Dental Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Providence, RI

18d • Onsite

About The Position

The Dental Assistant works in the Dental service at the Providence VA Medical Center in Providence, Rhode Island. This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week position with a Monday–Friday schedule from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The full performance level is GS-06; selections may be made at grades GS-03 through GS-06. The position assists dentists with direct patient care and performs clinical and clerical functions, including dental procedures, imaging, equipment maintenance, and laboratory work. The role also handles administrative communications and service requests. Telework, virtual work, compressed or flexible schedules, recruitment or relocation incentives, and permanent-change-of-station relocation assistance are not authorized.

The employee sets up and turns over treatment areas, assists with routine procedures using four-handed dentistry, prepares impressions and laboratory items, and maintains routine and specialty dental equipment. The employee captures standard and specialty dental images in traditional or digital formats, adjusts settings as requested, and ensures diagnostic quality while following imaging-safety practices. The position also receives and routes messages and requests, communicates with administrative staff and dental offices, and relays patient concerns to the treating dentist.

Applicants must meet the applicable experience or education requirements, including six months of qualifying experience, a qualifying one-year accredited dental assistant program, or an equivalent combination. Radiologic competence certification is required for radiologic procedures, subject to the stated temporary appointment provision for eligible non-certified applicants. DANB certification is desirable through GS-06 and required above the full performance level; basic life support certification is highly desirable. The position requires U.S. citizenship, English proficiency, and completion of applicable pre-employment screening and onboarding requirements, including a physical examination, security investigation, and seasonal influenza vaccination. A one- or two-year trial period applies.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exceptions for non-citizens.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Six months of experience demonstrating ability to perform the work or familiarity with it; or successful completion of a one-year CODA-accredited dental assistant program; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• For radiologic procedures, radiologic competence certification through one of the approved examinations, courses, or programs described in the announcement; eligible non-certified applicants may qualify for a temporary appointment under the stated provision.
• Meet applicable grade-level experience or education and knowledge, skills, and abilities requirements for the selected GS grade.
• For GS-04, one year of experience at GS-03 or two years of post-high-school education that includes completion of a CODA-accredited dental assistant program, plus the stated competencies.
• For GS-05, one year of experience equivalent to GS-04 or a qualifying four-year course of study that included or was supplemented by a CODA dental assistant program, plus the stated competencies.
• For GS-06, at least one year of experience equivalent to GS-05 and the stated technical competencies.
• Comply with pre-employment urinalysis when selected for a testing-designated position, background/security investigation, onboarding, acceptable identification requirements, pre-employment physical examination, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period.
• Provide required application materials and documentation as specified, including applicable SF-50 forms for current or former federal employees.

Nice To Haves

• Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
• Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) certification is highly desirable for Dental Assistant appointments through the full performance level GS-06.

Responsibilities

• Receive telephone messages and respond appropriately.
• Communicate with VA administrative staff about care referral questions.
• Sort and forward service requests from community dental offices for review by the lead dentist.
• Communicate requests for supporting documentation to dental offices.
• Set up the operatory or surgery suite for planned procedures and clean the dental unit for timely turnover.
• Assist in routine general dental procedures using four-handed dentistry.
• Pour impressions and prepare study models.
• Make final denture impression trays and prepare bite rims.
• Perform other dental laboratory functions as needed.
• Maintain routine and specialty dental equipment according to manufacturer instructions and dental-service standards.
• Relay patient concerns to the treating dentist.
• Expose standard and specialty dental images, including TMJ, cephalometric, and cone beam images, in traditional or digital formats.
• Modify imaging settings to achieve images requested by the provider and capture diagnostic-quality images that are accurately oriented and exposed.
• Use dental-imaging safety techniques, minimize retakes, and complete imaging requests within the desired time frame.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 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.
• After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave related to birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify after 60 days for a childcare subsidy of up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, subject to income, child eligibility, and a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a 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.
• Eligible applicants may receive credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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