Dental Assistant

The dental assistant position is based at the Greenville, SC outpatient clinic where the incumbent is expected to plan and complete tasks based on established protocols/accepted dental practices. The employee will be required to display a cooperative attitude and will effectively work together to implement the organization’s mission and goals. Applicants pending 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. 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). Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Certification: Public Law 97‑35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. They must have successfully completed an educational program meeting or exceeding the standards described in that regulation, be 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.; OR (b) 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 (c) Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD). (2) Non‑certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification of radiologic competence may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate dental assistant under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 (a) (1) (D). Failure to obtain certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. This may result in removal from the GS‑681 series and may result in termination of employment. (3) Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable. (4) Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). DANB certification is not required, but highly desirable for the appointment of Dental Assistants up to and including the full performance level, and is required for all positions above the full performance level. GS‑3 (a) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Assignment. Employees at this level serve in dental assistant career development positions. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patient issues, and require daily close supervision. GS‑4 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling. Basic knowledge of dental procedures and medical emergencies. Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval. Basic knowledge of maintenance, care and storage of dental equipment. Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements. Assignment. Employees at this level serve as developmental staff dental assistants. It is expected they receive guidance for more complex patient issues and require daily direct contact at the site of work from the assigned supervisor. Key tasks include: receiving and preparing patients for treatment (seating, positioning chair, placing napkin); performing disinfection and sterilization procedures; assisting chairside with direct instruction from treating dentist; reporting medical emergencies; preparing procedural trays and armamentaria set‑ups; exposing and processing basic dental radiographs under direct supervision; mounting and labeling radiographs and/or saving digital images to the electronic medical record; complying with equipment maintenance recommendations; retrieving patient records prior to seating; directing patient to appropriate staff for scheduling visits. GS‑5 Experience or Education In addition to the requirements at GS‑4, demonstrate at least 1 year of experience (equivalent to the next lower grade level) or Successful completion of a full 4‑year course of study with a dental assistant program by CODA. Key KSA’s Knowledge of anatomy and ability to evaluate diagnostic quality. Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement. Knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures. Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA. Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions per protocol. GS‑6 Staff Dental Assistant Experience. At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level demonstrating core competencies. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Identify normal oral anatomy. Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures across restorative, surgical, endodontic, and periodontal care. Monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs. Independently provide procedure‑specific patient education and appropriate referral to treating dentist. Capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats. Perform maintenance on dental equipment for routine and specialty dentistry. Enter and retrieve data using electronic dental records. Perform dental assistant‑appropriate laboratory procedures. Grade Determinations The full performance level of this vacancy is GS‑6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS‑3 to GS‑6. Physical Requirements See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. #J-18808-Ljbffr