Summary

This position is located in the Dental Service Section of the VA NJHCS at East Orange - Lyons - and Toms River - NJ and is under the direct supervision of the Staff Dentist during patient treatment. It primarily involves chairside assistance duties in all phase of restorative dentistry - as well as in the special areas of Prosthodontics - Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery - Endodontics - Periodontics and Gerodontics.

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
• 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 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
• 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)
• Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable 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)
• 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 REQUIREMENTS Creditable Experience (a) Knowledge of Current Professional Dental Assistant Practices
• To be creditable - the experience must have required the use of knowledge - skills - abilities [(KSAs)] - and other characteristics (also referred to as "core competencies") associated with current professional dental assisting practice
• Evidence of such experience includes graduation from a certified dental assisting training program - experience in private practice - VHA - Department of Defense (DoD) - or other federal - state - community or charitable health care agency
• (b) Quality of Experience
• Experience is only creditable after the training program certifies that the individual has completed all required courses - an internship if it is part of the program - and graduated with passing grades
• (c) Part-Time Experience
• Part-time experience as a dental assistant is credited according to its relationship to full-time workweek
• For example - a dental assistant would receive 1 week of full-time credit for each 2 weeks of half-time work
• In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Grade Determinations: GS-6 Dental Assistant (a) Experience
• At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS(05) that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level
• (b) Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSA)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA : 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
• Assignment
• Employee serves at the full performance level with the ability to perform full range of duties with some independence in assigned specialties - with indirect supervision from the lead dental assistant - dental assistant supervisor or treating dentist
• Assignments at this level include - but are not limited to: using the concepts of four-handed dentistry
• assists with specialty procedures including oral surgery - periodontal therapy - endodontic - 7 prosthodontic and implant placement and restoration
• anticipates surgeons/specialists needs at each stage of treatment
• takes preliminary impressions
• selects and manipulates a variety of gypsums and waxes
• pours - trims and evaluates the quality of diagnostic casts
• fabricates custom trays
• Preferred Experience: Must have three years - currently practicing dental assistant experience
• 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
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06
• Physical Requirements: Work involves fine motor movement - sitting - standing (sometimes for long periods) - walking - bending - twisting - and lifting and carrying light items (up to 20 lbs)
• English Language Proficiency
• Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2 - section D - paragraph 5a - this part

Duties

• Major Duties and Responsibilities Serves as dental auxiliary for the Dental Service
• Performs chairside assistance duties in all phases of restorative - prosthodontic - oral surgery - endodontic and periodontal treatment
• Assists the dentist at chairside as anticipated or required in all phases of general dentistry - utilizing techniques for four-handed sit-down dentistry
• Passes and relieves the dentist of all instruments and materials
• Assists in specialized dental procedures such as prosthodontics - oral surgery - endodontics - and surgical periodontics - including full knowledge of instrumentation and procedures for these specialized procedures
• At the discretion of the provider - able to performs the following intra-oral procedures: take preliminary impressions for study models
• remove sutures - place/remove rubber dams (during periapical x-ray procedures)
• place periodontal dressing
• and place matrix bands and wedges
• Takes and records blood pressure and pulse of patients new to the Dental Service - as well as oral surgery patients before and after treatment
• Digital intra-and extra-oral radiographs with minimal retakes
• Relays dentist's post-treatment instructions to patients
• As part of the preventive dentistry program - instructs patients in brushing and flossing techniques and common causes of dental caries - patient application of fluorides and care of prosthodontic appliances
• At the discretion of the provider - records information relayed by the dentist into the patient chart - on prescriptions and other forms in preparation for the signature of the dentist
• Adheres to appropriate Dental SOP's (e.g. - Dental Unit Water Maintenance - etc.) - MCM's - HIPPA - JC and Network Security - Infection Control procedures/ policies - and OSHA standards for clinical and laboratory operations in performance of his/her duties
• Has full record keeping - receptionist and some housekeeping (limited to work area) responsibilities
• Receives and routes patients and schedules appointments as needed
• Records patients' medical histories - charts examination and treatment information as relayed by the dentist and properly fill out appropriate laboratory forms
• Maintains dental equipment in a clean and operating condition
• properly stores and maintains adequate levels of supplies - so that patient care is not affected by supply shortages
• Properly lays out all instruments and materials needed for each treatment
• prepares the patient and operatory in a timely manner (i
• e. - adheres to the posted schedule)
• Prepares instrument - cart - materials - and equipment as indicated for processing/sterilization by SPS
• prepares surgical trays for the dental clinic and operating room
• Maintains operatory mobile cart
• Keeps area of operation clear using high speed evacuation
• suction tip and irrigation
• retracts tissue - tongue - and cheeks
• In surgical procedures maintains aseptic conditions - stabilizes tissue for dentist and tying and cutting sutures
• Keeps alert to condition of patient during treatment for signs of fainting or shock
• Maintains adequate supplies and requests expendable supplies as appropriate
• At the discretion of the provider - pours and trims models from impressions and constructs custom impression trays
• Assists in the training of trainee dental assistants - dental assistant students and dental hygiene students from area community colleges
• Demonstrates routinely maintained work area/ operatory - chair-side assisting and radiographic techniques
• Observes and advises trainees and students as they perform these duties
• Incumbent wears - without constant reminder - all personal protective equipment (PPE) provided as required by the job tasks being performed
• Ensures appropriate personal protective equipment is used when required by the job in order to prevent injury to self - patients - other staff - and visitors
• After having received training - identifies hazardous waste generated in the work area and properly labels - packages - stores - and segregates from non-compatible materials - all identified hazardous waste
• Appropriately cleans up minor releases of hazardous materials/waste in the work area
• follows proper procedures for reporting major releases in the work area and notifies his/her supervisor of need to file all required reports far hazardous material/waste releases within the required time as per OSHA Regulations - as well as Accident Form 2162 and CA I or CA 2 if personnel injury/illness is involved
• Knows the location and use of SDS
• Knows SOP for Methyl Methacrylate and Burning Alcohol
• Adhere to the Dental Service standard operating duties and responsibilities for scheduled and or walking patients
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m to 4:00 p.m
• Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 21082-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized