Dental Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Tulsa (OK); On-site; USD 36,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

This intermittent Dental Assistant position at Ernest Childers VA Outpatient Clinic in Tulsa, OK, supports dental procedures under dentist guidance and follows established dental protocols. The assistant reports issues to the supervisor with recommended actions and ensures compliance with Dental Service policy.

Applicants meeting basic citizenship and education requirements, including CODA-accredited programs or six months experience, will be considered.

Qualifications

• Six months experience or CODA-accredited dental assistant program required.
• Certification in radiologic procedures desirable.
• Proficiency in English communications.

Responsibilities

• Follow established dental protocols and seek dentist guidance when needed.
• Report issues to supervisor with recommended actions.
• Maintain compliance with Dental Service policy and requirements.

Job description

This position is an intermittent Dental Assistant at the Ernest Childers VA Outpatient Clinic, Tulsa, OK. The role follows established dental protocols and seeks dentist guidance when needed. The assistant reports issues to the supervisor with recommended actions. Work is reviewed for compliance with Dental Service policy and requirements.

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

a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)

b. 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.

c. 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.

(1) 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 (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.

English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

Grade Determinations

b. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-3 Dental Assistant

(a) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-4 Dental Assistant

(a) Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, 1 year of experience at the next lower level, OR 2 years of education above high school that included completion of a dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling.
2. Basic knowledge of dental procedures and medical emergencies.
3. Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval.
4. Basic knowledge of maintenance, care and storage of dental equipment.
5. Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements.

GS-5 Dental Assistant

(a) Experience or Education.

(1) In addition to the requirements listed at GS-4 above, applicants must demonstrate at least 1 year of experience equivalent to at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. OR,

(2) Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a dental assistant program by CODA.

(3) In addition to meeting paragraph (1) or (2) above, the applicant must demonstrate the following KSA's:

1. Knowledge of anatomy and ability to evaluate diagnostic quality.
2. Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement.
3. Basic knowledge of instruments, materials and standardized dental procedures.
4. Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA.
5. Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol

GS-6 Staff Dental Assistant (Full Performance Level)

(a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical 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.

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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6.

Physical Requirements:

Dental assistants must possess the physical stamina to stand and walk for extended periods, frequently moving between rooms and workstations. They may also be required to sit for an hour or more during procedures. The role involves staying physically active for several hours at a time, performing tasks that require bending, squatting, and reaching.

Manual dexterity is essential, as the position demands precise and repetitive movements of the hands and fingers to handle delicate dental instruments and equipment. Tasks such as preparing dental materials, operating equipment, taking X-rays, and assisting in procedures all require a high level of manual skill.

Acute vision is necessary to observe patient responses, discern fine details in dental materials, accurately assess colors and shades, and monitor instruments. Additionally, sufficient auditory ability is required to effectively communicate with patients and the dental care team. The ability to lift up to 25 pounds is also required.