- Position Title
- Dental Assistant
- Agency
- Veterans Health Administration
- Announcement Number
- OCA-FY25-0681-Dental Asst Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Monday, November 4, 2024 to Monday, November 3, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
Do you claim Veterans’ Preference?
Preferences
1.
Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
- Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
- Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
- Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
- Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
- Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in employment with the Washington DC VA Medical Center: Select the appropriate answer to the following question based on your current level of experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and/or education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
1.
Citizenship:
Are you a citizen of the United States?
Are you a citizen of the United States?
2.
English Language Proficiency:
Are you proficient in written and spoken English?
Are you proficient in written and spoken English?
CERTIFICATION REMINDER:
Ensure you follow the announcement instructions for identifying or including a current copy of your certification in your application package.
Ensure you follow the announcement instructions for identifying or including a current copy of your certification in your application package.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
3.
Professional Certification:
Have you 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?
Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence
a) Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.;
OR,
b) 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,
c) 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.
Have you 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?
Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence
a) Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.;
OR,
b) 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,
c) 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.
BASIC QUALIFICATION:
In order to meet the basic qualifications of the Dental Assistant, you must meet one of the following:
In order to meet the basic qualifications of the Dental Assistant, you must meet one of the following:
EDUCATION REMINDER:
If you are using education or training to qualify for this position, you MUST upload/submit supporting documentation(i.e. transcripts, certificate of completion of training). Failure to do so will make you ineligible for consideration.
If you are using education or training to qualify for this position, you MUST upload/submit supporting documentation(i.e. transcripts, certificate of completion of training). Failure to do so will make you ineligible for consideration.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
4.
GS-3 - To qualify at the GS-3 grade level you must meet the following:
Experience or Education:
None beyond the basic requirements.
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.
- English Language Proficiency.
Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
Do you meet the above requirements for the GS-3 Dental Assistant position?
(NOTE: Applicants must demonstrate above requirements in resume and supporting documentation)
Experience or Education:
None beyond the basic requirements.
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.
- English Language Proficiency.
Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
Do you meet the above requirements for the GS-3 Dental Assistant position?
(NOTE: Applicants must demonstrate above requirements in resume and supporting documentation)
5.
GS-4 - In addition to the basic requirements, to qualify at the GS-4 grade level you must meet the following;
Experience or Education:
1 year of experience at the next lower GS-3 grade level.
Example of Experience:
Employees at this level serve in dental assistant career development positions. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patient issues, and require daily close supervision.
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)
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs.
- Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling.
- Basic knowledge of dental procedures and [medical emergencies.
- Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval.
- Basic knowledge of maintenance, care and storage of dental equipment.
- Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements.
Do you meet the above requirements for the GS-4 Dental Assistant position?
(NOTE: Applicants must demonstrate above requirements in resume and supporting documentation)
Experience or Education:
1 year of experience at the next lower GS-3 grade level.
Example of Experience:
Employees at this level serve in dental assistant career development positions. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patient issues, and require daily close supervision.
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)
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs.
- Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling.
- Basic knowledge of dental procedures and [medical emergencies.
- Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval.
- Basic knowledge of maintenance, care and storage of dental equipment.
- Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements.
Do you meet the above requirements for the GS-4 Dental Assistant position?
(NOTE: Applicants must demonstrate above requirements in resume and supporting documentation)
6.
GS-5 - To qualify at the GS-5 grade level you must meet the following;
Experience or Education:
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 GS-4 grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level.
Example Experience:
Employees at this level serve as [developmental] staff dental assistants. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patient issues and require daily and direct contact at the site of work from the assigned supervisor. [Assignments at this level include but are not limited to: receiving and preparing patient for treatment including seating, positioning chair, placing napkin, performing disinfection and sterilization procedures; performing basic chair side assisting with direct instruction from treating dentist; reporting medical emergencies to dentist; preparing procedural trays/armamentaria set-ups; exposing and processing basic dental radiographs with direct supervision; mounting and labeling dental radiographs and/or saving digital images to the electronic medical record with direct supervision; complying with standard recommendation for equipment maintenance; retrieving all pertinent patient records prior to seating the dental patient; directing patient to appropriate staff for the intent of scheduling visits.]
OR
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a dental assistant program by CODA.
AND
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSA's:
- Knowledge of anatomy and ability to evaluate diagnostic quality.
- Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement.
- Basic knowledge of instruments, materials and standardized dental procedures.
- Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA.
- Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol.
