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Duties
Summary
Dental assistants at this level serve as staff dental assistants at the full performance level for routine patient care and perform a full range of duties with indirect supervision from the lead or supervisor dental assistant or the treating dentist. Dental assistants perform assigned selected procedures with some independence. Some complex patient procedures are performed under indirect supervision of more experienced dental assistants or dental supervisor.
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Responsibilities
The dental assistant assists the dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision.
Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers and the public Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery.
Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover.
Passes instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently.
Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably.
Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions.
Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols.
Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry.
Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement and restoration.
Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer instructions and dental service standards.
Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, ceph, cone beam) in traditional and for digital formats.
Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider.
Characterizes images by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed.
Utilizes dental imaging safety techniques and retakes are minimized.
Requests imaging within the desired time frame.
Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatories.
Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination.
Properly prepares instruments for transfer to Sterile Processing Distribution for sterilization.
Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment.
Works closely with Sterile Processing Distribution to ensure availability of instruments so that·clinical care is not delayed.
Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images.
Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments.
Initiates computerized progress note.
Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records.
Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information.
Follows computer security regulations.
Modifies care as necessitated by patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position).
Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients.
Participates in patient identification and time out per Joint Commission requirements.
Monitors patient condition during treatment. being alert for signs of physical distress.
Complies with Employee Education requirements.
Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions.
Pours impressions and prepares study models.
Makes final denture impression trays and prepares bite rims.
Fabricates athletic mouth guards and bleaching trays.
Performs other dental laboratory functions as time and skill levels allow.
Monitors patient vital signs (BP, pulse, pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure.
Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site.
Applies topical fluoride.
Impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication.
Removes plaque and soft debris from removable prostheses.
Provides patient preventative education and oral hygiene instruction.
Provides post-operative and other appropriate patient education.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:45 AM to 4:15 PM
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Travel Required
Not required
Supervisory status
No
Promotion Potential
None
0681 Dental Assistant
Similar jobs
Assistants, Dental
Dental Assistants
Requirements
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Requirements
Conditions of Employment
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
You may be required to serve a probationary period
Subject to a background/security investigation
Must be proficient in written and spoken English
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
Qualifications
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
COVERAGE. Following are requirements for appointment as a Dental Assistant in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). These requirements apply to all VHA dental assistants in the General Schedule (GS)-681 series.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States.
b. Experience and Education
(1) Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work.
OR,
(2) Education. Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
(3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.
c. Certification. Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must have successfully completed an educational program that meets or exceeds the standards described in that regulation, and is accredited by an organization recognized by the Department of Education, and be certified as radiographers in their field.
(1) Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence
(a) Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.;
OR,
(b) Successful completion of the Principles and Practice of Dental Radiology and Radiographic Safety courses and examinations developed by the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Dentistry;
OR,
(c) Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD).
(2) Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification of radiologic competence may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate dental assistant under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 (a) (1) (D). Failure to obtain certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. This will result in removal from the GS-681 series and may result in termination of employment.
(3) Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable.
(4) Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes DANB as the national certification for Dental Assistants. DANB certification is not required, but highly desirable for the appointment of Dental Assistants up to and including the full performance level, and is required for all positions above the full performance level.
d. English Language Proficiency. Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance VA Handbook regulations.
(1) Creditable Experience
(a) Knowledge of Current Professional Dental Assistant Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), and other characteristics (also referred to as "core competencies") associated with current professional dental assisting practice. Evidence of such experience includes graduation from a certified dental assisting training program, experience in private practice, VHA, Department of Defense (DoD), or other federal[, state, community or charitable health care agency.
(b) Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable after the training program certifies that the individual has completed all required courses, an internship if it is part of the program, and graduated with passing grades.
(c) Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a dental assistant is credited according to its relationship to full-time workweek. For example, a dental assistant would receive 1 week of full-time credit for each 2 weeks of half-time work.
(2) Expanded Function Level. Expanded function level is defined as possessing the training and ability to provide independent and expert dental procedures as well as providing clinical assistance to the treating dentists in more complex procedural cases. The expanded function dental assistant has an increased depth and breadth of dental practice skills, and has mastered a range of dental procedures and interventions and provides direct patient care within the scope of practice. Examples of procedures may be diagnostic, restorative and/or surgical in nature. The expanded function dental assistant will make independent professional decisions and recommendations to the treating dentist and interdisciplinary care teams. The expanded functional dental assistant has the expertise to participate in the professional development of colleagues through mentorship and teaching.
b. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria's must be met when determining the grade of candidates:
GS-6 Staff Dental Assistant (Full Performance Level):
(a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience [equivalent to] the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level.
(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs:
(c) Assignment. Employee serves at the full performance level with the ability to perform full range of duties with some independence in assigned specialties, with indirect supervision from the lead dental assistant, dental assistant supervisor or treating dentist. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: using the concepts of four-handed dentistry; assists with specialty procedures including oral surgery, periodontal therapy, endodontic, prosthodontic and implant placement and restoration; anticipates surgeons/specialists needs at each stage of treatment; takes preliminary impressions; selects and manipulates a variety of gypsums and waxes; pours, trims and evaluates the quality of diagnostic casts; fabricates custom trays.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.