The Dental Hygienist provides direct patient care under the general supervision of the Dentist and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision. Employees plan, coordinate, and conducts preventive oral health programs for various patient groups; develops and modifies instructional methods; and develops methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the preventive dentistry program Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. 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. Exceptions for Non-Certified Dental Hygienist. Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate dental hygienist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B), Temporary Full- Time Appointments, Part-Time Appointments and Without-Compensation Appointments for a Period Not to Exceed Two Years. Non-certified individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a certified dental hygienist at or above the full performance level. Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained. Temporary appointments of non-certified dental hygienist may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements English Language Proficiency. Dental hygienist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Dental Hygienist, Dental Hygienist, GS-09 Experience. At least one year of experience at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-08 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. Selective Placement Factor: Must be proficient in spoken and written Spanish language. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-09. ["Major duties but are not limited to: Customer Service Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, and CARE techniques for patients, co-workers and the public Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns, provides service recovery Patient Care Arrangement of medical compromised patients related to procedures to be done. Reviews medical/dental histories to determine conditions complicating dental hygiene treatment. Major medical diagnoses are noted in dental (DRM) record of patients. Is responsible in making arrangements of medically compromised patients related to procedures to be done in pre-medicated patients prior to any treatment schedule. Provides dental assessment to hospitalized Long Term Care residents as JCAHO requirements Examines oral cavity and records conditions of the mouth including head and neck. When abnormal conditions are detected such as cancer lesion or oral candidiasis primary care physician is notified. Provides oral screening examination, periodontal probing and charting Sets up operatory for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover Handles instruments safely, accurately and efficiently Provides specialized oral prophylactic procedures to include application of fluoride solutions Provides gross debridement, deep scaling, and curettage and root planing procedures Cleans dental prostheses, fixed and removable Manages dental patients by referring patients to the doctor for additional care Applies desensitizing and sealant materials Makes impressions for fluoride carrier trays Patient Education Provides patient education appropriate to the veteran's needs and oral condition at least 25% of the time. Prepares and provides individual and group oral health care instructions to inpatients, outpatients, and caregivers of effective oral hygiene and demonstration techniques. Presents oral hygiene lectures to nursing personnel and Interdisciplinary Team and develops education training material Dental Imaging Takes bite wings, periapical, panorex and digital panorex Interprets radiographs to identify tooth structures, calculus, caries, periodontal disease and other abnormality Images are characterized by diagnostic quality, accurately oriented and exposed Dental imaging safety techniques are utilized, and retakes are minimized Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatory Instruments are properly prepared for sterilization by SPS standards Instruments are prepared in a manner that does not delay clinical care Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding equipment use and processing (critical, semi-critical & non-critical items) Clerical Functions Assists patients in scheduling appointments Assists in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments Charts findings, treatment plans, and treatment provided in patient records Information Management Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information Patient Safety Modifies care as appropriate for patient's age and abilities (patient transfer and position) Provides accurate and understandable instructions to patients Employee Education Complies with Employee Education requirements Completes mandatory annual safety training sessions Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 61772F 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.
