What are the responsibilities and job description for the Dental Hygienist position at Defense Health Agency?
Dental Hygienist
Department of Defense
Defense Health Agency
Defense Health Agency DHN Central 59TH MDW Wilford Hall ASC DIR Of Dentisrty Clinical Dentistry
Summary
This job is open to
Duties
Requirements
How you will be evaluated
Required documents
How to apply
Summary
About the Position: This position is located at the 59th Medical Wing - Joint Base San Antonio - Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center; Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
This is an open continuous announcement. Multiple vacancies exist and may be filled from this announcement at any of the locations listed. We accept applications on an ongoing basis; qualified applicants will be considered as vacancies become available.
This is a Direct Hire Solicitation.
Learn more about this agency
This job is open to
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The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Duties
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Perform specialized dental hygiene procedures on patients with or without topical/local anesthetics.
Perform various advanced and specialized oral prophylactic and preventive dental hygiene procedures on patients to include, ambulatory and non-ambulatory, medically, mentally, physically compromised, and dental phobic patients.
Plan and carry out dental hygiene treatment according to patient needs coordinating independently with medical/dental personnel as necessary.
Administer topical anesthetics and/or local anesthesia and performs deep subgingival scaling, root planning, and subgingival curettage procedures.
Complete all preparation for dental hygiene treatment and preliminary dental examination.
Measure and record patient’s blood pressure.
Prepare and document in the dental health record, dental hygiene treatment plans for patients including assessment of the condition, type of oral hygiene care required, and the sequence of appointments needed to complete treatment.
Requirements
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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 may 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 may be required.
Immunization screening may be 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.
May be required to obtain and maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Red Cross. Advanced certification (e.g., ALS) does not supersede BLS.
Applicants must be able to fulfill non-privileged professional credential requirements.
Additional requirements may be determined as positions arise and will be communicated during the hiring process if you are selected.
Qualifications
Who May Apply: US Citizens
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
Basic Requirement: Dental Hygienist
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.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 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.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
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additional information
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
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.
Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.
Required Documents
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The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1. Your resume:
Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.
2. Other supporting documents:
Cover Letter, optional
Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
License/Certification: This position requires a job-related license or certification. You MUST submit a copy of your license or certification with your application package or you will be rated ineligible.See: Transcripts and Licenses.
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.
How to Apply
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To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/30/2026to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12949033).
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section.
You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete.
It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
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how to apply
Agency contact information
Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
DHA COE Healthcare Recruitment
DO NOT MAIL
Rock Island, IL 61299
US
Next steps
If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
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next steps
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability
New employee probationary period
Privacy Act
Reasonable accommodation policy
Selective Service
Signature and false statements
Social security number request
Overview
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Accepting applications
Posted 04/29/26 · Apply by 06/30/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 30, 2026
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Lackland AFB, TX
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$51,201 - $66,563 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Promotion potential
None
Learn more about pay scale and grade
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 5% Business Travel required.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
0682 Dental Hygiene
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
HSJW-26-12949033-DHA-S
Control number
867064300
Salary : $51,201 - $66,563