The Dental Assistant will be assigned at the Durham VA Medical Center. The incumbent will independently perform more complex work in disciplines such as restorative, endodontics, prosthodontics, periodontics, implantology and oral surgery.
Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude for patients, co-workers and the public Provides assistance to customers with questions or concerns and service recovery Sets up operatory and/or surgery suite for planned dental procedure and cleans dental unit for timely turnover Passes instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably Prepares dental medicaments and impression materials per manufacturer's instructions Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols Assists in routine general dental procedures using concepts of four-handed dentistry Assists in specialized dental procedures, such as oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, implant placement and restoration Maintains both routine and specialty dental equipment per manufacturer instructions and dental service standards Exposes both standard and specialty dental imaging (i.e.
TMJ, ceph, cone beam) in traditional and/or digital formats Modifies settings to achieve the images as requested by the provider Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning operatories Disinfects oral appliances to prevent cross contamination Properly prepares instruments for transfer to SPD for sterilization Follows all Standard Operating Procedures for Reusable Medical Equipment Works closely with SPD to ensure availability of instruments so that clinical care is not delayed Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images Utilizes all proper PPE per national and local policies Follows all hospital infection control protocols including hand hygiene Assists in filling gaps in the doctor's schedule due to late cancellations and failed appointments Initiates computerized progress note Assists dentist in charting findings and treatment plans in patient records Locates/tracks all pending patient lab cases for use during patient appointments Properly completes all dental laboratory cards Monitors patient vital signs (BP, pulse, pulse oximeter) and condition during invasive treatment and during recovery period following procedure Applies topical anesthetic at the injection site and applies topical fluoride Makes impressions for diagnostic casts and preliminary impressions for prosthetic fabrication Removes plaque and soft debris from removable prostheses Provides patient preventative education and oral hygiene instruction Provides post-operative and other appropriate patient education Performs related duties as assigned Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:30 pm Telework: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
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/.
REGINALD.YOUNG3@VA.GOV · 704-638-9000
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $47418 – $61643/yr.
Applications close on 2026-09-25.
This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government
Apply on official site →