Department: Department of Veterans Affairs
Location(s): Bedford, Massachusetts
Salary Range: $96800 - $125835 Per Year
Job Summary: This Lead Dental Hygienist position is in Specialty Care services at the VA Bedford Healthcare System, located at the Bedford location. This position is a full-time at 40 hours per week.
Major Duties:
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. English Language Proficiency: Dental hygienist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403. Education: Applicants must possess an Associate degree or higher from an accredited dental hygiene program. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved programs are: (1) Dental hygiene programs accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). (2) [Education completed outside of the United States must be considered at least equivalent to that gained in CODA accredited United States programs and would enable the candidate to sit for the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, which is administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. 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: P.L. 97-35, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act Of 1981, requires persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 C.F.R. Part 75, Standards for the Accreditation of Educational Programs for and the Credentialing of Radiologic Personnel. To meet this requirement, 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 meets the requirement for certification as dental radiographers. 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-10: Must have at least one year of experience at the next lower grade (GS-09) level that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Advanced knowledge of dental hygiene and/or dental assisting across multiple types of dental practice and demonstrated ability to provide guidance to dental auxiliary staff (dental assistants and/or dental hygienists). Knowledge of procedures and policies to provide oversight and training for dental auxiliary staff (dental assistants and/or dental hygienists). Ability to monitor and report on the status and progress of work and make adjustments to accomplish the workload in accordance with established procedures. Ability to assist in dental program development, outcome management, and strategic planning. Ability to act as liaison between dental staff to resolve informal employee complaints and concerns. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. VA Handbook 5005/146 PART II APPENDIX G37 Physical Requirements: Long periods of standing, walking, sitting, and bending are required. Sitting at computers for long periods using Vista, CPRS, DRM, and the Kiosk. Utilization of telephone to place and receive phone calls from patients, staff members, and others is required. Pushing dental instrumentation and equipment on carts down the hallway and lifting instruments and equipment from the carts to the dental delivery unit. Standing on stools and lifting overhead to retrieve and store supplies and equipment. Deliver clean instruments to the clinic as needed (up to twice a day) from SPS to the dental service. This involves pushing carts with instruments down hallways and into elevators. Lifting of patients from gurneys or wheelchairs into the dental chair for exams, x-rays, and treatment is required.
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 12/19/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12842242. 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: 2025-12-19