Dental Assistant
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Job Location:
Palo Alto, CA - USA
Yearly Salary:
$ 63372 - 82380
Posted on:
17 hours ago
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
Summary
Dental assistants serve with the ability to perform a range of duties and perform assigned selected procedures with some independence. They receive guidance from more experienced staff members for complex patient issues for which they require direct supervision and daily contact with the supervisor at the work site. Dental assistants assist the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and perform other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision.
Work Schedule: M-F 8:00am-4:30pm or as determined by supervisor
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Major duties include but are not limited to the following:
Patient Care
- Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover
- Possesses advanced knowledge of instruments materials and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative surgical endodontic and periodontal care
- Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry
- Passes instruments safely accurately and efficiently
- Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably
- Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturers instructions
- Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols
- Monitors and performs basic interpretation of patient vital signs (BP pulse pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure
- Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site
- Takes impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication
- Pours impressions and prepares study models
- Makes final denture impression trays and prepares bite rims
- Removes plaque and soft debris from removable prostheses
- Provides procedure-specific patient-preventative education and oral hygiene instruction
- Provides post-operative and other appropriate patient education
- Assists in specialized dental procedures such as oral surgery endodontics periodontics prosthodontics implant placement and restoration
- Fabricates athletic mouth guards and bleaching trays
- Performs other dental laboratory functions as needed
- Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer instructions and dental-service standards
- Relays patient concerns to treating dentist
Dental Imaging
- Possesses ability to identify normal anatomy
- Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ cephalometric cone beam) in traditional and/or digital formats
- Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider
- Captures images characterized by diagnostic quality and accurately oriented and exposed
- Utilizes dental-imaging safety techniques and retakes are minimized
- Accomplishes imaging requests within desired time frame
Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization
- Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up 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
- Works closely with SPS to ensure availability of instruments so that clinical care is not delayed
- Demonstrates proper infection-control procedures in exposing images
Clerical Functions
- Assists in filling gaps in the doctors schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments
- Initiates computerized progress note
- Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records
Patient Safety
- 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 The Joint Commission 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 ( 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.
- Experience and Education
- (1) Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicants ability to perform the work or provides familiarity with the work. OR
- (2) Education. Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Associations Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
- (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.
- (1) Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence
- (a) Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board Inc.; OR
- (b) 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
- (c) Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD).
- (2) 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.
- (3) Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
- (4) 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.
- (5) Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure/certification/registration within the required time frame or who fails to maintain the required licensure/certification/registration must be removed from the occupation which may also result in termination of employment.
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:
- GS-6
- (a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that addition the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs: (b) Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities 1. Ability to identify normal oral anatomy. 2. Advanced knowledge of instruments materials and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative surgical endodontic and periodontal care and procedures. 3. Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs. 4. Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist 5. Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats. 6. Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry. 7. Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records. 8. Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures
Preferred Experience: Registered Dental Assistant Licensure
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-6.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges universities schools or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information visit:
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38 and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Experience:
Junior IC
Key Skills
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