Summary Dental assistants at this level serve in staff Dental Assistant positions independently performing more complex work in assigned specialties while receiving general administrative supervision. Dental assistants at this level serve in staff Dental Assistant positions independently performing more complex work in assigned specialties while receiving general administrative supervision. Responsibilities Major duties but are not limited to: Provides the veteran with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the veteran constructively and appropriately. Relationships with management, co-workers, patients, and the general public are consistently courteous, respectful, and cooperative in nature. Assists dentist at chair side as anticipated or required in all phases of restorative, surgical prosthodontic, endodontic, periodontic and oral surgery treatment of medically compromised patients with comprehensive dentistry. Sets up operatory or surgery suite for planned dental procedure, 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 medications and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions. .Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols. Assists in specialized dental procedures, e.g. oral maxillofacial surgery, endodontics, periodontics, maxillofacial Prosthodontist (consists of significant scope complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.) Assist in the placement of dental implants by providing working knowledge of the assisting techniques involved in implant therapy. Dental Assistants at this level serve in staff dental positions independently performing more complex work in assigned specialties. Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed. Operates dental X-rays and digital equipment to take intra oral and panoramic radiographs following all established radiation safety protection measures. Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, and retakes are minimized. Imaging requests are accomplished within the desired time frame. Follows manufacturer's recommendations and Reusable Medical Equipment (RME), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding equipment use and processing (critical, semi-critical and non-critical items.) Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatories. Decontaminates all dental operatory surfaces with chemical solutions after each patient is treated following universal precautions procedures. Instruments are properly prepared for sterilization by SPS standards (critical, semi-critical and non-critical.) Instruments are prepared in a manner that does not delay clinical care. Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images. Follows manufacturer's recommendations and Reusable Medical Equipment (RME), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding equipment use and processing (critical, semi-critical and non-critical items). Assists patients in scheduling appointments. Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments. Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information. Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy. Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position). Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday- 7:30AM-4:00PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:61771F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. 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). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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. 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. Experience and Education: Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work. OR, Education. Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. 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 : Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.; OR, Successful completion 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, Successful completion of 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. Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable. 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: GS-3 Grade Determination Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Assignment. Employees at this level serve in dental assistant career development positions. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patient issues, and require daily close supervision. GS-4 Grade Determination: Experience or Education: In addition to the basic requirements, 1 year of experience at the next lower level, OR 2 years of education above high school that included completion of a dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling. 2. Basic knowledge of dental procedures and medical emergencies. 3. Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval. 4. Basic knowledge of maintenance, care and storage of dental equipment. 5. Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements. GS-5 Grade Determination: Experience or Education: In addition to the requirements listed at GS-4 above, applicants must demonstrate] at least 1 year of experience [equivalent to] at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. OR, Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a dental assistant program by CODA. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of anatomy and ability to evaluate diagnostic quality. 2. Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement. 3. Basic knowledge of instruments, materials and standardized dental procedures . 4. Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA. 5. Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol. GS-6 Grade Determination: Experience: At least 1 year of experience [equivalent to] the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs : 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 Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Selective Placement Factor: Must be proficient in spoken and written Spanish language. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-06. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work include moderate lifting (15-44 lbs.), heavy carrying (45 lbs. and over), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, good distant vision in one eye, ability to hear whisper voice. There is moderate walking (3-4 hrs.) and some extended periods of standing (3-4 hrs). Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.