Local Chief Dentist (O-6 Billet) Supervisory

The Local Chief Dentist, Advanced Clinic oversees dental program management, staff supervision, and patient care at DHS ICE facilities. Responsibilities include supervising dental staff, ensuring access to care, managing clinic operations, maintaining safety protocols, and supporting accreditation reviews. Requires DDS/DMD, unrestricted license, 6+ years clinical, and 2+ years supervisory experience.

This position is only open to USPHS officers and Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provides front line supervision of 3 or more dental staff including at least one additional dentist by planning, assigning, evaluating and directing work and exercising complete administrative control of subordinates in carrying out program policies. Provides staff orientation, training, and competency testing. Completes performance evaluations for federal dental staff. Serves as the leave granting authority for federal dental staff.
2. Oversees dental care for complex facility with 1000 or greater capacity. Provides emergent, urgent, and routine oral health care for medically and dentally complicated patient population. Exercises independent judgment in making treatment decisions and monitors appropriateness of care provided by staff dentist and auxiliary staff. Exhibits flexibility to adapt to unusual circumstances requiring variations in approach and in the presence of incomplete or conflicting findings. Establishes and directs multi-provider scheduling to ensure timely access to care. Performs electronic health record documentation and forms management. Proper judgment is required to prevent serious delays in provision of dental services and avoid adverse impact on the health status of thousands of patients processed through facility.
3. Local subject-matter-expert on dental care and dental clinic operations, collaborates with local and regional clinical and administrative leadership to inform and develop local policies and procedures. Provides guidance and mentorship to interdisciplinary junior staff to develop clinical judgement, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
4. Serves as the responsible dental health authority for the facility on behalf of the health services administrator. Collaborates with multiple stakeholders including IHSC, ICE, and detention staff to plan and administer all aspects of dental unit operations: patient care, budget, management, scheduling, staffing, training, evaluations, supplies, equipment, and maintenance. Prepares and guides dental program through 5+ recurring independent accreditations and reviews.
5. Develops, oversees, and monitors dental clinic environmental health and safety protocols including hazardous materials management, radiation safety, and sharps/instruments safety in accordance with IHSC policy. Oversees and assures optimum sterilization and disinfection procedures in the dental clinic in accordance with IHSC policy and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
6. Provides initial and annual dental training to qualified health care professionals.
7. Participates in local and national quality improvement initiatives. May perform peer reviews for IHSC dentists as requested by the IHSC chief dentist.
8. Utilizes extensive knowledge base and independent judgement to serve as a project officer for tasks as assigned (e.g., equipment acquisitions, training program development, and policy and procedure revisions and development). Attends national dental teleconferences, agency teleconferences, and local duty station meetings. Collects, organizes, and submits dental data.
9. Position may require up to 30% TDY travel to support mission critical staffing.
10. Other duties as assigned in support of the local medical unit and/or IHSC dental program.
11. Adheres to IHSC policies, procedures, directives, operational memoranda, and accreditation standards as prescribed by ICE and IHSC.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

1. This position is considered hazardous duty in a detention setting.
2. Requires physical exertion such as lifting objects greater than 30 pounds.
3. Required to perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
4. Must have the ability to assist sick, injured or aging patients or staff exiting the building (may require lifting, dragging, wheeling or carrying someone who weighs significantly more than self).
5. Work necessitates some physical characteristics that will be required when responding to an emergency situation, such as running short distance, prolonged standing and working in an austere environment.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

1. Graduate from a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) program accredited by American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation located in a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory.
2. Possess and maintain a current unrestricted license to practice dentistry in a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory.
3. Minimum 6 years clinical experience.
4. Minimum 2 years experience in a supervisory, leadership, practice management role.
5. Knowledge of dental science such as oral anatomy, oral physiology, restorative dentistry, periodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, and oral surgery (note: strong oral surgery skills and experience are required).
6. Competent in use of equipment, materials, and supplies in dental diagnostic and treatment procedures.
7. Expertise in dental clinic environmental health, infection control, patient/staff safety protocols, quality assurance, documentation, and data management.
8. Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and dental software programs.
9. Continuous BLS certification required.
10. Ability to respond to and oversee medical emergencies.

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position. | You must successfully pass a background investigation. | You must successfully pass a drug screen. | Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service. | Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement. | Service Remaining Requirement Agreement: Upon appointment to this position, officers will be required to serve an 18 to 24-month commitment to IHSC. | ASSIGNMENT PAY AGREEMENT: You must not have a current Assignment Pay Agreement. However, if you have a current Assignment Pay Agreement, it must be fulfilled within 90 days of your application submission. | Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer or USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidate. Civilians are not eligible for this position. | Applicants without a USPHS commission must begin the USPHS Commissioned Corps application process before applying to this position. Applicants must review the USPHS application requirements and submit an application at www.usphs.gov/apply-now/. | Continued employment is contingent upon appointment to, and maintenance of, active-duty status in the USPHS Commissioned Corps. | PHS officers must participate in IHSC TDY On-Call Schedule (ITOS.) ITOS is either an entire month or two 16-day periods a year where, depending on the needs of the agency, the officer is required to be available to serve.