The Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistants facilitate direct patient care by working together with the dentist in restorative, prosthodontic, maxillofacial prosthodontic, periodontal, endodontic, and oral surgery procedures. Performs a higher level, scope, complexity and variety of dental assisting duties representing the clinical assignment, and applies advanced clinical skills.

Duties

The Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant performs a higher level, scope, complexity and variety of dental assisting duties representing the clinical assignment and applies advanced clinical skills. They perform the full range of duties for routine patient care with indirect supervision from the lead or supervisory dental assistant or the treating dentist. Clinical expanded function dental assistants perform assigned selected procedures with some independence. Some complex patient procedures are performed under indirect supervision of a more experienced clinical expanded function dental assistant or dentist. They must maintain current Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) certification. DANB provides a list of permissible clinical expanded function duties specific for each state. Duties of the Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant include, but not limited to the following: Duties listed in this section (a) comprise at least 25% of the clinical expanded function dental assistant's time. Performs mouth mirror inspection of the oral cavity Gathers diagnostic information Performs pulp vitality testing Charts existing restoration and conditions Selects shades for fixed and removable prostheses Places and removes rubber dams and matrix bands Places and removes retraction cord Places and removes intracoronal temporary restoration Removes temporary crown/bridge and clean tooth preparation of debris Fabricates, adjusts and cements temporary crowns Removes permanent cement from supragingival surfaces Removes sutures Places and removes surgical dressings Monitors nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesic Performs coronal polishing of teeth Removes hard accretions from and polishes removable prostheses Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 5:30pm 4 days a week Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. 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. Experience. 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)]. OR, Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Certification. Radiologic Competence 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). 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 required for all positions above the full performance level. **NOTE: 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. English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Grade Determinations GS-7 Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant Experience. At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-06) or equivalent that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06) includes 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. Experience must demonstrate the core competencies described at the next lower grade level (GS-06), which includes: 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 Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures. Demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities: In addition to the above listed required experience, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following technical knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs): Ability to perform dental assisting expanded functions Comprehensive working knowledge of advanced imaging techniques in order to provide instruction (e.g. cone beam, cephalometric, advanced panoramic imaging, TMJ, etc) Assignment: In this position, the employee performs a higher level, scope, complexity and variety representing the clinical assignment, and applies advanced clinical skills. Representative duties at this level include, but are not limited to gathering diagnostic information, pulp vitality testing, charting of existing conditions, placing of rubber dam and matrices, selecting shades, placing retraction cord, placing and removing temporary restorations, fabricating temporary crowns and removing permanent cement from supragingival surfaces. In addition, the expanded function assistant may place and remove surgical dressing, monitor nitrous oxide analgesia, and perform coronal polishing and the cleaning and polishing of removable prostheses. DANB Certification is REQUIRED for this position and must be submitted with your application documents. Preferred Experience: References: VA Handbook 5005/46, Part II, Appendix G36 - Dental Assistant Qualification Standard, GS-681, dated April 19, 2011 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. Physical Requirements: Stand for long periods of time, use hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 for more information.

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/.

Contacts

• Address West Palm Beach VA Medical Center 7305 North Military Trail West Palm Beach, FL 33410 US
• Name: Kristen L. Johnson
• Phone: 443-531-8426
• Email: [email protected]