Dental Assistant (Fee Basis)

Veterans Health Administration • Johnson City, TN

8d • Onsite

About The Position

This is a fee-basis provider position. Fee-basis appointments are temporary, excepted appointments for professional and technical occupations under Title 38, United States Code, section 7405(a)(2). Services are provided on a facility's premises when they are otherwise readily available and cost-effective, and compensation is based on services performed rather than hours or tours of duty.

At the full-performance level, the dental assistant provides routine patient care and performs some complex procedures under the general supervision of experienced dental assistants or a dental supervisor. The assistant supports the dentist in direct patient care and independently performs other clinical and clerical functions.

The position includes dental imaging, infection control and equipment sterilization, appointment scheduling and other clerical work, patient information management and safety, employee education, dental laboratory functions, and direct patient care. The fee is $35 per unit, where a unit includes initial treatment-room setup and preparation, support to the dentist during a procedure, and disassembly, pretreatment, and transport of reusable medical devices. Annual pay for services is limited to $70,000. The position is not eligible for a recruitment incentive, relocation assistance, or telework, and it is not virtual.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• At least six months of experience demonstrating ability to perform the work or familiarity with it; or successful completion of a one-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Radiologic competence demonstrated through one of the accepted pathways: successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by DANB; completion of the specified Principles and Practice of Dental Radiology and Radiographic Safety courses and examinations; or completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.
• Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in restorative, surgical, endodontic, and periodontal care.
• Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.
• Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and refer patient concerns appropriately to the treating dentist.
• Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.
• Ability to maintain dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry.
• Ability to enter and retrieve data using electronic dental records.
• Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures.
• Meet applicable background/security investigation and onboarding requirements; selected applicants in testing-designated positions are subject to pre-appointment drug testing.
• Participation in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program is required.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
• Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) certification is highly desirable but is not required.

Responsibilities

• Expose standard and specialty dental images, including TMJ, cephalometric, and cone-beam images, using traditional or digital formats; adjust settings to achieve requested, diagnostically useful images while minimizing retakes and meeting required timelines.
• Follow dental imaging safety techniques and infection-control procedures when exposing images.
• Set up and clean operatories, disinfect oral appliances, prepare instruments for transfer to Sterile Processing Service (SPD), and follow procedures for reusable medical equipment.
• Coordinate with SPD to help ensure instrument availability and avoid delays in clinical care.
• Schedule patient appointments, make and receive calls, schedule appointments from return-to-clinic orders, enter those orders when needed, and help fill schedule gaps caused by cancellations or missed appointments.
• Assist the dentist with recording findings and treatment plans in patient records.
• Protect patient confidentiality in written and verbal communications and follow computer security regulations.
• Adapt care to patients' ages and abilities, including during transfers and positioning; provide clear instructions; participate in patient identification and time-outs; and monitor patients for signs of distress during treatment.
• Complete employee education requirements and mandatory annual safety training.
• Pour impressions and prepare study models; make final denture impression trays and bite rims; fabricate athletic mouth guards and bleaching trays; and perform other laboratory functions as time and skills allow.
• Monitor vital signs, including blood pressure, pulse, and pulse oximetry, and patient condition during invasive treatment and recovery.
• Apply topical anesthetic at injection sites and topical fluoride.
• Take impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication.
• Provide postoperative and other appropriate patient education.

Benefits

• The job posting states that federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits and eligibility depend on position type, and applicants are directed to contact the hiring agency for details.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed