Instructional Resource Associate – Dental Lab (Specialized Care Coordinator), College of Dentistry

UIOWA•Iowa City, IA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Iowa College of Dentistry is seeking a Specialized Care Coordinator to join our Clinic Administration department! In this role, you’ll help bring smiles to life by designing and fabricating restorations and appliances using advanced CAD/CAM technology alongside traditional techniques. Every day blends problem-solving, precision, and collaboration with students, faculty, and clinical teams in a fast-paced educational environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Dental Technology, CAD/CAM Technology, Dental Laboratory Technology, or related field, or equivalent combination of relevant education and relevant experience.
3 - 5 years’ hands-on experience with conventional and digital fabrication technologies, including: intraoral scanning, CAD design of dental restorations and appliances, CAM production workflows (milling and 3D printing), post-processing techniques, and use of industry-standard dental CAD software (e.g., 3Shape, exocad, CEREC, InLab).
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience fabricating dental appliances in a clinical, academic, or production dental laboratory environment (conventional and digital).
Demonstrated experience overseeing laboratory workflows, including case tracking, prioritization, and turnaround time management.
Experience troubleshooting digital workflows and laboratory equipment.
Experience operating, maintaining, and performing routine calibration of dental laboratory equipment, including CAD/CAM systems.
Demonstrated ability to ensure quality and accuracy in dental restorations and appliances.
Experience delivering educational instruction in a laboratory or clinical setting, including developing instructional materials or tools to support skill development.
Experience with implant planning and surgical guide design software (e.g., Simplant, RealGuide or similar).
Demonstrated ability to balance teaching responsibilities with patient care priorities in an academic or clinical environment.
Experience developing and improving laboratory workflows, including creating instructional processes and evaluating new technologies, materials, or techniques.
Experience coordinating with external commercial dental laboratories and vendors.

Responsibilities

Oversee digital dental lab workflows including scanning, CAD/CAM design, fabrication, quality control, and coordination with faculty, students, and external labs.
Operate, maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot lab equipment such as scanners, 3D printers, milling machines, curing units, and furnaces.
Design and fabricate dental restorations and appliances using digital and conventional methods (e.g., crowns, dentures, splints, surgical guides).
Ensure case accuracy, quality assurance, timely completion, and proper documentation of lab procedures.
Maintain inventory, supplies, cleanliness, preventive maintenance, and cost-effective lab operations.
Serve as a resource for digital workflows, surgical guides, and restorative department support, staying current with emerging CAD/CAM technologies.
Support student, resident, and faculty education through demonstrations, lab instruction, workflow development, and feedback.
Collaborate across departments through cross-training, backup lab support, and related restorative and athletic mouth guard fabrication activities.