Positions located in Santa Fe and Santa Clara Indian Health Center, Division of Dental Services, under supervision of the Supervisor of Dental Services, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The purpose of this position is to provide chairside assistance for Staff Dentist(s) in restorative, prosthodontic, surgical, endodontic and periodontal treatment in the dental clinic.

Duties

Provide chairside assistance., recording of examination information and treatment performed. Prepare patient and operatory, including setting up appropriate instruments, for planned procedures. Provide routine prophylaxis, topical fluoride treatment and place pit and fissure sealant as prescribed by the dentist. Expose and process dental radiographs. Restore teeth after dentist has accomplished cavity preparation. Maintain clinic areas in a clean and operative condition. Order supplies and keep clinic properly stocked. Responsible for cleaning, sharpening, packaging and sterilization procedures on dental instruments

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. 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; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. BASIC REQUIREMENT(S): Individual Occupational Requirements NOTE: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (l) 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 (2) be certified as radiographers in their field. The following meet these requirements: (1) Persons employed by the Federal Government as radiologic personnel prior to the effective date of the regulation (January 13, 1986) who show evidence of current or fully satisfactory performance or certification of such from a licensed practitioner such as a doctor of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, podiatry, or chiropractic who prescribes radiologic procedures to others. (2) Persons first employed by the Federal Government as radiologic personnel after the effective date of the regulation who (a) received training from institutions in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not accredit training in that particular field at the time of graduation, or (b) practiced in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not license that particular field or did not allow special eligibility to take a licensure examination for those who did not graduate from an accredited educational program, provided such persons show evidence of training, experience, and competence, as determined by OPM or the employing agency. All applicants, however, must meet the requirements below. Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Experience in dental assistance to general or specialized dentistry, dental assistant (expanded function) work, or any combination of these appropriate to the position being filled. OR Education and Training: For GS-3: Successful completion of (a) a 1-year dental assistant program or completion of 1 year of a dental hygiene program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Accreditation that included a course in radiation physics; radiation biology; radiation health, safety, and protection; X-ray films and radiographic film quality, radiographic techniques; darkroom and processing techniques; and film mounting; or (b) practical nurse training approved by the appropriate State, territory, or District of Columbia accrediting body. For GS-4: Successful completion of (a) a 2-year dental assistant program or completion of a 2-year dental hygiene program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Accreditation that included at least 12 semester hours of courses such as those shown above for GS-3; or (b) at least 6 months of general experience AND 6 months of specialized experience. Specialized experience include prepares sterile trays and packs; provides chair-side assistance during in general dentistry; passes instruments and materials to and retrieves them from the dentist; operates oral evacuator and suction tip to keep area of operation clear; operates dental X-ray equipment to take radiographs; and relays to patient post-treatment instructions from dentist. For GS-5: Successful completion of (a) a full 4-year course of study in a dental assistant or dental hygiene program that included at least 24 semester hours in courses as shown above for GS-3; or (b) 1 year of specialized experience that has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This specialized experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-04 level in the Federal service as described in the vacancy announcement. Examples include: Responds to basic medical emergencies; takes/records vital signs; provides pre/post-operative instructions; maintains a field of operation during dental procedures-uses retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, placing/ removing cotton rolls; uses four-handed dentistry concepts, assists with basic restorative methods; mixes basic dental materials; helps prepare laboratory prescription forms; applies pressure indicator paste to removable prostheses; exposes/processes basic dental radiographs; mounts/labels dental radiographs and/or saves digital imaging to electronic medical records; evaluates radiographs for diagnostic quality; maintains routine dental equipment per manufacturer and dental service standards. For GS-06 (a) 1 year of specialized experience that has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service as described in the vacancy announcement. Examples Include: Performing Class IV (caries affecting proximal including incisal edges of anterior teeth) restorations of teeth after preparation, cementing stainless steel crowns, takes preliminary impressions, and carving and polishing any type of cusp protected alloy; or (b) Successfully completed 6 months (9 semester hours) of graduate education that is directly related to the work of the position. Special Requirements for GS-5 and above Dental Assistant (Expanded Function): Applicants for Dental Assistant (Expanded Function) positions must have completed l year of acceptable course work, preceptorship, or other formal training and/or work assignments specifically designed to equip them with knowledge and skills required to perform intra-oral procedures involved in the position to be filled. Examples of acceptable training are: Courses in a dental hygiene or dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Accreditation that are directly related to the intra-oral procedures (also referred to as expanded functions) that are to be performed in the position to be filled. U.S. Army's Dental Therapy Assistant Training Program. Continuing education courses in expanded functions for dental assistants offered by the Indian Health Service of the Department of Health and Human Services. Other training comparable to the above in private or governmental hospitals, clinics, or schools that included formal classroom instruction and clinical training in the knowledge and skills required to perform intra-oral procedures in the position to be filled. Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP). You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Education

For positions requiring positive education requirements, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or an itemized list of college courses which includes equivalent information from the transcript (course title, semester/quarter hours, and grade/degree earned) in your resume.

When there is a positive education requirement, or you are using education to qualify as a substitution for experience, transcripts (unofficial) are required at the time of application to verify that you meet the educational requirement or substitution.
Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Santa Fe Service Unit 1700 Cerrillos Road Santa Fe, NM 87505 US
• Name: Doris Edwards
• Phone: (505) 256-6823
• Email: [email protected]