Dental Assistant

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/18/2024.

• 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

(1) Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's 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 Association's Commission on Accreditation that included a course in radiation physics; radiation biology; radiation health, safety, and protection; X-ray films and radiographic film quality; radiographic techniques; darkroom and processing techniques; and film mounting; or practical nurse training approved by the appropriate State, territory, or District of Columbia accrediting body. 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.

(a) Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.; OR,

(b) Successful completion of the education and training, including coursework in radiation health and safety, described by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as fully qualifying for any grade level (copies of certificates of successful completion, plus transcripts or course descriptions of the required subjects must be filed in the employee's official personnel folder);OR,

(c) 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.

Grade Determinations: At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-5 Dental Assistant that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. The GS-5 level Dental Assistant serves as a staff dental assistant for routine dental procedures and works under direct supervision for any complex patient procedures from more experienced dental assistants or the treating dentist. Assignments at the GS-5 level include but are not limited to: responds to basic medical emergencies; measures and records vital signs; provides pre- and post-operative instructions; maintains a field of operation during dental procedures through the use of retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, placing and removing cotton rolls; using the concepts of four-handed dentistry, assists with basic restorative procedures; mixes basic dental materials; assists in preparation of laboratory prescription forms; applies pressure indicator paste to removable prostheses; exposes and processes basic dental radiographs; mounts and labels dental radiographs and/or saves digital imaging to electronic medical records; evaluates radiographs for diagnostic quality; maintains routine dental equipment per manufacturer and dental service standards. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the [following] technical Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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

References: VA Handbook 5005/46 PART II Appendix G36 dated April 19, 2011The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary but involves fine motor movements when assisting. Typically, the employee sits at a desk or table or on adjustable stool in the treatment room with some walking and standing as patients are seated or clean and dirty dental instruments area. Items carried are typically light objects and lifting of moderately heavy objects is not normally required