Pediatric Dentist Pediatric Dentist – Faculty / Clinician Educator More Than a Job, It's a Calling. An opportunity to build the future of Pediatric Dentistry! At Akron Children's, helping patients and families is at the heart of all we do. We are the only freestanding, independent pediatric hospital in the region, and our compassionate providers are committed to delivering a lasting and meaningful impact. Whether you're early in your career or a seasoned specialist, you'll find opportunities to expand your skills, pursue leadership roles, participate in research and help shape the future of pediatric health care. If you're ready to make a difference in a collaborative, child-centered environment, we can't wait to meet you!
Position Summary:
Akron Children's is seeking a compassionate, academically engaged pediatric dentist to join the Division of Pediatric Dentistry as a full-time faculty member. This distinctive opportunity combines advanced hospital-based clinical practice with resident education, BioDente predoctoral teaching, interdisciplinary care, and program development. In July 2026, Akron Children's will welcome the inaugural class of its newly CODA-accredited pediatric dental residency program. The successful candidate will join the faculty as a founding member, provide comprehensive oral health care for infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with special health care needs, and help shape the program's curriculum, clinical model, culture, and future growth. The patient population includes individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, neurodevelopmental conditions, behavioral support needs, and significant medical complexity. Reporting relationship: The faculty member reports to the Division Director of Pediatric Dentistry and works closely with the Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program Director.
Why This Opportunity Is Different:
Build a New Training Program Help shape curriculum, clinical systems, resident assessment, recruitment, and a culture of excellence for Akron Children's newly established hospital-based pediatric dental residency. Practice at the Highest Level Care for children with complex medical, behavioral, developmental, and social needs across outpatient, inpatient, sedation, and operating-room environments. Build Your Academic and Professional Portfolio Pursue a focused role in education, quality improvement, clinical research, community engagement, or development of a distinctive interdisciplinary service. Make Access More Equitable Advance referral pathways, outreach, transition planning, and inclusive dental care for children and youth who experience the greatest barriers to treatment.
Key Responsibilities: Clinical Care and Hospital Dentistry
- Provide comprehensive, evidence-based pediatric dental care in outpatient and hospital settings for infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with special health care needs.
- Deliver preventive, diagnostic, restorative, pulp therapy, minor oral surgical, dentoalveolar trauma, and interceptive orthodontic services within the candidate's training, privileges, and scope of practice.
- Provide behavior guidance and pharmacologic behavior management, including nitrous oxide and sedation as privileged, and dental treatment under general anesthesia, consistent with training, Ohio requirements, credentialing, and hospital privileges.
- Evaluate inpatient and emergency consultations and participate in shared urgent-care, call, and coverage responsibilities as defined by the Division.
- Develop coordinated treatment plans with anesthesiology, hospital medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, hematology/oncology, cardiology, developmental-behavioral pediatrics, complex care, rehabilitation, child life, and other disciplines.
- Serve as a dental home for children and youth with medical complexity, SHCN, IDD, behavioral support needs, and barriers to conventional dental care, consistent with the Division's safety-net mission.
- Maintain timely clinical documentation and meet billing, credentialing, quality, safety, infection-prevention, and regulatory compliance standards. Faculty Teaching and Learner Development
- Provide direct clinical supervision, instruction, mentorship, assessment, and feedback for pediatric dental residents, BioDente predoctoral dental students, and other affiliated learners.
- Participate in didactic teaching, case conferences, journal clubs, simulation, treatment planning, clinical calibration, and interdisciplinary educational activities.
- Support curriculum design, resident competency assessment, faculty calibration and development, program evaluation, and continuous improvement aligned with Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) requirements.
- Contribute to resident and student recruitment, orientation, remediation, professional development, and scholarly mentorship.
- Collaborate with BioDente academic leadership and contribute to predoctoral curriculum, faculty activities, learner evaluation, and academic service, as appropriate. Program Growth, Scholarship, and Service
- Help develop and operate the newly established pediatric dental residency program and its hospital, ambulatory, community, and educational rotations.
- Expand clinical access and referral pathways for children with SHCN and medical complexity, and strengthen relationships with referring dentists, physicians, hospitals, community organizations, and regional partners through consultation, outreach, education, and timely clinical communication.
- Lead or participate in quality improvement, patient safety, outcomes evaluation, advocacy, clinical research, and scholarly dissemination.
- Develop an area of focused clinical contribution, such as special care dentistry, sedation, dental trauma, infant oral health, transitions, craniofacial care, medical-dental integration, or community oral health.
- Participate in Division, hospital, medical staff, and educational committees and contribute to a collaborative, respectful, and inclusive learning environment.
Qualifications:- DDS or DMD degree from a dental school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation that meets Ohio licensure requirements.
- Certificate in pediatric dentistry from a CODA-accredited advanced education program.
- Board eligible or board certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry; active progress toward and maintenance of certification are expected within the timeframe required by Akron Children's Medical Staff and Division policies.
- Eligibility to obtain and maintain an unrestricted Ohio dental license, Akron Children's medical staff membership, and appropriate clinical privileges.
- Current or obtainable BLS and PALS certification, DEA registration when required, and permits or credentials necessary for assigned sedation responsibilities, in accordance with institutional and Medical Staff requirements.
- Demonstrated commitment to high-quality, family-centered, equitable care and to teaching in a team-based environment. Preferred and Distinguishing Qualifications
- Hospital-based residency training — completion of a hospital-based pediatric dental residency program (priority consideration).
- Hospital dentistry experience — patients with medical complexity, inpatient consultation, emergency care, sedation, and/or operating-room dentistry.
- SHCN depth — experience caring for patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities, medical complexities
- Teaching experience — supervising pediatric dental residents and predoctoral dental students, including competency-based assessment and feedback.
- Additional advanced training — completion of a GPR, AEGD, or focused special care dentistry program is highly valued, particularly when it provided substantial hospital, emergency, medically complex, or interdisciplinary experience.
- Academic and leadership record — board certification (for candidates beyond initial eligibility), academic appointment, scholarly activity, quality improvement, program development, or leadership in professional organizations.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration — strong communication skills and a record of effective collaboration with medical, surgical, behavioral, and allied health professionals
What you can expect:· Competitive, guaranteed base salary· Collaboration with a supportive, integrated team· Comprehensive benefits package· Opportunities for personal and professional growth· Generous vacation and CME time· Impressive recruitment incentives· A well-balanced work / life culture
Akron Children's is a 501(c)(3) site that qualifies for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the federal government.
Inspire and make a difference:
Named as one of Forbes' Best-In-State Employers in 2025, Akron Children's is Northeast Ohio's largest and only independent pediatric health care provider with two hospital campuses, six regional health centers and 50+ care locations. Our providers work across state-of-the-art facilities built to support exceptional care for patients and their families.
About Akron, Ohio:
Located near Cleveland, Akron blends the best of city living with easy access to the outdoors. From charming suburbs to lively neighborhoods, the area boasts nationally recognized parks, a dynamic arts and culture scene, and year-round recreation. Northeast Ohio truly offers a welcoming, affordable and enriching place to call home.
Whether you're actively searching or simply curious, we'd love to share what makes Akron Children's special.
