These positions are located at multiple Indian Health Service healthcare facilities at various locations. The primary purpose of the position is to perform a broad range of preventive and clinical dental functions in order to allow the dental team to function as efficiently as possible.
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. RADIOLOGICAL CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS (GS-3 AND ABOVE) Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (1) 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. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: GS-02: Your resume must demonstrate at least 3 months of general experience that shows your ability to perform the work of the position, or a familiarity with customer service, record-keeping, and clinic maintenance duties. OR High school graduate or equivalent. GS-03: Your resume must demonstrate at least 6 months of general experience that shows your ability to perform the work of the position, or a familiarity with customer service, record-keeping, and clinic maintenance duties. OR Successfully completed (a) a 1-year dental assistant program, or completed 1 year of a dental hygiene program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Accreditation that included a course in 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 (b)practical nurse training approved by the appropriate State or District of Columbia accrediting body. OR A combination of experience and education. GS-04: Your resume must demonstrate 6 months of general experience (described above) AND at least 6 months of specialized experience. Qualifying specialized experience is work providing dental assistance to general or specialized dentistry, dental assistant (expanded function) work, or any combination of these appropriate to the position(s) being filled. Specialized experience at this level includes pproviding chairside assistance, setting up proper instruments for dental procedures, recording treatments rendered, and exposing and processing digital oral x-rays. OR Successfully completed a 2-year dental assistant program, or completion of a 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. OR A combination of experience and education. If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position. GS-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).Examples include performing restoration of teeth after preparation, providing routine prophylaxis and placement of sealants and varnish, setting up proper instruments and providing chairside assistance, and exposing and processing digital oral x-rays. OR Successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in 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. OR A combination of experience and education. 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 requirement. 60 semester hours beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience. GS-06: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the private or public sector). Examples Include performing Class IV (caries affecting proximal including incisal edges of anterior teeth) restorations of teeth after preparation, cementing stainless steel crowns, and carving and polishing any type of cusp protected alloy. Special Requirements for GS-05 and above Dental Assistant (Expanded Function): Applicants for Dental Assistant (Expanded Function) position must have completed 1 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.
Total Compensation Package - Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job: Dental Assistant Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov) Acts as receptionist and schedule patients for treatment. Responsible for accurate recording of examination information and treatment performed. Responsible for keeping all instruments sharpened and properly sterilized. Responsible for routine chair-side assisting. Exposes, processes, and mounts intra and extra-oral radiographs. Provides routine prophylaxis and topical fluoride treatments. Carves and polishes routine and complex alloy restorations. Takes preliminary impressions. Places and contours restorations, fabricates. Performs other reversible intra-oral procedures, and provides chair side assistance and other supportive services in the dental clinic. Maintains supply levels and cleanliness of dental station, sterilizes instruments, materials and equipment. Takes preliminary impressions for study models and modifies impression trays as needed. Pours and trims models from impressions; and constructs impression trays. Exposes and develops intra- and extra-oral radiographs.