Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current employees at the Birmingham VA Medical Center.

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The major functions of the Dental Assistant include, but, are not limited to: Customer Service; Chair Side Assisting; Dental Imaging; Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization; Administrative Functions; Information Management; Patient Safety; Employee Education; Dental Laboratory Education; and Direct Patient Care. Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Shows courtesy, respect and a positive attitude for all patients, co-workers and the public
• Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns
• Takes and records vital signs
• Sets up operatory for planned dental procedures and cleans dental unit for timely turnover
• Seats patient and places dental napkin
• Passes instruments safely and accurately using four-handed dentistry
• Prepares dental and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions
• Accomplishes all intraoperative procedures within standard infection control protocols
• Assists in routine general dental procedures
• Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics and periodontics
• Ensures radiographic images are of diagnostic quality and are accurately orientated
• Utilizes safe dental imaging techniques and minimizes the need for retakes
• Accomplishes imaging requests within the desired timeframe
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up the dental operatory
• Prepares instruments in a manner that does not delay clinical care
• Properly prepares instruments for sterilization by SPD standards
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures when exposing images
• Assists patients in scheduling appointments
• Assists dentist in documenting medical history, charting dental findings, and inputting treatment plans into the patient's electronic record
• Assists in filling gaps in dentist's schedule due to late cancellations and no-shows
• Maintains patient confidentiality per H!PPA with written and verbal information
• Follows computer security regulations
• Participates in patient identification and time out per JCAHO requirements
• Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position)
• Monitors patient's condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress
• Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients
• Complies with employee education requirements
• Completes all mandatory VA training expeditiously
• Assists in the preparation of laboratory prescription forms
• Pours impressions and prepares study models
• Removes sutures
• Take impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication
• Re-cement and fabricate temporary crowns
• Perform coronal polishing of teeth
• Place rubber dams and matrix bands
• Provides postoperative instructions, oral hygiene instructions, and other appropriate patient education

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

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: Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work. OR Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). OR Equivalent combinations of experience and education.
• Certification. Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, candidates 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. Note: Applicants who do not meet the certification requirement may be hired as temporary Graduate Dental Assistants pending certification. Once certified they may be converted to a permanent position.
• English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English.

• 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. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs:
  1. Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.
  2. Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures.
  3. Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.
  4. Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist.
  5. Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.
  6. Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry.
  7. Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records.
  8. Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures]

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.

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.