Dentist Designated Education Officer

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The Designated Education Officer (DEO) is frequently known as the Associate Chief of Staff for Education (ACOS-E) is the designated VAMC employee who has oversight responsibility for all health professions training at the VAMC. The DEO receives guidance on Health Professions Education (HPE) program requirements from the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA).

Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provides oversight to identify evaluate and mitigate risk of injury to HPTs (Health Professions Trainee) patients staff and visitors in collaboration with facility Occupational Health and Patient Safety.
• Reviews and ensures that minimal qualifications and credentials are met by HPTs coming to VA for academic programs as attested to by the Trainee Qualifications Certification Verification Letter (TQCVL).
• Interacts with affiliated institutions as appropriate on matters pertaining to HPT assignments and curricula and on evaluation of the VA medical facility as a training site.
• Acts as a consultant to other VA medical facility staff on educational matters and interpreting policies according to VA requirements; provides comprehensive support to residency and training program and site directors.
• Acts as the liaison with the sponsoring institutions Designated Institution Officer (DIO) and other education leaders in the academic programs of education and research.
• Advocates for sufficient VA resources for appropriate management of HPE programs.
• Exercises oversight and administration of all clinical training programs at the VA medical facility and ensures compliance with all pertinent requirements and program accreditation standards. This oversight responsibility includes fiscal matters affiliation and disbursement agreements programmatic accreditation credentials of HPTs appointment and payment of HPT stipends.
• Establishes local procedures for Educational Activity Record (EAR) keeping and disbursement including training reconcile invoices submitting rate schedules and reimbursing affiliates in a timely manner.
• Works closely with OAA to expand programs collect and report data and obtain guidance for unusual circumstances.
• Reviews and signs appropriate Program Letters of Agreement prepared by the affiliated institution.
• Manages special situations and issues pertaining to HPTs and advising the VA facility Director and the program director of the affiliated institution (or VA-sponsored program) concerning HPT competence conduct and compliance with VA regulations and policy.
• Ensures that all VA-sponsored programs maintain accreditation collaborating with VA program director(s) on reporting site visits and making timely payments to match organizations and/or certifying bodies.
• Assigns work to staff in the HPE service.

• All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

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.

Dentist 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.
• A degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery or dental medicine resulting from a course of education in dentistry. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are (1) United States and Canadian schools of dentistry listed by the Commission on Dental Accreditation(CODA) in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed.(2) Schools (including foreign schools) accepted by the licensing body of a State Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) or the District of Columbia as qualifying for full and unrestricted licensure provided the licensure requirements include a written examination measuring science achievement and a performance examination measuring clinical competence certification and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate if claimed by the applicant. AND
• Completed or you are currently completing a residency program in general practice or specialty or comparable experience as a dentist actively involved in treating medically compromised patients. AND
• Currently hold or will hold a current full and unrestricted license to practice dentistry in a State Territory or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. Note: Dentists must maintain current registration in the State of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active current licensure.
• Residency or Comparable Experience. Completion of an approved residency program in general practice or specialty or comparable experience as a dentist actively involved in treating medically compromised patients.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English. Dentists including residents appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).Dentists including residents appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).
• Leadership/Manager Positions. Dentist leadership and management positions may be Section Chiefs Assistant Chiefs Service Chiefs VISN Lead Dentists Service Line Managers Central Office Program Positions Chiefs of Staff or Directors (i.e. medical center and Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN)). Dentists in leadership positions must demonstrate outstanding professional ability in the practice of dentistry or a dental specialty and healthcare administration as well as the ability to guide the development and implementation of programs within their respective domain. These would include but are not limited to dental practice professional standards personnel issues quality and performance improvement.
  • (a) Service Chief/Service Line Manager/Lead addition to the above Dentists in these roles must demonstrate effectiveness coordinating and managing interdisciplinary collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders to optimize the care of patients under their purview. It is expected individuals in these roles serve on a full-time basis.