Duties
The Miami VA Healthcare System's Dental Service is seeking an experienced and dynamic Dental Assistant. Our ideal applicants are those who want to contribute to the achievement of quality care standards, as well as the growth and development of a VA academic hospital program.
The Dental Assistant provides quality patient care in collaboration with other health care professionals. The selectee will perform specific duties within his/her approved scope of practice.
Other duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Assistsdentist with direct patient care
- Performs clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision
Customer Service
- Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers, and the public
- Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, and provides service recovery
Chairside Assisting
- Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure, and cleans dental unit for timely turnover
- Passes instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently
- Keeps operative field clear of debris, and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably
- Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions
- Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols
- Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry
- Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement, and restoration
- Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer's instructions and dental service standards
Dental Imaging
- Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, ceph, cone beam) in traditional and/or digital formats
- Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider
- Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented, and exposed
- Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized and retakes are minimized
- Imaging requests are accomplished within the desired time frame
Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization
- Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning operatories
- Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images
- Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination
- Prepares instruments properly for transfer to SPD for sterilization
- Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment
- Works closely with SPD to ensure availability of instruments so that clinical care is not delayed
Clerical Functions
- Assists 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
- Initiates computerized progress note
Information Management
- Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA compliance with written and verbal information
- Follows computer security regulations
Patient Safety
- Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position)
- Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients
- Participates in patient identification and time out, per Joint Commission requirements
- Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress
Employee Education
- Complies with Employee Education requirements
- Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions
Dental Laboratory Functions
- Pours impressions and prepares study models
- Makes final denture impression trays and prepares bite rims
- Fabricates athletic mouth guards and bleaching trays
- Performs other dental laboratory functions as time and skill levels allow
Direct Patient Care
- Monitors patient vital signs (BP, pulse, pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure
- Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site
- Applies topical fluoride
- Makes impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication
- Removes plaque and soft debris from removable prostheses
- Provides patient preventative education and oral hygiene instruction
- Provides post-operative and other appropriate patient education
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
(Note: Work schedules are determined and approved by the supervisor. The incumbent may be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis based on facility/patient care needs).
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
Conditions of employment
Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
- 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.
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. Must be a US Citizen
- Experience and Education - (1) Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work, OR (2) Education. Successful completion of a one (1) year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on [Dental] Accreditation [(CODA)], (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.
- English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
- 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.
Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
GS-3 Grade Determination
- Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
- Assignment. Employees at this level serve in dental assistant career development positions. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patient issues, and require daily close supervision.
GS-4 Grade Determination
- Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, one (1) year of experience at the GS-3 grade level, OR two (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:
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- 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 Grade Determination
- Experience or Education.In addition to the requirements listed at GS-4 above, applicants must demonstrate at least one (1) year of experience [equivalent to] the GS-4 grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level,
- Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a dental assistant program by CODA.
In addition, the applicant must demonstrate the following KSA's:
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- 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 Grade Determination - Staff Dental Assistant (Full Performance Level)
- Experience: At least one (1) year of experience [equivalent to] the GS-5 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
- 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
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6.
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 hours).
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
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.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.