Summary

Serves as staff dental hygienist at the full performance level for routine patient care and performs a full range of duties with indirect supervision from the the treating dentist. Performs assigned selected procedures with some independence and performs complex patient procedures are performed under indirect supervision of dental supervisor.

Qualifications

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
• 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 US must be considered at least equivalent to that gained in CODA accredited US 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/Certification (1) 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 US - or the District of Columbia
• (2) 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
• Exceptions for Non-Certified Dental Hygienist
• (a) 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) - Temporary Full Time Appointments - Part-Time Appointments and Without-Compensation Appointments for a Period Not to Exceed Two Years
• (b) Non-certified individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a certified dental hygienist at or above the full performance level
• (c) Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained
• (d) Temporary appointments of non-certified dental hygienist may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment
• (e) Failure to Obtain Certification
• Dental hygienists must actively pursue meeting requirements for certification starting from the date of their appointment
• At the time of appointment - the dental hygienist supervisor will provide the dental hygienist with the written requirements for licensure/certification - including the time by which the licensure/certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline
• May qualify based on 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)
• Grandfathering Provision
• All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level
• (2) Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels
• (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• (4) Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• (5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation Grade Determinations: GS-9 Dental Hygienist (Full Performance Level) Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-09 - candidates must possess at least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-08
• Assignment - Employees at this level serve as developmental level 3 dental hygienists with the ability to perform direct patient care under the general supervision of the dentist
• It is expected that they receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients
• Assignments at this level include - but are not limited to: patient assessments (e.g
• risk assessments - oral health assessments) - prevention recommendations - prophylaxis - periodontal treatment for mild to moderate disease (e.g
• scaling and root planing - full mouth debridement) - Periodontal Screening and Recording radiograph/image capture - fluoride treatment application - topical anesthesia administration and management of stable medically compromised patients (including risk factors)
• Additionally the Dental Hygienist must meet the experience and KSAs requirements at the GS-09 level: Knowledge of hygiene procedures 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
• Knowledge to select appropriate available fluoride products and indications/limitations for safe and proper application
• Skill in detecting plaque and calculus - dental abnormalities/pathologies - assessing inflammation and providing safe instrumentation for each procedure
• 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
• Ability to assess the patient's medical - dental - anxiety/phobias - medications and comorbidities to administer 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level is GS-9. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary but involves fine motor movements when assisting
• Typically - the employee sits at a desk or table or on adjustable stool in the treatment room with some walking and standing as patients are seated or clean and dirty dental instruments area
• Items carried are typically light objects and lifting of moderately heavy objects is not normally required.

Duties

• Serves as staff dental hygienists at the full performance level
• Provides direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients and require only general supervision from a dentist
• Assignments at this level include but are not limited to patient medical assessment (e.g
• medical/dental history - social history - vital signs - full periodontal assessment and charting) - disease and treatment management recommendations - denture care - scaling and root planing - radiographs/image interpretation - patient education (e.g
• post-procedure - tobacco cessation - caries and perio-disease prevention) - behavior management - management of stable medically compromised patients (including risk factors) - instrument sharpening - inter-service communication
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m
• - 4:30 p.m
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 41184F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized