Assistant Professor, Dental Technology

Palomar College

San Marcos (CA)

On-site

USD 859,000 - 1,366,000

Full time

35 hours ago

Be an early applicant

Application generator

Turn this role into an interview — a resume and cover letter built around what this employer wants.

Get past ATS filters

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Long-term care insurance

EAP

Job summary

Palomar College invites applications for an Assistant Professor/Program Director, Dental Technology. The role involves teaching a range of Dental Assisting courses at the San Marcos campus and off-campus sites, including distance education.

The position blends 60% teaching with 40% reassigned time as Department Chair, overseeing program planning, evaluation, and continuous improvement. The candidate will lead accreditation efforts, coordinate curricula, and work under the CBA with a stipend for

Qualifications

Any bachelor’s degree or higher AND two years of professional experience directly related to the teaching assignment.
Must have had instruction in educational theory and methodology, e.g., curriculum development, educational psychology, test construction, measurement and evaluation.

Responsibilities

Teach courses in Dental Technology (Dental Assisting) such as Introduction to Dental Science and Dental Occupations (DA-50), Dental Science and Anatomy (DA-57), Dental Materials (DA-60), Advanced Operative Procedures (DA-85), Preventive Dentistry I (DA-82), Preventive Dentistry II (DA-83), Clinical Rotation I (DA-91), and Advanced Clinical Rotation (DA-92).
Serve as Department Chair with 40% reassigned time and lead program planning, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
Provide leadership and oversight of the Dental Assisting Program, including accreditation activities and compliance with CODA and California Dental Board regulations.

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Job description

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

This position is expected to start in the Spring 2027 semester.
Interviews will require a live teaching demonstration. The hiring committee will decide if interviews will be conducted in person at the College or via Zoom. Travel expenses for first-level interviews are not reimbursed by the College. Second-level travel reimbursement is only available for eligible candidates. HR will notify those who are eligible when second-level interviews are scheduled.

Position Information

Position Title

Department

Primary Location

Teaching assignments will include day, evening, and/or weekend classes at the San Marcos campus and/or off-campus locations as part of contract responsibilities, as well as distance education classes. Full-time faculty are expected to participate fully in departmental activities and college governance and hold regular office hours.

Grade

Starting salary range: $77,011.42 – $122,363.70 annually.

Academic training and teaching experience will form the basis for salary computation as determined by placement on the regular salary schedule of the College. A maximum of step 8 at the appropriate salary grade will be awarded to new faculty. For a salary estimate, visit www.palomar.edu/hr/employees/classifications/salary/ and use the links in the Full-time Faculty section.

Salary/Wage Frequency Monthly

In addition to a competitive compensation structure, Palomar College also offers an extremely generous benefits package.

Insurance fully paid for employees and their eligible dependents: four medical plans, dental HMO , and the vision plan (additional plans are available that require employee buy up/monthly contribution)
$80,000 employee term life/accident insurance policy (additional buy up options available)
Employee long-term care insurance
Employee Assistance Plan ( EAP ) – Free counseling, financial, legal, personal and professional development resources
Additional buy up options available for other voluntary insurance benefits

The estimated maximum value of this employer-paid benefits package is approximately $31,245.84 annually.

Primary Function

The Assistant Professor/Program Director*, Dental Technology is primarily responsible for teaching a variety of courses in the discipline of Dental Technology (Dental Assisting). Specifically, these courses include:

Introduction to Dental Science and Dental Occupations (DA-50)
Dental Science and Anatomy (DA-57)
Dental Materials (DA-60)
Advanced Operative Procedures (DA-85)
Preventive Dentistry I (DA-82)
Preventive Dentistry II (DA-83)
Clinical Rotation I (DA-91)
Advanced Clinical Rotation (DA-92)

This position will have a 60% teaching load and will serve as the Department Chair with 40% reassigned time. The Assistant Professor/Program Director will provide leadership and oversight of the Dental Assisting Program, including program planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement. *Note: This position is designated as the Program Director for the California Dental Board ( DBC ) and the Commission on Dental Accreditation ( CODA ) and will also receive a stipend in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement ( CBA ) for serving as the Dental Assisting Coordinator. The Program Director title will need to be negotiated between the District and the Palomar Faculty Federation ( PFF ) union to have it updated from Dental Assisting Coordinator to Dental Assisting Program Director.

