This position is located at the VA Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The Dental Laboratory Technician performs technical work in the fabrication and repair of both conventional and complicated dental prosthetic appliances that conform to the dentist's prescription, restore mastication, facilitate normal speech, maintain or correct facial dimension and contour, are natural in appearance, and can be worn or used with maximum comfort.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major duties and responsibilities include: Fabricates dental appliances such as complete dentures, removable partial dentures, crowns, fixed partial dentures, or combinations of fixed and removable partial dentures; Constructs orthodontic appliances, or dental splints and obturators, when the construction of the appliance is complicated because of the unusual nature or intricacy of the design required to overcome acute abnormalities; Identifies spatial and anatomical functions and esthetic relationships at all stages of the construction of the prosthesis to produce a finished product that meets the dentist's requirements; Uses dental laboratory equipment to fabricate dental appliances; Applies a thorough technical knowledge of both normal and abnormal oral anatomy and dentition as these affect the design, fabrication, function, and esthetics of the dental prosthesis being constructed; Surveys master casts for partial dentures to implement design prescribed by the dentists; Sets up and contours artificial teeth for full and partial dentures; Surveys, interprets designs, and fabricates fixed, semi-fixed, or removable partial dentures or complete dentures for cases that involve such abnormalities as acute malocclusion, or other conditions that present particular problems; Fabricates acrylic or porcelain crowns, bridges, and facings; Constructs stone, amalgam, or electroformed copper dies, or casts with removable dies, for use in fabricating crowns, inlays, or fixed partial dentures; Fabricates acrylic or cast metal splints for the reduction or fixation of maxillary and mandibular fractures, or obturators to close an opening in the palate; Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position at the GS-9 level, you must meet one of the following: EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-8) in the Federal Service, that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Dental Laboratory Technician, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Experience should include use of dental laboratory material such as impression materials, plasters, stones, hydrocolloids, waxes, metals, acrylics, porcelain, and similar materials; use of laboratory equipment such as hand tools, dental lathes, engines, and hand pieces, furnaces, casting machines, presses, flasks, and related equipment; use of precision instruments such as articulators, surveyors, and microanalyzers; and construction of dental prosthetic appliances. At this grade level, qualifying specialized experience also includes: experience constructing porcelain or acrylic fixed or semi-fixed bridge restorations, full or removable partial dentures, or orthodontic appliances, or dental splints and obturators, when the construction of the appliance is complicated because of the unusual nature or intricacy of the design required to overcome acute abnormalities; applying a thorough technical knowledge of both normal and abnormal oral anatomy and dentition as these affect the design, fabrication, function, and esthetics of the dental prosthesis being constructed. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. ~OR~ EDUCATION: Successful completion of two (2) full years of graduate education or a master's degree that is directly related to the work of the Dental Laboratory Technician position. Such graduate education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Licensed professional dentists will be considered qualified for any grade level if they have, in the aggregate, the required experience in dental laboratory procedures. (Transcripts, unofficial or official, must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.) ~OR~ COMBINATION: Equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ENGLISH LANGUAGE: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Analytical ThinkingApplies Technology to TasksMedicine and DentistryQuality AssuranceTechnical Competence IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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.

Contacts

• Address Tennessee Valley HCS - Nashville 1310 24th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37212 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]