Dental Assistant

Summary Employees at this level serve in dental assistant career development positions. They receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patient issues and require daily close supervision. This position will report to the Supervisory Dental Hygienist for the Dental service. Responsibilities Duties include, but not limited to : Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers and the public Assists customers with questions or concerns. Sets up operatory and / or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover; Possesses advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care; Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry; Possesses ability to identify normal anatomy; Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, cephalometric, cone beam) in traditional and / or digital formats; Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider; Captures images characterized by diagnostic quality and accurately oriented and exposed; Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatories; Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination; Properly prepares instruments for transfer to SPS for sterilization; Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments; Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records. Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information; Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position); Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients; Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress. Work Schedule : Monday - Thursday : 7 : 00am - 4 : 30pm & Friday : 7 : 00am - 3 : 30pm (every other Friday) Compressed / Flexible : Available 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 : Ad-hoc- as determined by the agency policy Virtual : This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement # : 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 (). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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. Qualifications 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 : Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with VA Policy.) Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. f. English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. 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. English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d). Experience and Education. Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work. OR, Education. 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 2 education are qualifying. (1) Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.; OR, 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, Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD). (2) Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification of radiologic competence may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate dental assistant under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 (a) (1) (D). Failure to obtain certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. This will result in removal from the GS-681 series and] may result in termination of employment. (3) Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable. (4) 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 not required, but highly desirable for the appointment of Dental Assistants up to and including the full performance level, and is required for all positions above the full performance level.(5) Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure / certification / registration within the required time frame, or who fails to maintain the required licensure / certification / registration must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. (5) Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure / certification / registration within the required time frame, or who fails to maintain the required licensure / certification / registration must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. 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). Grade Determinations : GS-3 : Experience or Education : (None beyond the above basic requirements) GS-4 : Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, 1 year of experience at the next lower level, OR 2 years of education above high school that included completion of a dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following : GS-4 KSAs : Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling Basic knowledge of dental procedures and [medical emergencies. Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing / retrieval. Basic knowledge of maintenance, care and storage of dental equipment. Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements. GS-5 : Experience or Education. In addition to the requirements listed at GS-4 above, applicants must demonstrate at least 1 year of experience equivalent to at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. OR Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a dental assistant program by CODA. In addition to meeting paragraph (1) or (2) above, the applicant must demonstrate the following. GS-5 KSA's : Knowledge of anatomy and [ability to evaluate diagnostic quality. Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement. Basic knowledge of instruments, materials and standardized dental procedures. Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA. Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol. GS-6 (Full Performance Level) : 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. GS-6 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. Preferred Experience : 2 to 3 years experience as a Dental Assistant. Reference : For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6. Physical Requirements : There is light lifting under 15 pounds; light carrying, under 15 pounds. Must have use of both hands and fingers. Requires walking with both legs required. Must have ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously. Requires both eyes with depth perception. Ability to distinguish basic colors. Ability to distinguish basic shades of colors. Must have good hearing. Environmental factors include radiant energy, working around machinery with moving parts. Includes more mental than physical fatigue factors and must have the ability to work closely with others. Education 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 : 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 : Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave : Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration / Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA / OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.