Dental Assistant

Summary Dental Assistants at this level serve staff dental assistants at the full performance level for more routine patient care and perform some complex patient procedures under general supervision of more experienced dental assistants or a dental supervisor. The Dental Assistants assist the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and perform other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision. Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Dental Radiology Certificate or equivalent as per 42 CFR Part 75. Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board or related courses and examinations. Non‑certified applicants may be given a temporary appointment as a Graduate Dental Assistant; failure to obtain certification within the period may result in termination. Basic Requirements United States Citizenship (non‑citizens may only be appointed when no qualified citizens are available per VA Policy). English language proficiency required. Experience: Minimum six months of experience that demonstrates ability to perform the work or provides familiarity with the work. Education: Successful completion of a one‑year Dental Assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) or an equivalent combination of experience and education. Certification: Radiographers must meet the credentials and certifications required by federal regulations. Grades and technical KSAs: Ability to identify normal oral anatomy. Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in restorative, surgical, endodontic, and periodontal care. Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs. Ability to independently provide procedure‑specific patient education and appropriate referrals. Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats. Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry. Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records. Ability to perform laboratory procedures appropriate for a dental assistant. Membership in the full performance level of GS‑6 (full performance level). Preferred Experience Minimum of 2 years chairside experience with a general dentist. Radiology Certificate and/or Registered Dental Assistant in any state. Assignments Assists with specialty procedures: oral surgery, periodontal therapy, endodontic, prosthodontic, implant placement, and restoration. Anticipates surgeon/specialist needs at each stage of treatment. Takes preliminary impressions, selects and manipulates a variety of gypsum and waxes, pours, trims, and evaluates diagnostic casts, fabricates custom trays. Uses four‑handed dentistry concepts and assists with basic restorative procedures, mixes basic dental materials. Assists in preparation of laboratory prescription forms, applies pressure indicator paste to removable prostheses. Exposes and processes basic dental radiographs, mounts and labels radiographs, saves digital imaging to electronic medical records, evaluates radiographs for diagnostic quality. Maintains routine dental equipment per manufacturer and dental service standards. Duties Responds to basic medical emergencies. Measurers and records vital signs. Provides pre‑ and post‑operative instructions. Maintains a field of operation during dental procedures using retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, and placement/removal of cotton rolls. Assists with basic restorative procedures using four‑handed dentistry concepts. Mixes dental materials and assists in laboratory prescription form preparation. Processes and evaluates radiographs. Maintains routine dental equipment. Physical Requirements The work is sedentary but involves fine motor movements. The employee sits at a desk, table, or on an adjustable stool in the treatment room, moves between patients, and handles light instruments; lifting moderately heavy objects is normally not required. Work Schedule Monday‑Friday, 7:00 AM‑3:30 PM CST. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. References For more information on this qualification standard, please visit #J-18808-Ljbffr U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs