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Who is Saint Louis University? Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic universities. SLU, which also has a campus in Madrid, Spain, is recognized for world-class academics, life-changing research, compassionate health care, and a strong commitment to faith and service.

Executive Director, Saint Louis University Center for Advanced Dental Education

Saint Louis University (SLU) Center for Advanced Dental Education seeks a dynamic leader for the role of Executive Director.

CADE is one of the finest facilities for advanced dental education in the world and has a proud tradition of balancing progressive excellence with the highest standards and the compassionate service of our Catholic, Jesuit heritage. Our graduates leave SLU prepared to be astute and aware clinicians using an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to caring for craniofacial and dental patient problems.

Patients in our clinics experience exceptional, innovative and multidimensional care with intervention of all dental specialties as appropriate, using the best available means in diagnosis, treatment planning, treatment technique and concept. CADE also extends its resources to the community to offer dental education and dental patient care to those in need.

Oral health care is a vital and challenging part of overall health care. As biomedical knowledge grows at an explosive rate, our faculty, staff and students are dedicated to maintaining CADE's integral role as a major contributor to the overall health care system.

The Executive Director reports to the Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine.

Organizational Context

The Executive Director is responsible for 10 full-time faculty and over 30 adjunct and volunteer faculty.  Operations are supported by over 30 administrative and clinical staff.

The Executive Director oversees the education of residents in one of four specialties: endodontics (6 residents; 24-months), orthodontics (42 residents; 30-months), pediatric dentistry (6 residents; 24-months), or periodontics (9 residents; 36-months). 

Key Responsibilities

The executive director of CADE is responsible for the management of the Center functions, including finance, education, research, and clinical services.

Specific responsibilities of the role include:

Leadership and Strategic Planning

• Provide visionary leadership to the Center, fostering a culture of excellence in clinical care, education, and research.
• Demonstrate, understand, and support the institutional mission, vision, and values of Saint Louis University.
• Develop and execute strategic initiatives to advance the Center’s clinical and academic priorities in alignment with institutional goals and objectives.
• Work collaboratively with other institutional leaders and colleagues to develop and advance the goals of the institution.
• Participate in strategic planning for SLU.
• Encourage and foster an environment of professionalism, collegiality, and respect.
• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and creativity, promote and sustain a culture of inquiry, and value the scholarship of research and teaching.
• Demonstrate professionalism, acting with integrity and inspiring trust and respect.
• Promote an environment of success through recruitment and retention of highly skilled faculty and health providers.
• Lead recruitment and retention efforts for faculty and staff in alignment with institutional strategies.

Clinical Oversight

• Develop and support a leadership team for the Center to ensure the highest quality patient outcomes, strategic growth, and operational efficiency.
• Cultivate a collaborative working environment between department faculty and clinic staff.
• Oversee staffing levels, workflows, and clinical activity to ensure safe, appropriate, and timely patient care at adequate volumes for revenue production.
• Identify and allocate resources to achieve the clinical mission.
• Implement evidence-based practices and quality improvement initiatives to measure and enhance patient safety, and outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation requirements.

Administration

• Manage and oversee the Center, including budgetary adherence and effective, sustainable utilization and stewardship of financial resources.
• Recruit and retain a full-time faculty that represents a spectrum of highly qualified academic dental specialists.
• Oversee the evaluation of departmental faculty and staff in the context of a clear and developmentally oriented set of performance standards.
• Monitor and oversee clinical activity of the Center to ensure adherence to administrative policies, external accreditation, and regulatory requirements.
• Communicate effectively with program leaders, faculty, and institutional and colleagues, including practice and health system administrators to keep them apprised of CADE goals, progress, and areas for improvement.  Regularly solicit and respond to ideas from these groups of individuals.
• Work collaboratively with the Program Directors on recruitment, personnel issues, and educational needs for all faculty in the Center.
• Recruit and retain highly skilled and motivated staff for administrative support; manage and oversee administrative support staff.
• Mentor faculty for success in the academic promotion process.

Education

• Oversee and ensure high-quality clinical education for dental residents and fellows within the Department.
• Participate in resident education, acting as a role model of effective teaching and self-directed learning.
• Monitor program faculty scholarship activity, providing feedback and guidance.
• Foster professional development, career advancement, research, and mentorship for CADE faculty and residents
• Provide career support infrastructure and mentoring for post-graduate trainees with a focus on performance on national examinations and facilitating the transition into the dental specialty workforce.

Research

• Monitor faculty research and scholarly activities to ensure alignment with the clinical focus and within the scope of each specialty.
• Ensure the Center complies with standards of research integrity and compliance.
• Promote interdepartmental collaborations in research.

Executive Director Qualifications

The Center for Advanced Dental Education seeks a candidate with a commitment to academic excellence, the highest level of personal integrity and ethical standards, and an established reputation for compassion, inclusion, fairness, and objectivity. The successful candidate will be an effective leader and respected clinician with demonstrated ability to inspire, manage, mentor, and develop an inclusive culture for faculty and staff. The successful candidate will be drawn to the University's Jesuit mission and values, including its commitment to social justice.

The Executive Director (0.4FTE) and faculty appointment are open to those with credentials that merit appointment at Saint Louis University at the rank of Associate or Full Professor.

Education and Licensure Requirements

• DDS/DMD or equivalent and board certification in one of the Center’s four specialties.
• Eligibility for an unrestricted Missouri state dental license.

Experience/Competencies

• Proven leadership skills in an academic environment, excellence in teaching, clinical practice, program development and experience in research administration.
• Effective use of strong interpersonal and communications skills that incorporate tact and diplomacy, and approachable leadership style.
• Demonstrated ability to create a culture of engagement, accountability and shared responsibility for patient safety and quality of care delivered.
• Ability to nurture and grow residency and fellowship offerings and programs.
• A commitment to wellness and faculty leadership development.
• A record of cooperative working relationships with colleagues including patients, administrators, managers, and other colleagues.

Center for Advanced Dental Education (CADE) Overview

In 1903, Saint Louis University assumed responsibility for the dental program at Marion Sims College of Medicine. Although the SLU Board of Trustees voted to close the dental school in 1967, strong advocacy from the orthodontics program director led to the continuation of orthodontics as a stand-alone graduate program, offering both certificate and master’s degree options.

Building on this foundation and anticipating expansion into additional specialties, the Center for Advanced Dental Education (CADE) was established in 1994. That same year marked the introduction of a joint master’s program in endodontics, followed by the addition of a periodontics program in 1996. In July 2017, CADE further expanded its academic offerings by launching a Pediatric Dentistry program in affiliation with SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, in partnership with SSM’s Graduate Medical Education program.

CADE is an independent academic unit aligned with Saint Louis University’s School of Medicine, reporting to the Dean of the School of Medicine and Vice President for Medical Affairs.

To learn more about CADE, please visit:

https://www.slu.edu/cade

 

Applicants must include:

1) a cover letter including a vision statement (3 page limit)

2) a resume/curriculum vitae

You can upload these items on the third page "My experience" of the application.  To ensure full consideration, please submit all application materials by August 18, 2026.

Function

Faculty - Medical Administrative Appointment

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Saint Louis University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for the position applied for without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, gender identity, or other non-merit factors. If accommodations are needed for completing the application and/or with the interviewing process, please contact Human Resources at 314-977-5847.