Dental Assistant

Summary
Serves as staff Dental Assistant at the full performance level for routine patient care and performs a full range of duties with indirect supervision from the lead or supervisory Dental Assistant or the treating dentist. Performs assigned selected procedures with some independence. Some complex patient procedures arc performed under indirect supervision of more experienced Dental Assistants or dental supervisor.
This job is open to

• Federal employees - Competitive service
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.
• Federal employees - Excepted service
  Current excepted service federal employees.
• Internal to an agency
  Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency
Current permanent Federal employees, apply to this announcement.
Past/Current/Upcoming Graduates of VHA Health Trainee Programs, apply to this announcement.
Non-permanent Federal employees (U.S. Citizens), apply to announcement-12323191.
Videos
Duties
Customer Service

• Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers and the public
• Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery

Chairside Assisting

• Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover
• Passes instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently
• Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably
• Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions
• Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols
• Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry
• Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement and restoration
• Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer instructions and dental service standards

Dental Imaging

• Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, ceph, cone beam) in traditional and/or digital formats
• Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider
• Images arc characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed
• Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, and retakes are minimized
• Imaging requests are accomplished within the desired time frame

Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization

• Proficient and demonstrate competency and the ability to set up and/or reprocess Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) for all equipment, as applicable.
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning operatories
• Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination
• Properly prepares instruments for transfer to SPD for sterilization
• Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment
• Works closely with SPD to ensure availability of instruments so that clinical care is not delayed
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images

Clerical Functions

• Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments
• Initiates computerized progress note
• Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records

Information Management

• Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information
• Follows computer security regulations

Patient Safety

• Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position)
• Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients
• Participates in patient identification and time out per Joint Commission requirements
• Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress

Employee Education

• Complies with Employee Education requirements
• Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions

Dental Laboratory Functions

• Pours impressions and prepares study models
• Makes final denture impression trays and prepares bite rims
• Fabricates athletic mouth guards and fluoride trays
• Performs other dental laboratory functions as time and skill levels allow

Direct Patient Care

• Monitors patient vital signs (BP, pulse, pulse oximeter} and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure
• Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site
• Applies topical fluoride
• Makes impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication
• Removes plaque and soft debris from removable prostheses
• Provides patient preventative education and oral hygiene instruction
• Provides post-operative and other appropriate patient education

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00AM - 3:30PM
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement .
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: 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).
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 (DoD).
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.
Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certification (for positions above the full performance level) that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.
GS-3 Grade Determination
Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
Assignment. Employees at this level serve in Dental Assistant career development positions. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patient issues, and require daily close supervision.
GS-4 Grade Determination: 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.
GS-5 Grade Determination: 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:
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-6 Grade Determination:
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
References: VA Handbook 5005 /15 Part II Appendix G36, March 17, 2006
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.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions ...