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Once a recruitment has closed, applications will no longer be accepted. If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact Human Resources at (702) 895-3504 or unlvjobs@unlv.edu
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas invites applications for Dean of the School of Dental Medicine
UNLV is seeking a visionary and operational leader capable of guiding the dental school through its next stage of growth. This is a unique opportunity to shape the school's academic identity, lead strategic planning, and foster a culture grounded in innovation, collaboration, and measurable excellence. The Dean will be central to shaping the future of the school by strengthening foundational structures, including governance systems, faculty recruitment and retention processes, and academic policies. The successful candidate will advance novel approaches to dental education that incorporate AI, digital health transformation, simulation-based training, and competency-based learning. As the school’s public and strategic representative, the Dean will cultivate partnerships with community leaders, health systems, industry, and government stakeholders to elevate the institution’s regional and national impact. At a defining moment in its 25th anniversary year, UNLV School of Dental Medicine seeks a Dean to advance the School as a national model for community-engaged clinical education.
UNLV is a rapidly advancing public university that enjoys Carnegie R1 and Community Engagement Classifications and has a strong and growing research and clinical mission. Located in one of the nation’s most dynamic and diverse metropolitan regions, UNLV is expanding its academic programs, research enterprise, and clinical operations, while deepening its impact on economic development, community health, and the overall wellbeing of Southern Nevada.
The SDM has been accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation since 2002. Today they receive nearly 2,000 applications annually for their 80 available seats within their pre-doctoral program. In addition, there are 46 active residents in Advanced Education programs in Pediatrics, Orthodontics, General Practice, Public Health, and Anesthesia. The diverse programs and curriculums at the SDM not only reflect a strong commitment to developing knowledge and skills in both oral science and oral health care yet also offer the flexibility for students to tailor their education to their professional interests and goals.
Currently, the SDM has 45 full-time academic faculty, 20 administrative faculty, 140 part-time community faculty, over 100 staff members, and the team is growing. The current budget is approximately $69M in state and self-supporting funds, and active extramural research funding is approximately $3M. The SDM operates clinical programs at two facilities in Las Vegas, hosting between 50,000 to 60,000 patient visits annually, and the school develops and manages multiple low-cost and no-cost community clinics which are dedicated to children, women, homeless persons and veterans. With a mobile dental health unit and strong commitment to community and rural dental health care, as well as a new Special Needs Clinic that houses a recently established interdisciplinary Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Clinic, the School of Dental Medicine is a hub for community care, innovation, and forward-looking education and training.
Serving as the primary steward for accreditation, academic and clinical excellence, the Dean will guide the dental school through CODA review processes, including building and overseeing curriculum governance systems, assessment frameworks, student services, and dental student and residency program development. Financial sustainability and strategic growth will also be central to this position. The Dean will lead financial planning, cultivate philanthropic support, manage state funding relationships, drive operational efficiencies across the organization, and promote opportunities for revenue growth through grants, clinical practice, and high-impact collaborations. The next leader of the School of Dental Medicine will be deeply committed to student success, faculty development, research and innovation, support for rural and underserved community needs, and advancing the school’s role in regional economic development and dental public health.
The School is entering a phase of accelerated growth as it prepares for upcoming accreditation milestones, expands its clinical enterprise, and builds the faculty infrastructure required of a modern R1 health sciences unit. Further, the School of Dental Medicine is a critical player in UNLV’s Academic Health Center, as well as ongoing university growth in the Las Vegas Medical District. This is a pivotal leadership moment for the School. To meet the moment, we seek an experienced, strategic, entrepreneurial, and collaborative leader who will shape the future of dental research, education and healthcare delivery in Nevada, while positioning UNLV as a national model for a community-responsive academic health system.
The ideal candidate will hold a D.D.S or D.M.D. with credentials appropriate for academic appointment as a tenured full professor. Outstanding candidates will bring substantial leadership experience in dental medicine, including successful experiences leading at the college, school or department level; developing partnerships and cultivating donors; creating a culture of innovation, excellence, and success among students, faculty, and staff; and expanding educational and training programs. Demonstrated success managing large budgets, recruiting and retaining faculty, and engaging external stakeholders, government leaders, and community partners, is essential. The successful candidate will bring strong business acumen and experience managing complex academic enterprises, including dental clinics, clinical revenue, state support, research grants, and education funding.
