Dental Assistant

<p>Dental assistants facilitate direct patient care by working with the Dentist in restorative, prosthodontic, maxillofacial prosthodontic, periodontal, endodontic, and oral surgery procedures. They prepare patients for treatment, schedule appointments, assist with the aspirating of air/water syringes, expose dental radiographs, ad take impressions for provisional crowns. Among other ancillary procedures with the objective of helping clinicians achieve optimal oral health for veteran patients.</p><h3>Major Duties</h3><p>Functions: Duties listed in this section (a) comprise at least 25% of the clinical expanded function dental assistant's time. Performs mouth mirror inspection of the oral cavity Gathers diagnostic information Performs pulp vitality testing Charts existing restoration and conditions Selects shades for fixed and removable prostheses Places and removes rubber dams and matrix bands Places and removes retraction cord Places and removes intracoronal temporary restoration Removes temporary crown/bridge and clean tooth preparation of debris Fabricates, adjusts and cements temporary crowns Removes permanent cement from supragingival surfaces Removes sutures Places and removes surgical dressings Monitors nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesic Performs coronal polishing of teeth Removes hard accretions from and polishes removable prostheses Customer Service Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers and the public Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery Chairside Assisting Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement and restoration Dental Imaging Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, ceph, cone beam) in traditional and/or digital formats Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatories Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment Clerical Functions Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments Initiates computerized progress note Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records. Information Management Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information Follows computer security regulations Patient Safety Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position) Participates in patient identification and time out per Joint Commission requirements Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress Employee Education Complies with Employee Education requirements Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions Dental Laboratory Functions Pours impressions and prepares study models Makes initial or preliminary denture impression. Performs other dental laboratory functions as time and skill levels allow Direct Patient Care Monitors 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 Applies topical fluoride Provides patient preventative education and oral hygiene instruction Provides post-operative and other appropriate patient education Work Schedule: 7:00am-3:30pm, M-F Functional Statement #: 50256F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized</p><h3>Requirements</h3>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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's 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). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.<h3>Education</h3>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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.