Assistant Professor (Orthodontics)

Position Overview

Full‑time faculty position in the Department of Orthodontics at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry.

Position Details

Full‑time, four days per week; one weekday reserved for outside professional activities, subject to university policies and applicable licensure requirements.

Primary Purpose and Essential Functions

"The Department of Orthodontics is responsible for delivering comprehensive orthodontic education within both the predoctoral and graduate curricula. This includes didactic and clinical instruction in orthodontic diagnosis, treatment planning, contemporary orthodontic treatment modalities, management of craniofacial anomalies, and interdisciplinary management of patients requiring orthognathic surgery and dental sleep medicine."

Faculty members are expected to actively contribute to teaching, scholarship, patient care, and service. The successful candidate will provide clinical orthodontic care with an emphasis on craniofacial orthodontics, participate in resident and student education, contribute to scholarly activities, and engage in service to the school and professional community.

The primary purpose of this position is to contribute to excellence in graduate and predoctoral orthodontic education, patient care, scholarship, and service.

• I. Teaching
  • Provide didactic and clinical instruction to orthodontic residents and predoctoral dental students.
  • Mentor residents in clinical decision‑making, treatment planning, and interdisciplinary patient care.
  • Participate in curriculum development and educational innovation.
• II. Patient Care
  • Supervise residents in the diagnosis and treatment of orthodontic patients, with particular emphasis on patients with craniofacial anomalies and complex interdisciplinary needs.
  • Participate in multidisciplinary craniofacial team care and attend designated craniofacial panels in the San Francisco Bay Area, including at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland and Kaiser Permanente.
• III. Scholarship
  • Mentor and supervise resident research projects.
  • Develop and maintain an active scholarly agenda through research, grant development, and peer‑reviewed publications.
  • Collaborate with faculty on departmental and interdisciplinary research initiatives.
• IV. Service
  • Participate in departmental, school‑wide, and university committees.
  • Contribute to professional organizations and community outreach activities at the local, regional, and national levels.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge of:
  • Curriculum development and educational delivery in orthodontics.
  • Clinical expertise in the management of adolescent and adult orthodontic patients, craniofacial anomalies, and orthognathic surgery cases.
  • Experience with contemporary fixed appliance systems and digital orthodontic workflows.
• Experience:
  • At least one year of clinical orthodontic practice or teaching experience.
• Education:
  • DDS or DMD degree from a CODA‑accredited dental school, or equivalent international degree.
  • Completion of an advanced education program in Orthodontics from a CODA‑accredited institution or equivalent.
• Licenses/Certifications:
  • Current CPR/BLS certification.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience:
  • Fellowship training in craniofacial orthodontics or substantial clinical experience in the management of patients with craniofacial anomalies.
  • Previous academic teaching experience in a graduate orthodontic program.
  • Candidates with demonstrated scholarly productivity and potential to develop an extramurally funded research program.
  • Experience with digital orthodontic workflows, CBCT imaging, and 3D craniofacial imaging analysis is highly desirable.
• Education:
  • American Board of Orthodontics board certification is highly desirable.
• Abilities:
  • Communicate effectively with patients, students, staff, faculty, and administrators from diverse backgrounds.
  • Work independently and collaboratively in a dynamic academic environment.
  • Maintain professionalism, integrity, and composure in clinical and academic settings.
  • Inspire excellence, innovation, and lifelong learning.
  • Advance the mission, vision, and core values of the school.
• Other:
  • Experience and sensitivity in working with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
  • Demonstrated experience in advancing social justice, equity, and inclusion in a university setting.
  • Ability to engage and integrate culturally responsive practices and knowledge in their work.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative but not definitive of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• GENERAL: Faculty should have sufficient motor function to execute movements essential to providing oral health care to patients.
• SPECIFIC: Must possess the motor skills to perform palpation, percussion, auscultation and other diagnostic maneuvers, basic laboratory tests, dental preparations, and diagnostic procedures in a timely manner. Such actions require coordination of gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional uses of the senses of touch and vision.
• SPECIFIC: Must be able to perform basic life support including CPR, transfer and position patients with disabilities, physically restrain children who lack motor control, and position and reposition himself or herself around the patient and chair in sitting and standing positions for prolonged periods of time. Must be able to operate controls, use high‑speed or low‑speed dental handpieces for tooth preparation procedures, and use hand instrumentation, including scalpels, for surgical procedures. All of these skills must be performed within reasonable time frames.

Hiring Range

$130,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year. Factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s qualifications, internal equity, and market considerations will be considered.

Special Instructions

For in‑person roles: This is an in‑person role, and the successful candidate must be willing to relocate within California, preferably within 25 miles of Pacific campus.

For online roles: While this is an online position, Pacific’s three campuses are within California and its faculty and staff are mostly California residents. California residents are preferred. Out‑of‑state hires must be approved by the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (for academic hires) or by the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President for Finance and Operations.

Anti‑Discrimination/EEO Policy Statement

University of the Pacific is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to workforce diversity across backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints. Pacific does not unlawfully discriminate in its hiring of faculty and staff, or in the provision of its employment benefits to its faculty and staff on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, sex/gender, marital status, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, medical condition, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, or mental or physical disability, or other legally protected characteristics or combination of such characteristics. While we strive to attract a broad and representative pool of candidates, all hiring decisions are made based on merit, selecting the most qualified individual for each position.