Summary

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupation. For more information, refer to Required Documents.

A general dentist performs a full range of professional dental duties in connection with the treatment of commonly encountered dental diseases or dental health problems requiring standard corrective, restorative, or preventive measures. The candidate provides patient care which is appropriate to the cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs of the patients.

Duties

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Duties include, but may not be limited to the following:

• Comprehensive oral examination, consultation, diagnosis, and treatment planning including the use of radiographs, photographs, diagnostic tests, impressions, jaw relation records, and diagnostic casts
• Preliminary diagnosis, initial treatment, or stabilization of oral manifestations of systemic disease
• Preventive dentistry services
• Restorative dentistry procedures: amalgam and resin based composite restorations, inlays, onlays, veneers, post and core procedures, and crowns
• Endodontic procedures: uncomplicated nonsurgical root canal therapy for permanent teeth, pulp caps, pulpotomy, pulpectomy, apexification, apexogenesis, minor tooth movement, Intentional tooth replantation (extraction replantation) or transplantation
• Periodontic procedures: scaling and root planning, full mouth debridement, gingivectomy, gingivoplasty, gingival curettage, localized delivery of chemotherapeutic agents, periodontal maintenance procedures, nonsurgical management of temporomandibular disorders
• Fixed Prosthodontic Procedures: uncomplicated fixed partial dentures not increasing the vertical dimension of occlusion, full veneer ceramic restorations, as well as ceramic inlays and onlays
• Removable Prosthodontic Procedures: uncomplicated complete dentures, partial dentures, and immediate dentures; relines and repairs of complete and partial dentures
• Oral Surgery /Pathology procedures: Uncomplicated extraction, management of odontogenic infections and diseases through pharmacologic means and intraoral incision and drainage, uncomplicated dentoalveolar surgery including minor alveoplasty and alveolectomy, uncomplicated biopsies of soft and hard tissue in the oral cavity (such as tongue, lip, mucosa, gingival tissue), uncomplicated lacerations, surgical removal of residual tooth roots/erupted teeth/ soft-tissue impacted teeth, diagnostic histopathology and cytology
• Evaluation and non-surgical management temporomandibular Dysfunction including fabrication of occlusal guard. Limited occlusal adjustment, provisional splinting, and occlusal splints.
• Internal and external bleaching
• Local anesthesia
• General Dentist located at Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) must maintain proximity while the Dental Hygienist is providing patient care to ensure appropriate oversight, guidance and immediate assistance should the need arises.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8am - 4:30pm

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases

Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME)

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)

Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification)

Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided

Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Dentist Basic Requirements

• Education. A degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery or dental medicine resulting from a course of education in dentistry. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:

1. United States and Canadian schools of dentistry listed by the Commission on Dental Accreditation(CODA), in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed.
2. Schools (including foreign schools) accepted by the licensing body of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia as qualifying for full and unrestricted licensure provided the licensure requirements include a written examination measuring science achievement and a performance examination measuring clinical competence certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant, AND

• Residency or Comparable Experience. Completed, or you are currently completing, a residency program in general practice or specialty, or comparable experience as a dentist actively involved in treating medically compromised patients. AND
• Licensure and Registration. Currently hold, or will hold, a current, full and unrestricted license to practice dentistry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Note: Dentists must maintain current registration in the State of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active, current licensure.
• English Language Proficiency. Dentists, including residents, appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d)

Preferred Experience: Prefers to have VA AEGD or GPR Program Completion, and have a strong background in removable prosthodontics, fixed prosthodontics, and a minimum of 4 years practicing dentistry.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Long periods of sitting and recurring bending and reaching are required while performing dental hygiene procedure. The General Dentist must also demonstrate above average dexterity in manipulating dental instruments and materials.

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/.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.