Dental Hygienist

Bureau of Prisons / Federal Prison System; Coleman (FL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bureau of Prisons is seeking a licensed dental hygienist to provide preventive dental care and education within federal facilities. The role requires maintaining licensure, performing prophylaxis, radiographic procedures, and contributing to patients’ oral health plans while supporting safe and secure correctional environments.

The position emphasizes adherence to federal standards, documenting care, and educating patients and staff on oral hygiene, periodontal health, and preventive

Qualifications

• Must be licensed to practice as a dental hygienist in a U.S. state, territory, or DC.
• Must meet credentialing standards for radiologic procedures per 42 CFR Part 75 and be certified as radiographers in the field.
• Documentation of program completion for X-ray administration or radiologic procedures must be uploaded with application.

Responsibilities

• Perform oral prophylactic care and provide oral health education to patients.
• Expose, process, and mount intraoral and extraoral X-rays, including bite-wing and panoramic images.
• Instruct patients individually and in groups on proper oral hygiene using models and disclosing solutions.
• Establish dental health programs to educate diverse patient groups.

Skills

Oral prophylaxis

Oral health education

X-ray techniques

Patient instruction

Education

Dental Hygienist license

State licensure requirement

Tools

Intraoral radiography

Radiographic equipment

Job description

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Basic Requirements

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following:

Licensure

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

Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (l) 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 those who 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.

NOTE: ALL applicants MUST submit proof of current, active and unrestricted license for verification. Applicants MUST ALSO submit evidence of completing a program that certifies them to administer X-rays or perform radiologic procedures. Evidence of program completion includes a transcript or documentation that includes your course work in administering X-rays or performing radiologic procedures. Self-certification of program completion will not be accepted. Your documentation MUST be uploaded at the time you apply to the vacancy announcement.

Experience

Applicants must have one-year specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level. To be creditable, this experience must include experience in performing oral prophylactic care and in providing oral health educational services to patients. Additionally, at the higher grade levels, qualifying experience includes:

• (1) performing advanced oral prophylactic, therapeutic, and preventive procedures in cases of periodontal diseases or inflammation or on patients with other medical or dental problems,
• (2) placing temporary fillings,
• (3) finishing amalgam restorations. Applicants for positions involving the use of X-rays must have had experience in taking and interpreting X-rays.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at this grade level.

Experience

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

• Experience in performing oral prophylactic care and in providing oral health educational services to patients.
• Experience exposing, processing, and mounting intraoral and extra oral x-rays, including bite wings, periapical, occlusal, and panoramic films.
• Experience instructing patients, individually and in groups, in proper oral hygiene care using materials such as teeth models, displays, disclosing solutions, toothbrushes, and floss.
• Experience establishing dental health programs to educate various community groups which include the general population and medically compromised patients (cardiac, psychiatric, physically handicapped, diabetic, hypertensive, and immunosuppressed).
• Experience providing therapeutic and preventive procedures for patients by performing expanded duty functions including reversible restorable procedures, post-op treatment and suture removal.
• Experience preparing patients for periodontal surgery by performing deep scaling and root planning therapy, recording pocket depth and severity of disease, and providing proper post-op care.

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.

Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.