Dental Assistant; Clinical Expanded Function

The Evansville Health Care Center, Evansville, Indiana is hiring a Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA) for Dental Service. The incumbent should demonstrate mastery of a range of dental procedures and interventions and provide direct patient care within the scope of practice. The EFDA makes independent professional decisions and recommendations to the treating dentist and interdisciplinary teams. Applicant must be certified by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB).

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 and Education
  • 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.
• 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:
  • 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).
• Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification of radiologic competence may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate dental assistant under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (a) (1) (D). Failure to obtain certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. This [will result in removal from the GS-681 series and] may result in termination of employment
• 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. The Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant is above the full performance level and is REQUIRED to have DANB CERTIFICATION.
• Loss of Credential
  :
  An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure/certification/registration within the required time frame, or who fails to maintain the required licensure/certification/registration must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment.

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).

In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

To meet the requirements for the GS-07 grade level Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant applicants must possess 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

• a. Ability to perform dental assisting expanded functions.
• b. Comprehensive working knowledge of advanced imaging techniques in order to provide instruction (e.g. cone…