Dental Assistant

Summary

This Announcement is open only to current employees of the Dental service at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center and supported Facilities.Serves in expanded function dental assistant positions independently performing more complex work in assigned specialties. Must maintain current Dental Assistant National Board(DANB) certification. DANB provide a list of permissible clinical expanded function duties specific for each state.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

04/23/2024 to 05/03/2024

• Salary

$49,025 - $66,505 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 7

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Locations

4 vacancies in the following locations:

• Fayetteville, NC

• Wilmington, NC

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

No

• Travel Required

Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent -

• Work schedule

Full-time -

• Service

Excepted

• Promotion potential

7

• Job family (Series)

0681 Dental Assistant

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Not Required

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Credentialing

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBCT-12386241-24-FJ

• Control number

788054100

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This job is open to

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent employees of the Fayetteville VA Medical Center

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Duties

Chairside Assisting

• Responds to basic medical emergencies.

• Measures and records vital signs.

• Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover.

• Charts existing restorations and conditions.

• Selects shades for fixed and removable prostheses.

• Provides chair side assistance, fully anticipating dentist's needs for various instruments,

• materials, and services.

• Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and

• comfortably.

• Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions.

• Performs pulp vitality testing

• Supports dentist in endodontic treatments by applying and removing rubber dam and cleansing and drying operative field. After dentist treats patient, irrigatestooth, applies prescribed medications and closes tooth with temporary filling.

• Places and removes retraction cord.

• Places and removes intra-coronal temporary restoration.

• Removes temporary crown/bridge and clean tooth preparation of debris.

• Fabricates, adjusts, and cements temporary crowns.

• Removes temporary and permanent cement from supragingival surfaces.

• Assists in surgical treatment by applying and removing periodontal and post extraction dressings and removing sutures.

• Applies desensitizing agents, tissue conditioners and other topical agents prescribed by dentist `to specified areas of the oral cavity.

• Supports dentist in oral prophylaxis treatments by flossing, polishing teeth and applying topical fluoride.

• Removes plaque and soft debris from removable prostheses.

• Removes hard accretions from and polishes removable prostheses.

• Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocol.

• Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral maxillofacial surgery, endodontics, and surgical periodontics.

Dental Imaging

• Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed.

• Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, cone beam) in

Digital Formats.

• Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by provider.

• Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, and retakes are minimized.

• Imaging requests are accomplished within the desired time frame

Infection Control

• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning dental operatories.

• Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination.

• Properly prepares instruments for transfer to SPS for sterilization.

• Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment

• Instruments are properly pre-treated for pick-up by SPS personnel.

• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images

Clerical Functions

• Assists in filling gaps in the dentist's schedule due cancellations and failed appointments.

• Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records.

• Assist with entering Return to Clinic Orders

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).

• Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients.

• Participates in patient identification and time out per JCAHO requirements.

• Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress.

• Monitors patient (BP, pulse), and condition during invasive procedures and during recovery period following procedure

Employee Education

• Complies with Employee Education requirements.

• Maintains BLS certification that includes operation of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) per Medical Center Policy

Dental Laboratory Functions

• Takes preliminary impressions for study models.

• Pours impressions and prepares study models.

• Makes final denture impression trays and prepares bite rims.

• Performs other dental laboratory functions as time and skill levels allow

Work Schedule: Compressed tour 07:00am

• 05:30pm

Telework: Not Eligible

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Conditions of Employment

• 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.

• You may be required to serve a probationary period.

• Subject to background/security investigation.

• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.

• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement,05/03/2024.

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:

1.United States CitizenshipAll applicants are required to be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g.)

2.English Language Proficiency.Dental Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

3.Experience and Education.

Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides familiarity with the work.

OR

Education. Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).

OR

Experience/Education Combination.

Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.

4.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.

(1) 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;

ORb. 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

ORc. 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).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-7 Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant: At this level, dental assistants serve either as a Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant or Lead Dental Assistant. For all positions above the full performance level, duties must be assigned to the position at least 25% of the time.

Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant Experience: At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-06) or equivalent that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs:

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

a. Ability to perform dental assisting expanded functions.

b. Comprehensive working knowledge of advanced imaging techniques in order to provide instruction (e.g. cone beam, cephalometric, advanced panoramic imaging, TMJ, etc).

Required core competencies described at the GS-06 level are as follows below for informational purposes only: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

1.Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.

2.Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures.

3.Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.

4.Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist.

5.Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.

6.Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry.

7.Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records.

8.Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures

Assignment: Employee serves at the full performance level with the ability to perform full range of duties with some independence in assigned specialties, with indirect supervision from the lead dental assistant, dental assistant supervisor or treating dentist. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: using the concepts of four-handed dentistry; assists with specialty procedures including oral surgery, periodontal therapy, endodontic, prosthodontic and implant placement and restoration; anticipates surgeons/specialists needs at each stage of treatment; takes preliminary impressions; selects and manipulates a variety of and gypsums and waxes; pours, trims, and evaluates the quality of diagnostic casts; fabricates custom trays.

Physical Requirements: Long periods of standing, walking and bending are required.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g.)The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07.

Preferred Experience: Prefer at least 3 years of Dental Assistant experience.

Education

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/.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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• Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window

Learn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Area of Consideration

• Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

1.Current permanent VA employees of the facility..

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.