Dental Hygienist-Advanced Clinical

This position provides direct patient care under the general supervision of the dentist and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision. Employees work closely with and under the general direction of a dentist or periodontist.

As a Dental Hygienist, you will:

• Plan, coordinate, and conduct preventive oral health programs for various patient groups, caregivers, and healthcare providers; develop and modify instructional methods; and develop methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the preventative dentistry program
• Conduct advanced patient assessments/clinical evaluations
• Conduct prophylaxis in complex restorative cases
• Perform advanced scaling and root planning with or without soft-tissue curettage
• Conduct advanced radiographic studies (cone beam computed tomography (CT)
• Administer local anesthesia administration
• Perform advanced treatment (xerostomia treatment recommendations, sulcular lavage, placement of intrasulcular
  medicaments, applying and removing periodontal surgical dressings, orthodontic care, sealant placement, occlusion adjustment, placement of desensitizing agents, professional whitening procedures)
• Provide individual and group oral hygiene instructions for special-needs populations, elevated educational instruction, development of training materials/presentations
• Manage medically and/or behaviorally compromised patients
• Collaborate with other disciplines.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 0730 to 1600 * Possible Saturday Rotation
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 12096-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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:

• 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

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:
GS-10 Dental Hygienist-Advanced Clinical - Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-10, applicants must possess at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09) and fully meet the following KSAs at the GS-09 level:

• Knowledge of hygiene procedures to explain the process and 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 and calculus, dental abnormalities/pathologies, assessing inflammation and providing safe instrumentation for each procedure.
• Skill in educating patients and caregivers on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices, parafunctional habits, and effects of illness, addictions, medications and tobacco on the oral cavity.
• Ability to assess the patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications and comorbidities to administer safe patient care.
• Ability to assess the impact of patient's medical and dental condition on maintaining oral health, recognize age-related changes in individual patients, adapt patient environment, and maximize patient's physical comfort.

GS-10 Dental Hygienist-Advanced Clinical - Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to meeting the experience requirement at the GS-10 level, applicants must possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of medical assessment techniques including interviewing and evaluating clinical findings (e.g. normal and critical lab values) to adapt treatment based on medical and psychological issues.
• Advanced knowledge of oral and dental anatomy including root anatomy, common pathologies and anomalies, and indications for advanced radiographic imaging and proper technique to detect potential abnormalities.
• Knowledge of medical treatment adjuncts and indications and the ability to safely administer medicaments (e.g. intrasulcular medicaments, local anesthesia, sulcular lavage, applying and removing periodontal surgical dressing).
• Knowledge of advanced adjunctive diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, indication for use and ability to utilize safely (e.g. sonic, magnetostrictive ultrasonic, and piezo ultrasonic scalers).
• Skill in providing safe and thorough prophylaxis, root planing and soft- tissue curettage for complex periodontal and/or restorative cases and skill in providing safe care for patients with complex medical/psychiatric issues.
• Ability to apply adult education techniques/methods, organize curriculum, judge cognitive ability, and provide healthcare education regarding relationships between medical and dental pathologies to groups, interdisciplinary staff, and other outside contacts.

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-10. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-10

Physical Requirements: Requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear speech, and manual dexterity. Involves walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be exposed to combative patients. Must be able to work effectively in
stressful situations and shift priorities as needed.

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.