Summary

The Dental Lab Technician is given wide latitude in the accomplishment of the numerous duties consistent with the expertise of the position. This position requires Staff Dentists consults on the planning and design for fabrication of complicated appliances. Dental knowledge and terminology are expected during these consults and the technician's advice carries considerable weight in the planning and management of technical cases.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 05/18/2026. Individual Occupational Requirements: Use of dental laboratory material such as impression materials - plasters - stones - hydrocolloids - waxes - metals - acrylics - porcelain - and similar materials. Use of laboratory equipment such as hand tools - dental lathes - engines - and hand pieces - furnaces - casting machines - presses - flasks - and related equipment. Use of precision instruments such as articulators - surveyors - and microanalyzers. Construction of dental prosthetic appliances. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-08 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation - but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year - it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade - as required by the announcement. In this instance - you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: knowledge of the oral cavity anatomy and tooth morphology; knowledge of dental material used in the fabrication of the dental prosthesis; knowledge of instruments and equipment used in the dental laboratory; understanding of steps and techniques employed in the construction of dental prosthesis; knowledge of computer technology sufficient skill to enter and retrieve data. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accountability Attention to Detail Communications and Media Customer Service Decision Making Eye-Hand Coordination Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Interpret Instructions - Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Learning Manages Resources Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork 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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies - knowledge - and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience - including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices - hospitals - warehouses - and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing - in conjunction with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences way from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Duties

• Duties include - but are not limited to: Develops casts and dies in dental plaster and stone from impressions furnished by the dentist
• Constructs custom trays and bite registration rims
• Selects and set up denture teeth in proper occlusion and balance suitable for wax try-in for both normal and unusual cases - such as cross bites - Prognathism - missing oral structures - etc. - according to the dentist's specifications
• Processes and finishes full and partial removable prosthesis suitable for delivery to the patient by the dentist
• Constructs splints for treatment of temporomandibular joint disorders - treatment of fractures - and any other situations calling for this type appliance according to the dentist's specifications
• Mounts cases for fixed partial prosthesis on various articulators according to the bite registration furnished by the dentist
• Develops wax pattern for crowns and fixed bridges in proper contour and occlusion
• Performs all steps necessary to cast patterns in precious - semi-precious - or non-precious metals
• Finishes gold or metal castings suitable for delivery to the patient by the doctor
• Performs all steps necessary in the application of porcelain or acrylic to metal castings for the construction of crowns and fixed bridges
• Works directly with the dentist in fabricating such appliances as obturators - splints - fracture bards - etc. - in difficult and unusual cases
• Fabricates partial dentures working with the dentist to get proper placement of bars - clasps - and rests
• Responsible for prepping cases to be sent to outside lab
• Responsible for unpacking and notifying dentist/dental assistant when cases arrive from outside lab
• Ensures that all cases to be sent out have appropriate paperwork - models - occlusal registration and sent to the correct lab
• Responsible for keeping an accurate log of cases submitted to lab - cases sent out - where cases were sent and when cases returned
• Responsible for cleanliness of his/her work area and - along with the other technicians - the general cleanliness of the lab
• In the performance of these duties the incumbent may be reassigned to any site to provide coverage in the absence of other employees
• Has regular access to printed and electronic files containing sensitive data - which has been protected under the provisions of the privacy act - Federal regulations - and VA policies
• Responsible to protect that data from unauthorized deletion and to follow applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files - etc. - as set forth in a computer agreement which the incumbent has signed
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday
• 7:30am - 4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Dental Laboratory Technician/PD01118A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required