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This position is located in Santa Maria, CA at the Community Based Outpatient Clinic. Dental Service is one of the largest patient care, education and research enterprises in VHA. GLA is a tertiary medical care facility which provides care in all aspects and specialties of dentistry such as endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, maxillofacial prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery as well as general dentistry in an outpatient, inpatient and Community Living Center. 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 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. Loss of Credential: Management officials will remove dental hygienists from their positions who fail to maintain the required licensure/certification, which may also result in termination of employment. 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 or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.(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. 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. English Language Proficiency: Dental hygienist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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). Preferred Experience: Employees at this level serve as staff dental hygienists at the full performance level. 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 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 planning, 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. Grade Determinations: At least one year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-8) 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: i. Knowledge of hygiene procedures to explain the process and indication, complications and expected treatment outcomes for each. ii. Knowledge of proper usage of dental radiography equipment, radiation safety, assessment of proper image capture and interpretation of films. iii. Knowledge to select appropriate available fluoride products and indications/limitations for safe and proper application. iv. Skill in detecting plaque and calculus, dental abnormalities/pathologies, assessing inflammation and providing safe instrumentation for each procedure. v. 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. vi. Ability to assess the patient's medical, dental, anxiety/phobias, medications and comorbidities to administer safe patient care. vii. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G37, dated July 23, 2021The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-09. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), light lifting (under 15 pounds), light carrying (under 15 pounds), pushing (1/2 hours), use of fingers, both hands required, standing (1.5 hours), specific visual requirement (corrected vision accepted), and hearing without aid. ["GLA dental hygienists are proficient in the delivery of advanced dental hygiene care for its medically complex/compromised patients independently or with any level dental provider in every environment/setting. In addition, GLA dental hygienists must excel in providing individual and/or group oral hygiene education to patients, staff, and other providers as well as lectures, demonstrations, and development of training materials for the abundance of dental hygiene trainees, dental students and residents that rotate through the GLA Dental Service. GLA dental hygienists are also proficient in the utilization of the dental program in the computer system for scheduling, dental record charting, and completing dental progress notes. All dental hygienists are actively involved with the didactic and clinical training and supervision of dental hygiene trainees and volunteers from the immediate community (including high school students and undergraduate college students who want to pursue a career in dentistry). All hygienists have advanced knowledge of VA Reusable Medical/Dental Equipment, JCAHO, Infection Control, and OSHA regulations and also educate and supervise the hygiene and assistant trainees, dental students, and dental residents in these areas. The dental hygienist participates in the dental service Performance Improvement Plans, System Redesign Projects, and Quality Assurance monitoring. There are currently several GLA research projects which are all exclusively clinical studies, and the GLA dental hygienists are an integral part of the professional enhancements and improvements in patient dental hygiene care in these progressive/creative scholarly ventures. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: PD000000 Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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