Summary This Lead Dental Assistant position is located at Lee County Healthcare System, Cape Coral. The Lead Dental Assistant works with Dental Service Chief and Supervisory Dental Assistant to monitor and make work assignments , provide input on performance, resolve daily workplace issues, and maintain flow of patient care. Responsibilities Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties listed in this section(a) comprise at least 25% of the Lead Dental Assistant Time; Leads a team of dental employees and Fee Basis dental providers. Provides the guidance and technical direction necessary for accomplishing the work of the team. Takes responsibility for dental team's performance measures/ monitors and indicators. Serves as a work leader assuring the work assignment of employees in the unit are carried out. Coordinates daily work assignments at the start of the shift and thought of the day as the need arises. Monitor the status and progress of work and make 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. Provides expert advise on specific task, procedures, and policies. 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. Clinical Provides dental assistance with general dentistry specialty procedures including oral surgery, periodontal therapy, endodontic, prosthodontic and implant placement and restoration services to the Veteran population enrolled in the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System. 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 Florida State Dental Practice Act. Complies with all Patient Safety processes: Infection control, patient identification, time-out, iMed (informed) consent, medication reconciliation, and hand-off communication. Follows standard operating procedures for all reusable medical equipment (RME), instruments, materials, and personal protective equipment (PPE) in use in the dental clinical areas. 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. 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. Keeps up to date and complies with all current Policies, Handbooks and Directives, Memoranda and Standard Operating Procedures, Workplace duties and Competencies within the VHA, applicable Accreditation and Regulatory Agencies, Medical Center, and Dental Service. Effectively participates in staff meetings and service conference calls; complies with employee education requirements. Collaborates with dentists, dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental lab techs, the Dental Administrative Officer, and Medical Support Assistants (MSAs) in a manner that enhances coordination of patient care. Demonstrates a working knowledge of dental eligibility and the scope of care that may be provided based on the patient's dental classification. Properly fills out "Return to Clinic" orders for patient follow-up care. Assists in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments. The Lead Dental Assistant performs under the general supervision of the Dental Service Chief and direct supervision of the Supervisory Dental Assistant. Work is assigned by the supervising dentist, Supervisory Dental Assistant or Chief, Dental Service. The Dental Service Chief establishes work priorities and clinic procedures for the lead dental assistant's interactions with the dental team. The Lead Dental Assistant plans and completes tasks based on established protocols/accepted dental practices. The characteristics of dental procedures and the operation of new equipment are taught through formal or informal training sessions. A dentist is available for professional guidance when required. The Lead Dental Assistant informs the Dental Service Chief and/or Supervisory Dental Assistant of problems or unusual situations with recommendations for appropriate action. The lead dental assistant's work is reviewed on an overall basis by the Supervisory Dental Assistant for conformity to Dental Service policy and requirements. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21783F 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. 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). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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:(all applicants must meet the following basic requirements): Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) 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)].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 Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD). 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 required for all positions above the full performance level. DANB CERTIFICATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION. Grade Requirements: Creditable Experience (a) 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. (b) 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. (c) Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a dental assistant is credited according to its relationship to full-time workweek. For example, a dental assistant would receive 1 week of full-time credit for each 2 weeks of half-time work. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-7 Lead Dental Assistant 1. 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: 2. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities a. Advanced knowledge of dental assisting across multiple areas of practice, and demonstrated ability to provide guidance to staff dental assistants. b. Skill in coordinating clinical work flow and assignments. c. Ability to assist in dental program development, outcome management, and strategic planning. d. Skill in acting as liaison between staff dental assistants and the supervisor. e. Ability to provide professional oversight and consultation for staff dental assistants. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Preferred Experience: Previous experience as a Lead Dental Assistant. 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 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 Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order: 1.Current permanent VA employees of the facility. 2.All other VA employees. 3.All other applicants. 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. 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 alternate 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. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