Do you meet the above requirements for the GS-5 Dental Assistant position?
(NOTE: Applicants must demonstrate above requirements in resume and supporting documentation)
Experience or Education:
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 GS-4 grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level.
Example Experience:
Employees at this level serve as [developmental] staff dental assistants. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patient issues and require daily and direct contact at the site of work from the assigned supervisor. [Assignments at this level include but are not limited to: receiving and preparing patient for treatment including seating, positioning chair, placing napkin, performing disinfection and sterilization procedures; performing basic chair side assisting with direct instruction from treating dentist; reporting medical emergencies to dentist; preparing procedural trays/armamentaria set-ups; exposing and processing basic dental radiographs with direct supervision; mounting and labeling dental radiographs and/or saving digital images to the electronic medical record with direct supervision; complying with standard recommendation for equipment maintenance; retrieving all pertinent patient records prior to seating the dental patient; directing patient to appropriate staff for the intent of scheduling visits.]
OR
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a dental assistant program by CODA.
AND
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSA's:
- Knowledge of anatomy and ability to evaluate diagnostic quality.
- Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement.
- Basic knowledge of instruments, materials and standardized dental procedures.
- Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA.
- Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol.
Do you meet the above requirements for the GS-5 Dental Assistant position?
(NOTE: Applicants must demonstrate above requirements in resume and supporting documentation)
7.
GS-6 - To qualify at the GS-6 grade level you must meet the following;
Experience:
At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower GS-5 grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level.
Example of Experience:
Employees at this level serve as staff dental assistants for routine dental procedures. Assignments at this level include but are not limited to: responds to basic medical emergencies; measures and records vital signs; provides pre- and post- operative instructions; maintains a field of operation during dental procedures through the use of retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, placing and removing cotton rolls; using the concepts of four- handed dentistry, assists with basic restorative procedures.
AND
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSA's:
- Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.
- Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures.
- Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.
- Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist.
- Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.
- Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry.
- Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records.
- Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures.
Do you meet the above requirements for the GS-6 Dental Assistant position?
(NOTE: Applicants must demonstrate above requirements in resume and supporting documentation)
Experience:
At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower GS-5 grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level.
Example of Experience:
Employees at this level serve as staff dental assistants for routine dental procedures. Assignments at this level include but are not limited to: responds to basic medical emergencies; measures and records vital signs; provides pre- and post- operative instructions; maintains a field of operation during dental procedures through the use of retraction, suction, irrigation, drying, placing and removing cotton rolls; using the concepts of four- handed dentistry, assists with basic restorative procedures.
AND
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSA's:
- Ability to identify normal oral anatomy.
- Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care and procedures.
- Ability to monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs.
- Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist.
- Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.
- Ability to perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry.
- Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records.
- Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures.
Do you meet the above requirements for the GS-6 Dental Assistant position?
(NOTE: Applicants must demonstrate above requirements in resume and supporting documentation)
Resume Reminder:
Your resume must include the following information each job listed:
1. Job title
2. Duties (be as detailed as possible)
3. Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
4. Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week).
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your résumé. Be sure that your résumé clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. An incomplete application will receive a rating of IFFM (ineligible due to missing forms). Requests for reconsideration will not be considered for applicants who fail to submit a complete application package. We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software or fax transmissions.
Your resume must include the following information each job listed:
1. Job title
2. Duties (be as detailed as possible)
3. Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
4. Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week).
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your résumé. Be sure that your résumé clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. An incomplete application will receive a rating of IFFM (ineligible due to missing forms). Requests for reconsideration will not be considered for applicants who fail to submit a complete application package. We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software or fax transmissions.
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (for Eligibility and/or Time-in-Grade):
If you are a current federal employee, you must attach your most recent, non-award SF-50. This SF-50 should not be more than a year old and must show your current position, grade and step. Award SF-50's typically do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted if they do not include Grade and Step. In order to clearly demonstrate you possess the time-in-grade as required by the announcement, additional SF-50s should be attached which clearly demonstrate the minimum time-in-grade requirement. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held Promotions with an effective date more than one year old SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
If you are a current federal employee, you must attach your most recent, non-award SF-50. This SF-50 should not be more than a year old and must show your current position, grade and step. Award SF-50's typically do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted if they do not include Grade and Step. In order to clearly demonstrate you possess the time-in-grade as required by the announcement, additional SF-50s should be attached which clearly demonstrate the minimum time-in-grade requirement. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held Promotions with an effective date more than one year old SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.