Clarification from the agency

All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Transcripts and licensure must be included in application.
Below you will find all of the expectations of this job opportunity.

• - Adhering to the requirements as outlined in the VHA Referral Coordination Initiative Implementation Guidebook.
  - Ensure relevant information is communicated across dental services, with the aim to provide Veterans with appropriate and timely care options.
  - Identify possible barriers to care with the Veteran, family, and clinical care team to provide a team-based plan of care.
  - Enhance the quality of clinical outcomes and Veteran satisfaction while offering the Veteran the opportunity to make an informed decision about their care.
  - Reduce the average time it takes to schedule appointments, whether the appointment is in the VA's direct care system or in the community.
  - Perform clinical triage of the dental referral (consult)
  - Coordinate with other specialties, as needed.
  - Document the availability and selection of VA Care options and modalities, and Community Care options.
  - Utilize the provided script while communicating directly with the Veteran to ensure the most appropriate care option and modality of care is offered.
  - Perform a warm hand-off with the appropriate care option:
  - Disposition the specialty referral appropriately (consult).

Coordinate Care in the Community (CITC)
- Remove non-value-added steps to optimize the use of clinical staff for the benefit of the Veteran.
- Have clinical knowledge of a variety of dental procedures and dental specialties.
- Maximize the interaction with the Veteran to identify needs and gather preferences to ensure that appropriate modality of care is offered.
- Provide clinical and administrative consultation and ongoing education to Primary Care and Specialty Care.
- Approve pending treatment plans, apply appropriate SEOCs, and priorities within 72 hours of initiation of a consult.
- Coordinates with VACC Dental Advanced Medical Support Assistants.
- Evaluate diagnostic information provided to the VA through community care providers. Request additional information where necessary.
- Evaluate and weigh multiple treatment options.
- Review patient medical records and determine limiting factors in the patient's dental care to include extant records in CPRS, DRM+, and Sidexis.
- Communicate authorizations and changes to requested procedures.
- Display knowledge of dental eligibilities as delineated in VA Handbook 1130.01.
- Enter authorized care into Dental Community Care consults.
- Communicate with the Chief of Dental regarding patient care.

1. Make oral and radiographic examinations of the oral cavity
2. Diagnose pathological or irregular oral conditions.
3. Administer local anesthesia.
4. Perform routine and complex restoration of teeth.
5. Perform simple and complex extractions of teeth.
6. Perform alveoloplasty and other routine surgical procedures.
7. Perform prosthetic dentistry to include immediate dentures, full dentures, partial dentures, crowns, and fixed bridge work.
8. Perform routine endodontic procedures on single and multi-canal teeth.
9. Perform routine and surgical procedures within the scope of a general dentist.
10. Approve pending treatment plans, apply appropriate SEOCs and priorities within 72 hours of initiation of a consult.
11. Coordinates with VACC Dental Advanced Medical Support Assistants.
12. Evaluate diagnostic information provided to the VA through community care providers. Request additional information where necessary.
13. Evaluate and weigh multiple treatment options.
14. Review patient medical records and determine limiting factors in patient's dental care to include extant records in CPRS, DRM+, and Sidexis/MiPAcs.
15. Record the request for service for treatment plans in DRM+
16. Communicate authorizations and changes to requested procedures.
17. Display knowledge of dental eligibilities as delineated in VA Handbook 1130.01.
18. Enter authorized care into Dental Community Care consults.


Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday - Friday 7:45a - 4:30p
Telework: AD-HOC
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Conditions of employment

• All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
• 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 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).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Transcripts and licensure must be included in application.

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.

General Dentist assigned to the Referral Coordination Team (RCT) and Community Care and aligned under the Referral Coordination Initiative Operations Manager under the Access and Scheduling Management Service will meet basic requirements and hold a degree satisfactory to the Administrator, meet the physical standards as described by the Administrator and will be licensed to practice without restrictions in a state or territory of the United States. Each General Dentist will establish and maintain professional relationships with the Referral Coordination Team and in-house dental service and staff, resulting in improved patient care.

A Dentist must maintain clinical privileges at the VA Healthcare System and provide up to 50% clinical time (patient care) during the RCI position. The General Dentistry dental officer shall be proficient in all aspects of general dentistry, including the ability to perform selected specialty services.



Dentist Basic Requirements

• A degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery or dental medicine resulting from a course of education in dentistry. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are
• (1) United States and Canadian schools of dentistry listed by the Commission on Dental Accreditation(CODA), in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• (2) Schools (including foreign schools) accepted by the licensing body of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia as qualifying for full and unrestricted licensure provided the licensure requirements include a written examination measuring science achievement and a performance examination measuring clinical competence certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. ~AND~
• Completed, or you are currently completing, a residency program in general practice or specialty, or comparable experience as a dentist actively involved in treating medically compromised patients. ~AND~
• Currently hold, or will hold, a current, full and unrestricted license to practice dentistry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Note: Dentists must maintain current registration in the State of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active, current licensure.

Preferred Experience:

• • Advanced technological and administrative knowledge in programs such as Microsoft Office Suite (Examples: Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, etc.)

NOTE: The Under Secretary for Health or designee in Central Office may approve the
appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a graduate of a school of dentistry not
covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research or academic position with no
patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances
where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or
expertise in the specialty area. (Also see paragraph 2d(4) below on waiver of licensure
provisions.) The Under Secretary for Health or designee may also approve the appointment of
a graduate of a school of dentistry not covered above as a resident under 38 U.S.C. 7406.

c. Residency or Comparable Experience. Completion of an approved residency program
in general practice or specialty, or comparable experience as a dentist actively involved in
treating medically compromised patients.

d. Licensure and Registration

(1) Dentists (Except Residents). Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice
dentistry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia. The dentist must maintain current registration in the State of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active, current licensure.


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

The full performance level of this vacancy is 15. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 15 to 15.

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.

NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

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.