This position is located within the Dental Service at the Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System, functioning as a mid-level dental laboratory technician.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/18/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-8 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): The Dental Laboratory Aid and Technician Series, 0683 has a minimum qualification entry requirement: Specialized Experience: Use of dental laboratory material such as impression materials, plasters, stones, hydrocolloids, waxes, metals, acrylics, porcelain, and similar materials. Use of laboratory equipment such as hand tools, dental lathes, engines, and hand pieces, furnaces, casting machines, presses, flasks, and related equipment. Use of precision instruments such as articulators, surveyors, and microanalyzers. Construction of dental prosthetic appliances. AND, You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: ability to demonstrate good manual dexterity and three dimensional perception; neatness, organizational skills, and ability to multitask; computer skills ; skill in routine office software, computer software record management systems and digitally scanning/CAD-CAM software; knowledge of case management and computer software programs for accurate documentation of shipping and receiving of laboratory cases; thorough knowledge of dental laboratory materials and equipment; ability to block out master casts; general knowledge of normal oral anatomy and dentition to the design, fabrication, function, and esthetics of the prosthesis being fabricated; applied knowledge of the configuration of the upper and lower jawbone, and the relationship of the tongue to the gums and the roof and floor of the mouth, in the waxing full dentures, and in the blocking out master casts for full and partial dentures while also preserving the horizontal and vertical bite relationships established by the dentist, in the relining and repair of the prosthesis, in the polishing of final prosthesis and in milling of the prosthesis; ability to survey master casts for partial dentures to implement design prescribed by the dentist; skill in set up and contour of artificial teeth for full and partial dentures when this work is complicated by the acute abnormalities to be overcome. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Applies Technology to Tasks Medicine and Dentistry Quality Assurance Technical Competence 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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary but also requires standing, bending, reaching, lifting heavy materials, and general laboratory functions. This work involves periods of sitting and standing. It involves the use of various dental lab machines. Extensive use of the hands is required. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
The work requires a high degree of skill and precision, a working knowledge of the general contour of supporting tissues, and articulation of its application to the fabrication of appliances. Duties include, but are not limited to: Fabrications of prosthesis includes stonework, articulation, setting of teeth, recontouring, actual fabrication, adjusting occlusion, and finishing for inserting into the patient's mouth. Uses dental laboratory materials and equipment noted above as well as the digital scanner, sandblaster, and pumice station. Repairs partial and full dentures, duplicate casts, complete relines and fabricate fluoride trays, night guards, and implant stints. Knowledge of oral anatomy and the overall function of the masticatory system, dental laboratory materials, and equipment. Serves as an active member of the interdisciplinary team, assisting staff, dentists, oral surgeons, and dental residents. Applied knowledge of the configuration of the upper and lower jawbone, and the relationship of the tongue to the gums and the roof and floor of the mouth, in the waxing full dentures, and in the blocking out master casts for full and partial dentures while also preserving the horizontal and vertical bite relationships established by the dentist. Ensures the lab cases are completed and returned from outside labs before the patient's appointment. Packages, logs out and ships cases going to outside laboratories; involves the appropriate packaging of cases to avoid damage during shipping/transport. Maintains proper stocking levels of all laboratory materials and inventory, working with other lab technicians as well as clinic supervisors and acquisition management personnel. Uses dental laboratory materials such as impression materials, stones, waxes, acrylics as well as the use of laboratory equipment such as hand tools, dental lathes, vacuum former, model trimmers, handpieces, and articulators. Receives and pours impressions with proper dental stone for study casts and master casts for complete and partial removable dentures including boxing and beading, trimming and mounting casts as needed. Pour casts and perform minor removable prosthesis repairs with assistance. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Dental Laboratory Technician/PD14051-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized