Dental Assistant

Description:

The Samuel S Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany, NY is recruiting for a Dental Assistant to provide support to the Surgical Services Dental Clinic. The incumbent performs duties necessary to assist the dentists in many aspects of direct patient care and perform other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision. This includes a wide range of intra-oral dental procedures and provides chairside assistance in the clinic setting with an emphasis on fourhanded dentistry.

Requirements:

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/Education:
  • Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides familiarity with the work. OR,
  • Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on [Dental] Accreditation [(CODA)]. OR,
  • 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.

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).

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 required for all positions above the full performance level. For this position, it is preferred but not required.

Grade Determinations : GS-6 Dental Assistant

Experience: At least 1 year of experience [equivalent to] the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the [following] technical KSAs:

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.
• Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures.
• Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.
• Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist.
• Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.
• Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry.
• Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records.
• Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures.

Preferred Experience: Certified Dental Assistant, but not mandatory for the position

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G36

Physical Requirements: Tasks require long periods of bending, standing, walking, and reaching at odd angles. Must frequently carry heavy instruments, or packages of dental materials and supplies.