Assistant, Associate or Professor in Restorative Dentistry

Job Title
Assistant, Associate or Professor in Restorative Dentistry

Requisition Number
FE04847

Working Title

Department Name
7A750:Division of Restorative Dentistry

Work Location
Lexington, KY

Type of Position
Faculty

Position Time Status
Full-Time

Tenure Track Status
Non-Tenure Track

Required Education

D.M.D./D.D.S. degree

• Eligible for academic dental license (through the Kentucky Board of Dentistry)

• The applicant must have a minimum of 5-years of clinical practice in a comprehensive general dentistry setting.

• The applicant must be proficient in the complete dental CAD/CAM workflow for all-ceramic inlay, onlay, and full-contour crowns, FPDs, dental implant restorations, and clear aligner orthodontics. A proven record of training others in the application of digital dental technology is expected.

Required Related Experience

None

Required License/Registration/Certification

Evidence that the candidate is eligible to receive an unrestricted Kentucky dental license or a Kentucky dental faculty license.

Job Summary

The University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, Department of Oral Health Practice in the Division of Restorative Dentistry is seeking applications for a full-time non-tenure track faculty position at the academic rank of Assistant Professor. Exceptional benefits are provided for this position which can be reviewed at the following link: Insurance and retirement benefits | UK Human Resources (uky.edu). The anticipated start date for this assignment is July 1, 2026.
This position provides strategic direction and resources for the Division of Restorative Dentistry including the digital technology mission of the University of Kentucky College Of Dentistry. The position requires the ability to implement, and experience in teaching, all tenets of digital workflows in treatment planning and patient treatment for students in the DMD clinic.

Responsibilities:

· Provide leadership to move the Division into new technologies in patient care and clinical teaching.

· Clinical teaching and supervision of continuity of patient care

· Participation in the advancement of the College’s digital dentistry efforts

· Serving as a member of certain standing or ad hoc committees.
Pursuing opportunities for professional growth that are consistent with job expectations.

Other responsibilities:

1.Teaching:

• Active participation in the didactic and clinical teaching of pre- and post-doctoral students within the College of Dentistry curriculum.

• Teach and direct appropriate division, college and university courses.

• Collaborate with the different divisions at the College of Dentistry to foster the dental education program.

2.Clinic:

• Enhance the clinical workflow and business efficiency by implementing digital technology.

• Assist in problem resolution, recommending alternative techniques and providing training and guidance related to specific areas of technology and emerging technologies within the dental area.

• Support the efforts to select, evaluate and recommend software solutions.

• Build a critical mass of support for dental technologies in order to establish its mindshare, technical standards around technology and help mature the use of technology in the clinical organization while working with the different department faculty.

• Enhance an efficient and highly productive use of digital technology in the dental laboratory.

3.Research and Scholarly Activity:

• Potential for research in the area of digital dentistry.

• Potential for scholarly activity in developing and refining teaching instruction in the areas of clinical dentistry.

4.Administration over selecting new technologies for clinical and educational purposes

• Provide leadership and serves as a resource to pre- and post-doctoral education by creating/developing/maintaining digital system platforms in all disciplines such as restorative dentistry, surgery, orthodontics and diagnostics often spanning multiple interdisciplinary platforms.

• Aid and advise integrating technology into the dental school curriculum.

• Develop cross-disciplinary distant learning modules in collaboration with all disciplines.

Appointment and Promotion Criteria:

Clinical Faculty (Clinical Title Series), from UKDC Promotion and Tenure guidelines


Assistant Professor

• DMD/DDS or other professional clinical degree, with important commitment to clinical service and academic community.
• Evidence of or potential for a high level of clinical competence in a clinical area and use of innovative approaches, technologies, instrumentation, or systems of patient care in a clinical discipline.
• Evidence of or potential for recognition by peers and patients as an excellent clinician.
• Evidence of or potential for developing a leadership role in a clinical division or discipline and active participation in local, regional, or national professional clinical organizations.
• Evidence of or potential for recognition by dental students, residents, fellows, continuing dental education attendees, affiliated health professionals, and peers for excellence in clinical teaching.

Associate Professor

• Evidence of or potential for recognition by dental students, residents, fellows, continuing dental education attendees, affiliated health professionals, and peers for excellence in clinical teaching.
• Provides service to the college, university academic community, and/or profession on committees, boards, programs, or centers.
• Development of greater than local reputation in clinical practice and emerging reputation as an authority in a clinical field.
• Continuing evidence of peer recognition as an excellent clinical teacher at regional level.
• Demonstrated creative contributions to the instructional and clinical service programs of the University, and/or has scholarly activities of important or original clinical investigations appropriate for the research allocation described on the individual’s DOE.

Professor

• Outstanding service as associate professor at UKCD (or its equivalent elsewhere) with important accomplishments as clinician and teacher, as well as service to academic community supported through contracts, grants or clinical income.
• Evidence of advancement of skills/knowledge in the field as recognized by peers, programs, certification or advanced degree(s).*
• Significant leadership role in provision of dental health care.
• Development of national reputation for excellence in clinical practice, and as an authority in a clinical field.
• Established recognition as an outstanding clinical teacher beyond regional level.
• Scholarly activities of important and original clinical investigations appropriate for the research allocation described on the individual’s DOE.

These guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the definitions and examples of scholarship and excellence, and the Statements of Evidence provided in the College of Dentistry Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure procedures.

The University of Kentucky’s Statement on Benefits: Employment at UK is subject to fund availability and comes with comprehensive rewards, focusing on your total well-being and career development, with leadership striving to provide a strong work-life integration. The university generously contributes to employees’ retirement plans, medical coverage, and life insurance. In addition, UK offers optional benefits such as dental and vision insurance, additional retirement plans and much more. To learn more about these benefits, please visit: https://hr.uky.edu/employment/our-benefits.

Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Inquiries regarding the position may be submitted via email to Dr. Steve Sterlitz, Associate Professor, and Division Chief of Restorative Dentistry at Stephen.sterlitz@uky.edu. Please note that, to be considered an applicant for this position, you must submit an application via UK’s online employment system. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Interested applicants should submit a UK application, in addition to:
- Letter of interest
- Curriculum vitae
- Names and contact information for three references when prompted in the application.

Appointment criteria information isn’t usually included on the job summary, for most Faculty postings. Instead, the sentence “Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience” refers to the Appointment criteria as a subject to be reviewed during interviewing and hiring process.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?
No

Preferred Education/Experience

Experience in dental education.
Clinical practice in a comprehensive general setting desirable.
Experience implementing digital and cutting-edge dental technology in a large group practice setting is beneficial.

Deadline to Apply

Open Until Filled
Yes

Our University Community

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status or whether the person is a smoker or nonsmoker, as long as the person complies with University regulation concerning smoking.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.