Dental Assistant – Expanded Function (Dental Assistant)

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements: 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: 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. NOTE: ALL applicants MUST submit evidence of completing a program that certifies them to administer X-rays or perform radiologic procedures. Evidence of program completion includes a transcript or documentation that includes your course work in administering X-rays or performing radiologic procedures. Self-certification of program completion will NOT be accepted. Documentation must be uploaded at the time you apply. All applicants, however, must meet the following requirements: Education/Training: GL-05: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in a dental assistant or dental hygiene program that 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. GL-06: As a general rule, education is not creditable above GL-05 for most positions covered by this standard; however, graduate education or an internship may be credited in those few instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. AND Special Requirements for Dental Assistant (Expanded Function): GL-05 and GL-06: 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. OR Experience: GL-05 and GL-06: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level in federal service. To be creditable, this experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular qualifications to perform successfully the duties of the position, and must typically be in or related to the position to be filled. Experience in dental assistance to general or specialized dentistry, dental assistant (expanded function) work, or any combination of these appropriate to the position being filled. Some examples of this qualifying experience are: GL-05: Experience with the placement of temporary restorative materials. Experience in pouring impressions, trim resulting models, and do initial preparation of lab prescription forms. Experience selecting appropriate trays and impression materials, taking primary impression for study models, and fabricating custom tray. GL-06: Experience with the placement, packing, and polishing of amalgam restorations. Experience with the shipping and receiving of all lab cases sent to the dental laboratory and all necessary paperwork. Experience with the placement of a rubber dam and removal of temporary fillings with rotary slow-speed instruments during endodontic procedures. OR Combination of Education and Experience: GL-05 only: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience are also qualifying. If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities. **Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**
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