Dental Assistant

*** This is an Open Continuous Announcement and will remain open until 09/30/2026. The initial cut-off date for the referral of eligible applications will be 11/24/2025 with subsequent cut-off dates on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. ***

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Major Duties:

• 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.
• Possesses ability to identify normal anatomy.
• Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatories.
• Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination.
• Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information. Follows computer security regulations.
• Assists in filling gaps in the doctors schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments.
• Monitors patient condition during treatment being alert for signs of physical distress.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

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.
• 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).
  • Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.
• Certification. 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.
  • (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.
• GS-3
  • (a) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
  • Assignment. Employees at this level serve in dental assistant career development
    positions. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for
    more complex patient issues and require daily close supervision
• GS-4
  • Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities
    • 1. Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling.
      2. Basic knowledge of dental procedures and medical emergencies.
      3. Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval.
      4. Basic knowledge of maintenance care and storage of dental equipment.
      5. Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements.
    • Assignment. Employees at this level serve as developmental staff dental assistants.
      It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more
      complex patient issues and require daily and direct contact at the site of work from the
      assigned supervisor. Assignments at this level include but are not limited to: receiving and
      preparing patient for treatment including seating positioning chair placing napkin
      performing disinfection and sterilization procedures; performing basic chair side assisting with direct instruction from treating dentist; 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; complying with standard recommendation for equipment maintenance; retrieving all pertinent patient records prior to seating the dental patient; directing patient to appropriate staff for the intent of scheduling visits.
• GS-5
  • 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 grade level that demonstrates the core
      competencies described at that level. 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.
    • In addition to meeting paragraph (1) or (2) above the applicant must demonstrate the
      following KSAs
      • Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities
        • 1. Knowledge of anatomy and ability to evaluate diagnostic quality
          2. Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement.
          3. Basic knowledge of instruments materials and standardized dental procedures.
          4. Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA.
          5. Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol.

• GS-6 Staff Dental Assistant
  • 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:
  • 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