Dental Lab Technician

The purpose of this position is to serve as a mid-level dental laboratory technician. The work requires a high degree of skill and precision, a working knowledge of the general contour of supporting tissues, and articulation of its application to the fabrication of restorations and/or appliances. High-quality work is expected, and will be evaluated by the dental laboratory technician of higher grade, supervisor, or the requesting dentist, but is expected to perform all duties independently.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/24/2026.

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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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. Dental Lab Technician Series, 0683

Individual Occupational Requirements:

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above: Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: 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.

OR, Education and Training:

Successful completion of a full 4-year apprenticeship program consisting of at least 2000 hours a year. The successful completion of training courses in dental laboratory work in the Armed Forces or other Federal agencies will be allowed appropriate credit for specialized experience on a month-for-month basis up through GS-5. Licensed professional dentists will be considered qualified for any grade level if they have, in the aggregate, the required experience in dental laboratory procedures. You may continue to qualify, after IOR qualification, based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Specialized Experience:

GS-07 - You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Performs a full range of conventional fixed and/or removable prosthodontic procedures for cases that do not involve significant oral abnormalities. performs a full range of conventional fixed and/or removable prosthodontic procedures for cases that do not involve significant oral abnormalities. Independently fabricates fixed or removable partial dentures and complete dentures using established designs, standard materials, and prescribed techniques, relying on the dentist's prescriptions and/or guidance from higher-graded technicians for complex or atypical cases. Plans and carries out the successive step and handles problems and deviations in work assignments in accordance with standard practices and written procedures. uses judgment in selecting and adapting techniques, procedures and materials most appropriate for the specific condition of each patient.

OR, Specialized Experience:

GS-08 - 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: Generally uses basic computer skills and is familiar with routine office software, computer record management systems, and digital scanning/CAD/CAM software, and may seek opportunities to develop or enhance skills as part of ongoing professional growth. Expected to function as an active member of the interdisciplinary team, collaborating with staff dentists, oral surgeons, and dental residents. Applies general knowledge of normal oral anatomy and dentition to the design, fabrication, function, and esthetics of the prosthesis being fabricated, using equipment such as dental laboratory handpieces, burnout ovens, porcelain ovens, casting machines, CAD/CAM scanners, bench lathes, electric and flame soldering machines, gas torches, vacuum spatulators, and precision model trimmers. Constructs acrylic crowns, bridges, or facings, when this involves (1) forming and carving a wax pattern of the size, contour, and characteristics required, (2) investing and boiling out the pattern, (3) mixing acrylic dough of the prescribed color shades, and ( 4) packing, curing, characterizing ( applying designated markings to simulate the appearance of the natural tooth), and finishing the case. Constructs stone, amalgam, or electroformed copper dies, or casts with removable dies, for use in fabricating crowns, inlays, or fixed partial dentures. Fabricates porcelain crowns, fixed partial dentures, or facings, when this involves (1) forming a platinum foil matrix over the die, (2) opaquing the platinum with a layer of porcelain to mask the silver color and form the base for building the porcelain tooth, and (3) firing the opaqued matrix in a porcelain furnace; or (1) making a wax pattern, (2) sprucing, investing and casting gold, (3) finishing the casting to permit the porcelain to be fused directly to the gold, and (4) opaquing and firing the opaqued gold. Fabricates acrylic or cast metal splints for the reduction or fixation of maxillary and mandibular fractures, or obturators to close an opening in the palate. The technician must use creativity, ingenuity and judgement to solve problems of fabrication and esthetics. The employee uses judgment in selecting and adapting techniques, procedures and materials most appropriate for the specific condition of each patient. The dental laboratory technician engages in pouring of impressions, trimming, and mounting casts, fabricating custom trays, base plates, and occlusal rims, blocking out master casts and prosthesis repairs, setting teeth in partials and complete dentures, scanning lab cases for transmitting to the lab and or in-house milling and carries out such assignments under the general supervision of the lab supervisor. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.

OR, Education:

Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 Full year of Graduate education. Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7/8. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.

OR, Combination:

Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a Bachelor's degree. 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/ .