Community Health Dental Hygienist

Indian Health Service; Wellpinit (WA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Indian Health Service is seeking a Community Health Dental Hygienist to support quality dental care for American Indian communities. The role focuses on preventive services, patient education, and collaboration with dental teams in clinics, schools, and community settings.

Applicants must be a licensed RDH with radiological certification and meet federal requirements for eligibility to work in the U.S. This position requires background checks and adherence to program guidelines.

Qualifications

• Experience in preventive oral health services and patient education.
• Ability to conduct screenings and maintain dental records.
• Strong knowledge of infection control and radiographic procedures.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced prophylactic, periodontal, and preventive care for patients of all ages.
• Conduct preliminary dental screenings and review histories.
• Perform intraoral and extraoral examinations and radiographs within scope.

Skills

Clinical dental hygiene

Patient education

Infection control

Education

RDH license

Radiological certification

Job description

Join the Indian Health Service as a Community Health Dental Hygienists and support quality healthcare services for American Indian communities. Guided by our mission to improve the health of American Indian and Alaska Native people, you will help deliver safe and effective dental services while creating healthy smiles, restoring confidence, and promoting overall wellness in the communities we serve.

A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).

Duties

• Provide advanced prophylactic, periodontal, and preventive oral care for patients of all ages.
• Conducts preliminary dental screenings and reviews patient medical/dental histories.
• Performs intraoral and extraoral examinations, including periodontal charting, oral cancer screening, and evaluation of soft/hard tissues for evidence of disease or pathology.
• Captures and interprets digital dental radiographs within scope; identifies periodontal status, caries, calculus, bone levels, and abnormalities for dentist review.
• Instructs patients, families, staff, and community partners in oral hygiene techniques using demonstrations, visual aids, and culturally appropriate materials.
• Plan, deliver, evaluate, and document preventive oral health programs that enhance population health. The program offers preventive, diagnostic, restorative, periodontal outreach services in clinics, schools, and community settings.
• Serves as principal advisor for dental health promotion and disease prevention efforts across the service unit.

Requirements

Requirements: (Continued)

Conditions of employment

• Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

Physical Demands: Long periods of sitting, standing, bending, and lifting portable equipment.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

Background Investigation Requirement

This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.

A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.

Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Financial Suitability Requirement

This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.

Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).

Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

The Hiring Manager/Selecting Official may elect to utilize an available flexibility wherein applicants who are currently enrolled and expected to complete the required education and obtain the required licensure/certification/registration within 9 month(s) of applying, may be deemed tentatively qualified.

Basic Requirement(s)

License: Applicants for all grade levels must be currently licensed to practice as dental hygienists in a State or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

Radiological Certification: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiological procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (1) 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 (2) be certified as radiographers in their field. The following meet these requirements:

• Persons employed by the Federal Government as radiological personnel prior to the effective date of the regulation (January 13, 1986) who show evidence of current or fully satisfactory performance or certification of such from a licensed practitioner such as a doctor of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, podiatry, or chiropractic who prescribes radiological procedures to others.
• Persons first employed by the Federal Government as radiological personnel after the effective date of the regulation who (a) received training from institutions in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not accredit training in that particular field at the time of graduation, or (b) practiced in a State of foreign jurisdiction that did not license that particular field or did not allow special eligibility to take a licensure examination for those who did not graduate from an accredited educational program, provided that such persons show evidence of training, experience, and competence as determined by OPM or the employing agency.

In addition, to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below-

Minimum Qualifications

Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: prepare and conduct educational lectures and demonstrations on dental hygiene; plan and implement preventive oral public health program; provide advice and policy guidance to dental personnel on public health matters; recommend improved methods of dental hygiene; and perform full range of preventive and periodontal dental hygiene procedures, such as conduct preliminary dental screenings, provide oral prophylaxis and hygiene treatment for patients with abnormal conditions (such as patients with cancer of the head/neck/chest area, diabetic patients, patients with blood disorders and heart disease, etc.), and develop individualized dental hygiene treatment plans based on patient needs, oral conditions, and required sequence of care.

OR

Completed 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Master's of equivalent degree in dental hygiene or a directly related field of study;

OR

Combination of education and experience.

The academic curriculum in dental hygiene must have been accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, American Dental Association.

The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain medical staff clinical privileges, including any licensure requirements. If privileges are not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the respective cut-off day of rating to be eligible for consideration.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.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/.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests

If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire CompetencyBased Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

This position may or may not be covered by a bargaining unit, depending on the duty location. Final determination will be made at the time of appointment.

Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a 6 month service agreement will be required.

The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), And The Health Resources And Services Administration (HRSA) Have Student Loan Repayment Programs For Qualifying Health Disciplines. This Is a Competitive Process Separate From The Hiring Process. Opportunities For LRP Are Based On Agency Hiring Priorities And Availability Of Funds. For Additional Information Please Visit

For IHS - https://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/

For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/

You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.

• How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?
• In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?
• How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?
• How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?
• Your responses are optional and will not be scored.
• However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.
• You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

The following links below provide information on how you may be eligible for various hiring authorities. If you are a Veteran, qualified CTAP and ICTAP eligible, or an individual with a disability, please refer to the following links below for additional guidance. CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a "well qualified" rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Workforce Restructuring Career Transition website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• Veterans, i.e. (VEOA, VRA, and 30% or more disabled) - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide-for-hr-professionals/
• Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) - http://www.ihs.gov/jobs/support-documents/
• Interagency Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/
• Schedule A Appointments for the Disabled - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/hiring/

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.