Dental Hygienist

Summary

This position is in the Atlanta VA Health Care System. The incumbent will function as a Staff Dental Hygienist performing both routine and advanced clinical periodontal procedures and techniques at the Dental Clinic. The hygienist works under the general supervision of a Staff Dentist for all functional duties.

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Duties

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An Incumbent at this grade level serve as (1) Staff Dental Hygienists performing advanced clinical techniques or serve as instructors for a dental hygiene program. An Incumbent must be able to plan, coordinate, and conduct preventive oral health programs for various patient groups; develop and modify instructional methods; and develop methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the preventive dentistry program. The Incumbent works closely with, and under the general direction of, a Dentist or Periodontist. The Incumbent performs these advanced techniques, or these responsibilities as listed at least 25% of the time. The Dental Hygienist provides direct patient care under the general supervision of the dentist and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision.

Customer Service:

- Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers and the public

- Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery.

Patient Care:

- Sets up operatory for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover Handles instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently

- Provides routine oral prophylactic care to include application of fluoride solutions Provides gross debridement, deep scaling, and curettage and root planning procedures Cleans dental prostheses, fixed and removable

- Manages dental recall system, referring patients to the doctor for additional care when needed Applies desensitizing and sealant materials

- Makes impressions for fluoride carrier trays Administers topical anesthetic agents

- Accomplishes all procedures within standard infection control protocols.

Patient Education:

- Provides patient education appropriate to the veteran's needs and oral condition

- Prepares and provides individual and group oral health care instruction to inpatients, outpatients, and caregivers.

Dental Imaging:

- Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, and retakes are minimized.

Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization:

- Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatory Instruments are properly prepared for sterilization by SPD standards - Instruments are prepared in a manner that does not delay clinical care Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images.

Clerical Functions:

- Assists patients in scheduling appointments

- Assists in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments Charts findings, treatment plans, and treatment provided in patient records.

Information Management: Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information Follows computer security regulations.

Patient Safety:

- Modifies care as appropriate for patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position) Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients

- Participates in patient identification and time out per JCAHO requirements

- Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress

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

Compressed/Flexible : No

Telework : No

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 51881A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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 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

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements at the date of application..

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.
• Education: Associate Degree or higher in an accredited dental hygiene program. This program must be accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
• Licensure: Applicants must be currently licensed to practice as a dental hygienist with a full, current, and unrestricted license in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
• Certification - Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer Radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they 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 as required by VA Regulations.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations : Time-In-Grade Requirement : Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-8 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

Preferred Experience: yes

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

The full performance level of this vacancy is 10. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 01 to 10.

Physical Requirements: yes

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

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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.