The general practice dental officer serves as a practicing dentist who performs a full range of professional dental procedures in connection with the treatment of commonly encountered dental diseases or dental health problems requiring standard corrective, restorative, or preventive measures.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.
Dentist 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.
- Education: Degree of doctor of dental surgery or dental medicine resulting from a course of education in dentistry. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:
- (1) United States and Canadian schools of dentistry listed by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed.
- (2) Schools (including foreign schools) accepted by the licensing body of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia as qualifying for full and unrestricted licensure provided the licensure requirements include a written examination measuring science achievement and a performance examination measuring clinical competence.
- Residency or Comparable Experience: Completion of an approved residency program in general practice or specialty, or comparable experience as a dentist actively involved in treating medically compromised patients.
- Licensure and Registration: Dentists (Except Residents). Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice dentistry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia. The dentist must maintain current registration in the State of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active, current licensure. Residents (Independent and Integrated Programs). Graduates of approved United States and Canadian schools of dentistry must have a current, full and unrestricted license to practice dentistry in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia before the second year of VA residency, or, for integrated programs, meet any licensure, registration or other equivalent requirements established for residents of non-VA hospitals with which the VA facility is affiliated for training purposes. The resident must maintain current registration in the State of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active current licensure.
- English Language Proficiency. Dentists, including residents, appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-3 Dentist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.
Physical Requirements:
Light carrying, under 15 pounds; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; both eyes required; depth perception; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted); mental and emotional stability. See VA Handbook and Directive 5019.Education: The degree of doctor of dental surgery or dental medicine must be obtained from one of the schools approved by the United States and Canadian schools of dentistry listed by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed OR Schools (including foreign schools) accepted by the licensing body of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia as qualifying for full and unrestricted licensure provided the licensure requirements include a written examination measuring science achievement and a performance examination measuring clinical competence.
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