Dental Assistant

Summary The dental assistant assists the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision. The incumbent will be required to travel between Langley AFB clinic and Hampton VA Medical Center when required. Responsibilities Major Duties include but not limited to the following: Chairside Assisting Provides chairside assistance fully anticipating dentist needs for all instruments, materials and services Sets up operatory 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 Dental Imaging Operates dental X-ray equipment taking intra- and extra-oral radiographs Images are 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 Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatories Maintains dental equipment in a clean and operative condition Debrides and decontaminates instruments, materials, and equipment Clerical Functions Assists patients in scheduling appointments, makes appointments, and handles telephone inquiries Records information related to the medical and dental history as relayed by the dentist or patient Direct Patient Care Remove sutures and removal of periodontal surgical dressing Impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication Remove temporary crown/bridge and clean tooth preparation of debris Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 7:30- 4:00 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: N/A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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 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. VA Handbook 5005, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g. English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a. Experience and Education (1) Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicants ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work, OR, (2) Education. Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Associations Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), OR, (3) 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. 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. 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. 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-3: Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. 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 Associations Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling. Basic knowledge of dental procedures and medical emergencies. Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval. Basic knowledge of maintenance, care, and storage of dental equipment. Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements. 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. In addition to meeting paragraph (1) or (2) above, the applicant must demonstrate the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Knowledge of anatomy and ability to evaluate diagnostic quality. Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement. Basic] knowledge of instruments, materials and standardized dental procedures. Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA. Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol. GS-6 Staff Dental Assistant: 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 Ability to identify normal oral anatomy. Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic, and periodontal care, and procedures. Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs. Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist. Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats. Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry. Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records. Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures. Reference: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G36. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 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: Long periods of standing, walking, sitting, and bending are required. Pushing Dental equipment and carts is necessary to deliver items to and from the operatory or procedure site. Pushing and/or lifting of patients from gurneys and/or wheelchairs from and to the waiting area and transferring them into and out of the dental chair is required to position for radiographs, dental examination, and treatment. Reaching above shoulders, use of fingers, and both hands are required. Full dexterity of both hands, arms, and wrist. Must be able to treat patients while sitting and/or standing for long periods of time. Must have the ability to distinguish basic colors. This job requires good hand-eye coordination and the ability to evaluate and make good decisions. Must be able to multitask and have the ability the work independently. 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/. Additional Information During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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 in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.