Basic Requirements:
1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
2. English Language Proficiency: Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Policy.
3. 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). OR,
- Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.
4. 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,
- 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.
- 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, and is required for all positions above the full performance level.
Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
Staff Dental Assistant, GS-6 (Full Performance Level):
Experience. At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- 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.
Preferred Experience:
- Proficient in all aspects of dentistry, including restorative, fixed and removable prosthetics, oral surgery, endodontics and implant restorations
- Fabrication of quality provisional restorations
- Taking and pouring alginate impressions
- Exposing diagnostic quality digital images
- Coronal polishing
- Experience using electronic dental records.
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-06.
Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.
Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.