Job opening: Dental Assistant
Salary: $51 644 - 67 139 per year
Published at: Nov 01 2024
Employment Type: Full-time
Incumbent will assist the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and perform other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision.
Duties
Duties my include but may not be limited to:
Customer Service
Relationships with management, co-workers, patients, and the general public are consistently courteous, respectful, and cooperative in nature.
Employee will display a cooperative attitude and will effectively work together to implement the organization's mission and goals.
Employee will ensure productivity is maintained at the established level.
Chairside Assisting
Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover
Passes instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently
Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably
Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions
Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols
Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry
Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics,
prosthodontics, implant placement and restoration
Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer instructions and dental service standards
Dental Imaging
Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, ceph, cone beam) in traditional and/or
digital formats
Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider
Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed
Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, and retakes are minimized
Imaging requests are accomplished within the desired time frame
Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization
Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning operatories
Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination
Properly prepares instruments for transfer to SPD for sterilization
Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment
Works closely with SPS to ensure availability of instruments so that clinical care is not delayed
Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images
Clerical Functions
Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments
Initiates computerized progress note
Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records
Information Management
Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information
Follows computer security regulations
Patient Safety
Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position)
Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients
Participates in patient identification and time out per Joint Commission requirements
Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress
Employee Education
Complies with Employee Education requirements
Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions
Dental Laboratory Functions
Pours impressions and prepares study models
Makes final denture impression trays and prepares bite rims
Fabricates athletic mouth guards and bleaching trays
Performs other dental laboratory functions as time and skill levels allow
Direct Patient Care
Monitors patient vital signs (BP, pulse, pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and
during recovery period following procedure
Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site
Applies topical fluoride
Makes impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication
Removes plaque and soft debris from removable prostheses
Provides patient preventative education and oral hygiene instruction
Provides post-operative and other appropriate patient education
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. Schedule subject to change based on the needs of the Agency.
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 92327-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
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:
United States Citizenship. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
Experience and/or Education
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. 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
(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), II-G36-1 APRIL 19, 2011 VA HANDBOOK 5005/46 PART II APPENDIX G36.
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.
Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
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.
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.
Creditable Experience
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.
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.
May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).
Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met:
GS-6 Staff Dental Assistant (Full Performance Level)
Experience. At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. This experience may include but is not limited to; responds to basic medical emergencies; measures and records vital signs; provides pre- and post operative instructions; maintains a field of operation during dental procedures through the use of retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, placing and removing cotton rolls; using the concepts of four handed dentistry, assists with basic restorative procedures; mixes basic dental materials; assists in preparation of laboratory prescription forms; applies pressure indicator paste to removable prostheses; exposes and processes basic dental radiographs; mounts and 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
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following technical KSAs:
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.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06.
Preferred Experience: Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/46 PART II APPENDIX G36
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 Northern Indiana HCS
1700 East 38th Street
Marion, IN 46953
US
- Name: Amanda Richmond
- Phone: 214-857-2293
- Email: [email protected]
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