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Dentist (Dental Officer)

Department of Justice
Justice, Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/11/2025 to 01/05/2026
Salary
$123,077 to - $300,000 per year
Pay scale & grade
GP 13
Location
Terre Haute, IN
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Travel may be required for training and/or work related issues.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Reimbursement is authorized for travel and transportation for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
THA-2026-0014
Control number
852257500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

• BOP Employees nationwide • DOJ Surplus and Displaced (CTAP) Employees in the local commuting area. • Duty Location: FCC Terre Haute, IN

Duties

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Serves as a staff Dental Officer at a Bureau of Prisons federal correctional facility.

Utilizes technical skills and professional judgement to provide a full range of dental services to the inmate population.

Responsible for diagnosis and treatment of difficult dental problems in a correctional environment.

Provides comprehensive dental care to the inmate population, who may have behavior and communication problems.

Assists in the coordination of the dental program, providing input regarding proposed modifications to operating procedures.

Assists in establishing and maintaining quality control measures to ensure final product conforms to standards set forth by the American Dental Association, National Board for Certification of Dental Technicians and the Dental Service of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Assists in the direction and coordination of production of finished prosthetic appliances in accordance with the requirements submitted.

Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution. The staff correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is Required.
  • See Special Conditions of Employment Section.

Career Transition Programs (CTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:

  • 1. Meet CTAP eligibility criteria;
  • 2. Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies; and
  • 3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility.

NOTE: Applicants claiming CTAP eligibility must complete all assessment questions to be rated under the established ranking criteria.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements.

Basic Requirements:

Education:

Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from a school approved by the American Dental Association (ADA), or the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

NOTE: ALL applicants MUST electronically upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. All academic degrees and coursework MUST be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here. For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position, you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

AND

Licensure: Applicants must have passed National Board of Dental Examinations (NBDE) which are developed and administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) and possess a current, full, and unrestricted license to practice dentistry in a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

NOTE: ALL applicants MUST electronically upload proof of current, active and unrestricted license to practice dentistry and proof of successful completion from the National Board of Dental Examinations (NBDE) at the time you apply.

All qualified referred candidates will undergo a credentialing process prior to employment with the Bureau of Prisons. This process includes validation of medical examinations, education, internship and residency. Please electronically upload these documents along with your required supporting documentation at the time you apply.

AND

Experience:

In addition to meeting the above education and licensure requirements, applicants must have one or more full years of experience, equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing professional dentistry work for GS-12 level and above assignments.

Qualifying experience involves the evaluation, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, injuries, and disorders of the oral cavity and maxillofacial area. Examples of dentistry experience may include the removal of decay; filling cavities; straightening, extracting, and repairing teeth; treating gum diseases; performing corrective surgery; making measurements/models for dentures to replace missing teeth, administering anesthetics, writing prescriptions; and performing other requirements of the position.

AND

GS-12: In addition to meeting the above basic requirement and licensure requirements, Applicants must have completed a 2-year residency program in dentistry, oral health, craniofacial sciences or a related medical science; or have equivalent experience, equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, and/or training.

Some examples of qualifying experience are:

  • Experience developing and determining the type of restoration and/or prosthetic needed to fulfill the patient's treatment plan.
  • Experience recognizing dental diseases and providing appropriate professional treatment.
  • Experience instructing and counseling difficult patients on proper dental care.
  • Experience performing oral surgery.

GS-13: In addition to meeting the above basic requirement and licensure requirements, Applicants must have completed a 3-year residency program in dentistry, oral health, craniofacial sciences or a related medical science; or have equivalent experience, equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, and/or training.

Some examples of qualifying experience are:

  • Experience diagnosing and treating unusual dental problems.
  • Experience providing dental therapeutics for the management of infection, pain, neuromuscular disorders, and apprehension.
  • Experience conducting comprehensive emergency care and treatment planning.
  • Experience treating and managing facial trauma including fixation of closed jaw fractures and identifying and referring more complicated damage.

AND

Medical Requirement:

Applicants must be able to distinguish shades of color.

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.

**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**

Education

See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable.

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

Additional information

Special Conditions of Employment Section:

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a urinalysis, physical, and background investigation. All applicants are subject to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit checks.

All applicants not currently working in an institution will be required to complete a qualification inquiry regarding convictions of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence in order to be authorized to carry a firearm.

The Core Value Assessment (CVA) is an in-person assessment that must be facilitated at a Bureau of Prisons Human Resource Servicing office. On the day of the scheduled interview, a CVA will be administered. The applicant assessment must be completed within a 70 minute time period and a passing score of 68 must be obtained. Further employment consideration will not be extended if the applicant fails to complete the examination or fails to achieve a passing score. Note: The Core Value Assessment will not be administered to current BOP employees.

Successful completion of the "Introduction to Correctional Techniques," three-week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required.

The addresses listed on the USAJOBS account/resume must be the primary residence at the time of application. You may be required to provide proof of residence.

Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.

Although competitive and non-competitive applications are being accepted, the selecting official may elect to have only one group reviewed.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Exceptions may apply. See 5 CFR part 11.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

If your composite score exceeds the average score for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your online assessment responses and utilized to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement.  If your selections are not supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

There are several parts of the application process that affect the overall evaluation of your application:

  • Your resume, which is part of your USAJOBS profile;
  • Your responses to the eligibility questions;
  • Your responses to the online assessment;
  • Your supporting documentation, if required.

Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements for consideration. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?

The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) are required:

  • Ability to develop a treatment plan and determine the type of restoration and/or prosthetic needed to fulfill the patient’s treatment plan.
  • Ability to recognize dental diseases and provide appropriate professional treatment.
  • Ability to instruct and counsel difficult patients on proper dental care.
  • Ability to perform oral surgery.

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