Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The Dental Assistant assists the dentist in many aspects in many aspects of direct patient care and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision. At least 25% of their time is spent assisting in dental specialty procedures. The duties and responsibilities includes but is limited to:

• Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery
• Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover
• Passes instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently
• Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions
• Demonstrates proper procedure for importing and exporting digital radiographs
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning operatories.
• The incumbent performs dental imaging which consists of taking digital and/or conventional radiographs of patients according to prescription, including periapical, bitewing, occlusal, panoramic, cephalometric, temporomandibular joint tomographs and cone beam CT scans.
• Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records demonstrating the advanced use of the computerized dental patient record system
• Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information
• Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

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:

• Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States

• English Language Proficiency - Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

• Experience and Education - To fulfill this requirement, you must meet one of the following:

• Experience: Six months experience that demonstrates your 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.

• Certification: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. You must have successfully completed an educational program that meets or exceeds the standards described in this 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,

• 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,

• 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.

• Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). 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.

• Grandfathering Provision. All Dental Assistants employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (04/19/2011) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. 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:

• Dental Assistants grandfathered under this provision 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 journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees must meet the certification requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.

• Dental Assistants initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

• If a Dental Assistant who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, they lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

GS-06 Staff Dental Assistant (Full Performance Level) Experience Requirement:

1. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-06 you must possess at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05).

1. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.

1. Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures.

1. Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.

1. Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist.

1. Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.

1. Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry.

1. Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records.

1. 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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

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.