Local Dental Unit Chief (O-5 Billet) Non-Supervisory Job in Folkston, GA

Vacancy No. IHSC-LDUC-FGA-O5-NS-2025 Department Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Salary $1.00 to $150,000.00 Grade 5 to 5
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/1/2024 Close Date 9/30/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Folkston, GA


Summary

This position is located within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of Deputy Assistant Director of Clinical Services. This is a nonsupervisory position

This position is only open to USPHS officers and Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer or USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidate. Civilians are not eligible for this position.

Duties

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. Provides primary oral health care including examination, diagnosis and treatment of patients within prescribed IHSC policy and pertinent accreditation standards at smaller, less complex solo sites(<1,000 patient census).
  2. Provides local dental program management, monitoring, training and competency testing of the local dental unit auxiliary staff.
  3. Assures strict sharps and instruments control/accountability through maintenance of prescribed daily logging and counts.
  4. Observes IHSC radiation safety protocols, EPA Radiation Protection Guidances and recommendations, National Council on Radiation Protection guidances , and American Dental Association recommendations/guidances when exposing dental radiographs to assure optimal patient and provider safety.
  5. Oversees and assures optimum sterilization and/or disinfection procedures including instrument processing and spore testing in accordance with IHSC national policy and procedure and the CDC guidelines through staff training, monitoring and competency testing.
  6. Refers patients to dental specialists through the IHSC managed care program for care or consultation when a referral is appropriate.
  7. Prescribes and/or dispenses required medication to patients.
  8. Provides day to day oversight of contract dental auxiliary staff and provides input to the Chief Dentist, HSA, and/or designated supervisory authority on contractor performance.
  9. Provides oral hygiene instruction to patients for preventive dental care.
  10. Participates in Performance Improvement Program.
  11. Serves as a resource to local facility staff on dental health issues.
  12. Provides annual dental training to local medical staff.
  13. May perform annual Peer Reviews for IHSC dentists as requested by the Chief Dentist.
  14. Serves as a project officer for tasks as assigned (e.g., equipment acquisitions, training program development, and policy and procedure revisions and development).
  15. Collects and organizes accurate dental data and submits to the Regional Dental Consultant in a timely manner.
  16. Attends monthly dental teleconferences, organizational and local duty station meetings.
  17. May periodically be asked to travel to support short term TDY missions.
  18. Other duties as assigned in support of the local medical unit and/or IHSC Dental Program.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation.
  • You must successfully pass a drug screen.
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
  • Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
  • Service Remaining Requirement Agreement: Upon appointment to this position, officers will be required to serve an 18 to 24-month commitment to IHSC.
  • Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer or USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidate. Civilians are not eligible for this position.

Qualifications

COMPETENCIES:

  1. Superior oral/written communication skills.
  2. Leadership skills.
  3. Active Listening skills.
  4. Reading Comprehension.
  5. Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills.
  6. Demonstrates strong organizational and time management skills.
  7. Demonstrates strong problem solving, judgment and decision-making skills.
  8. Integrity/Honesty.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

  1. Requires physical exertion such as lifting objects greater than 30 pounds.
  2. Required to perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
  3. Must have the ability to assist sick, injured or aging detainees or staff exiting the building (may require lifting, dragging, wheeling or carrying someone who weighs significantly more than self).
  4. The work may necessitate some physical characteristics that will be required when responding to an emergency situation, such as running short distance, prolonged standing and working in an austere environment.

Education

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

  1. Graduate from a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) program accredited by American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation located in a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory.
  2. Possess and maintain a current unrestricted license to practice dentistry in a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory.
  3. Minimum 3 years clinical experience.
  4. Knowledge of dental science such as oral anatomy, oral physiology and histology, the principles and technique of restorative dentistry, periodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, and oral surgery (note: strong oral surgery skills and experience are required.)
  5. Knowledge of regulations on the confidentiality of medical records (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act--HIPAA), and applicable accreditation standards (National Commission on Correctional Health Care, American Correctional Association, and ICE Performance Based National Detention Standards).
  6. Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and in dental software programs.
  7. Must adhere to requirements for safety, infection control, quality assurance, clinical documentation, and data management.
  8. Must pass all facility competency testing initially, annually, and as needed.
  9. Ability and proficiency to properly use equipment, materials and supplies in diagnostic and treatment procedures.
  10. Ability to communicate proficiently in English in order to develop rapport with patients, coworkers and administration.
  11. Continuous BLS certification required.
  12. Ability to respond to and oversee medical emergencies

Additional information

This position is located within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of Deputy Assistant Director of Clinical Services. The incumbent will report directly to the local Health Services Administrator with clinical oversight provided by the clinical director, regional dental consultant and IHSC dental leadership. This is a nonsupervisory position.

As the local dental unit chief, the incumbent is responsible for local dental program management, monitoring of the local dental unit auxiliary staff, and the delivery of direct patient care at smaller, less complex sites (<1,000 patient census). The local dental unit chief is responsible for performing a variety of administrative tasks directed towards the maintenance of access to oral health care services within prescribed policy and accreditation standards.

IHSC has a multi-sector, multidisciplinary workforce of more than 1400 employees, including U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) commissioned officers, federal civil servants, and contract staff. The IHSC provides on-site direct patient care to ICE detainees at 22 detention facilities throughout the country and manages the provision of off-site medical care for detainees housed in approximately 240 additional Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) facilities. The ICE detainee population is approximately 34,000 detainees on a daily basis, with an average length of stay of approximately 30 days, and over 400,000 detainees annually. The IHSC also provides medical support during ICE enforcement operations in the air, on the ground and at sea.

DHS SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

  1. DHS
  2. ICE
  3. ERO

HHS SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
  1. DHHS
  2. USPHS CC
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
The local dental unit chief works under the broad supervision of the health services administrator while clinical oversight and supervision is provided by the Regional Dental Consultant and IHSC Chief Dentist.

Benefits

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.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. You may be selected for an interview at the hiring authority's discretion. You will be notified of selection or non-selection.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position. A complete application includes:

U. S. Public Health Service Officers

  1. Cover Letter/Letter of Interest. Please include location preference here.
  2. Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED")
  3. Professional license. (If applicable)
  4. Additional professional certificates. (If applicable)
  5. Three professional references. (i.e., name, title and contact information)
  6. Official USPHS Promotion CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "Resume")
  7. A copy of your Certificate of Investigation (located in your eOPF).
  8. *Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal")
  9. For IHSC USPHS officers only, a copy of your current Service Remaining Requirements Agreement.
  10. Indicate if you have an Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement and the date of the end of your AP Agreement.
New Call to Active Duty
  1. Cover letter/Letter of Interest. Please include location preference here.
  2. Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED")
  3. Professional license. (If applicable)
  4. Additional professional certificates. (If applicable)
  5. Three professional references (i.e., name, title, and contact information)
  6. CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "Resume")
  7. U.S. Public Health Service - Appointment Board Decision Letter/Email.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section below.

The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/30/2025.

PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application.

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, contact the Human Resources Office representative listed on this announcement at least one day prior to the closing date for further instructions.

Agency contact information

IHSC Recruiting
Address
ERO-DRO-IHSC Public Health Service
500 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20536
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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