Dental Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Clarksville (TN); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Dental Assistant at the full performance level (GS-6) in Tennessee. The role supports the dentist in direct patient care and performs a mix of clinical and clerical duties under supervision.

Applicants must meet basic requirements including U.S. citizenship and English proficiency, with a CODA-accredited program or equivalent experience. Certification in radiologic procedures is required, with grandfathering provisions and career progression

Qualifications

• Six months experience that demonstrates ability to perform the work or familiarity with the work.
• Successful completion of a 1 year Dental Assistant program accredited by CODA.
• Experience/education combination is qualifying.

Responsibilities

• Assist the dentist in direct patient care and in all aspects of routine dentistry.
• Perform clinical and clerical functions under general supervision.
• Independently carry out assigned duties with guidance from the supervising dentist or dental assistant supervisor.

Skills

Identify oral anatomy

Instruments & procedures knowledge

Vital signs interpretation

Patient education

Dental imaging

Dental equipment maintenance

Electronic dental records

Dental lab procedures

Education

CODA-accredited dental assistant program

Job description

Dental Assistants at this level serve staff dental assistants at the full performance level for more routine patient care and perform some complex patient procedures under general supervision of more experienced dental assistants or dental supervisor. The Dental Assistants assist the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision.

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.
• 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:
  • Experience. 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)., OR
  • 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.
• Exception. 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

PLEASE NOTE: Copies of certificates of successful completion and transcripts or course descriptions of the required subjects MUST be submitted with the application packet.

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).

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. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:(1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees MUST meet the certification requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.(2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.(3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.(4) If an employee who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

GRADE DETERMINATIONS

GS-6 Staff Dental Assistant (Full Performance Level). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs.

DEMONSTRATED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & 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.

ASSIGNMENT

Employee serves at the full performance level with the ability to perform full range of duties with some independence in assigned specialties, with indirect supervision from the lead dental assistant, dental assistant supervisor or treating dentist. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: using the concepts of four-handed dentistry; assists with specialty procedures including oral surgery, periodontal therapy, endodontic, prosthodontic and implant placement and restoration; anticipates surgeons/specialists needs at each stage of treatment; takes preliminary impressions; selects and manipulates a variety of gypsums and waxes; pours, trims and evaluates the quality of diagnostic casts; fabricates custom trays.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

2 years chairside dental assistant to general dentist. Radiology Certificate and/or Registered Dental Assistant any state.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6.

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.