Dental Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Saginaw, MI

1d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located at the Aleda Lutz VA Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan. Dental Assistants provide routine patient care and perform some complex dental procedures under the general supervision of more experienced staff or the treating dentist. The full performance level is GS-6; selections may be made at grades GS-3 through GS-6.

The role supports general and specialty dental care, including restorative, surgical, endodontic, and periodontal procedures. It involves preparing treatment areas and materials, assisting the dentist, monitoring patients, documenting care, maintaining patient confidentiality, and providing patient education. The work schedule is four 10-hour shifts, 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with the specific day to be determined upon selection.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen, subject to the stated exception for non-citizen appointments when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Must meet the basic experience or education requirement: six months of qualifying experience, completion of a one-year CODA-accredited dental assistant program, or an equivalent combination.
• Must meet the applicable grade-level experience or education requirements for the grade sought.
• Must meet radiologic credentialing requirements by completing an accepted dental radiology examination, course and examination, or state-board- or DoD-approved program or examination.
• Must complete pre-employment drug testing if selected for a testing-designated position; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Must meet Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must be able to pass a background/security investigation and pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Must complete the online onboarding process and provide acceptable identification for employment eligibility requirements.
• Must participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must complete all application requirements in the announcement’s Required Documents section.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.
• For GS-4, must have one year of experience at the next lower level or qualifying education, and demonstrate basic knowledge of infection control, safe instrument handling, dental procedures, medical emergencies, radiographic image capture and processing or retrieval, dental equipment care and storage, and patient privacy.
• For GS-5, must meet the GS-4 requirements and have one year of qualifying next-lower-grade experience or qualifying four-year coursework, and demonstrate knowledge of anatomy and diagnostic image quality, common medical emergencies and vital signs, instruments and standardized procedures, ability to learn VHA software, and basic patient-instruction communication skills.
• For GS-6, must have at least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade and demonstrate ability to identify normal oral anatomy; advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized procedures across restorative, surgical, endodontic, and periodontal care; ability to monitor and basically interpret vital signs; ability to provide procedure-specific education and refer concerns to the dentist; ability to capture diagnostic-quality standard and special dental images; ability to maintain dental equipment; ability to use electronic dental records; and ability to perform appropriate dental laboratory procedures.
• Submit a transcript if using education to qualify; qualifying education must be from an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with transcripts when using foreign education to qualify.

Nice To Haves

• Basic life support certification is highly desirable.
• Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) certification is highly desirable for appointments up to and including the full performance level.
• Dental radiology course completion transcript or certificate is preferred.
• Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) or Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) credential is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Set up the operatory or surgery suite for planned dental procedures and clean the dental unit for timely turnover.
• Keep the operative field clear of debris and retract oral tissues effectively and comfortably.
• Prepare dental medicaments and impression materials according to manufacturers’ instructions.
• Assist with specialized procedures, including oral and maxillofacial surgery, endodontics, and surgical periodontics.
• Help fill schedule gaps caused by late cancellations and failed appointments.
• Assist the dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records.
• Maintain patient confidentiality for written and verbal information in accordance with HIPAA.
• Modify care as needed for patients’ age and abilities, including patient transfer and positioning.
• Monitor patients during treatment for signs of physical distress.
• Monitor blood pressure, pulse, EKG, pulse oximeter readings, and patient condition during moderate sedation and recovery.
• Pour impressions and prepare study models.
• Make final denture impression trays and prepare bite rims.
• Remove sutures and periodontal surgical dressings.
• Take impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication.
• Remove temporary crowns or bridges and clean debris from tooth preparations.
• Re-cement and fabricate temporary crowns.
• Perform coronal polishing of teeth.
• Place rubber dams and matrix bands.
• Provide post-operative and other appropriate patient education.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered for higher or unique qualifications or VA special needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with a child’s birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Eligible full-time employees may receive a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized for highly qualified candidates.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed