Dental Equipment Specialist

Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 27,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Case Western Reserve University is seeking a Dental Maintenance Technician to support the School of Dental Medicine by maintaining and repairing over 200 clinical operatories and the pre-clinical lab. You will diagnose mechanical, electrical, hydraulic issues, coordinate with vendors, and ensure safety and regulatory compliance, while training faculty and students on equipment use.

This position requires 1–3 years of related experience and a High School diploma; starting wage is $23.68 per hour,

Qualifications

• Experience with routine maintenance of dental or clinical equipment preferred.
• High School education required; Trade School education preferred.
• Willingness to attend specialized training and to learn AI tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead routine and preventative maintenance on 200+ operatories to ensure reliability and safety.
• Maintain the pre-clinical lab with 95 A-dec workstations and manage equipment issues.
• Coordinate repairs with vendors and assist in CODA accreditation-related logs.

Skills

Electrical basics

Plumbing basics

Hydraulics basics

Pneumatics basics

Microsoft Office

Education

High School diploma

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Word

Job description

Case Western Reserve University is committed to providing a transparent estimate of the salary for this position at the time of its posting. The starting wage rate is $23.68 per hour, depending on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data.

Employees receive more than just a paycheck. University employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare, retirement plans, tuition assistance, paid time off, and a winter recess.

POSITION OBJECTIVE

Working under limited supervision, the Dental Maintenance Technician supports the mission of the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine by providing key maintenance and technical support to faculty, staff, and students engaged in cutting edge dental education and world-class patient care. The dental maintenance technician will maintain, repair and support the physical facilities and complex equipment systems within the School of Dental Medicine. This position ensures simulation labs, clinical operatories and auxiliary service areas remain safe, functional and operational for faculty, students and patients. The dental maintenance technician will utilize independent judgement and discretion in performing preventative maintenance, response to service requests (emergency vs. routine), and coordination of repair/installation services with vendors and contractors, assist with facility improvement projects.

Essential Functions

• Clinical Responsibilities: Lead routine and preventative maintenance on over 200 specialized patient based clinical operatories to ensure equipment is functioning/calibrated to manufacturer specifications ensuring system reliability, regulatory compliance and operational continuity. Independently diagnose, prioritize and resolve complex failures across mechanical, electrical and hydraulic systems supporting patient based operations. This includes but is not limited to diagnosing and repairing mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, water and water pressure failures in equipment. If a reported problem is related to the physical plant facility, alert the building management company, CBRE, and coordinate necessary reviews/repairs to return equipment to normal operation. Calibrate dental equipment to ensure compliance with manufacturer specifications, replace hoses, flush water and suction lines, repair and rewire electrical lines and circuits, clean biohazardous waste traps and sinks in compliance with manufacturer and OSHA standards. Emergency duties are prioritized first, followed by routine maintenance and repairs. Respond to work order requests submitted via the online ticketing system and notify the requester upon completion. Maintain communication with dental equipment manufacturers and vendors to secure replacement parts or for assistance with troubleshooting ongoing issues. Periodically provide training and demonstrations to faculty/students on the proper use of dental equipment utilized in the treatment of patients. (50%)
• Pre-Clinical Lab Responsibilities: Lead the ongoing maintenance of the pre-clinical simulation lab, consisting of 95 state-of-the-art A-dec workstations and mannequin units. This includes but is not limited to mechanical, electrical, water and water pressure failures, suction lines, hand-piece connections and vacuum lines. Provide support to the Dental IT team to ensure periodic software updates are installed and all equipment is functioning according to manufacturer specifications. Maintain an adequate inventory of OEM replacement parts to ensure the lab is functioning at full capacity and that each student has a properly functioning workstation and mannequin unit. (35%)
• Work with the Dental School IT department to develop a system for tracking all repair requests, logging outcomes and developing preventative maintenance programs. These logs are required by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and must be accessible by CODA site visitors during each 7 year accreditation cycle. (10%)

Nonessential Functions

Perform other duties as assigned including not limited to assist with moving large clinical deliveries to the appropriate clinical area; assist with moving of faculty/staff offices/work areas; assist IT with the moving of IT equipment (computers/printers/etc.); serve as a liaison between the dental school and CBRE for building related matters such as lamping, elevator repair, temperature control issues, leaks, bio-hazard spills/cleanup and general life safety matters. May occasionally provide service to equipment located in the dental research labs located on main campus. (5%)

CONTACTS

Department: Continuous contact with all levels of faculty and staff within the School of Dental Medicine to resolve equipment issues.

University: Occasional contact with CBRE (Health Education Campus building management company) to resolve building related matters.

External: Moderate contact with dental school vendors regarding the ordering of needed materials/supplies to maintain/repair equipment. Frequency will vary, based on needs.

Students: Continuous contact with students to manage work orders related to clinical laboratory equipment.

Supervisory Responsibilities

No direct supervision of staff or students.

Qualifications

Experience: 1 to 3 years of related experience required. Trades experience in electrical/plumbing/hydraulics/pneumatics preferred.

Education/Licensing: High School education required. Trade School education preferred.

Required Skills

• Basic knowledge/understanding of electrical/plumbing/hydraulics/pneumatics.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Excel and Word.
• Willingness to attend specialized training program at the A-dec Training Center.
• Willingness to learn and work with artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies.
• Ability to demonstrate successful support, education, and advocacy for all faculty/staff/students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest.
• Ability to meet consistent attendance.
• Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers face to face.

WORKING CONDITIONS

This position involves working with dental machinery/equipment, including equipment that may contain biohazardous material, chemicals and possible exposure to radiation from x-ray equipment. Employee must be able to lift/move 50 to 75 lb. boxes of material, furniture and equipment. The employee will be required to drive their own vehicle while on the job. Ability to work on ladders is occasionally necessary. Must be able to work overtime during events such as Mock Boards, Boards, Professional¿s Day, Senior Check Out, Prophy Day¿s, Graduation and other times as may be needed.

Case Western Reserve University is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants are protected under federal and state laws and university policy from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, protected veteran status, disability, age and genetic information.

Case Western Reserve University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the CWRU Office of Equity at 216-368-3066 to request a reasonable accommodation. Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any applicants will be made on a case-by‑case basis.