Dental Assistant (Expanded Function)

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. Individual Occupational Requirements: NOTE: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (1) 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 (2) be certified as radiographers in their field. The following meet these requirements: Persons employed by the Federal Government as radiologic personnel prior to the effective date of the regulation (January 13, 1986) who show evidence of current or fully satisfactory performance or certification of such from a licensed practitioner such as a doctor of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, podiatry, or chiropractic who prescribes radiologic procedures to others. Persons first employed by the Federal Government as radiologic personnel after the effective date of the regulation who (a) received training from institutions in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not accredit training in that particular field at the time of graduation, or (b) practiced in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not license that particular field or did not allow special eligibility to take a licensure examination for those who did not graduate from an accredited educational program, provided such persons show evidence of training, experience, and competence, as determined by OPM or the employing agency. In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: GS-5: 1 year of specialized experience that has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This specialized experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-04 level in the Federal service as described in the vacancy announcement. Examples include: providing simple or routine dental assistance duties related to general and/or specialized dentistry, dental assistant (expanded function) work or any combination of these appropriate to the position being filled; Operating dental equipment; scheduling and routing patients for dental services; works with dental laboratory and other departments as required; maintains inventory of supplies, cleans and sharpens equipment. OR Education: Successful completion of a full 4-year course in dental assistant or dental hygiene which included at least 24 semester hours in courses such as radiation physics, radiation biology, radiation health, safety and protection, x-ray films and radiographic film quality, radiographic techniques, darkroom and processing techniques and film mounting. GS-6: 1 year of specialized experience that has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service as described in the vacancy announcement. Examples Include: providing simple and complex dental assistance duties to general and specialized dentistry, dental assistant (expanded function) work or any combination of these appropriate to the position being filled; ensures clinic maintenance and record keeping is completed; Receives and prepares patients for routine and non-routine dental treatment, independently prepares instruments and materials for use by the Dentist; completed processing of exposed radiographs; performs a variety of duties independently to support dental services. Special Requirements for GS-5 and Above Dental Assistant (Expanded Function):Applicants for Dental Assistant (Expanded Function) positions must have completed 1 year of acceptable course work, preceptorship, or other formal training and/or work assignments specifically designed to equip the applicant with knowledge and skills required to perform intra-oral procedures involved in the position to be filled. Examples of acceptable training are: Courses in dental hygiene or dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Accreditation which are directly related to intra-oral procedures (also referred to as expanded functions) to be performed in the position to be filled; U.S. Army’s Dental Therapy Assistant Training Program; Continuing education courses in expanded function for dental assistants offered by the Indian Health Service of the Department of Health and Human Services; or Other training comparable to the above in private or governmental hospitals, clinics or schools which include formal classroom instruction and clinical training in the knowledge and skills required to perform intra-oral procedures in the position to be filled. You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.
This position is located primarily in the Dental Department at the Peach Springs Health Center in Peach Springs, Arizona. The purpose of this this position is to perform routine and advanced chairside dental assistant services to enable the dental team to function efficiently and to improve the delivery of critical dental services to the population served.