Assistant Director of Laboratory Affairs - Dental School

Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM) offers one of the most forward-looking educational environments in dental medicine in the country. Since its founding in 1868, TUSDM has been committed to leadership in education, patient care, research, and community service. Students receive an interdisciplinary education, integrated with medicine, and have access to training in dental specialties. Clinics managed at TUSDM provide quality, comprehensive care to more than 20,000 individuals annually. Nationally and internationally, the school promotes health and educational programs and researches new procedures, materials, and technologies to improve oral health.

The Assistant Director of Laboratory Affairs provides senior-level leadership for all laboratory-related operations supporting education, clinical care, and academic programs at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. This role is responsible for the strategic oversight, operational management, and quality assurance of both internal laboratory functions and external laboratory partnerships.

The position serves as the school's primary authority on dental laboratory workflows, case coordination, vendor performance, and laboratory quality standards. By centralizing oversight of laboratory operations, the Assistant Director ensures consistency, efficiency, and educational alignment while reducing faculty burden and operational fragmentation. This role plays a critical part in strengthening restorative education, supporting clinical programs, and advancing the school's long-term laboratory and digital dentistry strategy.

The Assistant Director of Laboratory Affairs reports to the Senior Director of Clinical and Educational Operations and works in close partnership with faculty leadership, clinical operations, materials management, simulation leadership, and digital dentistry leadership.

Basic Requirements:

• Certification as a Certified Dental Technician (CDT) is required.
• Candidates must possess a minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in dental laboratory operations, preferably within academic dental institutions, teaching clinics, or complex healthcare environments.
• The role requires a strong working knowledge of dental laboratory workflows, materials, and production processes, along with demonstrated experience supporting quality assurance in an educational or clinical laboratory setting.
• The successful candidate must be able to coordinate effectively across multidisciplinary teams, manage laboratory workflows that support student learning and clinical care, and adapt to evolving digital and analog laboratory technologies.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills are essential, as is the ability to communicate clearly and professionally with faculty, staff, students, and external laboratory partners.
• All required institutional background checks and compliance requirements must be completed at the time of hire, promotion, or transfer.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's degree in dental technology, healthcare operations, or a related field is preferred but not required.
• Additional preference will be given to candidates with experience in academic medicine, dental education, or higher education environments.
• Prior experience collaborating with simulation programs, clinical operations, or digital dentistry initiatives is highly desirable.
• Candidates with demonstrated experience in laboratory workflow optimization, quality assurance program development, vendor coordination, cost analysis, or implementation of standardized operational protocols will be especially competitive.
• Familiarity with digital dental platforms, laboratory information systems, and modern dental production technologies is considered an asset.