Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant

The Evansville Health Care Center, Evansville, Indiana is hiring a Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA) for Dental Service. The incumbent should demonstrate mastery of a range of dental procedures and interventions and provide direct patient care within the scope of practice. The EFDA makes independent professional decisions and recommendations to the treating dentist and interdisciplinary teams. Applicant must be certified by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB).

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)]. OR, Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. 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. 1. Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence: 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). 2. 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. 3. Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable. 4. 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. The Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant is above the full performance level and is REQUIRED to have DANB CERTIFICATION. 5. Loss of Credential: An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure/certification/registration within the required time frame, or who fails to maintain the required licensure/certification/registration must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. 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: In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. GS-7: To meet the requirements for the GS-07 grade level Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant applicants must possess at least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-06) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: a. Ability to perform dental assisting expanded functions. b. Comprehensive working knowledge of advanced imaging techniques in order to provide instruction (e.g. cone beam, cephalometric, advanced panoramic imaging, TMJ, etc). For Reference: GS-6:Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. 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. Work Environment: Work is performed in a hospital-based dental clinic, where there is routine and recurring exposure to contagious diseases such as Hepatitis A, B, C viruses, HIV and TB through aerosols and blood and body fluids. There are also potential hazards from exposure to radiation, mercury contamination and various chemical agents. Incumbent must adhere to universal precautions (gloves, masks, and eye protection at a minimum) during treatment of every patient.