Summary

Licensed Dental Hygienist's will provide dental oral hygiene and ancillary dental services to the Veteran population at the Murfreesboro location.

Qualifications

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: Associate Degree or higher in an accredited dental hygiene program
• This program must be accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
• 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: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75
• Essentially, 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 which will meet the requirement for certification as dental radiographers
• English Language Proficiency.: Dental hygienists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d)
• Preferred Certification: Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification: Successfully completed Basic Life Support certification
• Grade Requirement : Creditable Experience Knowledge of Current Professional Dental Hygienist Practices
• To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (also referred to as "clinical competencies") associated with current professional dental hygiene practice
• Evidence of such experience includes experience in private practice, U
• S
• military services, local/state/federal health care or educational facilities
• Quality of Experience: Experience as a dental hygienist in private practice, U.S. military services, local/state/federal health care or educational facilities must be verified with the practitioner or the supervising officers
• Experience satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice which may be paid or non-paid employment as a dental hygienist
• Part-Time Experience: Part-time experience as a dental hygienist is credited according to its relationship to full-time work week
• For example, a dental hygienist would receive 1 week of full-time credit for each 2 weeks of half-time work
• Grade Determinations
• In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Grade Determinations:GS-9 Dental Hygienist (Full Performance Level) Experience
• At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-09 level, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of medical assessment techniques including interviewing and evaluating clinical findings (e.g
• normal and critical lab values) to adapt treatment based on medical and psychological issues Advanced knowledge of oral and dental anatomy including root anatomy, common pathologies and anomalies, and indications for advanced radiographic imaging and proper technique to detect potential abnormalities
• Knowledge of medical treatment adjuncts and indications and the ability to safely administer medicaments (e.g
• intrasulcular medicaments, local anesthesia, sulcular lavage, applying and removing periodontal surgical dressing)
• Knowledge of advanced adjunctive diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, indication for use and ability to utilize safely (e.g
• sonic, magnetostrictive ultrasonic, and piezo ultrasonic scalers)
• Skill in providing safe and thorough prophylaxis, root planning and soft- tissue curettage for complex periodontal and/or restorative cases and skill in providing safe care for patients with complex medical/psychiatric issues
• Ability to apply adult education techniques/methods, organize curriculum, judge cognitive ability, and provide healthcare education regarding relationships between medical and dental pathologies to groups, interdisciplinary staff, and other outside contacts
• 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
• Assignments
• Employees at this level serve as staff dental hygienists at the full performance level
• It is expected that they provide direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients and require only general supervision from a dentist
• Assignments at this level include but are not limited to: patient medical assessment (e.g
• medical/dental history, social history, vital signs, full periodontal assessment and charting), disease and treatment management recommendations, denture care, scaling and root planning, radiographs/image interpretation, patient education (e.g
• post-procedure, tobacco cessation, caries and perio-disease prevention), behavior management, management of stable medically compromised patients (including risk factors), instrument sharpening, inter-service communication
• References: MAY 12, 2014 VA HANDBOOK 5005/73 PART II APPENDIX G37 II-G37-5 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-09
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Duties

• Duties are included but not limited to: Dental prophylaxis, Scaling and root planning, Sub-gingival curettage
• Exposure of radio graphs, including digital, of the mouth, gums, jaws, teeth or any portion thereof for dental diagnosis Application of topical fluorides including varnishes Provides patient education including demonstration of oral hygiene procedures and oral health care regimens Taking and recording of a patient's blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and medical history and charting of oral conditions Serving as chairside dental assistant Maintenance of instrument and operatory infection control in compliance with Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) standards for clinical and laboratory dental operations including the testing of water quality Preparation of instrument trays Removal of cement from restorations and bands Placement and removal of periodontal dressings Taking alginate impressions for any purpose other than permanent restorations Prepares, mixes dental materials including impression materials per manufacturer's instructions
• Holding and removal of impression material after placement in the patient's mouth by the Dentist Removal of excess cement from the surfaces of the teeth, Sulcular irrigation with antimicrobial agents if prescribed by the supervising dentist
• Application of desensitizing agents, Application of topical anesthetic and anti-inflammatory agents, Irrigating extraction site Performs routine maintenance of equipment components such as suction traps and water lines
• Maintains the evacuation system per manufacturer's instructions
• Tests unit water quality as scheduled
• Chart clinical findings and treatment plan in the Dental Record Manager (DRM) component of the computerized patient medical record (CPRS)
• Is in compliance with patient identification, time-out and reusable medical equipment processes
• Recognizes patient signs of physical distress and monitors the patient's condition during treatment
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position .Functional Statement #:#70888-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized