Dental Assistant

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Albuquerque, New Mexico

Salary Range: $50502 - $65657 Per Year

Job Summary: This position is located in the Dental Service with the New Mexico VA Health Care System in Albuquerque, NM.

Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional As a Dental Assistant (Clinical Expanded Function), the incumbent works with the supervisor or Chief of Dental Service at the advanced level, performing at a higher scope, complexity, and variety, representing the clinical assignment, and applies advanced clinical skills. Major Duties include: Expanded function duties may include. Perform mouth mirror inspection of the oral cavity. Gather diagnostic information. Perform pulp vitality testing. Chart existing restoration and conditions. Assist customers with questions or concerns and provide service recovery Set up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and clean dental unit for timely turnover. Possess advanced knowledge of instruments, materials, and standardized dental procedures used in all phases of restorative, surgical, endodontic and periodontal care. Monitor, and perform basic interpretation of, patient vital signs (BP, pulse, pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure. Assist in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed Dentistry. Pass instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently. Keep operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably. Possess comprehensive knowledge of advanced imaging techniques in order to provide instruction. Disinfect oral appliances to prevent cross contamination. Assist dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records. Maintain patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information. Follow computer security regulations. Provide accurate and understandable instructions to patients. Monitor patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Available Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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) 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 Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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. Experience and Education. Applicant must have six months experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work, or provides familiarity with the work. OR Have a successfully completed a 1-year dental assistant program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). OR Have 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. Applicants must have one of the following: 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). 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. 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-07 Clinical Expanded Function Dental Assistant Experience. At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level or equivalent that demonstrates the core competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs: Ability to perform dental assisting expanded functions. Comprehensive working knowledge of advanced imaging techniques in order to provide instruction (e.g. cone beam, cephalometric, advanced panoramic imaging, TMJ, etc). Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Long periods of standing, walking, sitting, and bending are required. Pushing dental equipment and carts are necessary to deliver items to the operatory or procedure site. It is necessary to climb onto lifts to retrieve or store supplies, or to help the dentist carry out a surgical or dental procedure. Lifting of patients from gurneys or wheelchairs into the dental chair is required to position them for radiographs or dental examination and treatment.

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/28/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12831053. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Application Deadline: 2025-11-28