POSITION OVERVIEW

Reporting directly to the Dean of the School of Dental Medicine, the Associate Dean will have broad responsibility across multiple central facets of the School. S/he will be a key strategic and operational leader across the School and will be part of the most senior leadership team within the school.

As TUSDM's top clinical operations leader, the Associate Dean will have oversight and accountability for leading and growing a top-quality, multispecialty, academic and research-oriented clinical division that sees approximately 19-20 thousand unique patients annually, and averages 70-75 thousand patient visits per year (pre-COVID). TUSDM's clinical enterprise is recognized as one of the region's elite providers of dental care and a leader in driving innovation and advancing the field of oral health. 

S/he will oversee areas including clinical affairs, patient care and satisfaction, regulatory affairs, clinical equipment and facilities, and will serve as a leader and member of multiple institutional committees. 

The Associate Dean will manage administrative and clinical faculty and staff and will be responsible for monitoring clinic revenue, billing practices and expenses with the finance team.

Direct reports to the Associate Dean include practice managers, practice administrative staff, and the Chief Medical Officer (responsible for clinical quality indicators, prescription policies and oversight, credentialing, emergency protocols, and medical consults as needed),

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic

• In alignment with the Dean and TUSDM leadership, convey a clear mission and compelling justification for the mission so it is widely understood and supported across both the faculty and their strategic partners in the University,

Operations

This leader will also oversee clinic operations and clinical services, working closely with academic and clinical practice faculty to lead several clinical initiatives, including:

• Ensuring ongoing optimization of the clinical enterprise with metrics-driven attention to financial performance, operational improvements, marketing and reputation management – all in a manner consistent with TUSDM's commitments and values in conjunction with the Chief Financial Officer.
• Advancing and assuring high quality, patient centric care to maintain a long-term patient base.
• Enhancing risk management programs and continually improving compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Creating a financial structure and model which fully accounts for direct and indirect costs, provides insights for areas of strategic investment, and articulates compelling incentive models at the practice level.
• Overseeing clinic productivity, scheduling, service quality, supply chain, facilities and equipment management, central sterilization, infection prevention and control, and recall systems.
• Serving on TUSDM's Leadership Team.

 Collaborative Partnerships

• Collaborate with TUSDM leadership and the revenue cycle team to ensure all parties remain in compliance and promoting agreed upon goals for revenue cycle.
• Partner with academic leadership including the Associate Dean for Research to ensure strategic and operational alignment between faculty and the broader tripartite clinical/educational/research mission of the school.

Requirements

The successful candidate will be a dynamic and highly accomplished dental leader with experience strategically leading and growing dental operations, a track record of successfully leading clinical faculty and administrators in an educational environment, and the ability and skills to lead the growth of a complex business venture in an academic setting.  

EXPERIENCE

• A successful track record in building complex dental clinical practices, optimizing practice economics, and driving growth organically as well as through collaborations and partnerships
• Experience in entrepreneurial environments, with an orientation toward creative problem solving and meeting ambitious goals in a resource-limited environment
• Success leading individuals and teams/committees of clinical, academic, and administrative composition
• Success in working collaboratively within a university.

APTITUDES

• A significant clinical background sufficient to command the respect of a highly accomplished faculty body, complemented by solid business acumen and a results-driven leadership style
• Knowledge of university health centers and dental/medical schools – structure, incentives, finance, operations, and culture – as well as trends and salient issues in complex dental practice more generally
• Acumen for integrating clinical, operational, and financial data – and their respective IT and RCM systems

 PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Driven, collaborative and results-focused executive who leads by example with an appropriate balance of humility, confidence, assertiveness, and empathy
• Ability to set objectives for employees, drive accountability, and manage performance, while ensuring teams retain their autonomy and agility in a fun, friendly, mutually respectful, and egalitarian culture

A DMD or DDS degree from a recognized institution is required. Additional relevant advanced degrees (PhD, MBA, MS, etc.) are desirable but not required.  S/he must at time of appointment be eligible for licensure in Massachusetts.

Interested parties should submit their current curriculum vitae along with a statement describing vision and philosophy in creating an environment that would advance learning, patient care, and collaboration, as well as scholarly and clinical accomplishments and interests. In addition, please provide names and contact information of at least three references. Please submit application documents electronically using the following link:http://apply.interfolio.com/102666

For further information, please contact Thomas Bernhard at 617-636-2749 or via email at thomas.bernhard@tufts.edu

Visit our website for more information about the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine http://dental.tufts.edu/

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