This Supervisory Dental Assistant position is located at the Jennifer Moreno VA Medical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA. The Supervisory Dental Assistant is responsible for the supervision, administrative management and direction of dental assistants. Typical duties include: making work assignments, monitoring dental assistant performance, resolving daily workplace issues, conducting performance appraisals, and maintaining efficient flow of patient care.

Duties

Lead Duties: Duties listed in this section (a) comprise at least 25% of the Lead Dental Assistant's time. (1) Leads a team of dental employees. Provides the guidance and technical direction necessary for accomplishing the work of the team. Takes responsibility for the dental team's performance on National dental performance measures/monitors and indicators. (2) Serves as a work leader, assuring the work assignments of employees in the unit are carried out. Coordinates daily work assignments at the start of the shift and throughout the day as the need arises. (3) Monitors the status and progress of work and makes adjustments in accordance with established priorities. Obtains assistance from the Dental Chief or Supervisory Dental Assistant as needed for major issues or problems which arise. (4) Provides expert advice on specific tasks, procedures and policies. (5) Identifies training needs and instructs employees in specific tasks and job techniques. Trains employees and fee basis providers in computerized dental patient record systems including generating patient consults, storing and viewing digital images, entry of diagnostic data and preparation of treatment plans. (6) Trains (or makes arrangements for training) team members, students and volunteers in the accomplishment of tasks or projects. (7) Maintains current knowledge and answers questions from team members on procedures, policies, and directives. (8) Makes written instructions, reference materials, and relevant background material available. Obtains needed information on decisions from the Dental Chief or Supervisory Dental Assistant on major issues and problems that arise. Clinical Duties: Provides dental assistance with general dentistry specialty procedures including oral surgery, endodontic, prosthodontic and implant placement and restoration services to the Veteran population enrolled in the VA San Diego Healthcare System. (1) Proficiently provides procedures commonly recognized by the dental profession for safe performance by a dental assistant: fourhanded chair-side dental assisting, dental lab procedures, and performing other such procedures as may be delegated by the dentist consistent with the California State Dental Practice Act. (2) Complies with all Patient Safety processes: Infection control, patient identification, time-out, iMed (informed) consent, medication reconciliation, and hand-off communication. (3) Follows standard operating procedures for all reusable medical device (RMD), instruments, materials, and personal protective equipment (PPE) in use in the dental clinical areas. (4) Keeps patients informed of clinic delays by directly communicating with patients when treatment will not commence within 10-minutes of the patient's scheduled appointment time. (5) Prepares the operatory with all needed equipment, materials and supplies for planned dental procedure(s) prior to seating the patient and cleans operatory after the patient is dismissed for timely turnover. (6) Performs and records patient's blood pressure, pulse, and medical history; recognizes patient signs of physical distress and monitors patients' condition during treatment. (7) Captures and saves diagnostic quality digital radiographs of the mouth, gums, jaws, and/or teeth --- both intraoral and extraoral --- within the desired time frame. (8) Anticipates the dentist's need at each stage of the treatment procedure, including specialty procedures (in oral surgery, periodontal therapy, endodontics, prosthodontics, and implant placement and retention), and makes instrumentation and/or materials readily available, whether in the dental clinic, operating room, or the patient's bedside. Work Schedule: Full time, Mon-Fri, 7:00am-3:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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 meet. 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 and 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)]. 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 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). 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 this position. 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: GS-7 Lead Dental Assistant Experience. At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Advanced knowledge of dental assisting across multiple areas of practice, and the demonstrated ability to provide guidance to staff dental assistants. Skill in coordinating clinical work flow and assignments. Ability to assist in dental program development, outcome management, and strategic planning. Skill in acting as liaison between staff dental assistants and the supervisor Ability to provide professional oversight and consultation for staff dental assistants Preferred Experience: Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable. Knowledge in various Policies, Handbooks and Directives, Memoranda and Standard Operating Procedures, Workplace duties and Competencies within the VHA, Medical Center and Dental Service. Knowledge in policy development and workload analysis. Preferred: The qualification standard is referring to Certified Dental Assistants (CDA) and this is required for all grades above the full performance level (GS-6), whether that is a supervisor, lead, or expanded functions dental assistant position. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/46, PART II, APPENDIX G36, APRIL 19, 2011 Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work include moderate lifting (15-44 lbs), heavy carrying (45 lbs and over), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, good distant vision in one eye, ability to hear whisper voice. There is moderate walking (3-4 hrs.) and some extended periods of standing (3-4 hrs.).

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 San Diego VA Medical Center 3350 La Jolla Village Drive San Diego, CA 92161 US
• Name: Rosezanna Daker
• Email: [email protected]