Dental Hygienist

The Dental Hygienist provides direct patient care under the general supervision of the dentist & performs other clinical & clerical functions independently of direct supervision. Work closely with, & under the general direction of a dentist. Plans, coordinate, & conduct preventive oral health programs for various patient groups, caregivers, & healthcare providers; develop & modify instructional methods; & develop methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the preventive dentistry program.

• Advanced patient assessments & clinical evaluations
• Prophylaxis in complex restorative cases
• Individual & group oral hygiene instructions for special-needs populations
• Management of medically &/or behaviorally compromised patients, & collaboration with other
• Demonstrates non-judgmental understanding of the Veteran's & family's knowledge, values, beliefs, & cultural backgrounds- Delivers care that reflects the Veteran's & the family's personal goals, personal preferences
• Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery
• Shows courtesy, respect, & a positive attitude for patients, co-workers, & the public
• Demonstrates collaborative orientation to working with patients & families
• Provide routine oral prophylaxis, gross debridement, soft tissue curettage, deep scaling & root planning procedures to patients with complex periodontal/restorative conditions & complex medical/psychiatric issues
• Safely utilizes advanced adjunctive diagnostic & therapeutic equipment (e.g. sonic, magnetostrictive ultrasonic & piezo ultrasonic scalers)
• Recognize age-related changes in individuals, adapt patient environment, & maximize patient's physical comfort
• Administers intrasulcular anti-infective agents & sulcular lavage per direction of dentist/periodontist
• Assess clinical findings, including normal & critical lab results, & adapt care based on findings
• Interview & assess a patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications, & comorbidities
• Manages dental recall system, referring patients to the doctor for additional care when needed
• Sets up operatory for planned dental procedure & cleans dental unit for timely turnover
• Assesses the impact of patient's medical & dental condition on maintaining oral health
• Evaluate patient's caries risk & select & apply appropriate fluoride solutions
• Accomplishes all procedures within standard infection control protocols
• Applies & removes periodontal dressings per direction of dentist
• Handles instruments safely, accurately, & efficiently
• Cleans dental prostheses, fixed & removable
• Administers local anesthetic (per State license)
• Makes impressions for fluoride carrier trays
• Applies desensitizing & sealant materials
• Administers topical anesthetic agents
• Applies adult education techniques/methods, organizes curriculum, judges cognitive ability, & provides healthcare education regarding relationships between medical & dental pathologies to groups &/or interdisciplinary staff
• Prepares & provides education on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices effect of illness, addictions, medications, & tobacco on the oral cavity
• Explains hygiene procedures, indications, complications & expected outcomes to patients & care givers
• Provide patient education appropriate to the Veteran's needs & oral condition
• Recognizes common pathologies & utilizes advanced radiographic technique (CBCT) & equipment to detect abnormalities
• Ensure radiographic images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented & exposed
• Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, & retakes are minimized
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up & cleaning up operatory - Instruments are prepared in a manner that does not delay clinical care
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images
• Instruments are properly prepared for sterilization per SPS standards 6. Clerical Functions
• Assists patients in scheduling appointments, places appropriate RTC orders, & open/closes imaging consults
• Assists dentists to complete patient exams by filling out all necessary information in DRM & CPRS
• Supports the dental service in the preparation & management of Community Care consults
• Assists in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations & failed appointments
• Records findings, treatment plans, & treatment provided in patient records
• Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written & verbal information
• Follows computer security regulations
• Modifies care based on patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications, & comorbidities
• Modifies care as appropriate for patient's age & abilities (patient transfer & position) - Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress
• Participates in patient identification & time out per TJC requirements.
• Provides accurate & understandable instructions to patients
• Prepares & presents hygiene/safety updates at the Dental Staff Meeting
• Complies with TMS & Employee Education requirements
• Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions

Work Schedule: Mon-Thurs 7:30a-5p, Friday 7:30a-4p (compressed schedule) 4/5/9 with every other Friday off.
Compressed/Flexible: Available
Telework: Ad-Hoc, Maybe Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 60615-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Dental hygienist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education: Applicants must possess an Associate degree or higher from an accredited dental hygiene program. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved programs are:
  • (1) Dental hygiene programs accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
  • (2) Education completed outside of the United States must be considered at least equivalent to that gained in CODA accredited United States programs and would enable the candidate to sit for the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, which is administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations.
• Licensure/Certification:
  • (1) Licensure. Applicants must be currently licensed to practice as a dental hygienist with a full, current and unrestricted license in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
  • (2) Certification. P.L. 97-35, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act Of 1981, requires persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 C.F.R. Part 75, Standards for the Accreditation of Educational Programs for & the Credentialing of Radiologic Personnel. To meet this requirement, 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. Accredited dental hygiene programs contain curriculum addressing radiologic procedures meets the requirement for certification as dental radiographers.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials

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).

Grade Determinations

Dental Hygienist, GS-09 Experience. At least one year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-8) that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level.

Assignment (GS-8) Employees at this level serve as developmental level 3 dental hygienists with the ability to perform direct patient care under the general supervision of the dentist. It is expected that they receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: patient assessments (e.g. risk assessments, oral health assessments), prevention recommendations, prophylaxis, periodontal treatment for mild to moderate disease (e.g. scaling and root planning, full mouth debridement), Periodontal Screening and Recording (PSR) radiograph/image capture, fluoride treatment application, topical anesthesia administration and management of stable medically compromised patients (including risk factors).

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-8 level, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of hygiene procedures to explain the process & indication, complications and expected treatment outcomes for each.
• Knowledge of proper usage of dental radiography equipment, radiation safety, assessment of proper image capture and interpretation of films.
• Knowledge to select appropriate available fluoride products and indications/limitations for safe and proper application.
• Skill in detecting plaque & calculus, dental abnormalities/pathologies, assessing inflammation and providing safe instrumentation for each procedure.
• Skill in educating patients & caregivers on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices, parafunctional habits, & effects of illness, addictions, medications & tobacco on the oral cavity.
• Ability to assess the patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications & comorbidities to administer safe patient care.
• Ability to assess the impact of patient's medical & dental condition on maintaining oral health, recognize age-related changes in individual patients, adapt patient environment, & maximize patient's physical comfort.

Preferred Experience: The ideal candidate has at least 1 year of experience providing comprehensive preventive and periodontal care in a fast-paced dental clinic, including proficiency with local anesthesia (where authorized), advanced periodontal instrumentation, and patient education tailored to Veterans' needs. They demonstrate consistently high efficiency and accuracy in clinical documentation, use of electronic dental records, imaging, and consult/scheduling workflows, and are comfortable navigating VA or comparable health care systems. The preferred candidate brings a calm, professional, and solutions-focused approach to the workday, contributes positively to team dynamics, and maintains respectful, clear communication with patients, providers, and support staff even under pressure. Experience coordinating care with multiple providers and services, participating in quality improvement or infection control initiatives, and supporting clinic throughput and access goals is strongly desired.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting & carrying, reaching above shoulders; use of fingers & both hands for fine motor control; walking, standing, sitting, repeated bending for extended periods of time while performing dental work; ability for rapid mental & muscular coordination simultaneously; ability to visualize clearly teeth, intraoral structures, & the fine details of dental radiographs.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.