Dental Chief - Full Time

The Atlanta VA Health Care System is seeking an experienced Dental Officer to serve as Dental Service Chief. The Dental Chief reports to the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) and the Chief of Staff (COS). The Dental Chief interacts with staff of other services, Chiefs and/or Assistant/Section Chiefs of Dental Services at other VA's, staff of the VA Office of Dentistry, with representatives of affiliated institutions, professional organizations, and veterans' groups, and with individual veterans.

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

• 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~
• 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~
• 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.

Preferred Experience:

• Sound experience in the practice of dentistry.
• Demonstrated managerial experience in supervising administrators, dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants.
• Advanced knowledge of VHA dental reporting and analytics.

References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-3 Dentist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.


Physical Requirements: VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Responsibilities:

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.


The Chief, Dental Service is the primary subject matter expert to VA facility leadership on all oral health care matters. The Chief, Dental Service is responsible for planning, organizing, leading, and controlling the operations of the Dental Service.

Major responsibilities and duties of the position include but are not limited to:

• Ensuring dental staff provide appropriate dental care to promote, preserve, and restore the oral health of Veterans according to generally accepted standards of dental practice and scope of services based upon statutory eligibility.
• Rendering, or assigning designee to render, decisions on all Class III and Class VI eligibility determinations when the oral condition is aggravating a treated medical condition. See VHA Handbook1130.01(1), Veterans Health Administration Dental Program, dated February 11,2013.
• Directing and confirming the use of the Electronic Dental Record for entry of diagnostic findings, dental care plans, and completed procedures for all patients.
• Upholding standards for the correct documentation and coding of completed dental procedures.
• Reviewing dental provider panels and clinical productivity goals/expectations and manage them accordingly.
• Monitoring, reviewing, and implementing plans to improve dental service performance on the Office of Dentistry Dental Quality Indicators.
• Ensuring dental laboratory case submission requirements for CDL are met
• Ensuring all prostheses are fabricated in the United States of America using materials approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) if commercial dental laboratory services are used
• Ensuring the dental service follows VHA policies and is in compliance with the Office of Dentistry Infection Control Standards for VA Dental Clinics.
• Ensuring VA medical facility-level dental service operational procedures and/or standard work are consistent with national policies and guidelines.
• Enforcing personnel policies, ethical standards, and performance standards; and promoting the VA Core Values of Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.
• Collaborating with the VISN Lead Dentist to ensure implementation of VHA national policy and VISN policy at the VA medical facility.
• Providing regular dental service briefings to VA medical facility leadership on all matters affecting the delivery of dental care.
• Serving as the VA medical facility liaison to dental professional organizations, departments within the VA medical facility, and other government agencies. All professional communications about the dental service are conducted through the Chief, Dental Service, or designee.
• Participating in the development and review of relevant sharing agreements, service agreements, and inter-VA medical facility agreements.
• Carrying out fiscal and budgetary planning activities.
• Managing affiliation and VA Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accredited residency programs in collaboration with the VA medical facility Designated Education Officer.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant VHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and Joint Commission standards.
• Assisting the VA medical facility Director in following recommendations set by the VA Office of Inspector General, the Joint Commission, and other survey bodies.
• Ensuring prompt response to assigned Congressional, White House, and Inspector General dental service inquiries.
• Collaborating with the Office of Community Care and administer dental service responsibilities for care provided through community providers as per VHA Directive 1130.01.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30AM - 4:00PM, (subject to change based on agency needs)
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Salary : $120,000 - $280,340