Senior Director, Dental (Medicaid)

Liberty Dental Plan Careers•Tustin, CA

8d•$168,500 - $218,000•Remote

About The Position

Shape the Future of Medicaid Dental Care Across the Nation Are you a senior dental leader who thrives at the intersection of clinical excellence, healthcare affordability, quality improvement, and strategic leadership? Join Liberty Dental Plan as our Senior Director, Dental and help drive innovative programs, influence enterprise-wide strategy, and improve oral health outcomes for the communities we serve. About the Role The Senior Director, Dental serves as the clinical leader for Liberty Dental Plan's Medicaid line of business, providing enterprise-wide oversight of utilization management, clinical policy development, regulatory compliance, quality initiatives, provider engagement, and clinical performance. This highly visible leadership role is responsible for guiding State Dental Directors and clinical teams while ensuring dental programs remain aligned with evidence-based standards, regulatory requirements, organizational goals, and member needs. The ideal candidate brings deep dental managed care experience, strong business acumen, and a passion for improving quality, affordability, and access to care.

Requirements

DDS or DMD degree from an accredited dental school.
Active, unrestricted dental license in at least one U.S. state.
Minimum of 12 years of clinical dental experience.
3+ years of experience in utilization management, managed care, dental insurance, payer organizations, or Medicaid-focused healthcare environments.
3+ years of people leadership, technical leadership, or functional management experience.
Proven success leading, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
Deep knowledge of dental managed care, benefit structures, reimbursement methodologies, utilization management, and authorization workflows.
Experience developing clinical policies, managing utilization programs, and supporting regulatory compliance initiatives.
Strong understanding of Medicaid programs and government-funded healthcare environments.
Exceptional leadership, communication, relationship-building, analytical, and strategic thinking skills.
Ability to influence executive stakeholders and lead complex organizational initiatives.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in Public Health, Health Administration, Health Policy, Business Administration (MBA), or a related field.
Experience leading multi-state Medicaid programs or national payer initiatives.
Experience collaborating with state Medicaid agencies and participating in regulatory audits.
Knowledge of value-based care models, provider performance management, and quality improvement strategies.
Familiarity with teledentistry and digital health solutions.

Responsibilities

Serve as the clinical authority for Medicaid dental utilization management across assigned markets.
Develop, review, and maintain clinical policies, utilization management criteria, and practice guidelines aligned with ADA standards, CMS requirements, and state regulations.
Lead, mentor, and support State Dental Directors, Staff Dentists, and clinical team members.
Facilitate clinical calibration exercises and quality review activities to ensure consistency in clinical decision-making.
Participate in clinical governance committees and strategic organizational initiatives.
Oversee dental prior authorization, retrospective review, appeals, and utilization management programs.
Ensure decisions are evidence-based, timely, compliant, and clinically sound.
Analyze utilization trends and identify opportunities to improve quality outcomes and healthcare affordability.
Guide staffing, training, calibration, and performance expectations for utilization management clinicians and reviewers.
Serve as the clinical subject matter expert during audits, regulatory reviews, readiness assessments, and corrective action initiatives.
Partner with state agencies, regulators, and internal stakeholders to support compliance requirements.
Monitor changes in Medicaid regulations and drive operational improvements as needed.
Provide expert clinical guidance on complex grievances, appeals, and escalated cases.
Lead initiatives focused on improving access, health outcomes, member experience, and preventive care.
Support the development and implementation of care management programs and high-risk member outreach strategies.
Drive engagement and expansion of value-based care initiatives across the organization.
Promote innovative solutions, including teledentistry and emerging care delivery models.
Collaborate with Quality Improvement teams to design and implement programs that improve clinical performance and outcomes.
Serve as a clinical liaison to provider networks, dental associations, academic partners, and key stakeholders.
Support provider education efforts related to utilization management criteria, coding requirements, benefit policies, and quality initiatives.
Participate in Medicaid procurements, RFP responses, market implementations, and expansion opportunities.
Collaborate with provider partners and market leaders to address utilization trends and improve performance.
Partner with Clinical Performance, Analytics, and Actuarial teams to identify opportunities that improve affordability and quality.
Help shape the clinical analytics roadmap and reporting strategy.
Support the development of dashboards and reporting tools that drive informed decision-making.
Leverage managed care principles and data-driven insights to improve clinical and financial outcomes.
Lead, coach, and develop high-performing teams through clear communication, accountability, and continuous feedback.
Foster an engaged, collaborative, and inclusive culture that promotes trust, teamwork, and employee growth.
Drive business results by setting priorities, making data-informed decisions, and ensuring effective execution.
Empower team members through delegation, development opportunities, and ownership of outcomes.
Build strong stakeholder partnerships and influence cross-functional initiatives to achieve organizational goals.
Champion innovation, continuous improvement, and calculated risk-taking to enhance team and business performance.
Consistently model company values, demonstrating integrity, emotional intelligence, and leadership excellence.
Partner closely with leaders across Quality, Analytics, Provider Relations, Operations, Compliance, Claims, Network Management, Product, and Member Services.
Provide clinical input for strategic planning, operational enhancements, reporting initiatives, and enterprise projects.
Represent Dental leadership in executive-level discussions and organizational decision-making.

Benefits

Competitive pay structure and savings options to help you reach your financial goals.
Excellent 401(k) retirement benefits, including employer match, Roth IRA options, immediate vesting during the Safe Harbor period, and access to professional financial advice through Financial Engines.
Affordable medical insurance, with low-cost premiums for employee-only coverage. Liberty subsidizes the cost for eligible dependents enrolled in the plan.
100% employer-paid dental coverage for employees and eligible dependents.
Vision insurance with low-cost premiums for employee-only coverage and dependents.
Company-paid basic life and AD&D insurance, equal to one times your base salary, with options to purchase additional supplemental coverage.
Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses.
Voluntary benefit programs, including accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance.
Long-term disability coverage.
Expansive wellness programs, including company-wide wellness challenges, BurnAlong memberships, and gym discounts.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to support mental health and well-being.
Generous vacation and sick leave policies, with the ability to roll over unused time.
10 paid company holidays.
Tuition reimbursement for eligible educational expenses.
Remote or hybrid work options available for various positions.