Dental Laboratory Technician

This position is located at the VA Medical Center in Jackson, MS. the providers to design and fabricate intra-oral prostheses, both fixed and removable. The Dental Technicians spends approximately 60% of their time working on designing and fabricating dental appliances. Of that 60% approximately 30% of the time is spent on complex intraoral maxillofacial cases. 40% of their time educating staff providers, dental residents, and patients.

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

Dental services provided in the VA are unique in that the aging veteran population often has multiple diagnoses at one time and with traumas sustained during war is significantly more difficult and complex. Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Collaborates with providers to design and fabricate complex dental or intra-oral appliances.
• Involved in complex removable and fixed oral-maxillofacial appliances including fixed, semi-fixed, or removable implant cases, the fabrication of completely guided implant surgical stents, partial and complete dentures when the severe nature of the dental abnormalities to be overcome require working to unusually close tolerances, resolving particularly difficult problems of retention, balance, reducing tension on natural teeth and tissue, and similar problems.
• Advises in the design of unique prostheses for trauma and cancer patients where oral tissue is mutilated or missing and independently completes all laboratory procedures on these complex cases.
• Constructs routine full and partial dentures, dental splints and obturators, model work for fixed prostheses and other laboratory products to support the treatment needs of staff dentists.
• Fabricates flexible complex partials such as Dura-Flex from start to finish. Including set-up, wax-up, processing, and finishing.
• Consults with patients concerning their complaints regarding the esthetics of any present prosthesis.
• Provides training to dental hygienists, dental assistants, volunteers, dental students and dental residents regarding the use of materials, equipment and techniques involved with dental laboratory duties.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm (Subject to change based on the needs of the Agency)
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English.

~AND~

In order to qualify for this position, applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum qualifications:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Possess one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in federal service. Specific qualifying specialized experience for this position (which should be documented on your resume) is: using dental laboratory material such as impression materials, plasters, stones, hydrocolloids, waxes, metals, acrylics, porcelain, and similar materials; using laboratory equipment such as hand tools, dental lathes, engines, and hand pieces, furnaces, casting machines, presses, flasks, and related equipment; using precision instruments such as articulators, surveyors, and microanalyzers; and constructing dental prosthetic appliances. NOTE TO APPLICANTS: Your answer will be verified against information provided on your resume. If your resume does not clearly support your response by addressing your work experience in detail you will be disqualified.

OR

EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: Successfully completed one and one-half (1½) years of graduate education that is directly related to the work of this position as a Dental Laboratory Technician. NOTE TO APPLICANTS: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one year of full-time study; if that number cannot be obtained from the transcript, 18 semester hours will be considered as one full academic year of graduate study. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED - If you do not submit a copy of your transcript, your application may not be processed.)

OR

COMBINATION: Possess equivalent combinations of experience and education as previously described to fully meet the requirements of this position. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED - If you do not submit a copy of your transcript, your application may not be processed.)

Licensed professional dentists will be considered qualified for any grade level if they have, in the aggregate, the required experience in dental laboratory procedures.



For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.



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
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Physical Requirements: Long periods of standing, sitting and bending are required. The lab technician wears face masks, protective glasses, and uses special aseptic techniques when handling impressions or other items that are a potential infection hazard. The assistant works in a clinic setting with some exposure to
  patients in dental treatment rooms.
• 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.