Full-Time Instructor - Dental Assisting

Pasadena City College is hiring a full-time, tenure-track Dental Assisting Instructor commencing in Fall 2026.We are committed to helping all students achieve their educational goals, including those of every race, religion, gender, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, regardless of background and level of preparation. We are looking for candidates with a commitment to mentoring students from underrepresented demographics in the sciences who can create a welcoming classroom culture and positively engage in our diverse student population.

At Pasadena City College (PCC) we celebrate and respect the racial, social, economic, academic and cultural diversity including students with different ability statuses.

• We seek candidates whose experience, teaching, and/or service advance anti-racism, anti-oppression, equity, and justice.
• We welcome candidates whose experiences have facilitated their understanding of traditionally underrepresented racial minority communities.
• Faculty are expected to have an inclusive stance on mentoring and engagement that incorporates working with historically marginalized populations.
• We seek candidates who have the desire and ability to create a welcoming classroom culture that positively engages and impacts our racially and socially diverse student population.
• We seek applications from candidates who can demonstrate experience in teaching and working with individuals from diverse backgrounds and contribute to the College's mission, vision, and core values.

We are committed to achieving equally high outcomes for all students. Successful candidates will share our vision and will work with us to help all students, regardless of background and level of preparation, achieve their educational goals. PCC is a designated Hispanic-serving institution that takes great responsibility in serving our Latinx students while also supporting Black, Asian American and Pacific Islander and Indigenous students towards their educational attainment and economic well-being. Pasadena City College prides itself on faculty contributions through active participation in college-wide governance and the decision-making process.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INSTRUCTOR:

• Teach courses as assigned in Dental Assisting. Primary teaching responsibilities will include lecture, laboratory, and clinical sessions including those in oral radiation, infection control, coronal polishing and pit and fissure sealants.
• Assures instructional activities are conducted in compliance with the Dental Practice Act of the State of California and with the standards of the Commission on Dental Education Accreditation (CODA)
• Plans learning experiences (i.e. classroom activities, laboratory activities and clinical assignments for students, student supervision, evaluation and feedback conferences)
• Controls and monitors ongoing instructional activities and systems in order to maintain adherence to prescribed standards of student evaluation
• Holds students accountable for the acquired competency in their performance, and assists students in remediation to acquire and maintain competence
• Conducts conferences with students concerning academic and clinical competence and progress
• Records and maintains data for student records, grades, accreditation, and school studies (i.e. test banks, course evaluation portfolio, annual course reports, etc)
• Prepares written evaluation material (i.e. syllabi, tests, handouts, etc.) for submission and duplication in a timely manner
• Participates with other faculty to develop, assess and report student learning outcomes, and uses the results to improve teaching and learning
• Manages schedule to ensure regular and prompt attendance at all required course activities, committee and faculty meetings
• Plans and schedules teaching and clinical/laboratory activities for curriculum courses and teaching
• Prepares formal and informal reports as required for Systematic Program Evaluation, governing institution, governmental and accreditation agencies
• Keep current in the field of Dental Assisting and instructional pedagogy by attendance of conferences, workshops and self-directed study
• Participate in departmental, division and College Governance activities through committee service and/or other appropriate activities
• Undertakes the division and responsibilities of a regular faculty member

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated passion for, and experience with, teaching a diverse student body with a broad spectrum of socioeconomic means and academic preparation
• Ability to adapt varying pedagogical approaches to meet the needs of students with differing learning modalities and abilities
• Experience working collaboratively on curriculum development
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• A dynamic personality and a strong desire to transform and improve STEM education
• Demonstrated ability to develop curriculum
• Familiarity with Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) Standards and the California Dental Practice Act
• Awareness and experience with appropriate uses of technology in the teaching and learning of Dental Assisting
• Knowledge of current practices in distance education including learning management systems such as Canvas
• Knowledge of current practices in distance education including course management systems, e.g. Canvas
• Experience with equipment used in Dental offices, clinics and laboratories
• Experience with Student Learning Outcomes and assessment methods
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and a desire and ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, students, and other members of the campus community
• Ability to work in a multi-ethnic environment with students of varying academic preparation and learning styles
• Knowledgeable about culturally sustaining pedagogical techniques and effective practices for engaging African American, Latinx, and Indigenous groups who are historically underrepresented and underserved in Dental Assisting
• Recent experience working with minoritized students in the classroom and an understanding of how historical patterns of exclusion of these groups within higher education shapes patterns of participation and outcomes.
• Willingness to examine and remediate ones instructional, relational and classroom practices to more effectively engage and support racially minoritized students
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Experience and proficiency in current teaching and learning technologies

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's Degree AND two (2) years of related occupational experience
• OR
• An associate's degree AND six (6) years of related experience
• OR
• California Community College Instructor Credential in Dental Assisting
• OR
• The equivalent

Degree must be shown as conferred on transcript. Some degrees may require equivalency. When equivalency is requested, the file will be reviewed by PCC's Equivalency Committee. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide ample documentation to support equivalent qualifications.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in teaching ­­­­­­­­­ Dental Assisting at the community college level to a diverse student body, the majority of which are traditionally underrepresented in the sciences
• Demonstrated experience in developing lower division Dental Assisting curriculum which uses established high impact practices to increase student success and completion
• Experience in using student-centered and innovative pedagogies to teach and motivate students at all levels of college-readiness.
• Up-to-date experience and/or training in online instruction and knowledge of best practices in distance education
• Additional education and experience beyond that required for the minimum qualifications
• Possession of a current Registered Dental Assistant (RDA), Certified Dental Assistant (CDA), Oral Radiology, Coronal Polish, Pits and Fissure Sealants, and Orthodontic Assistant Certificates
• One year of continuous clinical experience with direct patient contact in the last 5 years
• Demonstrated awareness and/or implementation of effective course assessment techniques
• Candidates with a strong record of successful mentorship and a record of service activities that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Candidates who have created or contributed to programs that aim to increase access and success of underrepresented students and faculty in the sciences
• Experience in culturally responsive pedagogy that acknowledges, responds to, and celebrates equitable access to education for students from all cultures
• Innovative lesson planning in emergent curricula
• Experience with emerging technologies in dental assisting (digital dentistry, dental digital software programs usage, and emerging dental materials used for restorative dentistry)

THE ASSIGNMENT:

Ten Months, 100% - Tenure-track position beginning August 2026.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Successful completion of Livescan clearance and TB screening.
• Proof of eligibility to work in the United States and signing of loyalty oath per government codes 3100-3109.
• Meeting applicable eligibility requirements under CalPERS or CalSTRS if you are a current or former member.
• Board of Trustees approval.