Individual Occupational Requirements for
GS-682: Dental Hygiene Series
The text below is extracted verbatim from
Section IV-B of the Operating Manual for Qualification Standards
for General Schedule Positions (p.IV-B-121), but contains minor edits
to conform to web-page requirements.
This is an individual qualification standard.
Basic Requirements:
Applicants for all grade levels and specializations must be
currently licensed to practice as dental hygienists in a State or territory of the United States or
the District of Columbia.
Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic
procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (l) 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:
(l) 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.
The following table shows the amounts of education and/or experience required to qualify for
positions covered by this standard.
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GRADE |
EDUCATION |
OR |
EXPERIENCE |
GS-4 |
None |
None |
GS-5 |
Clinical Dental Hygenists |
Community Health Dental Hygenists |
|
Dental hygiene curriculum, plus appropriate experience, totaling 4 years or |
4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in dental hygiene or in a directly related field of study |
4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, which included or was supplemented by a curriculum in dental hygiene |
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1 year of experience as a licensed dental hygienist |
None |
|
GS-6 Clinical Dental Hygenists |
None |
1 year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level |
GS-7 |
Clinical Dental Hygenists |
Community Health Dental Hygenists |
|
|
None |
1-year of graduate education in dental hygiene or in a directly related field of study |
|
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1 year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-6 level |
1 year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level |
|
GS-8 Clinical Dental Hygenists |
None |
1 year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level |
GS-9 Community Health Dental Hygenists |
2 year of progressively higher level graduate education or a Master's of equivalent degree in dental hygiene or a directly related field of study |
1 year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level |
GS-11 and above |
None |
1 year of experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level |
Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for all grade levels and positions for which both education and experience are acceptable. |
The academic curriculum in dental hygiene must have
been accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, American Dental Association.
When combining experience and education,
appropriate supplemental experience for entry level Community Health Dental Hygienist must have
demonstrated the ability to:
- Plan and direct group activities.
- Organize, analyze, and evaluate data, draw conclusions, and make decisions or recommendations.
- Express ideas and communicate information orally and in writing in a clear, logical, and
motivating manner.
- Demonstrate and/or present new ideas, techniques, and procedures.
- Conduct meetings and present lectures.
- Deal effectively with individuals and groups.
Examples of work that may have provided this experience include work as a teacher, recreation
leader, or leader in a community or professional organization.
Qualifying experience for clinical
dental hygienists includes experience in performing oral prophylactic care and in providing oral
health educational services to patients. Additionally, at the higher grade levels, qualifying
experience includes (1) performing advanced oral prophylactic, therapeutic, and preventive
procedures in cases of periodontal diseases or inflammation or on patients with other medical or
dental problems, (2) placing temporary fillings, and (3) finishing amalgam restorations.
Applicants for positions involving the use of X-rays must have had experience in taking and
interpreting X-rays.
Qualifying experience for community health dental hygienists includes experience in preparing and
conducting educational lectures and demonstrations on dental hygiene, planning public health programs,
providing advice and policy guidance to dental personnel on public health matters, and recommending
improved methods of dental hygiene.
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