Dental Assistant- Expanded Function

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Miami (FL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Dental Assistant (LDA/EFDA) at the GS-7 level. The incumbent demonstrates leadership and advanced clinical skills with EFDA responsibilities, while handling administrative duties to support high-quality dental care.

Applicants may be referred before all licensure requirements are met. Mandatory: US citizenship, CODA-accredited program, radiographer certification, DANB certification, and English proficiency.

Qualifications

• Six months experience performing dental assisting tasks or relevant familiarity.
• Completion of a CODA-accredited dental assistant program (1 year) or equivalent.
• English language proficiency in speaking and writing as required.

Responsibilities

• Perform expanded function dental assisting duties under supervision.
• Lead dental assistant responsibilities and clinical duties as assigned.
• Greet and coordinate patient flow, maintain records and radiographic procedures as required.

Education

CODA-accredited dental assistant program

Job description

A Dental Assistant (LDA) with Expanded Functions (EFDA) responsibilities combines leadership, advanced clinical skills, and administrative duties to ensure efficient, high-quality dental care. 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

• 1) United States Citizenship: Must be a US Citizen (Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy).
• 2) Education and Experience:
  • 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.
• 3) Dental Radiographer Certification:
  • Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, you 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 your 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 (DoD).
• 4) Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) Certification:
  • The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes DANB as the national certification for Dental Assistants. DANB certification it is required for all positions above the full performance level.
• 5) English Language Proficiency: Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
• Grandfathering Provision. Persons 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).

This position is above the full performance level

Grade Determinations

GS-7 Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant.

At this level, dental assistants serve either as a Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant or Lead Dental Assistant. For all positions above the full performance level, duties must be assigned to the position at least 25% of the time.

• (a) Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant
  • Experience. At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level or equivalent that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs:

2. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

a. Ability to perform dental assisting expanded functions.

b. Comprehensive working knowledge of advanced imaging techniques in order to provide instruction (e.g. cone beam, cephalometric, advanced panoramic imaging, TMJ, etc).

3. Assignment

In this position, the employee performs a higher level, scope, complexity and variety representing the clinical assignment, and applies advanced clinical skills. Representative duties at this level include, but are not limited to: gathering diagnostic information, pulp vitality testing, charting of existing conditions, placing of rubber dam and matrices, selecting shades, placing retraction cord, placing and removing temporary restorations, fabricating temporary crowns and removing permanent cement from supragingival surfaces. In addition, the expanded function assistant may place and remove surgical dressing, monitor nitrous oxide analgesia, and perform coronal polishing and the cleaning and polishing of removable prostheses.

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-07.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work include moderate lifting (15-44 lbs), heavy carrying (45 lbs and over), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, good distant vision in one eye, ability to hear whisper voice. There is moderate walking (3-4 hrs.) and some extended periods of standing (3-4 hrs.).