Summary Come join our amazing team! This role is part of the Dental Service at the Salem VA Medical Center, where you'll play a key role in our fast-paced, hospital-based clinic. You'll assist providers and also work independently on advanced dental procedures-from restorative and endodontics to prosthodontics, periodontics, implantology, and oral surgery-using four-handed dentistry techniques. A recruitment incentive may be authorized for well-qualified candidates. Responsibilities The Dental Assistant assists the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and performs other clinical and clerical functions under direct supervision. Duties include but are not limited to: Customer Service: Shows courtesy, respect and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers, and the public. Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, provide service recovery. Chairside Assisting: Set up operatory for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover. Pass instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently. Keep operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably. Dental Imaging: Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed. Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, and retakes are minimized. Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization: Demonstrate proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatories. Clerical Functions: Assist patients in scheduling appointments. Assist in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments. Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records. Information Management: Maintain patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information. Follow computer security regulations. Patient Safety: Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position). Provide accurate and understandable instructions to patients. Employee Education: Complies with Employee Education requirements. Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions. Dental Laboratory Functions: Coordination of Dental Laboratory cases with the doctor and the laboratory. Direct Patient Care: Provide post-operative and another appropriate patient education. Four-Handed dental procedures, assisting the dentist. Work directly supporting the GS-8 supervisory dental assistant and Hygienist during patient care. Chairside assistant to all specialty providers. Clean & Polish or dental appliances/prosthetics. Work Schedule: 7:30am - 5:00pm Monday - Thursday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Friday, every other Friday off Compressed/Flexible: Available, every other Friday off Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 000000 Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Recruitment Incentive: A recruitment incentive may authorized for highly qualified applicants. 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. 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. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 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. 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 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: (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).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) 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. 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). GS-6 Staff Dental Assistant Experience. At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs: 1. Ability to identify normal oral anatomy. 2. Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures. 3. Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs. 4. Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist. 5. Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats. 6. Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry. 7. Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records. 8. Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures. All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. Preferred Experience: Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes DANB as the national certification for Dental Assistants. Reference: VA Handbook 5005/46, Part II, Appendix G36 Physical Requirements: Long periods of standing, walking, sitting, and bending are required. Pushing Dental equipment and carts is necessary to deliver items to and from the operatory or procedure site. Pushing and/or lifting of patients from gurneys and/or wheelchairs from and to the waiting area and transferring them into and out of the dental chair is required to position for radiographs, dental examination, and treatment. Reaching above shoulders, use of fingers, and both hands are required. Full dexterity of both hands, arms, and wrist. Must be able to treat patients while sitting and/or standing for long periods of time. Must have the ability to distinguish basic colors. This job requires good hand-eye coordination and the ability to evaluate and make good decisions. Must be able to multitask and have the ability the work independently. 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.
