Dental Hygienist, GS-0682-07 at Fort Irwin, CA

Fort Irwin is located in the western Mojave Desert midway between Las Vegas, Nevada and Los Angeles, California, approximately 37 miles northeast of Barstow, California. The Fort is surrounded by the desert hills and the mountains, with very little vegetation. Since it is in the western Mojave Desert, the regional forecast is generally dry and hot during the day, but there are clear, beautiful sunsets at night.

The entire area includes more than 642,000 acres of training area and is as large as the state of Rhode Island. The northern boundary lies less than 1.7 miles (3 km) from the Death Valley National Monument. The San Bernadino and San Gabriel Mountains lie to the east and the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the west. The area is mountainous and elevations of over 10,000 feet (3,050 meters) are common.

Located in the high desert, Fort Irwin is roughly 40 miles northeast of Barstow, California. It sits between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, with the Mojave Desert making for picturesque drives, outdoor adventures, and amazing photo opportunities.

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions. For more information, please visit the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/

• Perform complete and advanced oral prophylaxis on ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients.
• Perform deep scaling, root planing, and sub-gingival curettage under local anesthesia.
• Complete preliminary dental examinations.
• Interpret routine x-rays to identify tooth structures, calculus, and abnormalities.
• Instruct patients at chair-side in oral hygiene, brushing, flossing techniques, and periodontal techniques.
• Make repairs and adjustments to teeth by smoothing rough edges, removing overhanging margins, reducing sharp edges, and inserting temporary fillings.

Perform Other Duties As Assigned

Conditions of Employment:

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• A Personnel Security Investigation is required.
• Selectees will be required to sign a statement (Condition of Employment) consenting to seasonal influenza vaccinations or must provide a recognized exemption.
• This position is a Testing Designated Position subject to pre-employment screening and random drug testing. Selectees will be required to consent to participation in random drug urinalysis testing.
• A pre-placement medical examination is required.
• Immunization screening is required. Hepatitis B immunization is required for all positions with direct patient contact. Applicants may be required to show proof of other immunizations depending on the type of position.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association. Advanced certification (e.g., ALS) does not supersede BLS.
• This position may have specific initial background investigation and periodic re-verification requirements since its duties may require interaction with children and youth under the age of eighteen (18) years of age on a recurring basis.
• Applicants must be able to fulfill non-privileged professional credential requirements.
• Position is designated as Inclement Weather Essential. The incumbent must make every attempt to report for work on time and/or remain on duty during severe weather conditions.

US Citizenship Required

Licensure:  Must be currently licensed to practice as a dental hygienist in a State or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

Radiology Certification: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (1) 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:(1) 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.

Experience required: To qualify based on your experience, your resume must describe at least one year of experience which prepared you to do the work in this job. Specialized experience is defined as performing prophylactic dental procedures; completing oral examinations; and performing or interpreting routine x-rays. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-06).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.