centered care while fostering a strong educational experience for dental students in the CDM Oral Health Center and community based clinical settings.
* Cultivate and maintain partnerships with community health centers, rural clinics, and public health organizations to expand access to care in dental health professional shortage areas (HPSAs).
* Oversee the integration of rural and community-based clinical rotations into the curriculum.
** Administrative Leadership
*** Collaborate with the Dean and senior leadership on faculty recruitment, development, and evaluation.
* Assist in the development and management of the College’s budget, staffing, and resource allocation.
* Participate in strategic planning, enrollment growth efforts, and long-range institutional initiatives.
* Contribute to fundraising and advancement activities that support the College’s mission, including scholarships and community outreach initiatives.
** Interprofessional and Institutional Collaboration
*** Promote interprofessional education, parnterships and collaboration with other KCU colleges, including Osteopathic Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, and Health Professions and external regional universities.
* Represent the College on institutional committees and external boards or associations, as appropriate.
*
* Qualifications:

*** DDS/DMD from a CODA-accredited institution.
* Academic achievement at the level of Professor or Associate Professor
* Active dental license (or eligibility for licensure) in the state of Missouri.
* At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience in dental education and/or clinical administration.
* Demonstrated experience in academic leadership, faculty development, curriculum management and accreditation compliance.
* Strong understanding of clinical operations, especially in community or academic settings.
* Commitment to student success, community engagement, outreach and service.
** Preferred
* ** Advanced degree (e.g., MPH, EdD, MBA, PhD).
* Experience working in or developing programs for rural or underserved populations.
* Familiarity with CODA accreditation and academic program assessment.
* Record of scholarly activity or leadership in professional organizations.
** Core Competencies
*** Strategic and operational leadership
* Student- and patient-centered mindset
* Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
* Commitment to rural health and community engagement
* Ability to build and lead high-performing academic…