Director of Dental Operations

Job Description

Job Description

*  This is a hybrid role with regular travel required to all of our FHC Dental Center locations. *

JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Dental Operations provides administrative oversight for multiple dental centers. This position is responsible for overseeing operational efficiency, strategic coordination, and performance optimization across multiple dental sites. The Director of Dental Operations ensures the seamless integration of dental operations with organizational goals through effective multi-site management, resource allocation, and process improvement initiatives. The role collaborates closely with the Chief Operations Officer, Chief Health Officer, Dental Service Line Leaders, and Managers within each Dental Center to support both clinical and administrative excellence while maintaining compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Additionally, the Director of Dental Operations plays a key role in aligning dental services with the broader mission and strategic objectives of the health center.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

1. Provides overall operational leadership for all dental sites, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives, regulatory requirements, and patient care standards while developing, implementing, and enforcing standardized workflows, policies, and procedures to improve efficiency, reduce variability, and enhance access to care.
2. Monitors and evaluates key performance indicators - including patient volumes, wait times, confirmation rates, staffing levels, payer mix, and operational costs - and prepares and presents regular reports to leadership with actionable recommendations to meet or exceed performance goals.
3. Oversees site-level operational coordination in collaboration with Dental Center Managers, including staffing levels, equipment maintenance, supply management, and daily operational support, while providing guidance and direction on complex operation issues beyond routine site-level management.
4. Leads workforce management activities across dental sites, including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, performance evaluations, staff development planning, training program implementation, and disciplinary processes to ensure consistent standards and team effectiveness.
5. Facilitates regular communication and meetings with Dental Center Managers and staff to review performance metrics, address operational and financial challenges, and ensure alignment on departmental goals and initiatives.
6. Serves as a liaison between dental operations and key internal departments - including finance, human resources, information technology, primary care, and behavioral health - to support integrated, interdisciplinary care delivery and organizational alignment.
7. Partner with the Chief Operations Officer and executive leadership to drive clinical initiatives, standardize protocols, uphold quality metrics, and champion integrated, whole-person care models.
8. Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations (including HRSA, HIPAA, OSHA, ForwardHealth) and operational standards related to facility management, safety, waste disposal, and infection control through audits, policy updates, and staff education.
9. Implements and monitors quality improvement initiatives focused on operational efficiency, including patient flow, scheduling, billing accuracy, documentation, and claims processing, while overseeing dental billing and revenue cycle functions in partnership with Business Systems teams.
10. Conducts regular site audits and collaborates with compliance leadership to resolve escalated patient complaints and incident reports, identify operational gaps, and implement corrective actions and trend-based improvements.
11. Assists in the development and ongoing monitoring of the annual dental department budget and contributes to establishing financial and productivity targets.
12. Oversees integrated operational systems across front office, clinical, and billing functions to optimize scheduling, eligibility verification, collections, prior authorizations, documentation, and claims submission and reconciliation processes.
13. Builds and maintains partnerships with community organizations, schools, and public health stakeholders, and represents the dental program at community events to promote oral health initiatives, expand access to care, and address health disparities.
14. Maintains strict adherence to scheduled work hours with regular and reliable attendance.
15. Performs other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

1. Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, business administration, or public health.
2. 7–10 years of progressive leadership experience in healthcare operations, preferably in a multi-site environment. Minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership role is preferred.
3. 3–5 years of experience in dental operations, ambulatory care, or Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) settings is strongly preferred. 
4. Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration (MHA), Business Administration (MBA), Public Health (MPH), or related field is strongly preferred.

CERTIFICATIONS / LICENSES

Valid Wisconsin Driver’s License required with an acceptable motor vehicle record (MVR), per FHC guidelines.

Equal Employment Opportunity