This position is located at The Shiprock Service Unit, Northern Navajo Medical Center, Division of Clinical Services, Dental Services Branch, Shiprock, NM. The purpose of the position is to perform advanced prophylactic dental treatment for patients of all ages and periodontal treatment for patients with related medical and dental problems such as diabetes, cardiac complications, severe caries and periodontal disease. Incumbent reports to Supervisory Dentist.

Duties

Completes screening procedures, both general health and oral health, interprets routine radiographs, and works with dentist to complete examination and prepares treatment plans. Performs suture removal, changes dressings, applies topical anethetics and provides home care instructions. Assists the dentist by making repairs and adjustments to the teeth by smoothing rough edges of restorations, removing overhanging margins of fillings, reducing sharp edges of fractured teeth, polishing and finishing amalgam restorations, and inserting temporary fillings in teeth. Performs oral prophylaxis and scaling/root planning, completes protective restorations, and administers local anesthesia. Provides community-based dental prevention programs. Community-based preventative activities such as group and individual education, oral hygiene instructions, nutritional counseling, fluoride application, and sealant placement.

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): Licensure: Applicants for all grade levels and specializations must be currently licensed to practice as dental hygienists in a State or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. 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: 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. 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 that such persons show evidence of training, experience, and competence as determined by OPM or the employing agency. In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: GS-08: 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: Examples include: examine and assess patients, determine if systemic conditions are present and plan treatments; independently and without direct observation perform oral prophylaxis and provide therapeutic care, perform deep scaling, root planning and subgingival curettage, place temporary fillings and administer local anesthesia, place and remove rubber dams and apply sealant; provide oral health education services to individuals and groups; take, develop, and interpret intraoral and extraoral X-Rays. Outreach to community schools and teaching groups of people about oral hygiene Evaluation of Specialized Experience: Qualifying experience for clinical dental hygienists includes experience in performing oral prophylactic care and in providing oral health educational services to patients. Additionally, at the higher grade levels, qualifying experience includes (1) performing advanced oral prophylactic, therapeutic, and preventive procedures in cases of periodontal diseases or inflammation or on patients with other medical or dental problems, (2) placing temporary fillings, and (3) finishing amalgam restorations. Applicants for positions involving the use of X-rays must have had experience in taking and interpreting X-rays. Qualifying experience for community health dental hygienists includes experience in preparing and conducting educational lectures and demonstrations on dental hygiene, planning public health programs, providing advice and policy guidance to dental personnel on public health matters, and recommending improved methods of dental hygiene. The selected individual is required to maintain licensure requirements. If licensure is not maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions up to and including removal from Federal service. You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement. Position is OPEN UNTIL FILLED - the position may close earlier than the current closing date.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

• 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.
• Evaluation of Education: The academic curriculum in dental hygiene must have been accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, American Dental Association.
• 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 Shiprock Service Unit Hwy 491 N PO Box 160 Shiprock, NM 87420 US
• Name: Navajo Area IHS Human Resources
• Email: [email protected]