Grandfathering Provision.
All Dental Assistants employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (04/19/2011) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
1. Dental Assistants grandfathered under this provision may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees must meet the certification requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
2. Dental Assistants who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
3. Dental Assistants initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
4. If a Dental Assistant who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, they lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
Basic Requirement - Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence:
Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. You must have successfully completed an educational program that meets or exceeds the standards described in this regulation, and is accredited by an organization recognized by the Department of Education, and be certified as radiographers in their field.
To fulfill this requirement, you must meet one of the following:
Basic Requirement - NARRATIVE:
Please provide your certification information. If you are not certified and do not expect to become certified indicate N/A.
Name of Institution:
Name on Certificate:
I.D. Number:
Date Certificate Awarded:
Date of Expiration:
Basic Certifications:
Do you possess certification in basic life support methods?
Note: This is not a requirement, but it is highly desirable for the position.
Basic Certifications - NARRATIVE:
Please provide your certification information. If you are not certified and do not expect to become certified indicate N/A.
Name on certificate:
Certification Type:
Certifying Organization Name:
Complete certificate number:
Expiration date:
Basic Certifications:
Do you possess certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB)?
Note: This is not a requirement for this grade level, but it is highly desirable for the position.
Basic Certifications - NARRATIVE:
Please provide your certification information. If you are not certified and do not expect to become certified indicate N/A.
Name on certificate:
Certification Type:
Certifying Organization Name:
Complete certificate number:
Expiration date:
Basic Experience and Education Requirement:
To fulfill this requirement, you must meet one of the following:
Basic Experience and Education Requirement - NARRATIVE:
Please provide the following information regarding your one (1) year dental assistant program you successfully completed from which you meet the basic requirement above. If you did not attend a dental assistant program, please indicate N/A.
Name of Institution:
City and State:
Major/Program title:
Month and Year conferred:
GS-03 Dental Assistant
Do you possess all basic qualifications requirements for this position?
GS-04 Dental Assistant
Experience/Education Requirement:
In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-04 you must possess one of the following:
GS-04 Dental Assistant
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
In addition to meeting the experience/education requirements at the GS-04 level, do you possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities?
· 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.
GS-05 Dental Assistant
Experience/Education Requirement:
In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-04 you must possess one of the following:
GS-05 Dental Assistant
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
In addition to meeting the experience/education requirements at the GS-05 level, do you possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities?
· 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.
GS-06 Dental Assistant
Experience Requirement:
In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-06, do you possess at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05)?
GS-06 Dental Assistant
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
In addition to meeting the experience requirements at the GS-06 level, do you possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities?
· 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