Hospital-Based Dentist, Staff Clinician

The Office of the Clinical Director, Division of Intramural Research (DIR), National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) at the National Institutes of Health, invites applications from well-qualified hospital-based Dentists for a full-time (up to) 4-year renewable Staff Clinician position. 

The NIDCR Office of the Clinical Director (OCD) encourages a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment that promotes the translation of basic research discoveries into clinical practices. The OCD oversees all clinical activities related to NIDCR's mission by providing management and administrative support for clinical research protocols; offering dental consultation services for the NIH Clinical Center (CC) patient population; supporting a Dental Clinical Research Fellowship; and conducting ground-breaking human clinical trials with an emphasis on rare diseases and diseases of high public health impact.

Position Summary

The Staff Clinician Dentist’s primary responsibility is to provide routine dental care and dental consults, as well as conduct research-focused oral evaluations for patients participating in research studies and clinical trials at the world-renowned NIH CC, where over 1,500 human subject research protocols are conducted. 

Dental services may be provided in the outpatient Dental Clinic, in the main operating room (OR), or at bedside in the NIH CC. At least 60% of the Dentist’s time will be spent on patient care and consultations. As part of a multidisciplinary clinical team, the Staff Clinician Dentist will deliver routine and research-driven oral care, interacting closely with primary care providers and other members of the medical and dental teams (e.g., oral surgeons, orthodontists, periodontists, pediatric dentists, oral medicine/oral pathology specialists, and dental clinical research fellows). 

Additionally, the Staff Clinician Dentist will triage patient care needs, provide other consultative services as required (i.e., pre-procedural dental clearance), provide clinical backup for trainees, and share on-call responsibilities for the Dental Clinic. Routine dental care, restorative dentistry, urgent/emergent dentistry, oral soft tissue biopsies, simple extractions, comprehensive oral examinations and phenotyping, dental radiographs and interpretation of radiographs, and the collection of biospecimens for research studies are standard procedures in this position. The Staff Clinician Dentist will also support the training of clinical fellows and supervise dental technologists and hygienists. The individual will be expected to abide by all CC by-laws and policies related to clinical care and credentials.

Research Engagement

The Staff Clinician Dentist will support the NIDCR Clinical and Translational Research Program and work closely with all NIDCR clinical principal investigators in the Dental Clinic. In this role, the Staff Clinician Dentist will work with teams of clinical and basic scientists to support a strong collaborative research environment and participate in relevant research collaborations and provide expertise where appropriate.

The Staff Clinician Dentist is encouraged to participate in study design, subject recruitment, and other aspects of research conduct. The incumbent is expected to take initiative in learning and applying new techniques and technologies in the Clinic to advance the research goals and aims of investigators of the NIDCR and NIH collaborators.

Leadership

The incumbent is expected to help manage and improve the Dental Consult Service and Dental Clinic Operations. Leadership and management experience is preferred, as leadership opportunities will be available for the incumbent, including higher level training. The incumbent may be invited to participate in the OCD Management Team and Operations activities.

Qualifications 

Applicants must have:

• A Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (D.M.D.) degree from a U.S. or Canadian school approved by a recognized accrediting body, or equivalent.
• Evidence of clinical competence in routine adult and pediatric dental care.
• Evidence of proficiency in providing dental care in outpatient, inpatient, and operating room settings.
• Demonstrated clinical activity within 2 years of this announcement.
• Clinical experience and competence in recognizing, diagnosing, and managing oral manifestations of systemic and infectious diseases.
• Competence in the dental care of medically compromised patients.
• Completion of a hospital-based residency (such as a General Practice Residency, Oral Medicine Residency) in an accredited institution or evidence of equivalent experience treating medically complex patients (e.g., work experience in a hospital-based dental practice).
• Applicants must hold an active dental license, in good standing, preferably in a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico. Licensure must be free of restrictions, revocations, or pending disciplinary actions.
• Eligibility for full hospital credentials at the NIH Clinical Center is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Residency training and board certification with at least 2 years of hospital-based practice
• Leadership or management experience in a clinical or hospital setting
• Formal training or experience in the conduct of human subject research
• Experience with academic clinical care, clinical research or trials, or familiarity with NIH systems and clinical research.

Compensation Benefits

• Salary will be commensurate with training, credentials, and clinical experience.
• Full Civil Service benefits package including: federal retirement programs, health, life, and long-term care insurance, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
• Leadership opportunities in clinical operations
• Career development through the NIH Research Physicians career path

Application Process

Application period begins: November 17, 2025 | Application review starts: December 18, 2025

• Position will remain open until filled
• Applicants should submit the following (incomplete packages will not be reviewed):
  • A one-page cover letter describing clinical accomplishments that meet the criteria above and a statement of future goals
  • A curriculum vitae (business resumes will not be accepted)
  • Names and contact information for at least three (no more than five) current references who will be contacted for clinical competence and judgment (additional reference letters may be requested) 

Appointees may be a U.S. citizen, Legal Permanent Resident or non-U.S. citizen who are eligible for a valid work authorization. 

This position is subject to a background investigation. 

DHHS, NIH, and NIDCR are Equal Opportunity Employers.

Please submit applications to: 

Ms. Nakiia Buyck 
Office Manager and Chief of Staff 
Office of the Clinical Director 
nakiia.buyck@nih.gov