Dental Hygienists perform a wide variety of interventions which contribute to the overall oral health of Veterans to include providing direct patient care under the general supervision of the dentist and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/04/2024. Citizenship. Be a Citizen of the United States Education. Applicants must possess an Associate degree or higher from an accredited dental hygiene program. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved programs are: Dental hygiene programs accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).Education completed outside of the United States must be considered at least equivalent to that gained in CODA accredited United States programs and would enable the candidate to sit for the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, which is administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. Licensure/Certification. Licensure. Applicants must be currently licensed to practice as a dental hygienist with a full, current and unrestricted license in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Certification. P.L. 97-35, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act Of 1981, requires persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 C.F.R. Part 75, Standards for the Accreditation of Educational Programs for and the Credentialing of Radiologic Personnel. To meet this requirement, they must have 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. Accredited dental hygiene programs contain curriculum addressing radiologic procedures meets the requirement for certification as dental radiographers. English Language Proficiency. Dental hygienist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English. GRADE DETERMINATIONS Dental Hygienist, GS-09 Experience. At least one year of experience at the next lower grade level, GS-8, that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-8 level, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of hygiene procedures to explain the process and indication, complications and expected treatment outcomes for each. Knowledge of proper usage of dental radiography equipment, radiation safety, assessment of proper image capture and interpretation of films. Knowledge to select appropriate available fluoride products and indications/limitations for safe and proper application. Skill in detecting plaque and calculus, dental abnormalities/pathologies, assessing inflammation and providing safe instrumentation for each procedure. Skill in educating patients and caregivers on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices, parafunctional habits, and effects of illness, addictions, medications and tobacco on the oral cavity. Ability to assess the patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications and comorbidities to administer safe patient care. Ability to assess the impact of patient's medical and dental condition on maintaining oral health, recognize age-related changes in individual patients, adapt patient environment, and maximize patient's physical comfort. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. ["The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati, OH and Fort Thomas, KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue, KY; Florence, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN; Hamilton, OH; Clermont County, OH, and Georgetown, OH. The CVAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division. Major duties and responsibilities of the position.Customer Service Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers, management, and the public Assists customers with questions, or concerns, provided service recovery Patient Care Sets up operatory for a planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover; Handles instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently; Provides routine oral prophylactic care to include the application of fluoride solutions; Provides gross debridement, scaling, and root planning procedures; Cleans dental prostheses, fixed and removable; Manages dental recall system, consulting with the doctor for additional care; Administers topical anesthetic agents; Accomplishes all procedures within standard infection-control protocols. Patient Education Provides patient education appropriate to the Veteran's needs and oral condition; Provides individual and group oral health care instruction to patients and caregivers. Dental Imaging Takes radiographic images characterized by diagnostic quality, accurate orientation, and proper exposure; Retakes are minimal and at the direction of the dentist; Utilizes dental-imaging safety techniques. Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization Demonstrates proper infection-control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatory; Properly prepares instruments for sterilization by SPS standards; Prepares instruments efficiently in a manner that does not delay clinical care; Demonstrates proper infection-control procedures in exposing images. Clerical Functions Charts findings and treatment provided in patient records. Information Management Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information; Follows computer security regulations. Patient Safety Modifies care as appropriate for patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position); Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients; Participates in patient identification and time out per TJC requirements; Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress. Employee Education Complies with Employee Education requirements; Completes mandatory annual training sessions; Complies with all CE requirements for licensing Work Schedule: Monday - Thursday, 6:30am - 4:00pm, Friday 6:30am - 3:00pm (Every other Friday off) Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 92616-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
