Dental Lab Technician

Two positions are available within the Dental Service at the VA facilities in Goldsboro, NC, and Fayetteville, NC. The Dental Laboratory Technician provides direct laboratory support to staff dentists and indirect patient care. Qualifications 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. Applicants must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to perform the duties of this position. Minimum Requirement: Specialized Experience (GS‑09): Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) to perform successfully the duties of this position. The experience must be equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS‑08). Typical qualifying examples include: Use of dental laboratory material such as impression materials, plasters, stones, hydrocolloids, waxes, metals, acrylics, porcelain, and similar materials; Use of laboratory equipment such as hand tools, dental lathes, engines, hand pieces, furnaces, casting machines, presses, flasks, and related equipment; Use of precision instruments such as articulators, surveyors, and microanalyzers; Construction of dental prosthetic appliances. Specialized Experience Requirements: (CLEAR DETAILS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Your resume must show complete information for each job entry—such as beginning and ending dates of employment, duties performed, and/or total hours worked per week.) Education (GS‑09): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have two (2) full years of graduate education or a master’s degree in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. Such graduate education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Licensed professional dentists will be considered qualified for any grade level if they have—in the aggregate—the required experience in dental laboratory procedures. NOTE: One year of full‑time graduate education is considered the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one year of full‑time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school—18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the one year of full‑time study requirement. Part‑time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full‑time study at the school attended. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript—your application may not be reviewed.) Combination (GS‑09): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education (beyond the first year—i.e., 18 semester hours) as described above. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript—your application may not be reviewed.) You will be rated on the following competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: A full year of work is considered to be 35‑40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part‑time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such 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, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies. For more information on these qualification standards—please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management’s website at Duties THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION—YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION. Collaborates with prosthodontists, oral surgeons, periodontists, and implantologists to design and fabricate complex dental or intra‑oral maxillofacial appliances. 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. Functions include pouring primary and final impressions. Fabricating custom trays. Fabricating bite‑rims. Mounting casts on articulators. Setting teeth for trial dentures/partials. Investing—packing—processing and finishing dentures/partials. Polishing prosthesis following adjustment. Fabricating night guards. Fabricating provisional prostheses. Repairing broken prostheses. Adding teeth to prostheses. Pouring and pinning final crown and bridge impressions. Sectioning dies. Fabricating fluoride trays. Fabricating stints. Fabricating transitional partials—managing implant fabrication process and fabricating wrought wire clasps. Consults with patients concerning their complaints regarding the esthetics of any present prosthesis. Incumbent makes recommendations concerning corrections to the dentists; these are generally accepted and incorporated without significant modification. Researches latest materials and technology associated with prosthesis fabrication and modification or repair. 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. Submits articulated casts to outside agencies such as VA Central Dental Laboratories and contracted laboratories. Observes dental abnormalities which may present design problems that require special treatment plans or suggestions—called chairside by dentists and other professional dental specialists—to observe dental abnormalities requiring special treatment planning and suggestions. Provides recommendations—may be accepted and incorporated—into the patient treatment plan without significant modification. Also consults in the laboratory concerning the follow‑up actions with ongoing cases. 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. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday—7:30 am to 4:00 pm. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized; Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved. #J-18808-Ljbffr