Oral Biology Department Chair

Rutgers provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. The specific benefits vary based on the position and may include:

• Medical, prescription drug, and dental coverage
• Paid vacation, holidays, and various leave programs
• Competitive retirement benefits, including defined contribution plans and voluntary tax-deferred savings options
• Employee and dependent educational benefits (when applicable)
• Life insurance coverage
• Employee discount programs

Posting Summary

Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) is searching for a Chair of the Department of Oral Biology. This is a full-time faculty appointment up to the rank of Full Professor, tenure track or tenured, commensurate with experience. The Chair will provide academic, research, and administrative leadership for the Department and play a central role in advancing RSDM’s missions of research, education, and patient care.

Department Overview

The Department of Oral Biology serves as the foundational biomedical sciences hub for RSDM, supporting predoctoral, graduate, and postgraduate education through rigorous training in oral biology, microbiology, immunology, biomaterials, and translational oral health research. The Department contributes substantially to the DMD, Master’s and PhD training programs as well as interdisciplinary research initiatives across Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences.

The Department maintains a strong and growing portfolio of basic, translational, and clinical research, supported by extramural funding and collaborative programs spanning dentistry, medicine, bioengineering, and public health.

The Chair of Oral Biology will be responsible for the overall administration and strategic leadership of the Department.

The successful candidate will be expected to strengthen the Department’s national and international reputation and align departmental priorities with the School’s Mission and Vision.

Preference will be given to candidates with dual degrees (DDS/PhD or equivalent) and active NIH grant support. Candidates with Dental degrees may be eligible for intramural clinical practice opportunities upon fulfilling NJ state board dental licensure qualifications.

Position Status

Full Time

Posting Number

26FA0101

Posting Open Date

02/06/2026

Posting Close Date

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

PhD, DDS/DMD, or equivalent terminal degree

Certifications/Licenses

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

RSDM seeks an individual with outstanding academic credentials, track record of major funding, and leadership experience, including:

• An internationally recognized record of scholarship in oral biology, microbiology, immunology, dental biomaterials, or related fields
• A strong history of NIH and/or other extramural funding
• Demonstrated excellence in mentoring students, trainees, and faculty
• Proven leadership experience in academic administration, program development, and research initiatives

Preferred Qualifications

• Dual degrees (e.g., DDS/PhD or equivalent)
• Experience leading interdisciplinary or translational research programs
• Strong record of extramural research funding
• Experience in the management of department/program operations
• International recognition

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Standing, walking, sitting – some for extended periods of time.

Overview

New Jersey’s premier academic health center, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) takes an integrated approach to educating students, providing clinical care, and conducting research, all with the goal of improving human health. Aligned with Rutgers University–New Brunswick and collaborating university wide, RBHS includes eight schools, a behavioral health network, and five centers and institutes that focus on cancer treatment and research, neuroscience, advanced biotechnology and medicine, environmental and occupational health, and health care policy and aging research.

Our elite and renowned faculty are teachers, health researchers and providers, and scientists with unparalleled experience who advance medical innovation and provide patient care informed by the latest research findings. We offer an outstanding education and training in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, nursing, biomedical research, and the full spectrum of allied health careers. An important mission of RBHS is to promote the careers of faculty, staff, and learners.

Through this community of healers, scientists, and scholars, Rutgers is equipped as never before to transform lives.

The Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) is New Jersey’s only dental school, encompassing education, patient care and community outreach. It’s also the state’s largest oral healthcare provider, treating more than 130,000 patient visits annually at its student clinic in Newark and three sites in South Jersey.

Formerly the New Jersey Dental School, RSDM was established in 1956, as part of the Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry, which later became the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). In 2013, UMDNJ integrated with Rutgers University and the dental school was renamed again.

Known for its intensive clinical programs and close-knit, supportive environment, RSDM is one of the most diverse dental schools in the nation. It also has an ethnically and economically diverse patient pool, including many who are underserved. RSDM’s special needs clinic is one of the only facilities in the region that provides dental care for patients with disabilities. Its Dental Specialty Center for post-doctoral students is equipped with cutting-edge technology and a design that fosters collaborative care.

For predoctoral students, RSDM’s match rate is consistently well above the national average and students routinely score above the 95th percentile on board exams.

Research at the dental school spans clinical studies of dental disease and groundbreaking work that explores the potential of oral microbiomes to fight drug resistant pathogens and treat cancer and autoimmune disease. New research laboratories, totaling 25,000 square feet, were added in the fall of 2018.

RSDM students and faculty perform community service and outreach in Newark and other New Jersey municipalities and embark on annual overseas dental missions. There are two trips to the Dominican Republic: one in the village of La Romana and another on the border of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, where patients from both nations receive care. Other missions include trips to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to treat patients with cleft palates and a summer mission to Native American reservations, where patients are treated at clinics run by the federal government.

The school is extremely competitive, choosing about 100 students a year from a field of more than 2,000 applicants for its incoming DMD program. Many students are from New Jersey and several are among the first generation in their families to attain a college degree.

