Dental Hygienist
Duties of the Dental Hygienist include, but are not limited to customer service, direct patient care, patient education, dental imaging, infection control and equipment sterilization, clerical functions, information management, patient safety and employee education the following areas:
- Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns and provides service recovery. - Set up operatory for planned dental procedures and cleans dental unit for timely turnover. - Handle instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently. - Provides routine oral prophylactic care to include application of fluoride solutions. - Provides gross debridement, deep scaling, and curettage and root planning procedures. - Cleans dental prostheses, fixed and removable. - Manages dental recall system, referring patients to the doctor for additional care when needed. - Applies desensitizing and sealant materials. - Make impressions for fluoride carrier trays. - Administer topical anesthetic agents. - Accomplish all procedures within standard infection control protocols. - Provides patient education appropriate to the Veteran's needs and oral condition. - Prepares and provides individual and group oral health care instructions to inpatient, outpatient and caregivers. -Utilizes dental imaging safety techniques and retakes are minimized. - Perform accurately oriented and exposed images that are characterized by diagnostic quality. - Demonstrate proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatory. - Properly prepare instruments for sterilization by SPS standards that do not delay clinical care. - Demonstrate proper infection control procedures in exposing images. - Assist patients in scheduling appointments and assists in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments. - Chart findings, treatment plans and treatment provided in patient records - Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information. Work Schedule:
Monday-Friday/ 8:
00 am - 4:
30 pm Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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. 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). 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) https:
//www.ada.org/en/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 https:
//www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/42/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. (1) Exception. 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) for a period not to exceed 2 years. Failure to obtain certification during this time period may result in termination of employment. 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:
GS-9 Dental Hygienist Experience. At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-8) that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidate must meet the KSAs for the GS 8 level and must demonstrate the KSAs at the GS 9 level below:
GS 8:
Must meet the following KSAs:
Knowledge of state-of-the-art preventive dentistry measures for patient instruction and training; Knowledge of anatomy and physiology in order to interpret the examination request accurately; to understand the functioning and interrelationship of the various anatomical structures appearing on the radiographic image and the various stages of the examination to judge the acceptability of the radiograph for diagnostic use; and to present for viewing; Skill in providing individual and group oral health care instructions to inpatients, outpatients, Nursing Home Care Unit patients, etc.; and Knowledge of VA, The Joint Commission (TJC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and related regulations and guidelines pertaining to dental matters. GS 9:
Must demonstrate the following KSAs:
Ability to assess the patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications and comorbidities for 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; Skill in detecting plaque and calculus, dental abnormalities/pathologies, assessing inflammation and providing safe instrumentation for each procedure; Knowledge to select appropriate available fluoride products and indications/limitations for safe and proper application; Knowledge of hygiene procedures in order 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; and 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. References:
VA Handbook 5005/73, Part II, Appendix G37 - Dental Hygienist Qualification Standards, dated May 12, 2014. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-9. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is at the GS-9 level. Physical Requirements:
See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
- Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns and provides service recovery. - Set up operatory for planned dental procedures and cleans dental unit for timely turnover. - Handle instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently. - Provides routine oral prophylactic care to include application of fluoride solutions. - Provides gross debridement, deep scaling, and curettage and root planning procedures. - Cleans dental prostheses, fixed and removable. - Manages dental recall system, referring patients to the doctor for additional care when needed. - Applies desensitizing and sealant materials. - Make impressions for fluoride carrier trays. - Administer topical anesthetic agents. - Accomplish all procedures within standard infection control protocols. - Provides patient education appropriate to the Veteran's needs and oral condition. - Prepares and provides individual and group oral health care instructions to inpatient, outpatient and caregivers. -Utilizes dental imaging safety techniques and retakes are minimized. - Perform accurately oriented and exposed images that are characterized by diagnostic quality. - Demonstrate proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatory. - Properly prepare instruments for sterilization by SPS standards that do not delay clinical care. - Demonstrate proper infection control procedures in exposing images. - Assist patients in scheduling appointments and assists in filling gaps in the schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments. - Chart findings, treatment plans and treatment provided in patient records - Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information. Work Schedule:
Monday-Friday/ 8:
00 am - 4:
30 pm Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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. 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). 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) https:
//www.ada.org/en/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 https:
//www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/42/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. (1) Exception. 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) for a period not to exceed 2 years. Failure to obtain certification during this time period may result in termination of employment. 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:
GS-9 Dental Hygienist Experience. At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-8) that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidate must meet the KSAs for the GS 8 level and must demonstrate the KSAs at the GS 9 level below:
GS 8:
Must meet the following KSAs:
Knowledge of state-of-the-art preventive dentistry measures for patient instruction and training; Knowledge of anatomy and physiology in order to interpret the examination request accurately; to understand the functioning and interrelationship of the various anatomical structures appearing on the radiographic image and the various stages of the examination to judge the acceptability of the radiograph for diagnostic use; and to present for viewing; Skill in providing individual and group oral health care instructions to inpatients, outpatients, Nursing Home Care Unit patients, etc.; and Knowledge of VA, The Joint Commission (TJC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and related regulations and guidelines pertaining to dental matters. GS 9:
Must demonstrate the following KSAs:
Ability to assess the patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications and comorbidities for 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; Skill in detecting plaque and calculus, dental abnormalities/pathologies, assessing inflammation and providing safe instrumentation for each procedure; Knowledge to select appropriate available fluoride products and indications/limitations for safe and proper application; Knowledge of hygiene procedures in order 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; and 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. References:
VA Handbook 5005/73, Part II, Appendix G37 - Dental Hygienist Qualification Standards, dated May 12, 2014. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-9. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is at the GS-9 level. Physical Requirements:
See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
- Department:
0682 Dental Hygiene - Salary Range:
$52,905 to $68,777 per year
Estimated Salary: $20 to $28 per hour based on qualifications.
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