Dental Assistant

Full Job Description

About the Position: As a Dental Assistant, you will support a dental specialist providing assistance in one or more phases of complex/difficult restorative, prosthodontic, oral surgical, endodontic, orthodontic, or periodontal treatment.

This position is located at the SHAPE Dental Clinic, Belgium.

This is a Direct Hire Solicitation Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education or experience requirements described below.

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; student; social).

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement for Dental Assistant: Radiology Certification: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75.

The following meet these requirements: (1) Persons who meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75.

Successful completion of 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 are certified as a radiographer in their field.

(2) 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.

(3) 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.

(4) Persons that have successfully completed an educational program that included curriculum in dental radiography, but the program does not meet OR persons are unsure if it meets the credentialing standards of 42 CFR Part 75.

NOTE: To meet this requirement, you will be asked to complete the alternate radiology certification form.

If it is determined that your educational program does not meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75, you will be required to complete an alternative certification program, such as the Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) or Introduction to Basic Concepts in Dental Radiology administered by the American Dental Assistant Association.

Any fee for the alternative certification program will be the financial responsibility of the applicant and must be completed within two weeks of receipt of a tentative job offer.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes providing chair side assistance supporting a dental specialist by performing intra-oral procedures, maintaining patient related records or charts, and operating dental x-ray equipment.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-04).

(Experience must be supported by your resume) OR Education: Successful completion of a full four-year course of study in a dental assistant or dental hygiene program that included at least 24 semester hours of courses 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.(Transcripts are required with the application) OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%.

To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of education beyond two years (total semester hours minus 60) by 60.

Add the two percentages. (Transcripts are required with the application) Major Duties:

• Assists dentist at chair side and performs intra-oral procedures as directed by dentist.
• Operates dental X-ray equipment to take intra and extra oral radiographs.
• Takes preliminary impressions for study models, removes sutures, and places and removes rubber dams, perio-packs and matrix bands and wedges.
• Receives and schedules patients for treatment.
• Charts examination and treatment information as relayed by dentist to patient records.
• Obtains and records related medical history of patient and route patient for medical tests and services.
• Relays dentist's instructions to patient for post-treatment care and instructs patient in proper dental techniques, care of appliances, and causes of dental decay.
• Maintains dental equipment in a clean and operative condition and stores and maintains adequate levels of supplies.