This position requires a D.D.S or D.M.D. with credentials appropriate for academic appointment as a tenured full-professor and substantial leadership experience in dental medicine, including successful experiences leading at the college, school or department level; developing partnerships and cultivating donors; creating a culture of innovation, excellence, and success among students, faculty, and staff; and expanding educational and training programsCredentials must be obtained prior to the start date.
A successful candidate will support diversity, equity, and inclusiveness and contribute to a respectful, positive work environment. They will use our Campus Values to guide their decisions and actions and demonstrate our Rebel spirit.
Salary competitive with those at similarly situated institutions.
**WittKieffer is assisting UNLV with this important recruitment. For more information on how to apply please visit: https://wittkieffer.com/positions/a1wun000001fnxfmay
For confidential nominations or expressions of interest, please contact the search consultant team of Kimberly Smith, Aaron Mitra, and Jillian Williams at UNLVDeanofDentalMedicine@wittkieffer.com.
Veterans are encouraged to apply. UNLV values the skills of those who have served. Learn more at Veterans Webpage or contact vetjobseekers@unlv.edu for support.
For assistance with the application process, please review instructions on How to ApplyFor further assistance contact UNLV Human Resources at (702) 895-3504 or UNLVJobs@unlv.edu
Founded in 1957, UNLV is a doctoral-degree-granting institution comprised of approximately 34,000 students and more than 4,451 faculty and staff. To date, UNLV has conferred more than 186,000 degrees, producing more than 151,000 alumni around the world. UNLV is classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as an R1 research university with very high research activity, and is a recipient of the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement. The university is committed to recruiting and retaining top students and faculty, educating the region's diversifying population and workforce, driving economic activity through increased research and community partnerships, and creating an academic health center for Southern Nevada that includes the launch of a new UNLV School of Medicine. UNLV is located on a 332-acre main campus and two satellite campuses in Southern Nevada.
Here at UNLV, we have come together and created one of the most affirmative and dynamic academic environments in the country. UNLV sits in the top spot in U.S. News & World Report's annual listing of the nation's most diverse universities for undergraduates. The university has ranked in the top ten since the rankings debuted more than a decade ago. We continue to show our commitment to serving our wonderfully diverse population and building the future for Las Vegas and Nevada.
For more information, visit us on line at: http://www.unlv.edu
The University of Nevada - Las Vegas (UNLV) is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). Discrimination on the basis of a protected class, including unlawful harassment, which is a form of discrimination, is illegal under federal and state law. Where unlawful discrimination is found to have occurred, UNLV will act to stop the unlawful discrimination, to prevent its recurrence, to remedy its effects, and to discipline those responsible. Women, minorities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any education program or activity that it operates. Non-discrimination on the basis of sex is mandated by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. §§ 1681 et seq.) and the corresponding implementation regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106). The University’s commitment to nondiscrimination in its education programs and activities extends to applicants for admission and employment. Inquiries concerning the application of these provisions may be referred to: Michelle Sposito, J.D., Title IX Coordinator, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Mail Stop 1062, Las Vegas, NV 89154-1062, Campus Services Building (CSB) Room 246, Telephone: (702) 895-4055; Email: titleixcoordinator@unlv.edu, or to The Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of Education, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-1100; Telephone: 1-800-421-3481 FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 1-800-877-8339; Email: OCR@ed.gov; or to both.
Information pertaining to the University’s grievance procedures and grievance process, including how to report or file a complaint of sex discrimination, how to report or file a formal complaint of sexual harassment, and how the University will respond can be found online at the Office of Equal Employment & Title IX webpage.
UNLV is committed to assisting all members of the UNLV community in providing for their own safety and security. The Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report compliance document is available online.
Academic Faculty
Exempt
Yes
Full-Time Equivalent
100.0%
Required Attachment(s)
**WittKieffer is assisting UNLV with this important recruitment. For more information on how to apply please visit:
https://wittkieffer.com/positions/a1wun000001fnxfmay
Posting Close Date
08/31/2026
Note to Applicant
This position may require that a criminal background check be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.
HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.
References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.
As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.
For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.
All document(s) must be received on or before the closing date of the job announcements (if a closing date is provided).
Recruitments that provide a work schedule are subject to change based on organizational needs.
