Lead Dental Assistant

Job Title

Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Performs mouth mirror inspections and gathers diagnostic information

Charts existing restorations, conditions, and selects shades for prostheses

Places/removes rubber dams, matrix bands, and retraction cords

Places/removes temporary restorations and crowns/bridges; cleans tooth preparations

Fabricates, adjusts, and cements temporary crowns

Removes permanent cement from supragingival surfaces

Assists with vitality testing, applies topical anesthetic, and manages surgical dressings/sutures

Monitors nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia and patient vital signs during/invasive and recovery periods

Performs coronal polishing of teeth and removes/polishes hard accretions from removable prostheses

Sets up/cleans operatory and dental units for efficient turnover

Demonstrates advanced knowledge of dental instruments, materials, and procedures for restorative, surgical, endodontic, and periodontal care

Assists in general and specialized dental procedures (oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implants) using four-handed techniques

Passes instruments safely and efficiently; keeps field clear and retracts tissues effectively

Prepares dental medicaments, impression materials, and follows infection control protocols for all procedures

Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer's instructions and dental service standards

Takes impressions for diagnostic casts and prosthetic fabrication

Provides patient-specific preventative education and oral hygiene instruction; relays patient concerns to the dentist

Demonstrates advanced imaging proficiency (cone beam, cephalometric, panoramic, TMJ): identifies dental anatomy, exposes images, captures diagnostic images using safety techniques, modifies settings as needed, and minimizes retakes

Completes imaging within required timeframes; ensures infection control in operatory preparation, imaging, and sterilization of oral appliances/instruments according to SOPs

Collaborates with SPS to ensure instrument availability and prevent clinical delays

Assists in filling schedule gaps due to cancellations/no-shows

Initiates computerized progress notes; assists dentist in charting findings/treatment plans

Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA and computer security regulations

Adapts care based on patient age and ability; provides clear instructions; participates in patient identification/time outs

Monitors patient condition throughout treatment for signs of distress

Completes required annual and ongoing employee education and maintains DANB certification

Pours impressions, prepares study models, makes final denture trays, bite rims, and fabricates athletic mouth guards/bleaching trays

Performs other dental laboratory and administrative tasks as needed

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 5:30pm

Compressed/Flexible: Available

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

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). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

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 #: 623-51289-A