Dentist (Regular Full-Time)

Veterans Health Administration • Nashville, TN

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The general practice dental officer provides a full range of professional dental procedures to treat commonly encountered dental diseases and oral health problems through standard corrective, restorative, and preventive care. The dentist is expected to be proficient in general dentistry, including selected specialty services, subject to the scope of practice approved through the medical center’s credentialing and privileging process.

The role also provides clinical review of requests for dental services submitted through Integrated Veteran Care (IVC) and community care. The dentist evaluates and approves or denies requests, collaborates with IVC Community Care staff to resolve complex questions, assists with patient advocate complaints, educates VA dental staff about community care eligibility and processes, and serves as a liaison with community care dental providers.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM CT. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. The work is largely office-based and sedentary; clinical charting is electronic and requires computer use. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to program eligibility and approval; the potential award is up to $200,000 for an eligibility period of 1–5 years. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized. The position may be eligible for the Physician/Provider Contract Buy Out Program, subject to its requirements.

Requirements

• Doctor of Dental Surgery or dental medicine degree from an approved or qualifying institution; equivalent degree requirements are described in the announcement.
• Completed or currently completing a general practice or specialty residency, or have comparable experience as a dentist actively treating medically compromised patients.
• Currently hold, or be able to obtain, a current, full, and unrestricted dental license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Maintain current state registration if required to keep the dental license active.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation or examination.
• Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing-designated position must submit to urinalysis for illegal drug use; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Subject to background and security investigation; selected applicants must complete online onboarding and all application requirements.
• Must meet applicable federal employment and identification requirements, including Selective Service registration for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.

Responsibilities

• Perform oral and radiographic examinations and diagnose pathological or irregular oral conditions.
• Administer local anesthesia.
• Perform routine and complex tooth restorations and simple and complex extractions.
• Perform alveoloplasty and other routine surgical procedures.
• Provide prosthetic dentistry, including immediate, full, and partial dentures, crowns, and fixed bridge work.
• Perform routine endodontic procedures on single- and multi-canal teeth.
• Perform routine and surgical periodontal procedures.
• Provide basic dental implant restorations, including single crowns and overdentures.
• Clinically review incoming requests for service from contract community care dental providers using the consult tool box.
• Review IVC consults entered by TVH VA dentists and indicate approval or denial of requested dental care.
• Collaborate with IVC Community Care staff to resolve complex service requests and clinical care approval or denial questions.
• Assist in resolving patient advocate complaints regarding community care approvals or denials.
• Serve as a liaison within VA dental service, answer staff questions about community care eligibility and Standard Episodes of Care, explain approvals and denials, and educate staff about IVC processes and changes.
• Respond to clinic questions from VA and IVC community care dental providers and conduct quarterly education sessions.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program student loan repayment, subject to eligibility and approval, with an award of up to $200,000 and an eligibility period of 1–5 years.
• Comprehensive federal employee benefits package for eligible employees and their families.
• Potential eligibility for the Physician/Provider Contract Buy Out Program, subject to program requirements.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree