Career Center

The Dental Assistant assigned to this position will be an instrumental part of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) Dental Service and be expected to perform at a full performance level Dental Assistant, GS-0681-06. 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. English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. (1) Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work. OR (2) Education. Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). OR, (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. 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). 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. Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence:(a) Successfully completed the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. OR,(b) Successfully completed of the Principles and Practice of Dental Radiology and Radiographic Safety courses and examinations developed by the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Dentistry OR,(c) Successfully completed a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD).Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification of radiologic competence may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate dental assistant under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 (a) (1) (D). Failure to obtain certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. This will result in removal from the GS-681 series and may result in termination of employment. Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certification (for positions above the full performance level)] that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: [(1)] Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or [changed to lower grade] within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees MUST meet the certification requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels. [(2)] Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. [(3)] Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. [(4)] If an employee who was retained [ ] under this provision leaves [the] occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: GS-6 Staff Dental Assistant (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities (KSAs)In addition to meeting Experience or Education, you must meet the following KSAs: GS-06: 1 Ability to identify normal oral anatomy 2 Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures 3 Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs 4 Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist 5 Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats 6 Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry 7 Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records. 8 Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures. 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. Preferred Experience: 1. Five - seven years Dental Assisting Experience in various specialties: Restorative, Endodontics, Periodontics, Removable and Fixed Prosthodontics, Orthodontics 2. Experience with digital x-rays: FMXRs, Periapical, Panoramic. 3. Experience with electronic records. 4. Familiarity with IV/surgical procedures: Oral Surgery, Periodontal Surgery, Implant Surgery 5. Customer Service oriented. 6. Commitment to VHA organization goals. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-36 DENTAL ASSISTANT QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-681 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds, Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds, Reaching above shoulder, Use of fingers, Both hands required, walking 4 hours, standing 4 hours, kneeling, repeated bending, Specific visual requirement DVA&NVA binocular 20/20, both eyes required, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of color; hearing aid may be permitted, mental and emotional stability. ["a. 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 b. Chairside Assisting- 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- Assists dentist with charting c. Dental Imaging- 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- Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed- Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, and retakes are minimized- Imaging requests are accomplished within the desired time frame d. Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization- 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, i.e., 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 e. Administrative Functions- Identifies scheduling gaps in the dentist's clinics and assists MAS with filling gaps- Initiates computerized progress note f. Information Management- Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information- Follows computer security regulations g. Patient Safety- Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position)- Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients- Participates in patient identification and time out per Joint Commission requirements- Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress h. Employee Education- Complies with Employee Education requirements- Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions i. Dental Laboratory Functions- Pours impressions and prepares study models- Makes final denture impression trays and prepares bite rims- Fabricates athletic mouth guards and bleaching trays- Performs other dental laboratory functions as time and skill levels allow j. Direct Patient Care- 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- 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- Triage patient phone calls or walk-ins to determine the priority of a patient's treatment based on the severity of their condition; obtain and document enough information from the patient so dentist can prepare to treat patient accordingly Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]