Dental Assistant
The dental assistant is an oral healthcare professional trained to provide supportive procedures for the dentist and for the patients. The incumbent performs a wide range of intra-oral dental procedures and provides chair side assistance in the clinic and operating room setting, as needed. Assistants should use time out protocols to confirm patients' identity with at least two hospital approved identifiers before seating and preparing patients for treatment. The dental assistant will:
- Prepare patient, sterilize and disinfect materials, and assist dentist during dental procedures. - Expose dental diagnostic x-rays. - Take dental histories and vital signs of patients. - Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies. - Provides administrative support to the clinical staff rendering care to those Veterans eligible to receive treatment. - Responsible for the maximum utilization of centralized scheduling to encompass both outpatient and inpatient appointments and coordination of Dental Providers at the WPB VAMC, for the master control of all Dental clinics and appropriate notification to Veterans for future appointments. - Responsible for assuring compensation and pension examinations are scheduled within mandated guidelines. - Continually monitors patient flow, maintains contact with clinical support staff to resolve delays and miscommunication in the clinical aspect of providing dental care. - Ensures patient access to care by having dental appointments properly scheduled. Accurately inputs data requesting follow-up appointments or treatment and generates letters to patients informing them of clinic appointments. - Provides advisory and technical assistance to both patients and staff with regard to eligibility for dental treatment, as well as other special programs (i.e. Beneficiary Travel, Fee Basis, Nursing Home and Domiciliary Care. Work Schedule:
7:
30am-4:
00pm (Monday-Friday) Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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. (1) Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work. OR, (2) Education. Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) . (3) 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). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Preferred
Experience:
3 years or greater General dental or prosthodontic assisting experience Grade Determinations:
GS-6 Experience. At least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
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. References:
VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G36 Physical Requirements:
Stand for long periods of time, use hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
- Prepare patient, sterilize and disinfect materials, and assist dentist during dental procedures. - Expose dental diagnostic x-rays. - Take dental histories and vital signs of patients. - Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies. - Provides administrative support to the clinical staff rendering care to those Veterans eligible to receive treatment. - Responsible for the maximum utilization of centralized scheduling to encompass both outpatient and inpatient appointments and coordination of Dental Providers at the WPB VAMC, for the master control of all Dental clinics and appropriate notification to Veterans for future appointments. - Responsible for assuring compensation and pension examinations are scheduled within mandated guidelines. - Continually monitors patient flow, maintains contact with clinical support staff to resolve delays and miscommunication in the clinical aspect of providing dental care. - Ensures patient access to care by having dental appointments properly scheduled. Accurately inputs data requesting follow-up appointments or treatment and generates letters to patients informing them of clinic appointments. - Provides advisory and technical assistance to both patients and staff with regard to eligibility for dental treatment, as well as other special programs (i.e. Beneficiary Travel, Fee Basis, Nursing Home and Domiciliary Care. Work Schedule:
7:
30am-4:
00pm (Monday-Friday) Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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. (1) Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work. OR, (2) Education. Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) . (3) 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). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Preferred
Experience:
3 years or greater General dental or prosthodontic assisting experience Grade Determinations:
GS-6 Experience. At least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
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. References:
VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G36 Physical Requirements:
Stand for long periods of time, use hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- Department:
0681 Dental Assistant - Salary Range:
$41,459 to $53,897 per year
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
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