Dental Assistant Developmental

VA Detroit; Lexington (KY); On-site; USD 44,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

VA Detroit is seeking a Dental Assistant Developmental who will support dental care routines under supervision. The role involves assisting dentists during patient procedures and performing clerical duties. Applicants are required to have completed training from an accredited program in dental assisting, with proficiency in relevant practices like dental imaging and infection control.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Experience as a dental assistant or completion of a dental assistant program required.
• Basic life support certification is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Assist in dental procedures and patient care.
• Perform infection control and sterilization procedures.
• Schedule appointments and manage patient records.

Skills

Infection Control Procedures

Dental Imaging

Clerical Functions

Patient Care

Education

Completion of a 1-year dental assistant program

Job description

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Summary

Dental assistants at this level serve as 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 assistant assists the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision.

Summary

Dental assistants at this level serve as 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 assistant assists the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision.

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Duties

Dental Imaging: Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, ceph, cone beam) in traditional and/or digital formats Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider, Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, and retakes are minimized, Imaging requests are accomplished within the desired time frame.

Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization: Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning operatories. Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination. Properly prepares instruments for transfer to SPD for sterilization. Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment. Works closely with SPD to ensure availability of instruments so that clinical care is not delayed. Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images.

Clerical Functions: Assists patients in scheduling appointments. This includes clerical functions such as receiving and making telephone calls, scheduling appointments from RTC orders, and entering RTC orders when necessary. Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments. Assist dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records.

Information Management: Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information. Follows computer security regulations.

Patient Safety: Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position). Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients. Participates in patient identification and time out per Joint Commission requirements. Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress.

Employee Education: Complies with Employee Education requirements. Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions.

Dental Laboratory Functions: Pours impressions and prepares study models. Makes final denture impression trays and prepares bite rims. Fabricates athletic mouth guards and bleaching trays. Performs other dental laboratory functions as time and skill levels allow.

Direct Patient Care: Monitors patient vital signs (BP, pulse, pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure. Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site, Applies topical fluoride. Makes impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication. Provides postoperative and other appropriate patient education

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am-4:00 pm

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 30003-F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives:

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
  
  

Qualifications

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.

Dental Assistant Basic Requirement

To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following:

• Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States
• English Language Proficiency - Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• Experience and Education - To fulfill this requirement, you must meet one of the following:
• Experience: Six months experience that demonstrates your 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. You must have successfully completed an educational program that meets or exceeds the standards described in this 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,

ii. 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,

iii. Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD).

• Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
• Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). 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.
  
  

Grandfathering Provision. All Dental Assistants Employed In VHA On The Effective Date Of The Qualification Standard (04/19/2011) Are Considered To Have Met All Qualification Requirements For The Title, Series And Grade Held, Including Certification 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:

• Dental Assistants grandfathered under this provision 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.
• Dental Assistants 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.
• Dental Assistants 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.
• If a Dental Assistant who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, they lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
  
  

Dental Assistant, GS-03/04/05/06

GS-03 Dental Assistant (Entry Level Developmental) - No additional requirements beyond the basic requirements.

GS-04 Dental Assistant - Experience/Education Requirement:

• In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-04 you must possess one of the following:
• One (1) year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-03).
• Two (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).
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
• Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling.
• Basic knowledge of dental procedures and medical emergencies.
• Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval.
• Basic knowledge of maintenance, care and storage of dental equipment.
• Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements.
  
  

GS-05 Dental Assistant - Experience/Education Requirement:

• In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-05 you must meet the requirements listed at the GS-04 above, and you must possess one of the following:
• One (1) year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-04).
• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a dental assistant program by CODA.
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
• Knowledge of anatomy and ability to evaluate diagnostic quality.
• Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement.
• Basic knowledge of instruments, materials and standardized dental procedures.
• Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA.
• Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol.
  
  

GS-06 Staff Dental Assistant (Full Performance Level) Experience Requirement:

• In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-06 you must possess at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05).
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
• Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.
• Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures.
• Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.
• Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist.
• Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.
• Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry.
• Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records.
• 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 in the range of GS-03 to GS-06.

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.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.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/.

Additional information

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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• Help 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.
  
  

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
  
  

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript
  
  

Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Entry level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Health Care Provider

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