This position is located within the Kayenta Dental Unit at Kayenta Health Center in Kayenta, AZ. The purpose of this position is to perform all routine and advanced chair side dental assistant functions in order to allow the dental team to function as efficiently as possible.

Duties

Performs other reversible intra-oral procedures and provides chair side assistance and other supportive services in the dental clinic. Maintains supply levels and cleanliness of dental station, sterilizes instruments, materials and equipment. Assists patient in completing medical history statements, records examination and treatment information as relayed by dentist. Instructs patient in preventative dental care, demonstrates brushing and flossing techniques and use of disclosing tablets, explains the common causes of decay and its relationship to general diet. Takes preliminary impressions, and constructs impression trays. Pours and trims models from impressions and constructs impression trays as needed. Exposes and develops intra and extra-oral radiographs. Places cavity bases and liners on prepared tooth matrix bands and wedges when required; places, condenses, carves and finishes simple amalgam restorations; and those requiring retentive pins or cusps replacements; places, compresses and finishes synthetic anterior restorations; places and contours temporary restorations.

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): 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. For GS-4: Successful completion of 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. For GS-5: Successful completion of 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. 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. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: For GS-2: 3 months of General Experience For GS-3: 6 months of General Experience For GS-4: 6 months of general experience and 6 months of Specialized experience. Specialized Experience: Clean and sharpen instruments; sterilize instruments using autoclave and dryclave techniques. Prepare sterile trays, packs, sutures, etc. Requisitions work from dental laboratory. Receive and prepare patients for treatment such as routine restoration. Lay out instruments and materials needed for treatment. Operate dental X-ray equipment to take intra and extra-oral radiographs; develop and finish film. For GS-5: 1 year of Specialized experience at least to the next lower grade level. Specialized experience: Record information related to medical history of patient, when required route patient for medical tests and services. Chart examination and treatment information as relayed by dentist on patient records. Record information as directed by dentist on prescriptions and a variety of forms related to dental care. Prepare, arrange all instruments and materials needed for each treatment. Pass instruments and materials to and retrieve from the dentist; keep area of operation clear using high speed evacuator, suction tip and irrigation; retracts tissue, tongue and cheek. In surgical procedures maintain aseptic condition, stabilize tissue for dentist and cut sutures. For GS-6: 1 year of specialized experience at least next lower grade level. Specialized experience: Maintain supply levels and cleanliness of dental station; sterilize instruments, materials and equipment. Assist patient in completing medical history statements. Record examination and treatment information as relayed by dentist. Instruct patient in preventive dental care: demonstrate brushing and flossing techniques and use of disclosing tablets; explain the common cause of decay and its relationship to general diet. Take preliminary impressions for study models and modify impression trays as needed. Pour and trim models from impressions. Construct custom impression trays. Restore teeth prepared by dentist; place cavity bases and liners on prepared tooth; place matrix bands and wedges when required; place, condense, carve and finish simple amalgam restorations, such as those not requiring retentive pins or cusp replacement; places, compress and finish synthetic single-surface anterior restorations; place and contour temporary restorations. As directed by dentist remove sutures, apply topical anesthesia, desensitizing agents, medication and surgical gauze following extractions, apply and remove periodontal dressings. Expose and develop intra- and extra-oral radiographs. 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).

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

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.

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 Kayenta Service Unit PO Box 368 Kayenta, AZ 86033 US
• Name: Claircita Richards
• Phone: 928-697-4000
• Email: [email protected]