Dental Hygienist (Advanced Clinical)

Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

Major Duties:

• Assists customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery
• Sets up operatory for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover.
• Complies with patient identification, time-out and reusable medical equipment processes.
• Medical treatment adjuncts, indications, and safely administer medicaments (e.g. intrasulcular medicaments, local anesthesia, sulcular lavage, applying/removing periodontal surgical dressings);
• Utilizes advanced medical assessment techniques (interviewing patients and evaluating clinical findings such as normal and critical lab values) and adapts treatment based on medical and psychological issues.
• Handles instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently; take and records vital signs; review medical history; and chart oral conditions.
• Assesses patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications and comorbidities.
• Assesses the impact of patient's medical and dental condition on maintaining oral health.
• Recognizes age-related changes in individual patients, adapts patient environment, and maximizes patient's physical comfort.
• Indicates use for, and utilizes adjunctive diagnostic and therapeutic equipment safely (e.g. sonic, magnetostrictive ultrasonic, and piezo ultrasonic scalers)
• Provide safe and thorough prophylaxis, gross debridement, scaling and root planing, and soft-tissue curettage for complex periodontal and restorative cases.
• Provide safe care for patients with complex medical/psychiatric issues.
• Clean dental prostheses, fixed and removable.
• Apply appropriate topical fluoride solutions or varnishes.
• Administer topical anesthetic agents, local anesthesia, and apply desensitizing agents.
• Perform routine maintenance of equipment components.
• Manage dental recall system, referring patients to the doctor for additional care when needed.
• Accomplish all procedures within standard infection-control protocols.
• Provide patient education appropriate to the Veteran's needs and oral condition.
• Explain hygiene procedures, indications, complications and expected outcomes to individual patient and caregiver.
• Prepare and provides education on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices, parafunctional habits, and effect of illness, addictions, medications and tobacco on the oral cavity.
• Apply adult education techniques/methods to educate patients and judges patients' cognitive abilities.
• Take diagnostic quality images that are accurately oriented and exposed while following dental-imaging safety techniques.
• Advanced knowledge of oral and dental anatomy including root anatomy, common pathologies and anomalies, and indications for advanced radiographic imaging and proper technique to detect potential abnormalities.
• Proper infection-control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatory and in exposing images
• Properly prepares instruments for sterilization by SPS standards.
• Prepares instruments for procedures while not causing a delay to care.
• Assist patients in scheduling appointments.
• Assist filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments.
• Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA.
• Modifies care based on patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications and comorbidities.
• Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress.
• Other Duties Are Assigned

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:45 am - 4:15 pm
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 10619F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment evaluation.
• 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:

• U.S. Citizenship: Must be a U.S. Citizen. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: 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 (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED):
  • 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: 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. (LICENSE REQUIRED)
  • 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.
• Certification: 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. (CERTIFICATION REQUIRED)

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-10 Grade Level Requirements:

Experience: At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level. Specialized experience includes, but is not limited to:They provide direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients and require only general supervision from a dentist. Assignments at this level include but are not limited to patient medical assessment (e.g. medical/dental history, social history, vital signs, full periodontal assessment and charting), disease and treatment management recommendations, denture care, scaling and root planing, radiographs/image interpretation, patient education (e.g. post-procedure, 7 tobacco cessation, caries and perio-disease prevention), behavior management, management of stable medically compromised patients (including risk factors), instrument sharpening, inter-service communication.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

GS-09 KSAs:

• Knowledge of hygiene procedures to explain the process and indication, complications and expected treatment outcomes for each
• Knowledge of proper usage of dental radiography equipment, radiation safety, assessment of proper image capture and interpretation of films.
• Knowledge to select appropriate available fluoride products and indications/limitations for safe and proper application.
• Skill in detecting plaque and calculus, dental abnormalities/pathologies, assessing inflammation and providing safe instrumentation for each procedure.
• Skill in educating patients and caregivers on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices, parafunctional habits, and effects of illness, addictions, medications and tobacco on the oral cavity.
• Ability to assess the patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications and comorbidities to administer safe patient care.
• Ability to assess the impact of patient's medical and dental condition on maintaining oral health, recognize age-related changes in individual patients, adapt patient environment, and maximize patient's physical comfort.

AND

GS-10 KSAs: In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-09 level, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of medical assessment techniques including interviewing and evaluating clinical findings (e.g. normal and critical lab values) to adapt treatment based on medical and psychological issues.
• Advanced knowledge of oral and dental anatomy including root anatomy, common pathologies and anomalies, and indications for advanced radiographic imaging and proper technique to detect potential abnormalities.
• Knowledge of medical treatment adjuncts and indications and the ability to safely administer medicaments (e.g. intrasulcular medicaments, local anesthesia, sulcular lavage, applying and removing periodontal surgical dressing).
• Knowledge of advanced adjunctive diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, indication for use and ability to utilize safely (e.g. sonic, magnetostrictive ultrasonic, and piezo ultrasonic scalers).
• ill in providing safe and thorough prophylaxis, root planing and soft tissue curettage for complex periodontal and/or restorative cases and skill in providing safe care for patients with complex medical/psychiatric issues.
• Ability to apply adult education techniques/methods, organize curriculum, judge cognitive ability, and provide healthcare education regarding relationships between medical and dental pathologies to groups, interdisciplinary staff, and other outside contacts.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Physical demands do not exceed those of a typical office setting. There may be some walking, standing twisting, turning, sitting, pushing, bending, repetitive keyboarding, or carrying of light items. Some positions may require sitting for long periods of time at a computer terminal typing data while talking on a telephone headset.

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Dental Hygienist License
• Professional Certification
• Transcript

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Dental Hygienist License
• Other (2)
• Professional Certification
• SF-15
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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