County of Alameda

Under general direction, plans, organizes, and directs the County-wide Dental Health Program for the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency; coordinates and evaluates County-operated and contract community-based dental services to ensure compliance with legislative mandates, minimum standard, as well as State and Federal rules and regulations; provides dental health administrative, consultation, and education services to providers, schools, community-based organizations, and professional organizations on all aspects of dental health care; provides supervision and direction to subordinate personnel; and performs other related duties as required.  

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES  

The Dental Health Administrator is a single position class that reports to the Division Director, Public Health, in the Community Health Services Division, a major division of the Public Health Services Department in the Health Care Services Agency.  The incumbent is responsible for all aspects of the planning and service delivery of preventive and educational dental health services for Alameda County, consistent with established departmental policies and procedures and ensures that quality of care, clinical and administrative performance expectation outcomes are achieved.

This position is distinguished from the next lower-level class of Dentist in that the former is responsible for the overall dental program and services within the Public Health Department, while the latter is responsible for providing full-service professional dental work to patients needing dental services.

NOTE:    The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification.  However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level.  Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

1. Plans, organizes, supervises, and directs professional, clinical, technical, and administrative staff to ensure the overall program planning and implementation of the Dental Public Health Program of Alameda County, which includes such activities as surveillance and monitoring of oral disease, promotion of oral health and prevention of oral diseases, examination and basic dental care and dental health education.
2. Assures assessment of county-wide dental health status, dental services, and program capacities; based on the community needs, leads county-wide oral health plan development process in collaboration with the community partners.
3. Coordinates dental health services with those of other agencies, both contract and non-contract, to ensure maximum integration and consistency.
4. Assures quality improvement and quality assurance methods/activities for record-keeping, auditing, and program standards, policies and procedures to improve outcomes of the program(s) and efficiency.
5. Oversees the development and implementation of departmental protocols, program standards, and policy analysis to ensure cost-effective delivery of service, continuity, and quality of services and to meet administrative requirements relative to Federal-State funding.
6. Prepares and manages the unit’s budget(s); develops cost-effective systems, maximizing the use of existing resources, accurate operational forecasts, and planning for financial variances.
7. Assures compliance with federal and state regulations and trains program staff.
8. Develops and monitors revenue generation for the program such as reimbursement from State & Federal health programs, DentiCal, and other private health insurances.
9. Attends administrative staff meetings and participates in the overall administration of the Public Health Department’s service delivery.
10. Prepares and conducts educational programs for trainees and staff assigned to dental health programs; conducts staff conferences; performs studies.
11. Provides technical, consultative, and training services to various community organizations, schools, and to the local medical and dental community.
12. Keeps informed of current trends in the delivery of dental health services; reads the professional literature and participates in the activities of professional dental organizations.
13. Recruits and evaluates staff either directly or indirectly through subordinate personnel; develops performance standards, evaluates staff’s performance, and takes corrective actions when necessary.
14. Participates in Public Health emergency response activities via department-wide or program-specific on-call rotation.
15. Provides leadership at the local, state, and national levels to influence policies affecting Dental Public Health Best Practices.
16. Collaborates with public and private dental providers, and community-based organizations to improve access to dental care for Alameda County residents.

Education:  

Possession of a Master’s degree in Public Health from an accredited college or university with a specialization in administration, epidemiology, health policy and planning, maternal and child health or health education or a related field.

AND

Experience:  

The equivalent of five (5) years of full-time experience in a dental health program within a state or local, public or private health program setting.  At least three (3) years of this experience should have been in an administrative and supervisory capacity.  

License:  

Possession of a valid license to practice dentistry in the State of California.

Possession of a valid California motor vehicle operator’s license.  

NOTE:    The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

NOTE:  The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the “Examples of Duties” section of this specification.  

Knowledge of:

• Principles of dental public health and dental care administration.
• Principles and practices of preventive aspects of dentistry, oral hygiene, and oral surgery.
• Principles of nutrition as they apply to dental health.
• Principles and practices of dental health clinical systems, safety/risk management, and quality assessment/improvement in a public health setting.
• Current principles, best practices, and trends in service delivery systems, quality assurance, and quality improvement.
• Current trends, issues and research in treatment, prevention, and education as they relate to dental health care.
• Community resources and organizations and techniques involved in dental health education and related activities.
• Disparities in health outcomes for vulnerable populations including socio-economic and environmental factors that affect health equity.
• Budget development governing Federal, State, and local laws/regulations.
• Local, state, and federal codes and regulations governing the field of dentistry and public health dentistry practices; clinical standards of dental practice and licensure requirements.
• Principles and practices of effective organization, management, monitoring, quality assurance and quality improvement indicators.
• General Administrative practices and principles.
• The Ten Essential Public Health Services.
• Principles and processes of personnel management which include leadership, supervision, coaching, performance evaluations, development and counseling.  

Ability to:  

• Plan, monitor, and evaluate dental service and health programs for clinic patients/clients.
• Analyze effectiveness of policies, procedures, operations, and interventions, and modify as needed to improve programmatic objectives.
• Exercise independent judgment within the scope of authority and practice.
• Oversee and review the work of professional, clinical, technical, and administrative personnel.
• Demonstrate flexibility.
• Exercise interpersonal sensitivity, political astuteness, and group interactions skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Facilitate and model effective written and oral communication with attention to linguistic preferences and cultural proficiency.
• Manage multiple and changing priorities.
• Manage through technology systems.
• Adapt to stress.
• Prepare clear, accurate and effective reports, correspondence, Dental Clinical standards, procedures, protocols, policies, informational brochures, and other written materials.
• Incorporate departmental core values and ethical standards of practice into all interactions with individuals, organizations, and communities.

TT:lh

8/1976

AM:jc

Revised

Old document:  5525h

7/9/98

New document:  Jobspecs/5525

ys/6/01

CSC Date:  9/2/98

AS:cs  Revised 6/13/14

CSC Date: 7/9/14

AC:sa Revised 07/22/2021

CSC Date: 12/01/2021

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance 
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.