The Marion VA Medical Center is seeking a Dental Assistant providing services for outpatients, inpatients, and nursing home residents under the direct and indirect supervision of a dentist at Evansville Health Care Center in Evansville, IN 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. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Experience and Education Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work. OR, Education. Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on [Dental] Accreditation [(CODA)]. (Transcripts required) OR, Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. (Transcripts required) 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. (Please provide proof of certification) Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc; OR, 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, Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD). 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. Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable. 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. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS-3 Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-4 Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, 1 year of experience at the next lower level, OR 2 years of education above high school that included completion of a dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on [Dental] Accreditation [(CODA)]. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1. [Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling]. 2. Basic knowledge of dental procedures and [medical emergencies]. 3. [Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval]. [4. Basic knowledge of maintenance, care and storage of dental equipment. 5. Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements. GS-5 Experience or Education (1) [In addition to the requirements listed at GS-4 above, applicants must demonstrate] at least 1 year of experience [equivalent to] at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. [ ] OR, (2) Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a dental assistant program by [CODA. (3) In addition to meeting paragraph (1) or (2) above, the applicant must demonstrate the following KSA's:1. Knowledge of anatomy and [ability to evaluate diagnostic quality] . 2. [Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement]. 3. [Basic] knowledge of instruments, materials and standardized dental procedures [ ]. 4. [Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA]. 5. [Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol]. GS-6 Experience. At least 1 year of experience [equivalent to] the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the [following] technical KSAs 1. [Ability to identify normal oral anatomy. 2. Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures. 3. Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs. 4. Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist. 5. Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats. 6. Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry. 7. Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records. 8. Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures Preferred Experience: Long periods of standing and walking are required as well as considerable bending and stooping. Often, the assistant must assist patients from wheelchairs and help support a patient if he is on a stretcher or gurney. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G36 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS3 to GS6. Physical Requirements: Long periods of standing and walking are required as well as considerable bending and stooping. Often, the assistant must assist patients from wheelchairs and help support a patient if he is on a stretcher or gurney. ["The incumbent will be responsible for performing the duties of a dental assistant in a hospital-based dental clinic. The Marion VA Hospital offers a full complement of health care services to eligible veterans. Geriatric long-term care is provided through a nursing home care unit (CLC). The majority of patients seen in the Dental Service have multiple medical and/or psychiatric problems and are severely medically compromised patients requiring a full range of general and specialized dental procedures. Duties include but are not limited to: Receive and prepare patients. This may involve triaging the patient to determine the urgency of appointment date; as directed by the dentist, expose and develop, when appropriate, intra- and extra-oral dental images, record medical history, exam and treatment plan information relayed by the dentist. Maintain a variety of reports relating to dental activities and daily enter upcoming appointments in the VISTA computer system as well as the Dental Record Manager (DRM) computer program, to include selection of appropriate CPT and Diagnosis codes in the progress note documentation. Maintains dental equipment and materials in a clean and operative condition and properly stores and maintains adequate levels of supplies in the treatment rooms. If, at any time, the incumbent notices any supplies running low in the supply room, he/she immediately notifies the responsible person so that supplies can be reordered. Properly lays out all instruments and materials needed for each treatment procedure and prepares the patient and operatory for said procedures, strictly adhering to all pertinent infection control policies and procedures. Assists dentists at chair side in all phases of general dentistry, including specialized areas of prosthodontics (fixed and removable), endodontics, periodontics and oral surgery procedures utilizing techniques of four-handed sit down dentistry where indicated and appropriate. When oral surgical procedures are being performed, the incumbent assists the dentist or specialist while the patient is under local anesthesia in operations which include: simple and complex extractions including full and partial bony impactions; reductions of tori and tuberosities (pre-prosthetic surgeries); endosseous implant placement: apicoectomies; removal of stones in the salivary gland ducts; osseous and other periodontal surgeries including oral graft procedures; and excisional biopsies. Anticipating the operator's need at each stage of the procedure, performs the following: passes instruments and materials to and retrieves them from the dentist; illuminates the field of surgery; retracts and stabilizes tissues; keeps field of surgery free of debris using irrigating solutions, suction tips and evacuator; applies force to chisel; cuts sutures; observes patient for signs of adverse reaction to treatment. Assists in monitoring patient by noting vital signs. Adheres to necessary aseptic precautions and infection control procedures throughout treatment. Following surgery, debrides the surgical site, prepares surgical dressings and removes contaminated instruments and materials and decontaminates, prepares and packages instruments for proper sterilization by SPS following current infection control procedures. Follows Reusable Medical Equipment protocol as applicable and is certified annually on the specific equipment for which they are responsible. Packages tissue specimen and routes to pathology laboratory. Instructs patients in preventative dental care; measures general nutrition as related to dental health, the common cause of tooth decay and periodontal disease, and the care of prosthodontic appliances. Also relays post-surgical instructions from dentists for all types of post-surgical and post-treatment care. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30 pm\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives:\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]