Dental Hygienist

Positions of Dental Hygienist are located within Hospitals and Health Centers, Branch of Medical Staff Services in the Billings Area Indian Health Service. The purpose of this position is to provide dental hygiene care to pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric patients. The incumbent reports to the Chief Dental Officer.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.


BASIC REQUIREMENT(S):

Licensure:
Applicants for all grade levels and specializations must be currently licensed to practice as dental hygienists in a State or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

NOTE: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (l) 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 (2) be certified as radiographers in their field. The following meet these requirements:

(l) Persons employed by the Federal Government as radiologic personnel prior to the effective date of the regulation (January 13, 1986) who show evidence of current or fully satisfactory performance or certification of such from a licensed practitioner such as a doctor of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, podiatry, or chiropractic who prescribes radiologic procedures to others.

(2) Persons first employed by the Federal Government as radiologic personnel after the effective date of the regulation who (a) received training from institutions in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not accredit training in that particular field at the time of graduation, or (b) practiced in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not license that particular field or did not allow special eligibility to take a licensure examination for those who did not graduate from an accredited educational program, provided that such persons show evidence of training, experience, and competence as determined by OPM or the employing agency.

The following shows the amounts of education and/or experience required to qualify for positions covered by this standard.

In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
GS-7: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-6 level. Examples of specialized experience include: examine and assess patients, determine if systemic conditions are present and plan treatments, independently and without direct observation perform oral prophylaxis and provide therapeutic care, perform deep scaling, root planning and subgingival curettage, place temporary fillings and administer local anesthesia, place and remove rubber dams and apply sealant; provide oral health education services to individuals and groups; take, develop, and interpret intraoral and extraoral X-Rays; and design, implement, and evaluate major aspects of the preventive program.
GS-8:1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level. Examples of specialized experience include: plan and evaluate preventive health programs for patient groups ; develop and revise instructional material; administer oral prophylactic and dental hygiene treatments; under direct supervision administer local anesthesia ; record medical and dental histories, administer caries prevention agents, desensitize root surfaces, root planning, sealant application, take and pour impressions for casts, removing sutures.
GS-9:1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-8 level OR 2 year of progressively higher level graduate education or a Master's of equivalent degree in dental hygiene or a directly related field of study. Examples of specialized experience include: performing advanced oral prophylactic, therapeutic, and preventive procedures in cases of periodontal diseases or inflammation or on patients with other medical or dental problems, placing temporary fillings, and finishing amalgam restorations.


Time In Grade
Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Responsibilities:

• Plans, coordinates and evaluates preventative oral health programs for various patient groups.

• Provides dental hygiene services in community based programs
• Develops procedural instructions to be used by dental hygienists, dental assistants, dietitians and nutritionist, and the nursing staff in the delivery of oral health care to patients throughout the clinic.

• Administers oral prophylactic and dental hygiene treatment to patients presenting a variety of abnormal conditions.