Supervisory Dental Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Goldsboro, NC

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Supervisory Dental Assistant supervises, administratively manages, and directs dental assistants. The incumbent may be delegated full administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing dental-assisting activities for a service or equivalent unit at an independent outpatient clinic. The position has full supervisory responsibility for a section or equivalent work unit requiring three or more dental assistants.

The role applies advanced dental-assisting knowledge across multiple practice areas, coordinates clinical workflow and assignments, and assists the Dental Service Chief with clinic operations, including policy development, equipment requests, and workload analysis. Clinical duties include monitoring and responding to post-surgical bleeding, taking final impressions for basic and specialty procedures, preparing and turning over operatories or surgery suites, monitoring and interpreting patient vital signs and condition during invasive treatment and recovery, and assisting with routine general dental procedures using four-handed dentistry.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 0800–1630. Compressed or flexible scheduling is available. Telework is not available, and this is not a virtual position. The full performance level is GS-08.

Requirements

• At least one year of experience at the next lower grade level demonstrating the core competencies for that level.
• Meet the basic experience or education requirement: six months of qualifying experience, successful completion of a one-year CODA-accredited dental assistant program, or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Meet radiologic competence certification requirements through an accepted examination, course, or program.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of dental assisting across multiple practice areas and the ability to guide staff dental assistants.
• Demonstrate skill in coordinating clinical workflow and assignments.
• Demonstrate the ability to assist the Dental Clinic Chief with policy development, equipment requests, and workload analysis.
• Demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain effective, cooperative work relationships.
• Demonstrate the ability to analyze clinically appropriate data to optimize quality, performance, and productivity within the section.
• Demonstrate the ability to perform supervisory functions, including competency assessment, performance appraisals, and training management.
• Be a U.S. citizen, subject to the stated exception for non-citizen appointments when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Pass the required pre-employment physical evaluation or examination and background/security investigation; selected applicants are also subject to required drug testing and onboarding procedures.
• Meet applicable credentialing requirements and maintain required licensure, certification, or registration.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the announcement’s Required Documents section.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as required.
• Education used to qualify must be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with transcripts.

Nice To Haves

• Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
• Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) certification is highly desirable for appointments up to and including the full-performance level.
• CDC certification and at least five years of dental assistant experience are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, administratively manage, and direct dental assistants.
• Plan and direct dental-assisting activities for a service or equivalent unit at an independent outpatient clinic, when delegated.
• Provide full supervisory responsibility for a section or equivalent work unit requiring three or more dental assistants.
• Use advanced knowledge of dental-assisting principles across multiple practice areas to guide staff dental assistants.
• Coordinate clinical workflow and assignments.
• Assist the Dental Service Chief with clinic operations, including policy development, equipment requests, and workload analysis.
• Monitor, manage, and respond to post-surgical bleeding.
• Take final impressions for basic and specialty procedures.
• Set up operatories or surgery suites for planned dental procedures and clean dental units for timely turnover.
• Monitor and perform basic interpretation of patient vital signs, including blood pressure, pulse, and pulse oximeter readings, and monitor patient condition during invasive treatment and recovery.
• Assist with routine general dental procedures using four-handed dentistry.
• Perform supervisory functions such as assessing competency, providing performance appraisals, and managing training.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered for higher or unique qualifications or agency 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 approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with a birth, adoption, or foster-care placement.
• Potential childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment for eligible full-time employees with total family income below $144,000, up to 25% of eligible childcare costs and a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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