Dental Assistant

Summary

The dental assistant is established to provide chairside - operating room - satellite clinic and ward examination/treatment assistance to dentists in the administration of oral examination - charting and treatment procedures; accomplish dental radiography tasks and perform other miscellaneous pre/post-operative assisting tasks in the delivery of oral health care services.

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.

• United States Citizenship
• Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• 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)
• 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
• 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
• Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence (a) Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board - Inc.
• (b) 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
• (c) 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)
• 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
• Grade Determinations: GS-6 - Dental Assistant 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:
  • 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
• 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)
• Preferred Experience:
  
  5 years dental experience - with 2 years with adults
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). Standards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06
• Physical Requirements:
  
  Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation - see Duties section for essential job duties of the position
• May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - puling - and pushing
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment
• Work Environment:
  Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions
  • the area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated
  • However - the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but not limited to:
  Receives and prepares patients for dental treatment - e.g.
  
  - escorts - seats - drapes - etc
• Assists at chairside - anticipates the dentist's needs at each stage of treatment - performs the following passes…