Dental Assistant

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious institution seeks a General Dental Assistant to support dentists at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis. Key responsibilities include assisting in dental procedures, maintaining patient records, and providing patient education. To succeed, candidates must have a valid citizenship and either relevant experience or education, with preferred certifications in life support.

Qualifications

• Must be a citizen of the United States.
• Six months of experience or relevant education is required.
• Certification in basic life support and DANB certification are highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Assist dentists during procedures and manage patient records.
• Prepare patients and monitor vital signs.
• Perform various dental laboratory procedures.

Skills

Manual dexterity

Ability to identify normal oral anatomy

Patient education

Education

Completion of a 1-year dental assistant program

Job description

Summary

This position serves as a general dental assistant at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis. The role includes assisting staff dentists and residents in general dental practice within the dental clinic and is directly supervised by an assigned staff dentist.

Qualifications

To qualify, applicants must meet the basic requirements and any additional requirements listed in the job announcement. Pending educational or certification/licensure requirements may still be considered for referral and tentative selection but not for employment until all requirements are fulfilled.

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed only if qualified citizens cannot be recruited, in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience and Education: (1) Six months of experience demonstrating ability to perform or familiarity with the work, OR (2) Completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). (3) Combination of experience and education is qualifying.
• Certification: Must meet credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75 for radiologic procedures, including successful completion of relevant examinations or courses. Certification in basic life support and DANB certification are highly desirable but not mandatory. Loss of credential may lead to removal from the position.

Grade Determination:

GS-6 Staff Dental Assistant (Full Performance Level): At least 1 year of experience at the GS-5 level demonstrating core competencies. Technical knowledge, skills, and abilities include:

1. Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.
2. Knowledge of instruments, materials, and procedures across dental specialties.
3. Ability to monitor and interpret vital signs.
4. Ability to provide patient education and referrals.
5. Skill in capturing diagnostic dental images.
6. Maintenance of dental equipment.
7. Data entry and retrieval using electronic records.
8. Performing dental laboratory procedures.

For more information, visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level is GS-6.

Physical Requirements: Prolonged standing or sitting, manual dexterity, and occasional lifting.

Duties

• Assist dentists and residents in general dentistry, including preparing patients, taking vital signs, and assisting during procedures.
• Manage patient records, schedule appointments, and ensure laboratory tests and paperwork are in order.
• Assist in operative, prosthodontic, endodontic, periodontic, and oral surgery procedures using four-handed dentistry techniques.
• Perform tasks such as placing rubber dams, retracting tissue, suturing, irrigating, and providing patient instructions.
• Package and route specimens for pathology evaluation.
• Work schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Telework is not available. This is a non-virtual position. Relocation and recruitment incentives are not authorized. PCS is not authorized.