Address
Form of workIf you are not a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply under CBST-12328036-24-LDD.
The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Dental Service, is seeking Dental Assistants to fill several vacancies in Houston. Dental Assistants provide routine patient care and perform some complex patient procedures under the general supervision of more experienced staff members or the treating dentist.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:
Grade Determinations:
GS-03
Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
GS-04
Experience or Education:
(1) In addition to the basic requirements, 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-03). Resume must include average hours worked per week for work experience credit.
OR
(2) Two years of education above high school that included completion of a Dental Assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's CODA. You must provide a copy of your transcripts showing the degree awarded and conferred date with your application.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
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.
GS-05
Experience or Education:
(1) In addition to the requirements listed at GS-04 above, applicants must demonstrate at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04) that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. Resume must include average hours worked per week for work experience credit.
OR
(2) Successful completion of a full 4 year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a Dental Assistant program by CODA. You must provide a copy of your transcripts showing the degree awarded and conferred date with your application.
Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to meeting paragraph (1) or (2) above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
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.
GS-06
Experience. At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05) that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. Resume must include average hours worked per week for work experience credit.
Demonstrated KSAs. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs:
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:
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-06.
Physical Requirements: Long period of bending, standing, or walking are required. Ability to communicate in spoken and written English with patients and other health care personnel with sufficient fluency to satisfactorily carry out assigned responsibilities, in accordance with Public Law 95-201. (See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services)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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.Employment Type: FULL_TIME
The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Dental Service, is seeking Dental Assistants to fill several vacancies in Houston. Dental Assistants provide routine patient care and perform some complex patient procedures under the general supervision of more experienced staff members or the treating dentist.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.
- English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
- 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 the Principles and Practice of Dental Radiology and Radiographic Safety courses and examinations developed by the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Dentistry. or
- Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense.
- Exception. Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification of radiologic competence may be given a temporary appointment as a Graduate Dental Assistant under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(a)(1)(D). Failure to obtain certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. This will result in removal from the GS-681 series and may result in termination of employment.
Grade Determinations:
GS-03
Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
GS-04
Experience or Education:
(1) In addition to the basic requirements, 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-03). Resume must include average hours worked per week for work experience credit.
OR
(2) Two years of education above high school that included completion of a Dental Assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's CODA. You must provide a copy of your transcripts showing the degree awarded and conferred date with your application.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
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.
GS-05
Experience or Education:
(1) In addition to the requirements listed at GS-04 above, applicants must demonstrate at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04) that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. Resume must include average hours worked per week for work experience credit.
OR
(2) Successful completion of a full 4 year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a Dental Assistant program by CODA. You must provide a copy of your transcripts showing the degree awarded and conferred date with your application.
Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to meeting paragraph (1) or (2) above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
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.
GS-06
Experience. At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05) that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. Resume must include average hours worked per week for work experience credit.
Demonstrated KSAs. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs:
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:
- Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
- Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) certification by the DANB. The American Dental Association 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.
- Performs complex procedures - Oral Surgery and work with specialty clinics Periodontics, Endodontics and Prosthodontics.
- Extensive knowledge to expose both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e., TMJ, CEPH, Cone Beam) in digital formats.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-06.
Physical Requirements: Long period of bending, standing, or walking are required. Ability to communicate in spoken and written English with patients and other health care personnel with sufficient fluency to satisfactorily carry out assigned responsibilities, in accordance with Public Law 95-201. (See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services)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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.Employment Type: FULL_TIME
