CHIEF OF DENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, X42

BASIC PURPOSE:

The position in this job family is assigned overall responsibility for developing and managing a statewide program of public health dentistry.

TYPICAL FUNCTIONS:

• Develops and manages statewide programs of dental clinical care, dental health education and tobacco use prevention, and community water fluoridation.
• Makes policy and procedural decisions for the public health dental program and advises the Commissioner of Health on departmental policy formulation.
• Authorizes expenditure of funds and prepares, reviews, and revises the dental program budget.
• Studies proposed federal and state legislation and advises the Commissioner of Health regarding effects on the public health dental program.
• Administers and enforces the rules and regulations concerning the public health dental program.
• Represents the State Department of Health and the Commissioner of Health at meetings and conferences.
• Provides dental consultation to other state agencies, educational institutions, state health department programs, county health departments, and professional organizations, and establishes and maintains official working relationships.

LEVEL DESCRIPTOR:

Level I:                                                Code:  X42A                                         Salary Band:   P

The Chief of Dental Health Services job family consists of only one level and the incumbent employee is responsible for performing all functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required include extensive knowledge of the principles and practices of public health dentistry, dental epidemiology, and public health administration; of the functions and relationships of local, state, and national dental organizations; of community, state, and federal resources available for public health dental programs.  Ability is required to communicate with the public, other health care officials, and legislators about dental public health issues; to allocate staff and funds to meet program goals; to analyze complex problems and adopt an appropriate course of action.

Education and Experience requirements consist of licensure to practice dentistry in Oklahoma; and completion of the curriculum requirements for a master’s degree in public health, public administration, or a closely related field; and five years of experience in the practice of dentistry, including two years of experience in a public health setting.