Department Chair - Endodontics - School of Dentistry

Advertising Summary: The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry seeks qualified candidates as an Endodontics Department Chair to lead faculty, advance education, research, and patient care, and shape future dental leaders at Virginia’s only dental school.

Unit: School of Dentistry

Department: Endodontics

Chief Purpose Of This Position

The Chair of the Department of Endodontics will examine the operations of the department as a whole and the relationship to their institution and patients. In this role, the Chair will help faculty within the department be realistic about their expectations for balancing research, teaching and patient care. The Chair will provide leadership for the educational, scholarship, patient care, and service mission of the department and the School of Dentistry. Additionally, the Chair will collaborate and participate with other units with VCU and VCU Health Systems to provide outstanding patient care and continuing education for VCU Dental students.

Administrative

Position Responsibilities:

The Chair will provide strategic leadership to advance excellence in education, research, and patient care in alignment with the VCU School of Dentistry mission. Oversee faculty and staff recruitment, development, mentorship, and evaluation, including promotion and tenure processes. Foster a supportive, inclusive, and high-functioning departmental culture. Guide departmental planning and resource allocation. Implement innovative initiatives that enhance clinical services and research productivity while ensuring efficient coordination of departmental operations. Serve as a primary liaison for departmental priorities within the School and University, representing the department’s unique expertise across disciplines.

Teaching

The Chair will provide clinical and classroom teaching and supervision in both the predoctoral and postdoctoral endodontic clinics and act as a course director. The Chair supervises and mentors residents in research related to their postdoctoral program and assists in the preparation of postdoctoral dental students for specialty board examinations. Faculty members are expected to teach in an integrated curriculum system that includes baccalaureate, graduate, and professional education. Teaching across traditional departmental lines and in multidisciplinary teams is required. Faculty members are expected to foster transformative learning that is informed by interdisciplinary and translational research, scholarship, and creative expression.

Research

The Chair is highly encouraged to participate in research protocols and will work collaboratively with dental research programs and investigators. The incumbent is expected to participate and mentor postdoctoral students in research.

Clinical

The Chair will provide teaching and leadership roles in dentistry clinics, seeing patients, working with students, and working collaboratively with other faculty and staff to promote best business practices, and increase clinic productivity. Participation in the Faculty Private Practice requires demonstrated ability to build a practice. Provides clinical services to affiliated agencies as per faculty compensation plan.

Service

The Chair will serve on and represent the department on departmental, school and other university committees as necessary, and in their professional field, as well as participate in national activities sponsored by the American Association of Endodontics and other professional organizations.

Required Qualifications

• DDS or DMD Degree
• Eligible for a dental license in Virginia
• Certification of completion of Advanced Education in Endodontics
• Experience in dental education, resident program administration, or other leadership experience
• Must have the desire to mentor future dental practitioners
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to and participate in a humanistic environment of learning
• Demonstrated ability to incorporate adult learning theory, evidence-based oral health care, innovation in student learning, and critical thinking, or acquire and develop such ability
• For tenure-eligible positions at the Assistant Professor rank, an established research agenda and a clear potential for external funding, as well as potential for scholarship or creative expression to complement and expand existing expertise in the department
• For tenure-eligible positions at the Associate Professor or Professor rank, a well-developed scholarly/research portfolio with evidence of multi-disciplinary applications and external funding appropriate to complement and expand existing expertise in the department
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or PhD
• Board certification in Endodontics
• National service in the American Association of Endodontists
• Prior experience teaching endodontics within a predoctoral curriculum (didactic and clinical)
• Private practice experience
  
  

Three recent letters of reference, or contact information for at least three references, will be required for consideration.

Salary Range: Commensurate

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Restricted Position: No

ORP Eligible: Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite

Rank: Open

Tenure: Open

Months: 12 Months

Contact Information

Contact Name: Dr. Jennifer Wadiak

Contact Email: wadiakj@vcu.edu