Summary

The Dental Assistant assists the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision. The Dental Assistant receives and prepares patients for dental treatment and assists the Dentist at chairside - bedside or in the operating room.

Qualifications

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
• Education/Experience - Experience
• (1) Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work - or provides familiarity with the work
• OR - (2) Education
• Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
• OR - (3) Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying
• Certification - Public Law 9735 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
• Alternative Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence
• Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board - Inc
• OR 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
• OR - Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD)
• Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) Certification - Required for all position above the Full Performance level Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB)
• Verification of the certification can be made by going to https://www.danb.org/
• The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes DANB as the national certification for Dental Assistants
• English Language Proficiency - Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English
• 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 for a Dental Assistant - Clinical Expanded Functions
• GS-7 Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant Experience: At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level or equivalent that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs: 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)
• Assignment: In this position - the employee performs a higher level - scope - complexity and variety representing the clinical assignment - and applies advanced clinical skills
• Representative duties at this level include - but are not limited to: gathering diagnostic information - pulp vitality testing - charting of existing conditions - placing of rubber dam and matrices - selecting shades - placing retraction cord - placing and removing temporary restorations - fabricating temporary crowns and removing permanent cement from supragingival surfaces
• In addition - the expanded function assistant may place and remove surgical dressing - monitor nitrous oxide analgesia - and perform coronal polishing and the cleaning and polishing of removable prostheses
• BE SURE YOUR RESUME DEMONSTRATES THE KSAs 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-7. Physical Requirements: VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Services.

Duties

• FUNCTIONS - BUT NOT LIMITED: Sets up operatory for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover Passes instruments safely - accurately - and efficiently Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed Dentistry Assists in specialized dental procedures - such as oral surgery - endodontics - periodontics - prosthodontics - implant placement and restoration Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer instructions and dental service standard Monitors patient vital signs (BP - pulse - pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site Applies topical fluoride Makes impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication Removes plaque and soft debris from removable prostheses Provides patient preventative education and oral hygiene instruction Provides post-operative and other appropriate patient education Suture Removal Re-cement and fabricate temporary crowns EFDA only Coronal polishing of teeth Place rubber dams Monitors patient vital signs (BP - pulse - pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure Pours impressions and prepares study models Makes final denture impression trays and prepares bite rims Fabricates occlusal guards and bleaching trays Performs other dental laboratory functions as time and skill levels allow Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e
• TMJ - ceph - cone beam) in digital formats Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider Images are characterized by diagnostic quality - accurately oriented and exposed Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized - and retakes are minimized Imaging requests are accomplished within the desired time frame Shares comprehensive working knowledge of imaging techniques and provides instruction to others Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatories Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination Properly prepares instruments for transfer to SPS for sterilization Instruments are prepared in a manner that does not delay clinical care Works closely with SPS to ensure availability of instruments so that clinical care is not delayed Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment Work Schedule: M-F - 7:30am-5:00pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized