Federal

Dental Assistant

Indian Health Service ยท Department of Health and Human Services
๐Ÿ“ Camp Verde, Arizona GS-2/4 $38,090 - $56,610/yr
Posted: Feb 19, 2026 Deadline: May 31, 2026 (Closes in 57 days days left)

About This Position

At the Indian Health Service, Dental Assistants do more than support oral care. Guided by our mission to improve the health of American Indian and Alaska Native people, you will help deliver safe and effective dental services while creating healthy smiles, restoring confidence, and promoting overall wellness in the communities we serve. USAJOBS Help Center - Update your resume now so it meets new resume requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. 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; social).

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience.

You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: For GS-02: Your resume must demonstrate at least 3 months of general experience that shows your ability to perform the work of the position, or a familiarity with customer service, record-keeping, and clinic maintenance duties.

OR

high school graduate or equivalent. For GS-03: Your resume must demonstrate at least 6 months of general experience that shows your ability to perform the work of the position, or a familiarity with customer service, record-keeping, and clinic maintenance duties.

OR

Successfully completed (a) a 1-year dental assistant program, or completed 1 year of a dental hygiene program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Accreditation that included a course in radiation physics; radiation biology; radiation health, safety and protection; x-ray films and radiographic film quality, radiographic techniques; darkroom and processing techniques; and film mounting; or (b) practical nurse training approved by the appropriate State or District of Columbia accrediting body.

OR

A combination of experience and education. For GS-04: Your resume must demonstrate 6 months of general experience (described above) AND at least 6 months of specialized experience. Qualifying specialized experience is work providing dental assistance to general or specialized dentistry, dental assistant (expanded function) work, or any combination of these appropriate to the position(s) being filled.

Specialized experience at this level includes: providing chairside assistance, setting up proper instruments for dental procedures, recording treatments rendered, providing receptionist services, and exposing and processing digital oral x-rays.

OR

Successfully completed a 2-year dental assistant program, or completion of a 2-year dental hygiene program accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Accreditation that included at least 12 semester hours of courses such as radiation physics; radiation biology; radiation health, safety and protection; x-ray films and radiographic film quality, radiographic techniques; darkroom and processing techniques; and film mounting.

OR

A combination of experience and education. If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position. Radiological Certification Requirements for GS-3 and GS-4 Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiological procedures meet the credentialing standards, which are set forth in 42 CFR Part

  1. Essentially, they must (1) have successfully completed an educational program which meets or exceeds the standards described in that regulation, and is credited by an organization recognized by the Department of Education, and (2) be certified as radiographers in their field. The following meet these requirements: Persons employed by the Federal Government as radiological 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 radiological procedures to others.

Persons first employed by the Federal Government as radiological personnel after the effective date of the regulation who (a) received training from institutions in a State or foreign jurisdiction which did not accredit training in that particular field at the time of graduation, or (b) practiced in a State of foreign jurisdiction which did not license that particular field or which 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. If you who wish to be considered for positions at the GS-3/4 grade levels, then you must have a current I.H.S.

OR

a State (or foreign jurisdiction) dental radiological health and safety certification of competency or proof of otherwise meeting the above described requirement.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the respective cut-off day of rating to be eligible for consideration.

Major Duties

Total Compensation Package - Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job: Dental Assistant Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov) All Grade levels MAY NOT be available at all locations. Assist the dentist in all phases of restorative and surgical procedures. Maintain aseptic technique and sterilize instruments. Expose and process dental radiographs following radiation-safety protocols. Educate patients on oral hygiene and post-treatment care. Support dental clinic operations, maintain supplies, and manage patient records.

Conditions of Employment

Selectee may be subject to a probationary period ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you. Background Investigation Requirement: This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment. A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.

Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability. Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Background Investigation Requirement: This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment. A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service. Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance.

Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability. Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Education

There are no specific education requirements for this position. However, education may be used to substitute for required experience as described in the Qualification Requirements section of this announcement. If you are using education to qualify, you are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades.

Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.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/.

How You Will Be Evaluated

This is an Open Continuous Announcement. There MAY NOT be immediate vacancies at all locations.

You will be limited to selecting no more than 5 locations during the application process, and will only be considered for the locations you select. Interested applicants should contact the Human Resources point of contact concerning immediate employment needs. Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement.

By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS. To determine if you are qualified for this position, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against the qualifications as defined in the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement.

