The incumbent performs a wide range of intra-oral dental procedures and provides chairside assistance in the clinic. Performs reversible intra-oral procedures associated with various phases of restorative, prosthodontic and maxillofacial prosthetic, periodontal, endodontic, implantology, and surgery procedures.

Duties

Functions: a. Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics: Selects, adapts and places matrix bands and wedges to normal and abnormal teeth; places ·cavity liners and bases cm prepared· teeth. Prepares a wide variety of dental materials for permanent or temporary restoration of teeth. Manually finishes anterior restorations. Fabricates, places, finishes and removes an types of provisional restorations. Applies topical anesthetics. Aids in tooth shade selection. Applies desensitizing agents. Places and removes retraction cords prior to impressions. Takes preliminary impressions for diagnostic casts, modifying impression trays as needed. Constructs and modifies final impression trays and pours and trims casts. b. Maxillofacial Prosthetics: In addition to the above procedures, prepares patient for moulage by draping, shaving and protecting surgerized tissues, when necessary. Applies impression material to face and head as indicated .. c. Periodontics: Places and removes protective surgical dressings, removes sutures. Applies desensitizing agents and medicaments. Supports dentist in endodontic treatments by adapting, applying and removing the rubber dam. Places and removes endodontic instrumentation. e. Radiography: Performs the full range of dental radiography. Takes radiographs of in-patients and out-patients according to prescription, including periapical, bitewing, occlusal, panoramic, cephalometric, facial series, mandibular series, and temporomandibular joint tomographs. In taking radiographs, the incumbent correctly positions the patient and the film to achieve proper radiographic angles and diagnostic quality. Protects the patient from unwanted radiation exposure by correctly utilizing a variety of lead shields. Develops, fixes, washes, dries and mounts radiographs. The incumbent uses both manual and automatic processors. Maintains and cleans all developing equipment. . Prepares solutions, cleans manual and automatic tanks. Maintains x-ray area, operatory and darkroom. Monitors levels of all x-ray supplies and orders supplies when stock is Jaw. Maintains patient logs, notating procedures accomplished on medical records and records data on computer terminal. f. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Assists the dentist in all oral surgical procedures, including treatment of infection, pathology, soft tissue deformities. Maintains surgical instruments in sterilized packs according to clinic and Medical Center procedure. Makes preparation for surgery to be accomplished in the hospital clinic surgical suite. Prepares instruments, sterile trays, equipment and materials and assures that they are present and properly arranged for the surgical procedure. Scrubs and preps the patient's .face, provides any appropriate pre-operative oral rinses, drapes the patient with sterile sheets and towels as required. Routes patients for further medical testing if needed and orders and retrieves medical records from the main file. Is responsible for pre and post-operative preparation of IV sedation and oxygen administration equipment .Is responsible for monitoring this equipment luring surgery. Obtains consent from the patient for any surgery procedures. Anticipates the dentist needs at each stage of surgery and performs the following: passes and retrieves instruments and materials, maintains the field illumination, retracts and stabilizes tissues, keeps surgical field clear of blood and debris, applies hemostats where required, prepares suture material and cuts sutures; and applies and removes wound dressings. Obtains vital signs from patients and observes the patient for signs of adverse reactions, syncope, shock, allergy, cardiac arrest, etc. Knowledge of radiation safety principles is required to take diagnostic radiographs. Knowledge of operating and maintaining dental operatory units and x-ray equipment is required. Dexterity in performing intra-oral procedure is required. Knowledge of and skill in detecting signs of syncope, shock, allergy or other cardiac or pulmonary adverse reactions to dental treatment in patients is required. Knowledge of and ability to recognize common dental disorders such as inflamed tissue, infection and tooth decay and ·ability to perform any reversible procedure as directed by the dentist. Knowledge of the medical and dental terminology used with a variety of diagnostic and treatment procedures provided patients are needed in order to record and report medical and dental information such as x-ray and test results. Knowledge of infection control guidelines, have accepted methods of sterilization and of sterilizing agents used with materials and equipment of differing composition is required. Knowledge of laser safety principles is required. Work Schedule: 8AM-4:30PM Mon to Fri Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) b. 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)]. (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. c. 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) Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification of radiologic competence may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate dental assistant under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 (a) (1) (D). Failure to obtain certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. This [will result in removal from the GS-681 series and] may result in termination of employment.(3) Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.[(4) 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.] [(5)] 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. f. 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 REQUIREMENTS a. Definitions(1) Creditable Experience (a) Knowledge of Current Professional Dental Assistant Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities [(KSAs)], and other characteristics (also referred to as "core competencies") associated with current professional dental assisting practice. Evidence of such experience includes graduation from a certified dental assisting training program, experience in private practice, VHA, Department of Defense (DoD), or other federal[, state, community or charitable] health care agency. (b) Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable after the training program certifies that the individual has completed all required courses, an internship if it is part of the program, and graduated with passing grades. (c) Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a dental assistant is credited according to its relationship to full-time workweek. For example, a dental assistant would receive 1 week of full-time credit for each 2 weeks of half-time work. (2) [Expanded Function Level. Expanded function level is defined as possessing the training and ability to provide independent and expert dental procedures as well as providing clinical assistance to the treating dentists in more complex procedural cases. The expanded function dental assistant has an increased depth and breadth of dental practice skills, and has mastered a range of dental procedures and interventions and provides direct patient care within the scope of practice. Examples of procedures may be diagnostic, restorative and/or surgical in nature. The expanded function dental assistant will make independent professional decisions and recommendations to the treating dentist and interdisciplinary care teams. The expanded functional dental assistant has the expertise to participate in the professional development of colleagues through mentorship and teaching]. b. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-6 [Staff Dental Assistant (Full Performance Level)] (a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience [equivalent to] the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the [following] technical KSAs [ ]: (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1. [Ability to identify normal oral anatomy. 2. Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures. 3. Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs. 4. Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist. 5. Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats. 6. Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry. 7. Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records. 8. Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures] (c) Assignment. [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 5005/46 PART IIb APPENDIX G36 APRIL 19, 2011 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS 6 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 Durham VA Medical Center 508 Fulton Street Durham, NC 27705 US
• Name: Cedric Mckinzie
• Phone: 919-286-0411 X174078
• Email: [email protected]