Summary

Dental Laboratory Technician Developmental position - located in the Dental Service - EOVAHCS - Ernest Childers Tulsa - Oklahoma. The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a mid-level dental laboratory technician. 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 03/19/2025. 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 GS6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS5. 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. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) that must be met in order to be considered: Specialized Experience Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: 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. OR Education: Successful completion of a full 4-year apprenticeship program consisting of at least 2000 hours a year directly related to the position. Note: The successful completion of training courses in dental laboratory work in the Armed Forces or other Federal agencies will be allowed appropriate credit for specialized experience on a month-for-month basis up through GS-5. Licensed professional dentists will be considered qualified for any grade level if they have - in the aggregate - the required experience in dental laboratory procedures. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: To qualify for GS 6: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS 5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Use of dental laboratory material such as impression materials - plasters - stones - hydrocolloids - waxes - metals - acrylies - 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. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of a full 4 year apprenticeship program consisting of at least 2000 hours a year. To qualify for GS 7: Specialized Experience: Use of dental laboratory material such as impression materials - plasters - stones - hydrocolloids - waxes - metals - acrylies - 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. OR Education: One full year of graduate education directly related to the position meets the requirements for GS-7. To qualify for GS 8: Specialized Experience: Use of dental laboratory material such as impression materials - plasters - stones - hydrocolloids - waxes - metals - acrylies - 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. 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 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. OR Education: One and half full year of graduate education directly related to the position meets the requirements for GS-8 or master's degree directly related meets the requirements for GS-8. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analytical Thinking 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 dental laboratory functions. This work involves periods of sitting and standing. It involves the use of various dental lab machines. Extensive and detailed 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/.

Duties

• Major duties of this position include - but are not limited to: 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
• Pours casts and perform minor removable prosthesis repairs with assistance
• Packages - logs out and ships cases going to outside laboratories
• Maintains proper stocking levels of all laboratory materials and inventory - working with other lab technicians as well as clinic supervisors and acquisition management personnel
• Maintains proper stocking levels of all laboratory materials and inventory - working with other lab technicians as well as clinic supervisors and acquisition management personnel
• Maintains records indicating dates of receipt of shipment of cases and the number and status of cases in process
• Applies knowledge of variation in tooth form and anatomy - and function of the normal mouth to interpret prescriptions and properly design partial dentures and set teeth for full or partial dentures
• Surveys master casts for partial dentures to implement design prescribed by the dentist
• Studies master cast to identify the undercuts and teeth to be used for retention of the denture and blocks out undesirable undercuts
• Uses dental laboratory materials and equipment as well as digital scanner - sandblaster and pumice station
• Fabricates both hand and soft dental splints as per laboratory prescriptions
• Scans impressions and casts with the Digital Dental Lab Scanner in preparation to send the scanned files to the Dental Laboratory for fabrication of the dental prosthesis
• Surveys - interprets designs and fabricates fixed - semi-fixed - or removable partial dentures or complete dentures for cases that involve such abnormalities as acute malocclusion - or other conditions that present particular problems in providing for retention of the denture - and improving or restoring mastication or other mouth functions
• Applies a thorough understanding of normal and abnormal conditions in determining the prosthetic design that best patient care needs
• Completes design features needed to provide stability - balance - function and fit - with minimum stress on supporting natural teeth or tissue
• Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
• Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Position Description/PD#: Dental Laboratory Technician/PD14054-A - PD14052-A - and PD14051-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized