About the Department
The Clinical Coordinator, Dental Assisting, serves as the academic and clinical coordination assistant for the Dental Assisting program by providing accessible, high-quality learning experiences within the classroom, laboratory, clinical environments, and/or distance learning settings; facilitating the learning process to help students succeed; providing accurate, quality academic and career advisement; seeking professional development opportunities to implement best practices in teaching within the discipline area; maintaining student support hours according to institutional policy; completing required course assessments and documentation accurately and timely; attending College meetings, student activities, and institutional functions; contributing to the development of curriculum courses and programs; and collaborating with educational partners and clinical sites to ensure the programs are meeting the needs of students, clinical partners, and the workforce. The Clinical Coordinator, Dental Assisting, reports to the Dental Assisting Program Chair.
Position Duties
Clinical Coordination
The clinical coordinator assists with the clinical placement and site relationships by:
•Establishing and maintaining relationships with representatives of clinical sites where students are placed, in collaboration with the Dental Assisting Program Chair.
•Adhering to the policies and requirements of clinical sites as stipulated in the Educational Agreements with the College.
•Serving as liaison between clinical faculty, the Program Chair of the Dental Assisting Program, and clinical sites regarding the scheduling and coordination of clinical rotations.
•Scheduling appropriate clinical rotations to ensure fair and equitable assignments of students for all clinical-related activities.
•Accompanying students to clinical sites to provide orientation and clinical instruction.
•Collecting, reviewing, and maintaining student clinical documents and records using applicable clinical management systems, including Trajecsys, Castle Branch, and Rotation Manager.
•Communicating with students regarding missing, expired, or rejected documents and verifying that clinical hour requirements are met each semester.
•Visiting clinical sites to ensure the adequacy of instruction and record-keeping practices.
•Collaborating with the Program Chair of Dental Assisting to develop and expand clinical site partnerships.
•Mentoring new Dental Assisting faculty and adjunct instructors in clinical site expectations, procedures, and requirements.
Instruction and Student Support
The clinical coordinator supports teaching and learning by:
•Teaching a minimum of twenty-two (22) semester contact hours each semester, with additional hours as assigned, in either curriculum, continuing education, or business and industry settings.
•Managing instructional syllabi, learning materials, and clinical learning environments in collaboration with clinical partners.
•Planning and delivering accessible, high-quality instruction aligned with course, program, and student learning outcomes.
•Creating an inclusive and accessible learning environment through the application of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) principles.
•Overseeing formative and summative student evaluation methods that are used throughout the curriculum, are appropriate to the delivery modality, and align with the progression of course outcomes.
•Employing a proactive advising model aligned with the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) core values.
•Supporting students’ understanding of the importance of transferable skills for success in college, careers, and the workforce.
•Maintaining accurate documentation of student attendance and grades and submitting required course documentation accurately and promptly.
•Empowering students to make informed decisions by providing accurate, quality academic and career information about policies, procedures, educational pathways, and transfer requirements.
Institutional Effectiveness
The clinical coordinator contributes to continuous improvement efforts by:
•Engaging in institutional effectiveness processes and college- and state-wide initiatives, including program review, grants, strategic planning, guided pathways, and regional and programmatic accreditation.
•Demonstrating proficiency in student learning outcomes assessment, including aligning learning experiences with desired outcomes, conducting assessments, and using data to enhance student learning.
•Collaborating on the written Systematic Plan for Evaluation (SPE), including analysis and use of certificate pass rates, completion rates, and job placement data to inform program decisions and continuous improvement, and shares results with communities of interest.
•Pursuing professional development activities annually and remaining current in dental assisting education and practice.
•Championing the College’s retention, progression, completion, and inclusion initiatives.
External Relations
The clinical coordinator builds partnerships and community connections by:
•Fostering opportunities for communities of interest (employers, clinical partners, alums, and students) to provide input into program decisions.
•Establishing experiential learning opportunities and clinical placements.
•Supporting recruitment and outreach efforts through program publications, websites, and community engagement.
Specialized Functions
The clinical coordinator must complete the following functions to fulfill the role:
•Maintain compliance with requirements of the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners.
•Support programmatic accreditation through the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
•Foster and sustain partnerships with healthcare and wellness professionals to support experiential learning.
Minimum Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The clinical coordinator must possess the following competencies, aligned with the College's Transferable Skills Framework, to fulfill the role and responsibilities effectively:
•Analytical Skills: Examining information systematically, performing complex problems, and using evidence-based reasoning to evaluate programs, making data-informed decisions, assessing institutional effectiveness, and analyzing student learning outcomes.
