Dental Assistant

<p>The Dental Assistant is a member of the Dental Service, which provides restorative, endodontic, periodontal, removeable and fixed prosthodontics, implant restorative, and minor oral surgery procedures. The Dental Service is aligned under the Surgical/Specialty Care Service Line.</p><h3>Major Duties</h3><p>Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to the following: Chairside Assisting Assists in routine general Dental procedures using four-handed dentistry. Sets up and breaks down operatories for procedures, ensuring efficient room turnover Passes instruments safely, accurately and efficiently Maintains clear operative field and provides effective and comfortable tissue retraction Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer instructions Performs all intra-operative procedures within standard infection-control protocols Assists in specialized procedures (oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics) with guidance from senior or supervisory dental assistant or the treating dentist. Direct Patient Care Takes impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary prothesis. Removes temporary crowns and bridges and cleans preparations Places rubber dams and matrix bands. Completes medication reconciliation as appropriate. Provides Post-Operative patient education. Dental Imaging Captures diagnostic-quality images, properly exposed and oriented. Implements radiation-safety techniques and minimizes retakes. Completes imaging requests within required timeframes. Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization Follows all infection-control standards for operatory set up and cleanup Prepares instruments and materials in a manner that supports timely clinical care. Processes instruments for sterilization per SPD standards. Demonstrate proper infection control procedures during dental imaging. Performs reprocessing of reusable medical devices within assigned competencies. Dental Laboratory Functions: Pour impressions and fabricates study models. Completes additional laboratory tasks as time and skill allow. Performs other dental laboratory duties as assigned. Clerical Functions Assists dentists in charting clinical findings and treatment plans in patient records Helps manage the provider's schedule, including filling gaps due to cancellations or no-shows Uses VA software for electronic documentation, communication and record retrieval (VistA, CPRS, DRM+) Locates appointments and properly completes all dental laboratory cards to ensure readiness for patient care Patient Safety Modifies care by patient's age, condition and abilities Care Coordination and Patient Management Contributes to treatment-planning discussions and processes Evaluates chief complaints and identifies conditions requiring immediate attention Verifies that informed consent has been obtained for planned procedures Other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am to 5:00pm; alternate Fridays off Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May Be Authorized for Highly Qualified Candidates Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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/.