Dental Assistant

Dental assistants facilitate direct patient care by working with the Dentist in restorative, prosthodontic, maxillofacial prosthodontic, periodontal, endodontic, and oral surgery procedures. They prepare patients for treatment, schedule appointments, assist with the aspirating of air/water syringes, expose dental radiographs, ad take impressions for provisional crowns. Among other ancillary procedures with the objective of helping clinicians achieve optimal oral health for veteran patients.

Functions:

Duties listed in this section (a) comprise at least 25% of the clinical expanded function dental assistant's time.
Performs mouth mirror inspection of the oral cavity
Gathers diagnostic information
Performs pulp vitality testing
Charts existing restoration and conditions
Selects shades for fixed and removable prostheses
Places and removes rubber dams and matrix bands
Places and removes retraction cord
Places and removes intracoronal temporary restoration
Removes temporary crown/bridge and clean tooth preparation of debris
Fabricates, adjusts and cements temporary crowns
Removes permanent cement from supragingival surfaces
Removes sutures
Places and removes surgical dressings
Monitors nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesic
Performs coronal polishing of teeth
Removes hard accretions from and polishes removable prostheses

Customer Service
Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers and the public
Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery

Chairside Assisting
Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover
Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably
Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement and restoration

Dental Imaging
Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, ceph, cone beam) in traditional and/or digital formats
Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider
Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed

Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization
Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatories
Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination
Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment

Clerical Functions
Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments
Initiates computerized progress note
Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records.

Information Management
Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information
Follows computer security regulations

Patient Safety
Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position)
Participates in patient identification and time out per Joint Commission requirements
Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress

Employee Education
Complies with Employee Education requirements
Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions

Dental Laboratory Functions
Pours impressions and prepares study models
Makes initial or preliminary denture impression.
Performs other dental laboratory functions as time and skill levels allow

Direct Patient Care
Monitors patient vital signs (BP, pulse, pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure
Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site
Applies topical fluoride

Provides patient preventative education and oral hygiene instruction
Provides post-operative and other appropriate patient education


Work Schedule: 7:00am-3:30pm, M-F
Functional Statement #: 50256F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

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.

Basic Requirements:

Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)


Experience and Education:
(1) Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work. OR,
(2) Education. Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). OR,
(3) 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.; OR,
(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. OR,
(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).


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).

Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard (4/19/2011) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the Dental Assistant GS-0681-7 position held, including certification for positions above the full performance level (GS-6) that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.


English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.


Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, you must also meet the grade level requirements.

GS-7 Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant

Experience. 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:

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

1. Ability to perform dental assisting expanded functions.
2. Comprehensive working knowledge of advanced imaging techniques in order to provide instruction (e.g. cone beam, cephalometric, advanced panoramic imaging, TMJ, etc).

Assignment. In this position, the employee performs a higher level, scope, complexity and variety representing the clinical assignment, and applies advanced clinical skills. Representative duties at this level include, but are not limited to: gathering diagnostic information, pulp vitality testing, charting of existing conditions, placing of rubber dam and matrices, selecting shades, placing retraction cord, placing and removing temporary restorations, fabricating temporary crowns and removing permanent cement from supragingival surfaces. In addition, the expanded function assistant may place and remove surgical dressing, monitor nitrous oxide analgesia, and perform coronal polishing and the cleaning and polishing of removable prostheses.


Preferred Experience: Must include at least one year of experience at the GS-6 level, certification from the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), and demonstrated proficiency in chairside assisting, dental radiography, and infection control procedures, Must have experience but not limited to working with specialty Providers such as; Oral Surgeon, Prosthodontist, Periodontist, Endodontist and working with Residents.


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


The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7.


Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.