Campus

Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS)

Home Location Campus

Newark (RBHS)

City

Newark

State

NJ

Position Information Recruitment/Posting Title

Oral Biology Department Chair Department RSDM - Oral Biology

Salary Details

Minimum $231,359 Offer Information The final salary offer may be determined by several factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and expertise, and availability of department or grant funds to support the position. We also take into consideration market benchmarks, if and when appropriate, and internal equity to ensure fair compensation relative to the university’s broader compensation structure. We are committed to offering competitive and flexible compensation packages to attract and retain top talent.

Posting Summary

Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) is searching for a Chair of the Department of Oral Biology. This is a full-time faculty appointment up to the rank of Full Professor, tenure track or tenured, commensurate with experience. The Chair will provide academic, research, and administrative leadership for the Department and play a central role in advancing RSDM’s missions of research, education, and patient care.

Department Overview

The Department of Oral Biology serves as the foundational biomedical sciences hub for RSDM, supporting predoctoral, graduate, and postgraduate education through rigorous training in oral biology, microbiology, immunology, biomaterials, and translational oral health research. The Department contributes substantially to the DMD, Master’s and PhD training programs as well as interdisciplinary research initiatives across Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences.

The Department maintains a strong and growing portfolio of basic, translational, and clinical research, supported by extramural funding and collaborative programs spanning dentistry, medicine, bioengineering, and public health.

The Chair of Oral Biology will be responsible for the overall administration and strategic leadership of the Department.

The successful candidate will be expected to strengthen the Department’s national and international reputation and align departmental priorities with the School’s Mission and Vision.

Preference will be given to candidates with dual degrees (DDS/PhD or equivalent) and active NIH grant support. Candidates with Dental degrees may be eligible for intramural clinical practice opportunities upon fulfilling NJ state board dental licensure qualifications.

Position Status

Full Time

Posting Number

26FA0101

Posting Open Date

02/06/2026

Posting Close Date

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

PhD, DDS/DMD, or equivalent terminal degree

Certifications/Licenses

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

RSDM seeks an individual with outstanding academic credentials, track record of major funding, and leadership experience, including:

• An internationally recognized record of scholarship in oral biology, microbiology, immunology, dental biomaterials, or related fields
• A strong history of NIH and/or other extramural funding
• Demonstrated excellence in mentoring students, trainees, and faculty
• Proven leadership experience in academic administration, program development, and research initiatives

Preferred Qualifications

• Dual degrees (e.g., DDS/PhD or equivalent)
• Experience leading interdisciplinary or translational research programs
• Strong record of extramural research funding
• Experience in the management of department/program operations
• International recognition

Equipment Utilized

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Standing, walking, sitting – some for extended periods of time.

Overview

New Jersey’s premier academic health center, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) takes an integrated approach to educating students, providing clinical care, and conducting research, all with the goal of improving human health. Aligned with Rutgers University–New Brunswick and collaborating university wide, RBHS includes eight schools, a behavioral health network, and five centers and institutes that focus on cancer treatment and research, neuroscience, advanced biotechnology and medicine, environmental and occupational health, and health care policy and aging research.

Our elite and renowned faculty are teachers, health researchers and providers, and scientists with unparalleled experience who advance medical innovation and provide patient care informed by the latest research findings. We offer an outstanding education and training in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, nursing, biomedical research, and the full spectrum of allied health careers. An important mission of RBHS is to promote the careers of faculty, staff, and learners.

Through this community of healers, scientists, and scholars, Rutgers is equipped as never before to transform lives.

The Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) is New Jersey’s only dental school, encompassing education, patient care and community outreach. It’s also the state’s largest oral healthcare provider, treating more than 130,000 patient visits annually at its student clinic in Newark and three sites in South Jersey.

Formerly the New Jersey Dental School, RSDM was established in 1956, as part of the Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry, which later became the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). In 2013, UMDNJ integrated with Rutgers University and the dental school was renamed again.

Known for its intensive clinical programs and close-knit, supportive environment, RSDM is one of the most diverse dental schools in the nation. It also has an ethnically and economically diverse patient pool, including many who are underserved. RSDM’s special needs clinic is one of the only facilities in the region that provides dental care for patients with disabilities. Its Dental Specialty Center for post-doctoral students is equipped with cutting-edge technology and a design that fosters collaborative care.

For predoctoral students, RSDM’s match rate is consistently well above the national average and students routinely score above the 95th percentile on board exams.

Research at the dental school spans clinical studies of dental disease and groundbreaking work that explores the potential of oral microbiomes to fight drug resistant pathogens and treat cancer and autoimmune disease. New research laboratories, totaling 25,000 square feet, were added in the fall of 2018.

RSDM students and faculty perform community service and outreach in Newark and other New Jersey municipalities and embark on annual overseas dental missions. There are two trips to the Dominican Republic: one in the village of La Romana and another on the border of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, where patients from both nations receive care. Other missions include trips to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to treat patients with cleft palates and a summer mission to Native American reservations, where patients are treated at clinics run by the federal government.

The school is extremely competitive, choosing about 100 students a year from a field of more than 2,000 applicants for its incoming DMD program. Many students are from New Jersey and several are among the first generation in their families to attain a college degree.

Campus Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS)

Home Location Campus

Home Location Campus Newark (RBHS)

City

State

Position Information Recruitment/Posting Title

Salary Details

Posting Summary

Department Overview

Posting Specific Questions

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter/Letter of Application
• Curriculum Vitae

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