Summary The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Dental Service is one of the largest patient care, education and research enterprises in VHA. We are a tertiary medical care facility which provides quality patient centered care in all aspects and specialties of dentistry. This Dental Assistant position is for 2 positions, located in North Hills, California. *This position will remain at the North Hills, CA Ambulatory Care Center until the Lancaster is fully staffed and operational. Responsibilities The major duties and responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to: Proficient in the delivery of dental care in all disciplines/specialties of dentistry with any level dental provider in every environment/setting and have an extensive experience with impression procedures and materials as well as dental laboratory techniques, procedures, and materials including the proper handling and safety. Knowledgeable of preventive dentistry and and autonomously provide proper oral hygiene instructions/techniques to individuals and groups of patients. Proficient in the utilization of the dental program in the computer system for scheduling, dental record charting and making/completing electronic dental progress notes while complying with privacy requirements. Actively involved with the didactic and clinical training and supervision of dental assistant trainees from affiliated dental assistant training programs and volunteers from the immediate community (including high school students and undergraduate college students who want to pursue a career in dentistry). Maintain advanced knowledge in dental infection control and VA Reusable Medical/Dental Equipment regulations and educate and supervise the assistant trainees, dental students and new dental residents in these areas. Participate in the Dental Service Performance Improvement Plans, System Redesign Projects, and Quality Assurance Monitoring. There are currently several GLA research projects which are all exclusively clinical studies, and the GLA dental assistants are an integral part of the professional enhancements and improvements in patient dental care in these progressive/creative scholarly ventures. Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not available Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not available PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not available Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). 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. 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 all positions above the full performance level. English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. 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 when determining the grade of candidates. GS-3 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements above. GS-4 Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, 1 year of experience at the next lower level, OR, 2 years of education above high school that included completion of a dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling. Basic knowledge of dental procedures and medical emergencies. Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval. Basic knowledge of maintenance, care and storage of dental equipment. Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements. GS-5 Experience: In addition to the requirements listed at the GS-4 level, applicants must demonstrate at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level, OR, have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a dental assistant program by CODA. In addition to the requirements above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of anatomy and [ability to evaluate diagnostic quality. Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement. Basic knowledge of instruments, materials and standardized dental procedures. Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA. Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol. GS-6 Experience: Applicants must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following 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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is within the range of GS-03 to GS-06. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G36 - Dental Assistant Qualification Standard. Physical Requirements: Long periods of standing, walking, sitting, and bending are required. Pushing dental equipment and carts are necessary to deliver items to the operatory or procedure site. It is necessary to climb onto lifts to retrieve or store supplies, or to help the dentist carry out a surgical or dental procedure. 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/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. These positions will be filled as soon as best qualified candidates are selected. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternative method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
