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DENTAL HYGIENIST (ADVANCED CLINICAL)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Dental Hygienists perform a wide variety of interventions which contribute to the overall oral health of Veterans. Their work requires a professional knowledge of the field of dental hygiene and the biomedical sciences related to dentistry.

The full performance level for this occupation in VHA is the GS-0682-09 grade level. The Advanced Clinical Dental Hygienist will provide dental oral hygiene and ancillary dental services to the Veteran population at the Lexington VA Medical Center.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
03/24/2025 to 04/08/2025
Salary
$40,332 to - $87,482 per year

2025 RUS PAY TABLE

Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 10
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Lexington, KY
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
10
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
CBTG-12715286-25-SAT
Control number
834087900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This job is open to all current and permanent employees at the Lexington VA Healthcare System and CBOCs aligned under Duty Station #596. (Duty Station information can be found in block 40 on your most recent SF-50 and to be eligible for this vacancy the first 3 alpha-numeric characters in block 40 must read 596.)

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Duties

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Duties are included but not limited to:

  • Assesses patients (e.g. risk assessments, oral health assessments)
  • Preforms Periodontal Screening and Recording
  • Preforms Periodontal treatment for mild disease (e.g. Scaling and root planning, full mouth deridement)
  • Applies Fluoride treatment
  • Administers topical anesthesia
  • Manages stable but medically compromised patient (including risk factors)
  • Provides proper use of dental radiography equipment
  • Assesses image capture and interpretation of films
  • Characterizes images by diagnostic quality
  • Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatory
  • Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images
  • Prepares instruments for sterilization by SPD standards
  • Sets up and cleans up operatory
  • Assists patients in scheduling appointments
  • Assists in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments
  • Charts findings, treatment plans, and treatment provided in patient records
  • Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions
  • Prepares and presents monthly Safety Training to Dental Service Staff as requested or needed
  • Instructs and supervises dental hygiene students
  • Informs the supervisor of problems or unusual situations with recommendations for appropriate action
  • Meets the needs of all customers while supporting the Medical Center Service missions
  • Consistently communicates and treats customers (patients, visitors, volunteers, and all Medical Center staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner
  • Provides the customers with consistent information according to established policies and procedures
  • Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately
  • Provides care and/or services appropriate to the age of the patients being served
  • Assesses data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the information needed to identify each patient's requirements
  • Demonstrates the knowledge of the changes associated with aging and possess the ability to provide care/support based upon age related factors
  • Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA guidelines
  • Protects the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion
  • Performs any other duties which are in the best interest of patient care and considered necessary by the Supervisor
Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 lbs. or over), Moderate lifting (15-44 lbs.), Light lifting (15 lbs. and under), Light carrying (15 lbs. and under), Pushing (1 hour), Reaching above shoulder, Use of fingertips, Both Hands required, Walking (up to 4 hours), Standing (up to 8 hours), Kneeling (up to 2 hours), Repeated bending (up to 6 hours), Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16", Hearing (aid permitted).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).See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 6:30am - 4:00pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 30408, 30409, 30410, 30378,30361, 30508
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • 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).
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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.
  • Education: Associate Degree or higher in an accredited dental hygiene program. This program must be accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
  • 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.
  • 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. Accredited dental hygiene programs contain curriculum addressing radiologic procedures which will meet the requirement for certification as dental radiographers. (See Education section for exception for Non-Certified Dental Hygienist)
  • English Language Proficiency:Dental hygienists must be proficient in spoken and written English.
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).

Grandfathering Provision:
All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
  1. Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
  2. Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
  3. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
  4. Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
  5. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain the licensure/certification must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
Grade Determinations: Refer to https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12715286 for the grade required KSAs.

Dental Hygienist, GS-05
Experience. None, beyond the basic requirements.
Assignment. Employees at this level serve in entry level dental hygienist positions. They receive guidance from more experienced staff members for patient issues and require daily supervision at the site of work.

