This position is a Dental Assistant (Expanded Function) located at the White Earth Health Center (WEHC) with duty station located at the Naytahwaush Health Center, Naytahwaush, Minnesota. This position reports to the Chief Dentist or Designee. This is an Open Continuous Announcement and applications will be referred when vacancies occur. Frequent travel to the White Earth Service unit to complete Dental Assisting tasks may be required.

Duties

Provide restorative, periodontic, endodontic, diagnostic, surgical, and preventive dental services. Directs dental team overall and evaluates the services and management of the team. Provide consultative services to the medical staff of the Service Unit relative to oral health matters. Plan, organize, and administer a comprehensive dental health program for the Service Unit. Ensure that department expenditures are within allocated budget.

Requirements

Qualifications

OPEN CONTINUOUS: This Open Continuous Announcement (OCA) allows acceptance of applications throughout the year with eligible applicants being placed on the OCA register and referred for consideration when vacancies occur. Your resume and any documents submitted will be retained for three months and may be used at any time during this period. After 8 months, you must reapply to this announcement in order to be considered. To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. 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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. BASIC REQUIREMENT(S): Dental Assistant Series 0681 (opm.gov) In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: GS-02: 3 months General Experience OR High school graduation or equivalent. GS-03: 6 months General Experience OR 1 year above high school with course(s) related to the occupation, if required. GS-04: 6 months General Experience AND 6 months Specialized Experience OR 2 years above high school with courses related to the occupation, if required GS-05: 1 year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 Grade Level OR 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, if required. GS-06: 1 year of Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 Grade Level. Specialized Experience Defined: GS-04: Clean, polish and oil equipment. Clean and sharpen instruments; sterilize instruments using autoclave and dryclave techniques. Prepare sterile trays, packs, sutures, etc. Schedule and route patients for services as required. Requisitions work from dental laboratory. Receive and prepare patients for treatment such as routine restoration. Lay out instruments and materials needed for treatment. Provide chairside assistance during oral examinations and restorative treatments: pass instruments and materials to and retrieve from the dentist; operate oral evacuator and suction tip to keep area of operation clear; retract tissue, cheek and tongue. Relay to patient post-treatment instructions from dentist. Operate dental X-ray equipment to take intra and extra-oral radiographs; develop and finish film. GS-05: Record information related to medical history of patient; when required route patient for medical tests and services. Chart examination and treatment information as relayed by dentist on patient records. Record information as directed by dentist on prescriptions and a variety of forms related to dental care. Prepare, arrange all instruments and materials needed for each treatment; prepare patient and operatory. Assist dentist at chairside as anticipated or required in all phases of general dentistry. Pass instruments and materials to and retrieve from the dentist; keep area of operation clear using high speed evacuator, suction tip and irrigation; retracts tissue, tongue and GS-06: Maintain supply levels and cleanliness of dental station; sterilize instruments, materials and equipment. Assist patient in completing medical history statements. Record examination and treatment information as relayed by dentist. Instruct patient in preventive dental care: demonstrate brushing and flossing techniques and use of disclosing tablets; explain the common cause of decay and its relationship to general diet. Take preliminary impressions for study models and modify impression trays as needed. Pour and trim models from impressions. Construct custom impression trays. Restore teeth prepared by dentist; place cavity bases and liners on prepared tooth; place matrix bands and wedges when required; place, condense, carve and finish simple amalgam restorations, such as those not requiring retentive pins or cusp replacement; places, compress and finish synthetic single-surface anterior restorations; place and contour temporary restorations. Apply rubber dam and place cotton rolls to isolate operative site. As directed by dentist remove sutures, apply topical anesthesia, desensitizing agents, medication and surgical gauze following extractions, apply and remove periodontal dressings. Expose and develop intra- and extra-oral radiographs. Provide chairside assistance, anticipating dentist's need for various instruments, materials and services. Place pit and fissure sealants. General Experience: (l) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Applicants who have the 1 year of appropriate specialized experience, as indicated in the table, are not required by this standard to have general experience, education above the high school level, or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements. Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address White Earth Service Unit 40520 County Hwy 34 Ogema, MN 56569 US
• Name: Roberta Ironmaker
• Phone: 218-444-0472
• Email: [email protected]