You will be further evaluated/rated based on the information provided in your resume (your resume must state specific duties that relate to this position) and your responses to the assessment questions to determine your competency in the following. The following links below provide information on how you may be eligible for various hiring authorities. If you are a Veteran, qualified CTAP and ICTAP eligible, or an individual with a disability, please refer to the following links below for additional guidance.

Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Workforce Restructuring Career Transition website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. Veterans, i.e. (VEOA, VRA, and 30% or more disabled) - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide-for-hr-professionals/ Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) - https://www.ihs.gov/jobs/support-documents/ Interagency Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ Schedule A Appointments for the Disabled - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/hiring/ Click here to view vacancy questions: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12869054.

All documents above MUST be received by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of, 05/31/2026, to be considered.

Additional Information

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

This position may be covered by a Bargaining Unit. Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. A service agreement will be required. The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines.

This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit: For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/ For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/ For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps This position has promotion potential to the GS-06 grade level.

Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied. Financial Suitability Requirement: This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination.

Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying. Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS). The first cutoff date will be Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 11:59 pm EST.

Future cutoff dates will be each Wednesday at 11:59 pm EST until the closing date.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents below. To begin, click the Apply Online button on the vacancy announcement.

You will be directed to the Login.Gov screen, here will you sign in if you have an existing USAJOBS account or Create a Login.Gov account. If you have an account you will be directed to select a resume or create a resume. If you create an account you can create an resume.

Click save and continue.

Follow the prompts to upload your resume and/or supporting documents.

Click the Apply To This Vacancy and complete all steps in the application process until the Confirmation indicates your application is complete. If you click Return to USAJOBS or get timed out prior to receiving confirmation, your application will not be submitted and cannot be considered for this job. Read and complete all Eligibility questions. Review the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section of this announcement to determine which apply to you and must be submitted online.

You may choose one or more of the following options to submit your document(s): Upload (from your computer) or USAJOBS (click the "USAJOBS" link to complete the transfer process). For additional questions please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) found here: http://www.ihs.gov/jobs/index.cfm?module=search&option=faq. The IHS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Office (Vanessa Lee, [email protected], and/or 928-674-8556.) The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

Required Documents

USAJOBS Help Center - Update your resume now so it meets new resume requirements. Resume: You are highly encouraged to visit the USAJOBS Help Center before submitting a resume. USAJOBS Help Center - Update your resume now so it meets new resume requirements Required as applicable for the purposes of specific eligibility and appointment claim(s), and position requirements: Indian Preference Applicants: If claiming Indian preference, applicants must provide a completed copy of the Form BIA-4432, "Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Only." Indian preference will not be given unless a properly signed and dated form is submitted with your application, including any verification by an authorized Tribal Representative or BIA Official of tribal enrollment records.

For detailed instructions, see form BIA-4432. Refer to BIA-4432 link: https://www.bia.gov/sites/default/files/media_document/1076-0160_indian-pref_expires-12.31.2028_508.pdf . When an Indian Preference candidate possesses Veterans preference the rules regarding Veterans preference apply under ESEP and the applicant must provide documentation in order to receive preference.

Veterans Preference: If claiming Veteran's Preference provide a copy of your DD214 Form (Member 4 copy). To claim 10-Point Veterans Preference, submit a SF-15 Application (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf) along with the appropriate supporting documentation. For additional information regarding Veterans Preference visit: http://www.fedshirevets.gov.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP, follow the instructions below: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf. Current or former Federal employee: Include your most recent SF-50 or if Reinstatement eligible include your Career SF-50. Noncompetitive eligibles: Submit additional documents to prove your eligibility to apply to this vacancy.

Transcripts: You are encouraged to submit copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) although not required at the time of application.

You must list your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Official transcripts will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer. Licensure, Certifications: Applicants should list their license/certifications on their resume, along with the expiration date, if applicable. Certification of licensure/certification will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.

You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date: 05/31/2026 The first Cut-off date for receipt/referral of applications to be considered for available vacant positions will be Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 11:59 pm EST. Future cut-off dates will be each Wednesday until the closing date.

Your application will remain active for 90 days from the submission of application.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Dental Assistant position at Indian Health Service?
The salary range for this position is $38,090 - $56,610/yr. This is a GS-2/4 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Dental Assistant job located?
This position is located in Camp Verde, Arizona. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. 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., pro...
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is May 31, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
No security clearance is required for this position.
What does GS-2/4 mean?
GS-2/4 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.