Chief, Dental Surgery

We are seeking a Chief of Dental Surgery to lead our pediatric dental surgery team at Nemours Children's Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. This senior clinical leader will be responsible for overseeing all dental services within the pediatric hospital, including strategic direction, clinical excellence, and academic leadership of our dental residency program.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of pediatric dental care within a nationally recognized children's health system-ensuring the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care to children and adolescents, while fostering a culture of education, innovation, and collaboration.
Key Responsibilities: Clinical Leadership

• Provide oversight and direction for all pediatric dental services, including general dental surgery, surgical dental surgery and sedation dental surgery.
• Ensure compliance with hospital policies, state and federal regulations, and accreditation standards.
• Promote evidence-based practices and continuous quality improvement initiatives.

Administrative Management

• Develop and manage departmental budgets, staffing plans, and resource allocation.
• Collaborate with hospital leadership on strategic planning, service line development, and operational efficiency.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, and performance evaluations of dental faculty.

Educational Oversight

• Provide leadership for the pediatric dental residency program.
• Ensure curriculum meets accreditation standards (e.g., CODA) and supports clinical excellence and academic growth.
• Mentor residents and foster a supportive learning environment.

Research & Innovation

• Encourage and support clinical research, scholarly activity, and participation in professional organizations.
• Promote innovation in pediatric dental care delivery and technology adoption.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Work closely with other departments (e.g., Pediatrics, Surgery, Anesthesiology) to coordinate comprehensive care.
• Participate in hospital-wide committees and initiatives to improve patient outcomes and experience.

Qualifications:

• DDS or DMD from an accredited dental school.
• Eligible for or currently licensed to practice dentistry in the state.
• American Board of Pediatric Dentistry certification preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.

Preferred Attributes:

• Visionary leadership with a commitment to pediatric oral health.
• Passion for education and mentorship.
• Ability to foster a culture of excellence, equity, and inclusion.
• Experience with hospital-based dentistry and medically complex pediatric patients.
• Experience with academic dentistry and residency program administration preferred.

What We Offer:

• Competitive Compensation: A package that is commensurate with training and experience plus annual incentives valuing clinical, academic and quality achievements
• Comprehensive Benefits: Health, dental, vision and life insurance
• Retirement Planning: 403B with employer match and 457 plans
• Relocation Support: Mortgage assistance and relocation packages
• Work-Life Balance: Six weeks of paid family leave
• Professional Development: CME, licensure and dues allowances
• Additional Benefits: Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility; no state sales tax in Delaware

For confidential consideration, apply below or click here to connect with Jessica N. Vega, Senior Physician Recruiter at Nemours Children's Health.

#LI-JV2

About Us

Nemours Children's Health is an internationally recognized children's health system. With more than 1.7 million patient encounters annually, we provide medical care in five states through two freestanding state-of-the-art children's hospitals - Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware and Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida. Our pediatric network includes 80 primary-urgent-and specialty care practices and more than 40 hospitalists serving 19 affiliated hospitals. We generate annual revenues of more than $1.7 billion derived from patient services, contributions from the Alfred I. DuPont Trust, as well as other income.

As one of the nation's premier pediatric health systems, we're on a journey to discover better ways of approaching children's health. Putting as much focus on prevention as cures and working hand in hand with the community to make every child's world a place to thrive. It's a journey that extends beyond our nationally recognized clinical treatment to an entire integrated spectrum of research, advocacy, education, and prevention, leading to the healthiest generations of children ever.

Inclusion and belonging guide our growth and strategy. We are looking for individuals who are passionate about, and committed to, leading efforts to provide culturally relevant care, reducing health disparities, and helping build an inclusive and supportive environment. All of our associates are expected to ensure that these philosophies are embedded in their day-to-day work with colleagues, patients and families.

To learn more about Nemours Children's and how we go well beyond medicine, visit us at www.nemours.org .