Dental Director Jobs in Clayton, NC (NOW HIRING)

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is one of the largest, most complex agencies in the state, and has approximately 17,000 employees. It is responsible for ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of all North Carolinians, providing human service needs for special populations including individuals who are deaf, blind, developmentally disabled, and mentally ill, and helping poor North Carolinians achieve economic independence.

The Dental Director provides professional administrative and consultative leadership for organizing, implementing, coordinating, and directing a statewide dental public health program. This position oversees all dental services within the program and is responsible for developing, administering, and maintaining comprehensive oral health initiatives that support prevention, education, and clinical functions. The role monitors program effectiveness to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements, develops and manages the dental program budget, and leads studies that assess progress toward established goals. The Dental Director supervises and trains professional and non‑professional staff and collaborates with internal and external partners to advance evidence‑based dental public health practices statewide. Work is performed under general supervision of agency leadership and supports mission‑driven oral health improvements for populations across North Carolina.

Key duties include:

• Develop and administer a comprehensive statewide dental health program aligned with public health goals and statutory requirements.
• Coordinate, direct, and evaluate all dental services to ensure effective program operations and service delivery.
• Monitor the effectiveness of dental policies and procedures to ensure cost‑effectiveness and compliance with federal and state regulations.
• Lead the development, oversight, and management of the program budget, including resource planning and financial accountability.
• Initiate and oversee studies and assessments to determine progress toward program goals and to inform data‑driven improvements.
• Recruit, supervise, and train professional and non‑professional dental staff to ensure high‑quality service delivery and operational efficiency.
• Guide a multidisciplinary team in implementing statewide dental public health initiatives, including community‑based prevention efforts.
• Serve as a statewide dental public health expert and liaison, collaborating with providers, universities, community partners, and other agencies.
• Lead policy development, public health research, and grant‑related activities to support oral health program innovation and sustainability.
• Coordinate and support activities that expand access to preventive and clinical dental services for children, adults, and vulnerable populations across North Carolina.

Salary Range: $147,932.00 - $295,863.00

Candidates now meet the minimum qualifications of a position if they meet the minimum education and experience listed on the vacancy announcement. The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)/ Management Preferences are not required. Applicants who possess the following skills are preferred:

• Demonstrated leadership of public health or clinical teams, including directing multidisciplinary staff toward statewide or multi‑county program objectives.
• Expert-level experience planning, implementing, and evaluating population-level oral health or public health initiatives, with a record of leading statewide or multi‑jurisdictional programs.
• Proven success managing grants or funded projects, including serving as principal investigator or leading all phases of grant development, implementation, and reporting.
• Documented collaboration with diverse partner groups—such as academic institutions and community organizations—resulting in effective, coordinated public health initiatives.
• Applied expertise in policy development and quality improvement processes within dental or public health environments, demonstrating measurable impact on program performance.

The posting will close at 11:59 P.M. the night before the end date. This position is funded in part through federal funds. This position is eligible for a hybrid work option.

About the NC Division of Public Health (DPH): The NC Division of Public Health works to promote and contribute to the highest possible level of health for the people of North Carolina. Our entire statewide system of public health has dedicated professionals who carry out our mission every day through a wide range of essential and activities touching the lives of everyone in our state.

About the Oral Health Section (OHS): The Oral Health Section (OHS) provides dental health prevention and education services for the children of North Carolina. Through dental sealant projects, Into the Mouths of Babes fluoride varnish services, fluoride mouth rinse program, community water fluoridation, educational and promotional materials, school and community educational presentations, data collection and assessment, dental public health residency, and consultation services, we help to improve the oral health of children and adults.

The State of North Carolina offers excellent comprehensive benefits. Employees can participate in health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, and the NCFlex program (numerous high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis). Employees also receive paid vacation, sick, and community service leave. In addition, paid parental leave is available to eligible employees. Visit the website for State Benefits.

Be sure to complete the application in its entirety. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application.

• Information should be provided in the appropriate areas, to include the following: Education, including high school and all degrees obtained, Work Experience, and Certificates & Licenses. It is critical to our screening and salary determination process that applications contain comprehensive candidate information.
• Answers to Supplemental Questions are not a substitute for providing all relevant information within the body of your application. To receive credit for the supplemental questions, you must provide supporting information within the "Work Experience" section of the application to support your answers.
• If multiple applications are submitted to an individual posting, only the most recent application received prior to the closing date will be accepted. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM on the closing date.
• Applicants may be subject to a criminal background check. All candidates selected for positions considered "Positions of Trust" will be subject to a criminal background check.
• Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account. Upon the closing date, applications are "Under Review" and will be screened by Human Resources for qualified applicants. The hiring process may take several weeks.
• Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions. Transcripts and degree evaluations may be uploaded with your application. The State of North Carolina/Office of State Human Resources uses the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) as a referral resource for applicants who need to have their credentials certified as equivalent.
• For a list of organizations that perform this specialized service, please visit the NACES membership website at https://www.naces.org/members.

Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions. Transcripts, degree evaluations, and cover letters may be uploaded with your application.

• Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD-214 Member-4 Form (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their applications.
• Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach an NGB 23A (RPAS), along with the state application, if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing.
• Applicants who are former members of either the NC Army National Guard or the NC Air National Guard, with honorable discharge and six years of creditable service, must attach a copy of the DD 256 or NGB 22, along with the state application.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), DHHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, DHHS will ensure that people with disabilities, or known limitations covered by the PWFA, are provided with reasonable accommodation. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the person indicated below.

If there are any questions about this posting, please contact Talent Acquisition at talentacquisition@dhhs.nc.gov. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application.

Minimum Education and Experience

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an "equivalent combination of education and experience." If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details.

Licensed to practice dentistry in the state of North Carolina and five years in the practice of dentistry, at least one of which must include experience in administration and