Employees at this level serve as staff dental hygienists at the VA Western Colorado Health Care System. The Dental Hygienist provides direct patient care under the general supervision of the dentist and performs other clinical and clerical functions independently of direct supervision. It is expected that they provide direct patient care and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients.
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.
English Language Proficiency.Dental hygienist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
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:
- Dental hygiene programs accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
- Education completed outside of the United States must be considered at least equivalent to that gained in CODA accredited United States programs & 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.- Licensure. Applicants must be currently licensed to practice as a dental hygienist with a full, current & unrestricted license in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
- Certification. Persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 C.F.R. Part 75, Standards for the Accreditation of Educational Programs for & 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 & 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 & 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.
Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials
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). 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 7/23/2021 are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held.
Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements outlined above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
Dental Hygienist, GS-05: Experience. None, beyond the basic requirements.
Dental Hygienist, GS-06:Experience. At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-5).
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of oral prophylactic, therapeutic, & preventive procedures for periodontal diseases, or inflammation, or on patients with other medical &/or dental problems.
- Knowledge of dental methods & techniques used in performing intra & extra oral procedures.
- Ability to use communication techniques to encourage & inform individuals & groups.
Dental Hygienist, GS-07:Experience. At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of oral pathology to include disease of the hard & soft tissues, disorders of tooth structure, developmental & congenital anomalies, salivary gland disorders, symptoms of infectious disorders, & appropriate protocols.
- Practical knowledge of medical diseases, conditions, & chronic degenerative diseases as they relate to dental health & treatment.
- Knowledge of radiographic exposure techniques to produce radiographs of high diagnostic quality.
Dental Hygienist, GS-08:Experience. At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-7) that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills & Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-7 level, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of state-of-the-art preventive dentistry measures for patient instruction and training.
- Knowledge of anatomy & physiology in order to interpret the examination request accurately; to understand the functioning & interrelationship of the various anatomical structures appearing on the radiographic image & the various stages of the examination to judge the acceptability of the radiograph for diagnostic use; & to present for viewing.
- Knowledge of The Joint Commission (TJC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), & related regulations and guidelines pertaining to dental matters.
- Skill in providing individual & group oral health care instructions to inpatients, outpatients, Nursing Home Care Unit patients, etc.
Dental Hygienist, GS-09Experience. At least 1 year of experience at the next lower grade (GS-8) level that demonstrates the clinical competencies described at that level.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-8 level, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of hygiene procedures to explain the process & 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 & indications/limitations for safe & proper application.
- Skill in detecting plaque & calculus, dental abnormalities/pathologies, assessing inflammation & providing safe instrumentation for each procedure.
- Skill in educating patients & caregivers on periodontal disease, wellness, health maintenance, oral hygiene practices, parafunctional habits, & effects of illness, addictions, medications & tobacco on the oral cavity.
- Ability to assess the patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications & comorbidities to administer safe patient care.
- Ability to assess the impact of patient's medical & dental condition on maintaining oral health, recognize age-related changes in individual patients, adapt patient environment, & maximize patient's physical comfort.
Education:
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.Employment Type: OTHER