Minimum Qualifications

Must meet both sets of qualifications listed under 1) and 2) below:

Any bachelor’s degree or higher AND two years of professional experience directly related to the teaching assignment.
Must have had instruction in educational theory and methodology, e.g., curriculum development, educational psychology, test construction, measurement and evaluation.

NOTE : For professional experience, a “year” is defined as equivalent to 40 hours per week for 10 months.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Antiracism (DEIAA) Statement

Palomar College is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and antiracism ( DEIAA ). We are dedicated to empowering students to succeed and are guided by our core values; some of which are the following:

Access – We make education possible for everyone.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – We recognize and respect diversity, seek to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, and strive to address inequities.

All positions require cultural competency which includes the sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, faculty, and staff.

Preferred Qualifications

Teaching experience in a CODA -accredited Dental Assisting program or other postsecondary dental education setting.
Experience with CODA accreditation standards, including self-study preparation, accreditation documentation, and/or site visits.
Experience as a program director, department chair, lead faculty, or other educational leadership role.
Experience with curriculum development, program assessment, student learning outcomes, and continuous program improvement.
Experience with and/or knowledge of California Dental Board regulations and requirements applicable to Registered Dental Assisting education.
Commitment to a student learning-centered college.
Evidence of a strong commitment to remain current in Dental Technology and its instructional program.

Licenses and/or Certificates

Must have a Registered Dental Assistant ( RDA ) license in the state of California.
Must be a Dental Assisting National Board Certified Dental Assistant ( CDA ) or dentist licensed to practice in the state of California.
Must have a Basic Life Support ( BLS )/ CPR certification for healthcare providers.

In addition to the teaching responsibilities, other duties and institutional responsibilities include maintaining regular office hours, developing curriculum, program review and planning, developing and assessing student learning outcomes, and participating in department activities and college governance. Related duties include the following:

Delivering instruction in accordance with the course objectives and learning outcomes set for the course, including practical skills, methods, theories and techniques.
Developing and managing course curriculum, syllabus materials and lesson plans.
Maintaining compliance with Commission on Dental Accreditation ( CODA ) standards, California Dental Board requirements, and other applicable regulatory and institutional requirements.
Coordinating accreditation activities, including required reports, self-studies, documentation, and preparation for accreditation site visits.
Developing and maintaining effective industry partnerships.
Coordinating and overseeing clinical and laboratory education, including externship/clinical affiliation sites, infection control, safety standards, and student clinical experiences.
Monitoring program effectiveness and student outcomes, including retention, completion, credentialing/licensure results, graduate placement, and other measures required for program assessment and accreditation.
Providing academic and career advisement.
Providing leadership and coordination for full-time and part-time faculty, including faculty orientation, calibration, instructional consistency, and student competency assessment.
Attending and participating in faculty meetings and/or departmental curricular meetings and events.
Assisting with researching, writing and/or obtaining grants.
Facilitating part-time faculty evaluations, high school articulation, and textbook requirements (with an emphasis on zero-cost textbooks and open education resources).
Assisting with community outreach.
Performing other duties as required.

In accordance with the CBA , the Department Chair, under the immediate supervision of the Dean, is responsible for providing leadership for the department and on behalf of the department to the District. The Chair is responsible for various planning activities as well as the organization, coordination, oversight, and evaluation duties involving the operations of the department. These duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

Budgeting
Evaluation
Planning
Scheduling
Staffing
Responsibilities related to accreditation
This position will have a 60% teaching load and will serve as the Department Chair with 40% reassigned time. The Assistant Professor/Program Director will provide leadership and oversight of the Dental Assisting Program, including program planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
The person selected for hire will be required to complete the following pre-employment requirements: live scan/fingerprinting, official transcript(s), TB risk assessment, and employment verification(s). Other pre-employment requirements may be required depending on the position (i.e. certifications or licenses; see applicable job posting section for details). Successful completion of all pre-employment requirements is mandatory to be eligible for employment. These requirements are in accordance with the following Administrative Procedures and Board Policies: AP 7120 , AP 7120a , AP 7125 , AP 7126 , AP 7127 , AP 7330 , BP 7330 , AP 7336 , AP 7337 , and BP 7335 .

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

* Please describe how your teaching, leadership, or professional experience has prepared you to recognize and address barriers that may affect students from historically underserved or marginalized backgrounds. Provide a specific example of an action you have taken to promote equity, inclusion, and student success, and describe the impact of your efforts.
(Open Ended Question)