Dental Assistant

Veterans Health Administration•Wilmington, NC

21d•Onsite

About The Position

The Dental Assistant independently performs complex work in restorative, endodontic, prosthodontic, periodontal, implantology, and oral surgery disciplines for the Wilmington VA Clinic. The role operates at the full-performance GS-6 level, performing a range of duties with some independence and indirect supervision from a lead dental assistant, dental assistant supervisor, or treating dentist. The position supports routine and specialty dental care, including preparing treatment spaces and equipment, assisting during procedures, obtaining dental images, maintaining infection-control standards, documenting and tracking patient care, monitoring vital signs, and providing patient education. The schedule is described as four 10-hour shifts in Fayetteville or nine 9-hour shifts in Wilmington. This is not a virtual position.

Requirements

United States citizenship.
Successful completion of an educational program meeting or exceeding the radiologic-procedure standards in 42 CFR Part 75, accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, and certification as a radiographer in the field.
Proficiency in spoken and written English.
One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level demonstrating the required core competencies.
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 vital signs and perform basic interpretation of them.
Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriately refer patient concerns to the treating dentist.
Ability to capture standard and special dental images of diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.
Ability to maintain equipment used in routine and specialty dentistry.
Ability to enter and retrieve data using electronic dental records.
Ability to perform dental-assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures.
Must meet applicable pre-employment screening, onboarding, identification, background/security investigation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements; applicants selected for VA employment in a testing-designated position are subject to urinalysis before appointment.
Must serve a one- or two-year trial period.

Nice To Haves

Radiography certification.
DA I or DA II DANB certification; preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Show courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude toward patients, coworkers, and the public; assist customers with questions, concerns, and service recovery.
Set up operatories or the surgery suite for planned procedures and clean dental units for timely turnover.
Pass instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently; keep the operative field clear and retract oral tissues effectively and comfortably.
Prepare dental medicaments and impression materials according to manufacturers’ instructions.
Perform intra-operative procedures within standard infection-control protocols and assist with routine general dentistry using four-handed dentistry concepts.
Assist with specialized procedures, including oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement, and restoration; anticipate surgeons’ and specialists’ needs during treatment.
Maintain routine and specialty dental equipment according to manufacturer instructions and dental service standards.
Expose standard and specialty dental images, including TMJ, cephalometric, and cone-beam images, in traditional or digital formats; adjust settings to obtain images requested by the provider and follow infection-control procedures while exposing images.
Follow infection-control requirements, including disinfecting oral appliances, preparing instruments for transfer to SPD, following reusable medical equipment procedures, using required PPE, and complying with hand-hygiene and hospital protocols.
Work with SPD to ensure instruments are available so clinical care is not delayed.
Help fill schedule gaps resulting from late cancellations and failed appointments.
Initiate computerized progress notes and assist the dentist with charting findings and treatment plans in patient records.
Locate and track pending patient laboratory cases and complete dental laboratory cards.
Monitor patients’ vital signs and condition during invasive treatment and recovery.
Apply topical anesthetic at injection sites and topical fluoride.
Take diagnostic and preliminary impressions; assist with laboratory procedures such as selecting and manipulating gypsums and waxes, pouring and trimming diagnostic casts, evaluating cast quality, and fabricating custom trays.
Remove plaque and soft debris from removable prostheses.
Provide preventive education, oral-hygiene instruction, postoperative education, and other appropriate patient education; refer patient concerns to the treating dentist as appropriate.
Perform related duties as assigned.