Dental Hygienist, GS-06
Experience. At least one year of experience at the next lower grade level.
Assignment: Employees at this level serve as developmental level 1 dental hygienists. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for complex patient issues and require daily and direct contact at the site of work from the assigned supervisor.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the required KSAs. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12715286

Dental Hygienist, GS-07
Experience. At least one year of experience at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level.
Assignment. Employees at this level serve as developmental level 2 dental hygienists. It is expected that they perform more complex work while receiving less frequent supervision than at the GS-6 level.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the required KSAs. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12715286

Dental Hygienist, GS-08
Experience. At least one year of experience at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level.
Assignment. Employees at this level serve as developmental level 3 dental hygienists with the ability to perform direct patient care under the general supervision of the dentist. It is expected that they receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: patient assessments (e.g. risk assessments, oral health assessments), prevention recommendations, prophylaxis, periodontal treatment for mild to moderate disease (e.g. scaling and root planning, full mouth debridement), Periodontal Screening and Recording (PSR) radiograph/image capture, fluoride treatment application, topical anesthesia administration and management of stable medically compromised patients (including risk factors).
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-07 level, the candidate must demonstrate the required KSAs. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12715286

Dental Hygienist, GS-09
Experience. At least one year of experience at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level.
Assignments. Employees at this level serve as staff dental hygienists at the full performance level. 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 planning, radiographs/image interpretation, patient education (e.g. post-procedure, tobacco cessation, caries and perio-disease prevention), behavior management, management of stable medically compromised patients (including risk factors), instrument sharpening, inter-service communication.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-8 level, the candidate must demonstrate the required KSAs. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12715286

Dental Hygienist, GS-10 (Advanced Clinical) - See education for this grade.

Education

Dental Hygienist, GS-10 (Advanced Clinical)
Experience: At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that is directly related to the position being filled fully meets the KSAs at that level.
Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. At this level, dental hygienists are advanced-level practitioners in assigned areas. Employee assignments may include but are not limited to advanced patient assessments/clinical evaluations (blood glucose levels, medication reconciliation, oral cancer screening, dietary analysis for caries risk, pulse oximeter, comprehensive periodontal charting), prophylaxis in complex restorative cases (e.g. multiple dental implants, orthognathic, post-surgical trauma, etc.), advanced scaling and root planning (ability to use advanced modalities) with or without soft-tissue curettage, advanced radiographic studies (cone beam computed tomography (CT), cephalometric), local anesthesia administration, advanced adjunctive treatment (xerostomia treatment recommendations, sulcular lavage, placement of intrasulcular medicaments, applying and removing periodontal surgical dressings, orthodontic care, sealant placement, occlusion adjustment, placement of desensitizing agents, professional whitening procedures), individual and group oral hygiene instructions for special-needs populations, elevated educational instruction, development of training materials/presentations), management of medically and/or behaviorally compromised patients, and collaboration with other disciplines.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-09 level, the candidate must demonstrate the required KSAs:
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12715286
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 09. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-10.

Exceptions for Non-Certified Dental Hygienist.

  • (a) Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate dental hygienist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. ยง 7405(c)(2)(B), Temporary Full-Time Appointments, Part-Time Appointments and Without-Compensation Appointments for a Period Not to Exceed Two Years.
  • (b) Non-certified individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a certified dental hygienist at or above the full performance level.
  • (c) Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained.
  • (d) Temporary appointments of non-certified dental hygienist may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment.
  • (e) Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases, dental hygienists must actively pursue meeting requirements for certification starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the dental hygienist supervisor will provide the dental hygienist with the written requirements for licensure/certification, including the time by which the licensure/certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Management officials will remove dental hygienists from their positions who fail to obtain licensure/certification during this time period, which may result in termination of employment.
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/.

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:
  1. Dental hygiene programs accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
  2. 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.
Link to the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) :CODA | Commission on Dental Accreditation (ada.org)

Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.

Additional information

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

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.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

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.

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.
Applicants are responsible for providing the information needed to determine their qualifications for the vacancy.

This includes information such as:

  • the vacancy announcement number
  • position title and grade
  • how to contact the applicant
  • descriptions of jobs held including:
    • the name and address of employer
    • job title
    • description of duties
    • beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment
    • average hours worked per week
    • supervisor's name and phone number
    • education (including name and location of college, dates attended, and type and date of any degree earned"
    • other information (such as possession of licenses, certificates, etc).
Descriptions of duties must be sufficiently detailed to document the applicant's level of experience. Although not mandatory, if the position is (was) with the Federal government (military or civilian), applicants should state the series and grade or pay grade (rank) and the date of last promotion.

Basis for Selection: Selection for positions will be based on the objective evaluation of the candidates' total qualification for the position. "Qualifications" mean the combination of experience, training, education, skills, knowledges, abilities, personal characteristics, and merit factors deemed to be pertinent to successful performance.

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.

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