Dental Assistant

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 (l) 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: (1) 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. (2) 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 Individual Occupational Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications and Special Requirements stated below. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, GS-0681-04: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-03 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Examples include: Knowledge of dental terminology, instruments, materials and standardized dental procedures used for oral examinations and routine restorations to make preparations and provide chairside assistance; using dental digital radiography; skills in passing dental instruments and materials and in manipulating suctioning and retraction apparatus in patient’s mouth when assisting chairside; sterilization and sanitization of instruments and dental operatory before and after patient treatment; and receiving, routing, scheduling, and dismissing patients with information from patient electronic records. OR Successfully completed a 2-year dental assistant program or completed a 2-year dental hygiene program accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Accreditation which included at least 12 semester hours of 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. OR Possess a combination of education and experience that when combined fully meet the minimum qualifications for this position. The total percentage equals at least 100 percent to qualify for this GS-04 grade level. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, GS-0681-05: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Examples include: Responds to basic medical emergencies; takes/records vital signs; provides pre/post-operative instructions; maintains a field of operation during dental procedures-uses retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, placing/removing cotton rolls; uses four-handed dentistry concepts, assists with basic restorative methods; mixes basic dental materials; helps prepare laboratory prescription forms; applies pressure indicator paste to removable prostheses; exposes/processes basic dental radiographs; mounts/labels dental radiographs and/or saves digital imaging to electronic medical records; evaluates radiographs for diagnostic quality; maintains routine dental equipment per manufacturer and dental service standards. OR Successfully completed a full 4 year course of study 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. OR Possess a combination of education and experience that when combined fully meet the minimum qualifications for this position. The total percentage equals at least 100 percent to qualify for this GS-05 grade level. Special Requirements for GS-5 and above Dental Assistant (Expanded Function):Applicants for Dental Assistant (Expanded Function) positions must have completed l year of acceptable course work, preceptorship, or other formal training and/or work assignments specifically designed to equip them with knowledge and skills required to perform intra-oral procedures involved in the position to be filled. Examples of acceptable training are: Courses in a dental hygiene or dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Accreditation that are directly related to the intra-oral procedures (also referred to as expanded functions) that are to be performed in the position to be filled. U.S. Army’s Dental Therapy Assistant Training Program. Continuing education courses in expanded functions for dental assistants offered by the Indian Health Service of the Department of Health and Human Services. Other training comparable to the above in private or governmental hospitals, clinics, or schools that included formal classroom instruction and clinical training in the knowledge and skills required to perform intra-oral procedures in the position to be filled. Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP). You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.
This position is being re-advertised to solicit additional applications. Applicants who applied previously need not reapply unless submitting updated and/or missing information. This position is located in the Dental Clinic at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center, located in Phoenix, Arizona. The purpose of this position is to perform clinic maintenance, record keeping duties, and chairside assistance in the general dental clinic. Incumbent reports to the Chief Supervisory Dentist.