Summary

The Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System is recruiting for two Dental Assistants to help care for our Veterans in Tulsa - Oklahoma. This is an open continuous announcement until September 25 - 2026. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.

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: Must be a US Citizen
• Experience and Education 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)
• 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
• Provisions for Certification of Radiologic Competence Successful completion of the Dental Radiation Health and Safety Examination administered by the Dental Assisting National Board - Inc. - OR Successful completion of the Principles and Practice of Dental Radiology and Radiographic Safety courses and examinations developed by the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Dentistry - OR Successful completion of a radiation health and safety program or examination approved by a state board of dentistry or the Department of Defense (DoD)
• Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification of radiologic competence may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate dental assistant under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 (a) (1) (D)
• Failure to obtain certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment
• This will result in removal from the GS-681 series and] may result in termination of employment
• Certification in basic life support methods is highly desirable
• Certification by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB)
• The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes DANB as the national certification for Dental Assistants
• DANB certification is not required - but highly desirable for the appointment of Dental Assistants up to and including the full performance level - and is required for all positions above the full performance level
• English Language Proficiency: Dental assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English
• Grade Determinations
• In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Dental Assistant - GS-3 Experience or Education
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Dental Assistant - GS-4 Experience or Education
• In addition to the basic requirements - 1 year of experience at the next lower level - OR 2 years of education above high school that included completion of a dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on [Dental] Accreditation (CODA)
• -AND-In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: Basic knowledge of infection control and safe instrument handling
• Basic knowledge of dental procedures and [medical emergencies
• Ability to perform basic radiographic image capture and processing/retrieval
• Basic knowledge of maintenance - care and storage of dental equipment
• Basic knowledge of patient privacy requirements
• Dental Assistant - GS-5 Experience or Education
• In addition to the requirements listed at GS-4 above - applicants must demonstrate at least 1 year of experience equivalent to at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level - OR Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that included or was supplemented by completion of a dental assistant program by CODA
• -AND-In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: Knowledge of anatomy and [ability to evaluate diagnostic quality
• Broad knowledge of common medical emergencies and vital signs measurement
• Basic knowledge of instruments - materials and standardized dental procedures Ability to learn and utilize software programs used within VHA
• Basic communication skills to provide patient instructions according to established protocol
• Staff Dental Assistant - GS-6 (Full Performance Level) Experience
• At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level
• -AND-In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the following technical Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: Ability to identify normal oral anatomy
• Advanced knowledge of instruments - materials - and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative - surgical - endodontic and periodontal care and procedures
• Ability to monitor and perform basic 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 perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry
• Ability to enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records
• Ability to perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedure
• 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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• Complete all application requirements detailed in the \"Required Documents\" section of this announcement
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties provided below are for the full performance level
• Employees at the full performance level serve with the ability to perform the full range of duties with some independence in assigned specialties - with indirect supervision from the lead dental assistant - dental assistant supervisor or treating dentist
• The level of supervision and independence in performing required duties will be dependent on the grade level selected and found qualified for
• Identify normal oral anatomy
• Recognize instruments - materials - and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative - surgical - endodontic and periodontal care and procedures
• Monitor and perform basic interpretation of vital signs
• Independently provide procedure-specific patient education and appropriate referral of patient concerns to treating dentist
• Capture standard and special dental images of good diagnostic quality in traditional or digital formats
• Perform maintenance on dental equipment used for routine and specialty dentistry
• Enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records
• Perform dental assistant-appropriate laboratory procedures
• Assignments at the full performance level include - but are not limited to: Using the concepts of four-handed dentistry
• assists with specialty procedures including oral surgery - periodontal therapy - endodontic - prosthodontic and implant placement and restoration
• Anticipates dentists/surgeons/specialists' needs at each stage of treatment
• takes preliminary impressions
• selects and manipulates a variety of gypsums and waxes
• pours - trims and evaluates the quality of diagnostic casts
• fabricates custom trays
• Provide dental assistant coverage at various Community Based Outpatient Clinics as needed
• Work Schedule: 7:00am-5:30pm - four days per week Compressed/Flexible: Authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not 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 #: 52816-A - 52817-A - 52818-A - 52819-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized