Dental Hygienist

U.S. Department of Defense; California; On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Defense is seeking a Dental Hygienist at Fort Irwin, California. The role includes performing dental procedures, patient education, and maintaining essential certification. Candidates must be US citizens, licensed as dental hygienists, and possess relevant experience in the field.

Qualifications

• Must maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• One year of specialized experience required in dental hygiene.
• Applicants must meet federal credentialing and licensure standards.

Responsibilities

• Perform advanced oral prophylaxis on patients.
• Interpret routine x-rays and complete dental examinations.
• Educate patients on oral hygiene techniques.

Skills

Prophylactic dental procedures

Oral examinations

Interpreting routine x-rays

Education

Licensed to practice as a dental hygienist

Radiology certification

Job description

About the Position: This position is located at Fort Irwin, California.

This is a Direct Hire Solicitation
Duties

• Perform complete and advanced oral prophylaxis on ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients.
• Perform deep scaling, root planing, and sub-gingival curettage under local anesthesia.
• Complete preliminary dental examinations.
• Interpret routine x-rays to identify tooth structures, calculus, and abnormalities.
• Instruct patients at chair-side in oral hygiene, brushing, flossing techniques, and periodontal techniques.
• Make repairs and adjustments to teeth by smoothing rough edges, removing overhanging margins, reducing sharp edges, and inserting temporary fillings.

Requirements

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• A Personnel Security Investigation is required.
• Selectees will be required to sign a statement (Condition of Employment) consenting to seasonal influenza vaccinations or must provide a recognized exemption.
• This position is a Testing Designated Position subject to pre-employment screening and random drug testing. Selectees will be required to consent to participation in random drug urinalysis testing.
• A pre-placement medical examination is required.
• Immunization screening is required. Hepatitis B immunization is required for all positions with direct patient contact. Applicants may be required to show proof of other immunizations depending on the type of position.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association. Advanced certification (e.g., ALS) does not supersede BLS.
• This position may have specific initial background investigation and periodic re-verification requirements since its duties may require interaction with children and youth under the age of eighteen (18) years of age on a recurring basis.
• Applicants must be able to fulfill non-privileged professional credential requirements.
• Position is designated as Inclement Weather Essential. The incumbent must make every attempt to report for work on time and/or remain on duty during severe weather conditions.

Qualifications
Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirements: Dental Hygienist

Licensure: Must be currently licensed to practice as a dental hygienist in a State or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

Radiology Certification: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (1) 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 (2) be certified as radiographers in their field. The following meet these requirements:(1) Persons employed by the Federal Government as radiologic personnel prior to the effective date of the regulation (January 13, 1986) who show evidence of current or fully satisfactory performance or certification of such from a licensed practitioner such as a doctor of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, podiatry, or chiropractic who prescribes radiologic procedures to others.(2) Persons first employed by the Federal Government as radiologic personnel after the effective date of the regulation who (a) received training from institutions in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not accredit training in that particular field at the time of graduation, or (b) practiced in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not license that particular field or did not allow special eligibility to take a licensure examination for thosewho did not graduate from an accredited educational program, provided that such persons show evidence of training, experience, and competence as determined by OPM or the employing agency.

Experience required: To qualify based on your experience, your resume must describe at least one year of experience which prepared you to do the work in this job. Specialized experience is defined as performing prophylactic dental procedures; completing oral examinations; and performing or interpreting routine x-rays. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-06).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.