Dental Assistant

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

Job summary

A leading healthcare facility in Indianapolis is seeking a Dental Assistant to support the staff dentists and residents in providing high-quality dental care. The role includes assisting in the dental practice, managing patient records, and performing various dental procedures under supervision. Candidates should have relevant experience or complete a dental assistant program and possess basic life support certification. This full-time position requires strong technical skills and a patient-centered approach.

Qualifications

• Six months experience in a dental assistant role or relevant education.
• Certification in basic life support is desirable.
• DANB certification is preferred for higher performance levels.

Responsibilities

• Assist staff dentists and residents during dental procedures.
• Record patient information and manage appointments.
• Perform laboratory procedures and equipment maintenance.

Skills

Ability to identify normal oral anatomy

Advanced knowledge of instruments and materials

Ability to monitor vital signs

Patient education

Capture dental images

Education

Completion of a 1-year dental assistant program

Tools

Dental radiology equipment

Job description

Summary

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

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.) 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 Dental Accreditation (CODA)
• (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: (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 Principles and Practice of Dental Radiology and Radiographic Safety courses and examinations developed by the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Dentistry
• OR - (c) Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD)
• (2) 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
• (3) Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable
• (4) Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB)
• The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes DANB as the national certification for Dental Assistants
• DANB certification is not required - but highly desirable for the appointment of Dental Assistants up to and including the full performance level - and is required for all positions above the full performance level
• (5) Loss of Credential
• An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure/certification/registration within the required time frame - or who fails to maintain the required licensure/certification/registration must be removed from the occupation - which may also 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 Determination: GS-6 Staff Dental Assistant (Full Performance Level): Experience: At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS5-developmental) that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate - in their resume - the following technical 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 Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The 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: Work requires prolonged standing or sitting in awkward positions - special manual dexterity to manipulate materials and instruments
• Occasional lifting.

Duties

• Duties and responsibilities include - but are not limited to: - Performs as a dental assistant - which includes assisting the staff dentists and residents in the general practice of dentistry performed in the dental clinic and is directly supervised by an assigned staff dentist
• - Takes blood pressures - medical histories and assists providers in examining patients and recording information in the dental - medical and other pertinent clinical or administrative records
• Consults and requests for a variety of tests may be entered for providers
• - Confirms appointments and schedules patients for examination - treatment and post-operative appointments
• - Receives - positions - disinfects and drapes all patients as appropriate for treatment procedures
• - Provides proper instrumentation - obtains and checks medical records for treatment contraindications
• Also ensures that necessary laboratory tests - prophylactic medications and paperwork (i.e
• surgical consent) are in order before the appointment and/or specific procedure(s)
• - Directly assists the staff dentists - trainees and dental hygienists at the general dentistry and expanded function levels in operative - prosthodontics - endodontics - periodontics and oral surgery using four handed dentistry techniques
• - Places rubber dams - retracts tissue - cuts sutures - irrigates operative sites and suctions secretions - gives preventive dentistry instructions and monitors vital signs
• - Packages and routes specimens for proper pathologic evaluation
• Additional Information: Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not eligible for Telework Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 92823-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized