Dental Assistant

Dental Assistant assists the dentist in aspects of direct patient care and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision.Qualifications: Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience and Education:
  • Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work. OR,
  • Education. Successful completion of a 1-year Dental Assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on [Dental] Accreditation [(CODA)]. OR,
  • Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.
• Certification: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must have successfully completed an educational program that meets or exceeds the standards described in that regulation, and is accredited by an organization recognized by the Department of Education, and be certified as radiographers in their field.
  • Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence:
    • Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.; OR,
    • Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD).
  • Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD).
  • Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
  • Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes DANB as the national certification for Dental Assistants. DANB certification is not required, but highly desirable for the appointment of Dental Assistants up to and including the full performance level, and is required for all positions above the full performance level.
• English Language Proficiency: Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).
Grade Determinations:

• Dental Assistant, GS-3
  • Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
• Dental Assistant, GS-4
  • Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, 1 year of experience at the next lower level, OR 2 years of education above high school that included completion of a Dental Assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on [Dental] Accreditation [(CODA)]. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
    1. Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling.
    2. Basic knowledge of dental procedures and [medical emergencies.
    3. Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval.
    4. Basic knowledge of maintenance, care and storage of dental equipment.
    5. Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements.
• Dental Assistant, GS-5
  • Experience or Education:
    • In addition to the requirements listed at GS-4 above, applicants must demonstrate] at least 1 year of experience [equivalent to] at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. OR,
    • Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a Dental Assistant program by CODA.
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to meeting paragraph (1) or (2) above, the applicant must demonstrate the following KSA's:
    1. Knowledge of anatomy and [ability to evaluate diagnostic quality.
    2. Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement.
    3. Basic knowledge of instruments, materials and standardized dental procedures.
    4. Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA.
    5. Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol.
• Dental Assistant, GS-6
  • Experience. At least 1 year of experience [equivalent to] the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the [following] technical KSAs:
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
    1. Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.
    2. Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures.
    3. Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.
    4. Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist.
    5. Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.
    6. Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry.
    7. Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records.
    8. Ability to perform Dental Assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures.

Preferred Experience: At least 2 years of experience chairside.
References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G36
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.Education: IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.Employment Type: FULL_TIME