Dental Assistant

Dental Assistant

This position is within the Dental Service located at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center in Canandaigua, NY. The Dental Assistant supports the dentist across many aspects of direct patient care, performing a wide range of intra-oral dental procedures. This role also provides support to the dental laboratory as needed and independently performs additional clinical and clerical functions without direct supervision.

Major duties assigned but not limited to:

• Set up/break down operatory and provide four-handed assistance across restorative, prosthetic, periodontal, endodontic, oral surgery, and implant procedures.
• Pass instruments/materials efficiently and maintain a clear operative field (suction, retraction).
• Prepare medicaments and impression materials; take preliminary impressions, adjusting trays as needed.
• Fabricate/place temporary crowns and bridges and adapt/seat stainless steel crowns, applying knowledge of common dental disorders.
• Triage dental and medical emergencies, routing patients to appropriate staff and initiating emergency codes as needed.
• Operate intra-/extra-oral X-ray equipment, positioning patients and adjusting settings to produce diagnostic-quality images per provider request.
• Apply radiation safety protocols to minimize retakes and complete imaging requests within required turnaround time.
• Accurately document images in patient record.
• Disinfect operatories/oral appliances and debride/decontaminate instruments between patients.
• Prepare instruments for SPS sterilization per RME SOPs without delaying care.
• Apply infection control procedures during imaging and lab case transport, and adhere to infectious disease policies.
• Schedule/reschedule appointments, manage phone calls, and fill schedule gaps from cancellations/no-shows.
• Initiate progress notes and record medical/dental history; assist dentist with charting findings and treatment plans.
• Monitor supply inventory and communicate needs to logistics.
• Greet and interact with patients and staff courteously, responding to questions/concerns and performing service recovery when issues arise.
• Obtain vital signs and take diagnostic/prosthetic-fabrication impressions.
• Remove/recement/fabricate temporary crowns and bridges, cleaning prep sites and applying prescribed agents (desensitizers, fluorides, tissue conditioners).
• Clean removable prostheses, remove sutures, and apply rubber dam for endodontic procedures.
• Provide oral hygiene instruction and post-op patient education.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm

Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for employees who are new to the Federal Government or who have had a break in service of 90 days or more, on either a full-time or part-time appointment.

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): May be authorized for current Federal employees relocating to a different geographic area, while serving under a full-time appointment only. Geographic relocation requires a worksite 50 or more miles from the location of the position held immediately before the move.

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework: Not available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 21M34A

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized