Dental Assistant

Summary

The Dental Assistant will be assigned at the Durham VA Medical Center. The incumbent will independently perform more complex work in disciplines such as restorative, endodontics, prosthodontics, periodontics, implantology and oral surgery.

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Duties

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• Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers and the public
• Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns and service recovery
• Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite 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 standards
• Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, ceph, cone beam) in traditional and/or digital formats
• Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning operatories
• Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination
• Properly prepares instruments for transfer to SPD for sterilization Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment
• Works closely with SPD to ensure availability of instruments so that clinical care is not delayed
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images
• Utilizes all proper PPE per national and local policies
• Follows all hospital infection control protocols including hand hygiene
• Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments
• Initiates computerized progress note
• Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records
• Locates/tracks all pending patient lab cases for use during patient appointments
• Properly completes all dental laboratory cards
• Monitors patient vital signs (BP, pulse, pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure
• Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site and 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
• Performs related duties as assigned

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Work Schedule : Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:30 pm

Telework : Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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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.
• 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 ( 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States.
• Certification: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English

Grade Determination:

GS-6 Dental Assistant

One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level.

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 gypsums and waxes; pours, trims and evaluates the quality of diagnostic casts; fabricates custom trays.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

(a) Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.

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

(c) Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.

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

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

(f) Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry.

(g) Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records.

(h) Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures.

Preferred Experience: 2 yrs of Experience, Radiography Certified, DA I or DA II

DANB Certification Preferred, but not required.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6.

Physical Requirements : See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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: 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:

Additional information

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

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.

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.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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 windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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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.