Dental Assistant Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• United States citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• At least six months of relevant experience, or successful completion of a one-year CODA-accredited dental assistant program, or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Radiologic competence demonstrated by one of the accepted routes: the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by DANB; the specified Principles and Practice of Dental Radiology and Radiographic Safety courses and examinations; or a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense.
• At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level for the GS-06 full-performance position.
• Ability to identify normal oral anatomy and knowledge of anatomy sufficient to evaluate diagnostic quality.
• Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in restorative, surgical, endodontic, and periodontal care.
• Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.
• Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and refer patient concerns appropriately to the treating dentist.
• Ability to capture standard and special dental images of diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.
• Ability to perform maintenance on equipment used in routine and specialty dentistry.
• Ability to enter and retrieve data using electronic dental records and perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical examination and, if tentatively selected for a testing-designated position, urinalysis screening for illegal drug use.
• Must be subject to a background/security investigation and participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must complete required application, assessment, and onboarding steps and serve a one- or two-year trial period.
• Physical capability for moderate lifting (15–44 pounds), heavy carrying (45 pounds and over), rapid simultaneous mental and muscular coordination, moderate walking, and extended standing; near and distant vision and hearing abilities are also specified.

Nice To Haves

• Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) certification is highly desirable but not required.
• Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide four-handed chair-side dental assisting, dental laboratory procedures, and other procedures delegated by a dentist consistent with the Florida State Dental Practice Act.
• Follow patient-safety processes, including infection control, patient identification, time-out, informed consent, medication reconciliation, and hand-off communication.
• Follow standard operating procedures for reusable medical equipment, instruments, materials, and personal protective equipment in dental clinical areas.
• Prepare the operatory with equipment, materials, and supplies before procedures, and clean it after patients are dismissed to support timely turnover.
• Capture and save diagnostic-quality intraoral and extraoral digital radiographs within the desired time frame.
• Anticipate dentists’ and specialists’ needs throughout treatment and make instruments and materials available in the clinic, operating room, or at the patient’s bedside.
• Use proper techniques and dexterity in four-handed dentistry.
• Prepare and mix dental materials according to manufacturers’ instructions.
• Apply cavity bases and liners, desensitizing agents, fluoride, tooth conditioners or bonding agents, and dentist-prescribed topical anesthesia to specified areas of the oral cavity.
• Fabricate temporary acrylic, stainless steel, and polycarbonate crowns; remove crown and bridge temporaries and clean prepared teeth.
• Remove sutures, periodontal dressings, and post-extraction socket dressings.
• Perform coronal polishing of natural teeth, including removal of cement and debris from teeth and restorations.
• Provide procedure-specific patient education on preventive care, prosthetic appliance care, oral-health regimens, and postoperative or restorative instructions.
• Perform routine maintenance of equipment components, such as suction traps and water lines.
• Perform dental laboratory duties, including cleaning and polishing dentures and prosthetic appliances, pouring and trimming dental stone models, constructing custom impression trays, and fabricating bite rims, vacuum-formed stints, soft mouth guards, and fluoride trays.
• Assist with specialty procedures, including oral surgery, periodontal therapy, endodontic and prosthodontic procedures, and implant placement and restoration.
• Take preliminary impressions; select and manipulate gypsums and waxes; pour, trim, and evaluate diagnostic casts; and fabricate custom trays.
• Monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs, capture standard and special dental images, maintain dental equipment, and enter and retrieve data in electronic dental records.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, consisting of 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family-income and other eligibility conditions.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a 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.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual-leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.