Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies, and all US Citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties include but are not limited to:

GS-03:This position supports dental clinical operations through chairside assisting, dental imaging, infection control, and instrument preparation. Responsibilities include direct patient care such as assisting with procedures, taking impressions, monitoring vital signs, administering ordered medications, and providing patient education. The role also involves scheduling and records management, maintaining patient safety and confidentiality, supporting dental laboratory functions, handling reusable medical equipment, and complying with all required training and regulatory standards.

GS-04:This position supports dental providers by assisting with clinical procedures, direct patient care, and chairside duties, including dental imaging, impressions, temporary crown fabrication, and basic laboratory tasks. Responsibilities include maintaining infection control and sterilization standards, monitoring patient safety and vital signs, administering prescribed medications and oxygen, and providing patient education. The role also involves scheduling, record management, HIPAA compliance, and proper use of reusable medical equipment, while adhering to customer service standards and mandatory training requirements.

GS-05:These job functions describe a Dental Assistant role focused on patient care, clinical support, safety, and administrative responsibilities. The position emphasizes delivering courteous, patient-centered customer service while assisting dentists chairside in restorative, surgical, periodontal, prosthodontic, and endodontic procedures. Responsibilities include preparing treatment areas, assisting during procedures, performing dental imaging, taking impressions, fabricating temporary crowns, removing sutures, applying fluoride and topical medications, placing rubber dams and matrix bands, monitoring vital signs, administering oxygen when required, and providing post-operative instructions. The role also requires strict adherence to infection control, sterilization, and reusable medical equipment (RME) protocols in compliance with established standards. Additionally, the assistant supports clerical and information management duties such as scheduling, charting, data entry, maintaining patient confidentiality, and using electronic dental record systems. Patient safety, employee education, and compliance with HIPAA, Joint Commission requirements, and annual training are integral parts of the role, along with laboratory support and ongoing communication with patients regarding care and follow-up.

GS-06:This position provides comprehensive support to dentists in a clinical setting by delivering chairside assistance during a wide range of dental procedures, including restorative, surgical, periodontal, and prosthodontic care. The role involves taking diagnostic-quality dental images, maintaining strict infection control and instrument sterilization standards, and ensuring patient safety before, during, and after treatment. Responsibilities also include direct patient care such as taking impressions, fabricating temporary crowns, monitoring vital signs, administering oxygen and topical medications as ordered, and providing post-operative instructions. In addition, the position supports dental laboratory functions, manages reusable medical equipment, schedules and coordinates patient appointments, maintains accurate electronic health records, and ensures compliance with HIPAA, VA policies, and mandatory training requirements under the supervision of a dentist.


Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am- 4:00pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 54219-F

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Qualifications

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
• Experience. Six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work. OR
• Education: Successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on [Dental] Accreditation [(CODA)]. OR
• Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.
• 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.

• 3-5 years of dental assistant experience
• Advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standard dental procedures used in dental procedures.
• Ability to monitor and perform basis interpretation of vital signs.
• Ability to independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist.
• Ability to capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats.
• Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing 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
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Next steps