Dental Assistant

Dental assistants at this level serve in dental assistant positions independently performing more complex work in assigned specialties while receiving general supervision.

The Dental Assistant assists the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision.

Major Duties include but are not limited to:

Chair side Assisting

• Responds to basic medical emergencies.
• Measures and records vital signs.
• Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover.
• Charts existing restorations and conditions.
• Selects shades for fixed and removable prosthesis.
• Provides chair side assistance fully anticipating dentists needs for various instruments materials and services.
• Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably.
• Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturers instructions.

• Images are characterized by diagnostic quality accurately oriented and exposed.
• Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ cone beam) in digital formats.
• Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by provider.
• Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized and retakes are minimized.
• Imaging requests are accomplished within the desired time frame.

• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning dental operatories.
• Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination.
• Properly prepares instruments for transfer to SPS for sterilization.
• Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment.
• Instruments are properly pre-treated for pick-up by SPS personnel.
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images.

• Assists in filling gaps in the dentists schedule due cancellations and failed appointments.
• Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records.
• Assist with entering Return to Clinic Orders.

• Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information.
• Follows computer security regulations.

• Modifies care as necessitated by patients age and abilities (patient transfer and position).
• Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients.
• Participates in patient identification and time out per JCAHO requirements.
• Monitors patient condition during treatment being alert for signs of physical distress.
• Monitors patient (BP pulse) and condition during invasive procedures and during recovery period following procedure.

• Complies with Employee Education requirements.
• Maintains BLS certification that includes operation of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) per Medical Center Policy.

• Takes preliminary impressions for study models.
• Pours impressions and prepares study models.
• Makes final denture impression trays and prepares bite rims.
• Performs other dental laboratory functions as time and skill levels allow.

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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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.

• 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. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2 section D paragraph 5a this part.-
Experience and Education:

• Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicants 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 Associations Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). OR
• Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.

• 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).
• Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification of radiologic competence may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate dental assistant under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (a) (1) (D). Failure to obtain certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. This will result in removal from the GS-681 series and may result in termination of employment.
• Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
• Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes DANB as the national certification for Dental Assistants. 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.

1. Experience or Education: In addition to the basic requirements
   • 1 year of experience at the next lower level OR
   • 2 years of education above high school that included completion of a dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Associations Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
2. Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities: In addition the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs.

• Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling.
• Basic knowledge of dental procedures and medical emergencies.
• Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval.
• Basic knowledge of maintenance care and storage of dental equipment.
• Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements.

1. Experience or Education: In addition to the requirements listed at GS-4 above
   • Applicants must demonstrate at least 1 year of experience equivalent to/at the next lower GS-4 grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. Examples of GS-4 experience include: receiving and preparing patient for treatment ; reporting medical emergencies to dentist; preparing procedural trays/armamentaria set-ups; exposing and processing basic dental radiographs with direct supervision; mounting and labeling dental radiographs and/or saving digital images to the electronic medical record with direct supervision; etc. OR
   • Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a dental assistant program by CODA.
2. Knowledge Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of anatomy and ability to evaluate diagnostic quality.
• Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement.
• Basic knowledge of instruments materials and standardized dental procedures.
• Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA.
• Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol.

1. Experience: At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower GS-5 grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level.
2. Knowledge Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.
• Advanced knowledge of instruments materials and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative surgical endodontic and periodontal care and procedures.
• Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.
• Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist.
• Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.
• Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry.
• Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records.
• Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures.