Summary The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Dental Hygienist that adheres to established department guidelines, ethics, policies and protocols of the Dental department. The Dental Hygienist is an integral member of the dental treatment team and performs a wide variety of interventions which contribute to the overall oral health of Veterans. The work requires a professional knowledge of the field of dental hygiene and the biomedical sciences that relate to dentistry. Responsibilities This Fee Basis (per diem) position has an intermittent work schedule, see important information in the "Duties" section below. Responsibilities and duties of the Dental Hygienist include but are not limited to: Clinical Proficiently provides procedures commonly recognized by the dental profession for safe performance by a licensed dental hygienist include the removal of all hard and soft deposits and stains from the human teeth to the depth of the gingival sulcus, polishing natural and restored surfaces of teeth, performing clinical examination of teeth and surrounding tissues for diagnosis by the dentist, 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. Maintains operatory standardization by ensuring all products, materials and instruments are unexpired in operatory and in storage locations throughout the clinic. 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 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. Performs and records patient's blood pressure, pulse, and medical history; recognizes patient signs of physical distress and monitors patients' condition during treatment. Captures and saves diagnostic quality digital radiographs of the mouth, gums, jaws, and/or teeth --- both intraoral and extraoral --- of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats within the desired time frame, for same day dental exams. Provides dental prophylaxis of natural teeth (including removing cement from teeth and restorations) and dental prostheses. Provides gross debridement, scaling and root planning, and subgingival curettage. Administers local anesthetic agents (in accordance with Florida and applicable licensure/training requirements and under direct supervision of dentist). Applies desensitizing agents, fluoride (foam, gel or varnish), anti inflammatory agents and topical anesthesia to specified areas of the oral cavity. Administrative/Clerical 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 via reports, phone calls, and secure message. Retrieves data and charts clinical findings, completed care and treatment plans in the Dental Record Manager Plus (DRM+) component of the Computerized Patient medical Record System (CPRS), showing expertise in the use of the functionalities applicable to the medical record documentation and management contained in both CPRS and DRM+. CPT Code CPT Description Fee D1110 Dental Prophylaxis adult 45.45 D1206 Topical Fluoride Varnish 30.3 D1320 tobacco counseling 10.1 D4910 periodontal maintenance procedures 45.45 D0120 periodontal maintenance procedures 25.25 D0274 dental bitewings four films 10 D0150 comprehensive oral evaluation 30.3 D0210 intracor complete film series 10 d0220 intraoral periapical first f 8.08 D0230 intraoral periapical ea add 5.05 d0330 dental panoramic film 10 D9945 occlusal guard soft 146.45 D4341 'PERIODONTAL SCALING AND ROOT PLANING - FOUR OR MORE TEETH PER QUADRANT 45.45 Work Schedule: Varied Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Not Available Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized 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: 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 hygienists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Education. Applicants must possess an Associate degree or higher from an accredited dental hygiene program. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved programs are: Dental hygiene programs accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Education completed outside of the United States must be considered at least equivalent to that gained in CODA accredited United States programs and would enable the candidate to sit for the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, which is administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. Licensure-Documentation Submitted. Applicants must be currently licensed to practice as a dental hygienist with a full, current and unrestricted license in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Certification-Documentation Submitted. P.L. 97-35, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act Of 1981, requires persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 C.F.R. Part 75, Standards for the Accreditation of Educational Programs for and the Credentialing of Radiologic Personnel. To meet this requirement, 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. Accredited dental hygiene programs contain curriculum addressing radiologic procedures meets the requirement for certification as dental radiographers. Loss of Credential. Management officials will remove dental hygienists from their positions who fail to maintain the required licensure/certification, which may also result in termination of employment. 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.). See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for additional information. 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 for 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.
