Dentist - Chief Of Dental Services

This position is located in the Dental Service, Albany Stratton VA Medical Center and supports the Network Mission to care for our Veterans with compassion and excellence. The successful candidate for this important leadership position is responsible for overseeing a group of Dentists, Oral Surgeon, and professional support staff who provide a broad range of dental interventions to Veterans with complex diseases and comorbidities within a patient centric model.
The Chief, Dental Service serves as a practicing dentist who performs a full range of professional dental procedures in connection with the treatment of commonly encountered dental diseases or dental health problems requiring standard corrective, restorative or preventative measures.

Duties include but limited to:
-Provides the administration of the Dental Service in compliance with applicable VHA, VISN, Medical Center and Dental service Handbooks, Directives, Policies and Procedures.
-Responsible for supervising other dentists and professional staff in the service and to ensure that they are performing to the highest standards of clinical care excellence, time efficiency, professional and ethical behavior.
-Supervises all operational aspects of the Dental Service, including establishment of the highest clinical care standards, operations, and quality; as well as daily functioning of the Dental suite in order to maintain efficient and cost-effective provision of services while maintaining a high standard of patient care.
-Develops strong, collegial working relationships with other leaders within the medical center (both clinical and administrative), and with other service Chiefs/section heads. Working with these individuals, the Chief Dentist will develop a vision and strategic plan for the Dental Service.
-Oversees the development and implementation of systems redesigns projects, quality improvements and assurance programs of inpatient services.
-Champion initiatives designed to improve overall quality through the use of evidence-based medicine and peer review.
-Participates in clinical review process such as tort claims, peer reviews, management reviews and administrative activities, as directed by the Chief of Staff.
-The Dental Chief fosters a culture of transparency, communication, collegiality and patient centered interdisciplinary teamwork.
-Use astute business acumen to optimally utilize resources and adapt to changes, exercising leadership and flexibility.
-The Chief of Dental is expected to maintain current medical knowledge and technical skills. He/she is expected to maintain excellent diagnostic, judgmental, and therapeutic acumen in the care of veterans.
-Provides both leadership and documentation that all dentists within the service are competent with respect to current privileging within the Dental service.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8am- 4:30pm.
Financial Discloser Report: Not required
U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
Designated and/or random drug testing required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
Must be proficient in written and spoken English
You may be required to serve a probationary period
Subject to a background/security investigation
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
Must pass pre-employment physical examination

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
Degree of doctor of dental surgery or dental medicine resulting from a course of
education in dentistry. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed.
Current, full and unrestricted license to practice dentistry or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
Completion of an approved residency program in general practice or specialty, or comparable experience as a dentist actively involved in treating medically compromised patients.
Proficiency in spoken and written English.
Physical requirements outlined below.

Preferred Experience: Experience in both leadership/admin and clinical roles preferred.

References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-3 Dentist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. .

Physical Requirements: Physical activities include sitting, standing (up to 4 hours) walking (up to 2 hours), heavy lifting (45 pounds or over), reaching above the shoulder, and repeated bending. The incumbent should be emotionally and mentally stable; and capable to perform the duties of the position.