Dental Assistant

About the role

At the Indian Health Service, Dental Assistants do more than support oral care. Guided by our mission to improve the health of American Indian and Alaska Native people, you will help deliver safe and effective dental services while creating healthy smiles, restoring confidence, and promoting overall wellness in the communities we serve.

Duties

• Assist the dentist in all phases of restorative and surgical procedures.
• Maintain aseptic technique and sterilize instruments.
• Expose and process dental radiographs following radiation-safety protocols.
• Educate patients on oral hygiene and post-treatment care.
• Support dental clinic operations, maintain supplies, and manage patient records.

Requirements

• Selectee may be subject to a probationary period.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. The agency must ensure that persons hired have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.
• Physical Demands: The work involves walking, sitting, standing, reaching and bending in the assessment and treatment of patients.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• You will need to set up direct deposit.
• This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment. Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance.
• This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations. Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved obligations may be deemed unsuitable.
• Prior to appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one document is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant (in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5, effective May 7, 2025).

Qualifications

Your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education to perform the duties of the position. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work through National Service programs and other organizations. You must clearly identify duties, responsibilities, and total hours per week for each position held.

Basic Requirement(s) – Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR): Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (1) have successfully completed an accredited educational program meeting those standards, and (2) be certified as radiographers in their field. The following also meet these requirements: persons employed by the Federal Government as radiologic personnel prior to January 13, 1986 who show evidence of satisfactory performance; and persons first employed after that date who received training from non-accredited institutions or practiced in non-licensing jurisdictions, provided they show evidence of training, experience, and competence as determined by OPM or the agency.

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Experience in dental assistance to general or specialized dentistry, dental assistant (expanded function) work, or any combination appropriate to the position.

Education and Training:

• For GS-3: Successful completion of (a) a 1-year dental assistant program or 1 year of a dental hygiene program accredited by the ADA Commission on Accreditation that included courses in radiation physics, radiation biology, radiation health/safety/protection, X-ray films and radiographic film quality, radiographic techniques, darkroom/processing techniques, and film mounting; or (b) practical nurse training approved by the appropriate State, territory, or D.C. accrediting body.
• For GS-4: Successful completion of a 2-year dental assistant program or 2-year dental hygiene program accredited by the ADA Commission on Accreditation that included at least 12 semester hours of courses such as those shown above for GS-3.

Minimum Qualifications:

• GS-02: At least 3 months of general experience demonstrating ability to perform the work or familiarity with customer service, record-keeping, and clinic maintenance duties; OR high school graduate or equivalent.
• GS-03: At least 6 months of general experience as described above; OR successful completion of a 1-year dental assistant program or 1 year of dental hygiene program as described; OR practical nurse training; OR a combination of experience and education.
• GS-04: 6 months of general experience AND 6 months of specialized experience. Qualifying specialized experience includes providing chairside assistance, setting up proper instruments, recording treatments rendered, and exposing and processing digital oral x-rays; OR successful completion of a 2-year dental assistant or hygiene program as described; OR a combination of experience and education (with courses directly related to the work).

General Experience: Any type of work that demonstrates ability to perform the position, or experience providing familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the occupation.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the respective cutoff date of rating.

Education

If substituting education for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or course list including titles, credit hours, and grades. Unofficial transcripts are accepted in the application package; official transcripts will be required from selectees prior to an official offer. Only attendance/degrees from schools accredited by institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. If using foreign education, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript.

Additional information

• Additional selections may be possible within 240 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued.
• Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6, or 8 hours per pay period) based on years of Federal service. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty military service for leave accrual rate.
• This position may or may not be covered by a bargaining unit, depending on duty location.
• Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized; at least a 6-month service agreement will be required.
• This position has promotion potential to the GS-06 grade level. Promotion is at management's discretion based on demonstrated ability, continuing need, and regulatory/administrative approval; no promise of promotion is implied.
• This is a competitive vacancy under Delegated Examining Authority. Selections will be processed as new appointments to the civil service; current civil service employees would receive new appointments (benefits, time service, etc. apply accordingly).