•Adaptability Skills: Adjusting effectively to changing circumstances, managing multiple priorities and interruptions, and demonstrating resilience and flexibility in response to evolving educational needs, technologies, and institutional priorities.
•Communication Skills: Communicating clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, with people from diverse backgrounds; listening actively; providing constructive feedback; and maintaining confidentiality.
•Digital and Information Literacy Skills: Demonstrating proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant educational and emerging technologies; effectively locating, evaluating, and using information ethically to support decision-making and strategic planning.
•Dependability Skills: Being consistently reliable and trustworthy in meeting commitments and deadlines; fulfilling responsibilities promptly and accurately; and practicing high ethical standards with sensitive data.
•Initiative Skills: Taking proactive action to pursue professional development; demonstrating self-motivation and intellectual curiosity; staying current in professional literature; and showing willingness to learn and implement innovative practices in teaching, learning, and academic leadership.
•Teamwork & Leadership Skills: Fostering a collaborative and team-based work environment; cultivating and nurturing productive relationships with colleagues, students, and community stakeholders; and leading effectively to achieve institutional goals.
Additional competencies include:
•Exhibiting skills in planning, organizing, and implementing new initiatives while managing time, resources, and deadlines.
•Applying knowledge and practical ability in student, career, and workforce development.
•Displaying comprehensive knowledge of the entire student experience, including coaching, mentoring, advising, and academic progression.
•Showing commitment to excellence within the learning environment and workplace.
Education and Experience Requirements
•Associates degree and Dental Assisting Diploma from an institutionally accredited postsecondary institution and CODA; must obtain a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution within three (3) years of initial full-time employment.
•Hold an active, unencumbered certification from the Dental Assisting National Board.
•Have at least three (3) calendar years or the equivalent of full-time clinical experience as a DA II.
•Prior to or within the first three years of employment, have education in teaching and learning principles for adult education, including curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation, appropriate to faculty assignment.
•Maintain competence in the areas of assigned responsibility.
•Demonstrate knowledge of current dental assisting practices.
•At least one (1) year of project management experience with stakeholder collaboration.
Preferred Education and Experience
•Bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited postsecondary institution.
•One (1) year of community college teaching experience.
•At least one (1) year of experience teaching distance learning using Canvas or a learning management system and digital engagement tools.
•At least one (1) year of experience with the Ellucian Self-Service Student Portal or a related portal system.
•At least one (1) year of experience with student engagement software.
•Completion of professional or course development certification(s) from the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), Quality Matters (QM), or Association of College and University Educators (ACUE).
Other Qualifications
Physical Requirements
The clinical coordinator must manage the following physical requirements of the job:
•Environment
Working in an office, classroom, lab, or clinical learning environment, typically indoors, with moderate noise levels. May involve irregular hours and online work. Responsibility for maintaining safe, compliant, and functional learning spaces.
•Physical Effort
Ability to stand, walk, or sit for extended periods; moderate lifting and carrying (up to thirty pounds); general manual dexterity; operation of instructional and office equipment; and extended computer use.
•Mental Requirements
Ability to exercise sound judgment, analyze information, work with numerical data, maintain confidentiality, and evaluate programs, services and personal effectiveness.
Schedule and Travel
•Schedule
Presence on campus and/or at clinical, medical, business, and industry locations as required for teaching, learning, and administrative responsibilities.
•Travel
Local travel between campuses and community sites is required. Additionally, some limited out-of-state travel for professional development, training, conferences, and workshops may be necessary.
Related Responsibilities
The following are the other responsibilities of the program chair role:
•Participating in advisory, standing, and ad hoc committees.
•Assisting with inventory management and oversight of labs and designated facilities.
•Attending commencement and supporting institutional activities.
•Performing other duties as assigned by the Program Chair of Dental Assisting, Dean of Health Sciences and Wellness Programs, or the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness.
Equity in Learning and Employment
Equity and belonging are crucial to who we are as an institution. The College celebrates diversity and inclusion, embracing a broad definition of diversity that includes people of every race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual/affectional orientation, age, socio-economic status, ability or attributes (visible and invisible), neurodiversity, religious or ethical values system, national origin, political beliefs, veterans, and first-generation college students.
All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Evidence of U.S. work authorization is required. It is the prospective employee's responsibility to obtain initial and ongoing authorization to work in the U.S., and Mitchell Community College will not provide sponsorship for U.S. employment.