Dental Assistant (Expanded Function)

White Earth, Minnesota
SALARY RANGE: $30,344 to $49,200 per year
Sep 30, 2019
Oct 25, 2019
IHS-19-BJ-10554100-DE
Dental Assistant
Permanent
Full Time

JOB TITLE: Dental Assistant

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: IHS-19-BJ-10554100-DE

OPEN PERIOD: September 5, 2019 through December 31, 2019

SERIES & GRADE: GS 4 - 6

WHO MAY APPLY: All US Citizens

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Provides routine maintenance of all dental equipment, instruments, including cleaning and oiling equipment, and sharping instruments as needed.
  • Provides routine chairside dental assisting services including seating of patients, setting up proper instruments and trays for dental procedures, recording treatment rendered in the patient record, handing instruments to the dental provider as needed, providing irrigation and suctioning during dental procedures, and dismissing the patient with post-treatment instructions.
  • Exposes, process, and mounts diagnostic radiographs.
  • Maintains dental inventory of supplies and restocks supplies as necessary.
  • Provides dental laboratory support services including pouring study models, trimming models, and other support services.
  • Triages patients in anticipation of dentist. This includes taking vital signs, weights, radiographs, assisting with completion of forms, and documenting subjective findings and chief complaints.
  • Monitors condition and mental acuity of patient for signs of loss of consciousness, pain response, or other distress when dentist is not in the operatory.
  • Provides direct patient care services such as patient education, sealants, temporary fillings, suture removal, impressions, and fluoride varnishes.
  • Serves as back-up for the dental receptionist to register patients, answer phone calls, schedule appointments, etc.

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

  • Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
  • U.S. Citizenship is required
  • Must pass pre-employment examination.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

EXPERIENCE:

  • 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.

RADIOLOGICAL CERTIFICATION:

  • 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 dental radiographers.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks:


GS-4: Six (6) months general experience, and/or six (6) months specialized experience in dental assistance equivalent to at least the GS-03 grade level; OR, two (2) years above high school with course(s) related to the occupation of a two (2) year dental hygiene program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Accreditation that 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.

GS-5: One (1) year of specialized experience in dental assistance equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level; OR, four (4) year course 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.

GS-6: One (1) year of specialized experience in dental assistance equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level; OR, completed nine (9) semester hours of graduate education related to: