Clarification from the agency

First Consideration will be given to Current Permanent Employees of the VA West Palm Beach, followed by Agency Employees, and T38 other Federal employees. This occupation is listed on the OIG Determination of Veterans Health Administration's Occupational Staffing Shortages Fiscal Year (FY26). Therefore, this vacancy announcement is exempt from Veterans Preference. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Major duties but not are limited to:

Community Care (CC) clinical functions

• Monitors incoming consults both for internal to the clinic and external for CC Mission Act- Ensures Internal consults are received within standard time rules .
• Ensures the dental eligibility is correct.
• Ensures the patient is appointed in the correct clinic needed after the clinical review is completed by dentist.
• Evaluates incoming Mission Act CC consult requests- Ensures the dental eligibility is correct.
• Forwards the eligible consults from ADMIN to CC DENTAL consults.
• Contacts patients to gather dental specific requirements for the consults.
• Creates surrogate CC dental consults.
• Ensures that patients are contacted for CC appointments in conjunction with CC staff and enter the scheduled appointments in the non-count CC clinic
• Acts as direct clinical contact with CC dentists
• Interacts directly with patients and CC dental offices to manage the dental care treatment plans Updates the CC consult treatment plans
• Ensures the CC consults are closed after initial visit and documentation has been received Coordinates the uploading of CC records into CPRS
• Receives dental x-rays from CC dental offices in a digital format and includes the x-rays along with the treatment plan request for review by VA Dentist
• Follow up with dental offices and patients for missed initial appointments
• Communicate treatment plan changes with the CC dental office and the patient to ensure the office and the patient understands the treatment plan changes and documents this in CPRS.
• Create surrogate consultation or update existing consultants when a patient has had a dental emergency outside of regular VA dental clinic hours on the next business day
• Reconcile bills from CC dentists that do not match the approved treatment plans and update the consultants as needed including communicating with the CC dental office and patient as needed.

Work Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 7:00am-5:30PM
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 41717F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• 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.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's 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:

Radiologic Competence Certification-Documentation Submitted. 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.
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 by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes DANB as the national certification for Dental Assistants. [Required for all positions above the full performance level.

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).

Grade Determinations: In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

GS-7 Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant

• Experience: At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-6) or equivalent that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. (Examples of experience include: using the concepts of four-handed dentistry; assists with specialty procedures including oral surgery, periodontal therapy, endodontic, prosthodontic and implant placement and restoration; anticipates surgeons/specialists needs at each stage of treatment; takes preliminary impressions; selects and manipulates a variety of gypsums and waxes; pours, trims and evaluates the quality of diagnostic casts; fabricates custom trays)
• Certification: Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes DANB as the national certification for Dental Assistants.

Demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities: In addition to the above listed required experience, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following technical knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs):

• Ability to perform dental assisting expanded functions
• Comprehensive working knowledge of advanced imaging techniques in order to provide instruction (e.g. cone beam, cephalometric, advanced panoramic imaging, TMJ, etc).

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

The above full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 to in the following order:
1.Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2.All other VA employees.
3.All other applicants.

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.