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Community Health Dental Hygienist

Indian Health Service · Department of Health and Human Services

PermanentFull-timeSecurity clearance required
Location
Towaoc, CO
Salary
$84,371 – $100,193/yr
Pay grade
GS 9
Openings
1
Posted
Oct 13, 2026
Closes
Closes in 17 days

Summary

Join the Indian Health Service as a Community Health Dental Hygienist and support quality healthcare services for the Ute Mountain Ute Service Unit. Guided by our mission to improve the health of American Indian and Alaska Native people, you will help deliver safe and effective dental services while creating healthy smiles, restoring confidence, and promoting overall wellness in the communities we serve.

A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).

Duties

  • Provide advanced prophylactic, periodontal, and preventive oral care for patients of all ages.
  • Conducts preliminary dental screenings and reviews patient medical/dental histories.
  • Performs intraoral and extraoral examinations, including periodontal charting, oral cancer screening, and evaluation of soft/hard tissues for evidence of disease or pathology.
  • Captures and interprets digital dental radiographs within scope; identifies periodontal status, caries, calculus, bone levels, and abnormalities for dentist review.
  • Instructs patients, families, staff, and community partners in oral hygiene techniques using demonstrations, visual aids, and culturally appropriate materials.
  • Plan, deliver, evaluate, and document preventive oral health programs that enhance population health. The program offers preventive, diagnostic, restorative, periodontal outreach services in clinics, schools, and community settings.
  • Serves as principal advisor for dental health promotion and disease prevention efforts across the service unit.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

BASIC REQUIREMENT(S):

License: Applicants for all grade levels must be currently licensed to practice as dental hygienists in a State or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

Radiological Certification: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiological procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (1) 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 (2) be certified as radiographers in their field. The following meet these requirements:

  1. Persons employed by the Federal Government as radiological personnel prior to the effective date of the regulation (January 13, 1986) who show evidence of current or fully satisfactory performance or certification of such from a licensed practitioner such as a doctor of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, podiatry, or chiropractic who prescribes radiological procedures to others.
  2. Persons first employed by the Federal Government as radiological personnel after the effective date of the regulation who (a) received training from institutions in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not accredit training in that particular field at the time of graduation, or (b) practiced in a State of foreign jurisdiction that did not license that particular field or did not allow special eligibility to take a licensure examination for those who did not graduate from an accredited educational program, provided that such persons show evidence of training, experience, and competence as determined by OPM or the employing agency.

In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: prepare and conduct educational lectures and demonstrations on dental hygiene; plan and implement preventive oral public health program; provide advice and policy guidance to dental personnel on public health matters; recommend improved methods of dental hygiene; and perform full range of preventive and periodontal dental hygiene procedures, such as conduct preliminary dental screenings, provide oral prophylaxis and hygiene treatment for patients with abnormal conditions (such as patients with cancer of the head/neck/chest area, diabetic patients, patients with blood disorders and heart disease, etc.), and develop individualized dental hygiene treatment plans based on patient needs, oral conditions, and required sequence of care.
OR
Completed 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Master's of equivalent degree in dental hygiene or a directly related field of study;
OR
Combination of education and experience.

The academic curriculum in dental hygiene must have been accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, American Dental Association.

The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain medical staff clinical privileges, including any licensure requirements. If privileges are not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service.


Time In Grade
Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Education

This position has an education requirement.

If you are substituting education for experience; You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.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/.

Requirements

Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

Physical Demands: Long periods of sitting, standing, bending, and lifting portable equipment.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

Background Investigation Requirement:

This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.

A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.

Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Financial Suitability Requirement:

This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.

Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).

Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.

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