Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies and all US Citizens. First Area of consideration is Facility. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties include but are not limited to:

• Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery.
• Sets up operatory for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover.
• Orders MAS orders for purposes of scheduling appointments for prophylaxis and/or follow-up appointments to the dentists for continuation of care.
• Provides routine oral prophylactic care to include application of fluoride solutions.
• Provides gross debridement, deep scaling, and root planning procedures.
• Cleans dental prostheses, fixed and removable.
• Manages dental recall system, referring patients to the doctor for additional care when needed.
• Applies desensitizing and sealant materials.
• Makes impressions for fluoride carrier trays.
• Administers topical anesthetic agents.
• Accomplishes all procedures within standard infection control protocols.
• Prepares and provides individual and group oral health care instruction to inpatients, outpatients, and caregivers.
• Performs radiology orders in order to take digital radiographs.
• Characterizes images by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed.
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatory.
• Assists in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments.
• Charts findings, treatment plans, and treatment provided in patient records.
• Performs additional administrative and clerical duties assigned by the Chief of Dental Services.
• Modifies care as appropriate for patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position).
• Participates in patient identification and time out per JCAHO requirements.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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).
• 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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency. MRTs (Coder) must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education-Documentation Submitted: 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:
  • Dental hygiene programs accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
  • NOTE: 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.
• Licensure/Certification-Documentation Submitted
  • 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. P.L. 97-35, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act Of 1981, requires persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 C.F.R. Part 75, Standards for the Accreditation of Educational Programs for and the Credentialing of Radiologic Personnel. To meet this requirement, 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 meets the requirement for certification as dental radiographers.
  • Exceptions for Non-Certified Dental Hygienist.
    • 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. § 7405(c)(2)(B), Temporary Full- Time Appointments, Part-Time Appointments and Without-Compensation Appointments for a Period Not to Exceed Two Years.
    • Non-certified individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a certified dental hygienist at or above the full performance level.
    • Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained.
    • Temporary appointments of non-certified dental hygienist may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment.
    • 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.

• Experience. At least one year of experience at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-8 level, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of hygiene procedures to explain the process and indication, complications and expected treatment outcomes for each.
  • Knowledge of proper usage of dental radiography equipment, radiation safety, assessment of proper image capture and interpretation of films.
  • Knowledge to select appropriate available fluoride products and indications/limitations for safe and proper application.
  • Skill in detecting plaque and calculus, dental abnormalities/pathologies, assessing inflammation and providing safe instrumentation for each procedure.
  • Skill in educating patients and caregivers on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices, parafunctional habits, and effects of illness, addictions, medications and tobacco on the oral cavity.
  • Ability to assess the patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications and comorbidities to administer safe patient care.
  • Ability to assess the impact of patient's medical and dental condition on maintaining oral health, recognize age-related changes in individual patients, adapt patient environment, and maximize patient's physical comfort.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.
3. All other federal applicants.
4. Veterans Preference
5. All other applicants