The incumbent of this position is responsible for performing the duties of a dental assistant in a hospital-based dental clinic at the Chillicothe VA Medical Center. The incumbent serves as a staff dental assistant for routine patient care and performs a full range of duties; incumbent will receive guidance from more experience staff members for more complex patient issues and be given daily close supervision from treating dentist and dental supervisors.

Duties

Effectively works with others to implement the organization's mission and goals. Sets up operatory for planned procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover. Assists providers in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry. Assists providers in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement and restoration. Provides accurate and understandable post-operative instructions to patients. Takes vital signs, monitors patient during invasive treatment and recovery periods, constructs temporary crowns, and applies fluoride and provides preventative education and oral hygiene instruction to patients. Properly stores and maintains adequate levels of supplies in assigned rooms and operatories. Ensures instruments and unapproved items are not left in operatory during non-patient care hours. Ensures medicaments are properly secured during and following patient care; monitors expiration dates of all supplies, medications, and instruments throughout assigned areas. Reviews daily clinical schedules in advance to meet National Dental Quality Indicators. Tracks lab cases for assigned dentist; responsible or timely and proper handling of biologic and non-biologic materials and entering information upon receipt and usage into TrackCore and Dental Share Drive for purpose of tracking and supply monitoring. Captures both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. cone beam) characterized by diagnostic quality and accurate orientation. Schedules patients in accordance with national directives. Completes lab duties (i.e. model pour and trim). Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Thursday-Friday, 7:30 am-4:00 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Title/Functional Statement #:Dental Assistant (Part-Time)/PD918360 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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: Must be proficient in written and spoken English Experience and Education: Experience - Experience - Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides familiarity with the work. OR Education - Education - Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on [Dental] Accreditation [(CODA)]. OR 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. (1) 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). (2) Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable. (3) 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. 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: Experience or Education: None beyond the Basic Requirements. GS-4: Experience or Education: In addition to the basic requirements, 1 year of experience at the next lower level, GS-3 -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: Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling; Basic knowledge of dental procedures and [medical emergencies; Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval; Basic knowledge of maintenance, care and storage of dental equipment; Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements. GS-5: 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, GS-4, that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. 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: (this is the Full Performance Level of this position) Experience or Education: At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-5, that demonstrates the core competencies. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs: (1) Ability to identify normal oral anatomy; advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures. (2) Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs (3) Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist. (4) Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats. (5) Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry. (6) Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records. (7) Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures. Assignment for the Grade 6. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G36, Dental Assistant The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6. Physical Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk. This work requires long periods of standing and walking as well as considerable bending and stooping. Patient mental and physical status will require the incumbent to be able to assist patients during transfer that is required of examinations and treatment. The incumbent of this position is expected to understand, remember, and apply oral and/or written instructions or other information; understand, remember, and communicate routine, factual information; understand problems and to collaborate and explore alternative solutions; understand opposing points of view and to integrate different viewpoints; organize thoughts and ideas into understandable terminology; organize and prioritize own work schedule; count accurately; and understand and follow basic instructions and guidelines.

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 Chillicothe VA Medical Center 17273 State Route 104 Chillicothe, OH 45601 US
• Name: Katelyn Clark
• Phone: 740-773-1141 X17353
• Email: [email protected]