Come Join Our Team! The Salem VA Medical Center (VAMC) is looking for a Dental Assistant. The incumbent will assist the Dentist in many aspects of direct patient care and perform other clinical and clerical functions. This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, VISN 2, VA Salem Health Care System, Salem VAMC in Salem, Virginia. A recruitment incentive may be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to: Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover. Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry. Passes instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently. Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions.
Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols. Takes impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication. Provides procedure-specific, patient-preventative education and oral hygiene instruction. Provides post-operative and other appropriate patient education. Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement and restoration.
Performs other dental laboratory functions as needed. Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer instructions and dental-service standards. Relays patient concerns to treating dentist. Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e. TMJ, cephalometric, cone beam) in traditional and/or digital formats. Captures images characterized by diagnostic quality and accurately oriented and exposed.
Utilizes dental-imaging safety techniques and retakes are minimized. Accomplishes imaging requests within desired time frame. Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatories. Initiates computerized progress notes. Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records. Makes phone calls as instructed by the supervisor dental assistant, or the dentist.
Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information. Monitors patient condition during treatment, being alert for signs of physical distress. Work Schedule: 7:30am - 5:00pm Monday - Thursday, 7:30am-4:00pm Friday, every other Friday off Compressed/Flexible: Available, every other Friday off Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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/.
christine.kozik@va.gov · 858-642-1574
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $35605 – $64800/yr.
Applications close on 2026-09-08.
This position is open under the 'Fed Competitive' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government
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