The Dental Assistant will be apart of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) Dental Service. The position could rotate in the following locations: Data Point Dental Clinic, Randolph Air Base Dental Clinic, or Audie L Murphy VA Hospital. The incumbent will work with the Dental Assistant Supervisor or Dental Service Chief to provide input on performance, facilitate dental service's processes, and assist the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to: Duties include but are not limited to: 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. 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. 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. Ensures dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, and retakes are minimized. Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization: Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination. Properly prepares instruments for transfer to SPD for sterilization. Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for 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. Administrative Functions: Ensures dentist's approved clinic cancellation and opening requests are entered in a timely manner. Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments. Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records. 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. 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. Direct Patient Care: Monitors patient vital signs 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. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English. Experience and Education (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. Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes DANB as the national certification for Dental Assistants. DANB certification is not required, but highly desirable for the appointment of Dental Assistants up to and including the full performance level, and is required for all positions above the full performance level. Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure/certification/registration within the required time frame, or who fails to maintain the required licensure/certification/registration must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. 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, 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) Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. OR (b) 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 (c) Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD). 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: GS-7 Lead Dental Assistant: Experience: At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit. In addition to the experience, the candidate must demonstrate in their resume the following KSAs: Advanced knowledge of dental assisting across multiple areas of practice, and demonstrated ability to provide guidance to staff dental assistants. Skill in coordinating clinical work flow and assignments. Ability to assist in dental program development, outcome management, and strategic planning. Skill in acting as liaison between staff dental assistants and the supervisor. Ability to provide professional oversight and consultation for staff dental assistants. Preferred Experience: 3-5 years of experience in managing dental supplies. Experience in scanning dental clinic equipment. Experience in setting up dental kits for various procedures. Experience in dealing with equipment and supply recalls. Experience in coordinating daily schedules/filling in gaps in schedules. Commitment to VHA organization goals. References: VA Handbook 5005/46, Part II, Appendix G36, Dental Assistant Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7 Physical Requirements: Push carts full of medical supplies. There is a frequent requirement for lifting baskets of stainless steel instruments weighing 25 pounds from floor level to chest level and occasional requirements for similarly lifting baskets weighing 50 pounds, bending, stretching and reaching is frequently required. Dexterity and strength are required. The employee regularly pushes loaded carts weighing several hundred pounds, into elevators in sometimes crowded quarters, and works them over slight rises such as door-sills. Tension and stress are induced by the critical nature of producing work results critical to patient care on per-established time frames and in emergent situations. Workdays can be lengthened without notice by emergency surgery instrumentation needs. Tension and stress are induced by the critical nature of producing work results on a pre-established time frame as well as in emergent situations.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

NOTE: Education must be accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental] Accreditation (CODA). Search for Dental Programs (ada.org)

Contacts

• Address Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard San Antonio, TX 78229 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]