Dental Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Seattle, WA

16d • Onsite

About The Position

This position has three vacancies at the Seattle VA Medical Center and one vacancy at the American Lake VA Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. The full performance level is GS-06, and applicants may be selected at grades GS-03 through GS-06. The position supports routine and specialty dental care at VA medical centers. The work schedule is Monday through Friday with variable hours: 0700–1530 at American Lake and 0730–1600 in Seattle. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

The Dental Assistant prepares treatment spaces and equipment, supports dentists during procedures, helps maintain patient safety and infection control, and documents patient information. At higher grade levels, the role includes greater independence in patient education, dental imaging, equipment maintenance, electronic dental records, and dental laboratory procedures.

Applicants must meet the applicable VA qualification requirements for the grade selected. The basic qualification route includes six months of relevant experience, completion of an accredited one-year dental assistant program, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Radiologic competency certification is required under the stated standards, with a temporary graduate dental assistant appointment potentially available to eligible non-certified applicants at GS-03 through GS-06. The job also requires U.S. citizenship, English proficiency, and successful completion of applicable pre-employment requirements. A one- or two-year trial period applies.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship and proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Six months of experience demonstrating ability to perform or familiarity with the work, or successful completion of a one-year dental assistant program accredited by CODA, or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Meet the experience, education, and knowledge, skills, and abilities requirements for the grade level sought, which range from GS-03 through GS-06.
• Meet radiologic competency requirements through an accepted education and certification route; eligible non-certified applicants may be considered for a temporary graduate dental assistant appointment at GS-03 through GS-06.
• Complete required background/security investigation, pre-employment physical evaluation, onboarding, and other application requirements.
• Participation in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for Health Care Personnel.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, during which continued employment is evaluated.
• For GS-04, meet the specified next-lower-grade experience or education requirement and demonstrate the listed basic dental procedure, infection-control, radiography, equipment-care, and patient-privacy KSAs.
• For GS-05, meet the GS-04 requirements and the specified next-lower-grade experience or education requirement, and demonstrate the listed anatomy, emergency response, dental materials and procedures, software learning, and patient communication KSAs.
• For GS-06, have at least one year of experience equivalent to GS-05 and demonstrate the listed oral anatomy, advanced dental procedure, vital-sign monitoring, patient education, dental imaging, equipment maintenance, electronic records, and laboratory procedure KSAs.

Nice To Haves

• Certification in basic life support methods.
• Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB); DANB certification is highly desirable through the full performance level and required for positions above that level.

Responsibilities

• Set up the operatory or surgery suite for planned dental procedures and clean the dental unit for timely turnover.
• Obtain and record vital signs in the medical record.
• Pass instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently.
• Keep the operative field clear of debris and retract oral tissues effectively and comfortably.
• Prepare dental medicaments and impression materials according to manufacturer instructions.
• Perform intra-operative procedures in accordance with standard infection-control protocols.
• Assist with routine general dental procedures using four-handed dentistry concepts.
• Assist, with guidance from more experienced Dental Assistants, in specialized procedures such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, and implant placement and restoration.
• Maintain routine and specialty dental equipment according to manufacturer instructions and dental service standards.
• At applicable grade levels, capture and process dental images, provide procedure-specific patient education, enter and retrieve electronic dental record data, and perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; benefit eligibility depends on position type and other applicable factors.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal 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