Dental Assistant Instructor

Job Description

Dakota County Technical College seeks a temporary part-time Dental Assistant Instructor dedicated to excellence in teaching who desires to become part of a creative, vibrant, student-centered learning community. The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives. Faculty members at Dakota County Technical College participate in departmental and campus-wide activities that enhance student learning, promote collaboration, and advance the college mission. The college is committed to reflecting a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds among its administrators, faculty, and staff.

This assignment is for DENT 1260 - Expanded Functions, a course that prepares students to perform all functions legally performed by a licensed dental assistant (LDA) according to the Minnesota Dental Practice Act.

Please note: This position requires on-campus instruction. The course will be taught in person at Dakota County Technical College.

Responsibilities

The instructor will teach DENT 1260 - Expanded Functions, including lecture and lab instruction. The instructor is responsible for all activities related to teaching and learning including, but not limited to:

• Instructional planning and course preparation
• Lecture and laboratory instruction
• Student evaluation, grading, and records management
• Classroom and lab climate preparation and management
• Promoting safety in all aspects of instruction and clinical/lab activities
• Maintaining professional skills, licensure, and credentials
• Working effectively as a member of the Dental Assisting department and broader college community

Course content includes instruction and supervision of the following expanded functions:

• Alginate impressions for opposing models and study casts with bite registration
• Mechanical polishing of the clinical crowns
• Application of topical fluoride
• Rubber dam application and removal
• Application of topical medications
• Orthodontic skills including preselecting orthodontic bands, removing and replacing ligature ties, and placement and removal of elastic separators
• Suture removal
• Placement and removal of periodontal dressings
• Adaptation of temporary crowns
• Cement removal
• Pit and fissure sealants
• Enamel etching
• Removal of bonding material
• Gingival displacement
• Dry root canal with paper points
• Placement of cotton pellets and temporary restorative materials into endodontic openings
• Nitrous oxide monitoring

Salary Range

• If assigned less than 5 credits (Adjunct): Per credit rate of $775 - $1650.
• If assigned 5 or more credits total (Temporary, PT): $44,144 - $96,906 Annually (Based upon 1.0 FTE of 32 credits per years. Pay will be prorated, based upon credit load). Salary placement is determined on the basis of education and experience and in accordance with the 2024-2025 MSCF Contract, and conducted by the Minnesota State System Office. Initial placement is limited to the step range permitted for new faculty under the MSCF salary schedule.

Minimum Qualifications

Education Requirement

• Bachelor degree and graduate of an accredited dental assisting program.

Occupational Experience Requirement

• Three full-time years (or equivalent) of verified related paid work experience as a dental assistant.

Recency Requirement

• One year of this work experience shall be within the five years immediately preceding the date of application for the credential field. The recency requirement shall be waived if the individual has two years of successful full-time (or equivalent) postsecondary teaching experience in the credential field within the last five years.

Professional Requirement

• Dental Assistant certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB).
• Current Dental Assistant License from the Minnesota Board of Dentistry.

Preferred Qualification

• Higher education teaching experience with diverse student populations.
• Experience teaching dental assisting laboratory or expanded functions content.
• Experience in curriculum development
• Experience incorporating technology into curriculum delivery, including web-enhanced instruction
• Experience developing and using student-centered, active, and experiential learning strategies
• Experience integrating cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspectives in course instruction
• Experience assessing student academic achievement of classroom and program learning outcomes
• Experience with accelerated adult learning

Work Shift (Hours / Days of work)

• Mondays: 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (Lecture)
• Fridays: 7:30 a.m. - 1:20 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 7:50 p.m. (Labs)
• *No instruction to occur Friday, June 19 or Friday, July 3

Telework (Yes/No)

No, This position requires on-campus instruction.

Complete Application Requirement

To be considered for this position, applicants must submit a complete application. Applications missing required documents will be marked incomplete and will not advance to review.

Your complete application must include:

• Current Resume (Required): Must list employment dates (month and year) for each position and indicate average hours worked per week.
• Transcript (Required): Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial review purposes; however, official transcripts must be provided at the time of hire.
• Cover Letter (Optional): Encouraged if you wish to highlight your interest and qualifications