Registered Dental Assistant & Sterilization Technician, CSC Docket No. 2024-1588

BackgroundThe Division of Agency Services (Agency Services) requests the establishment of the noncompetitive title of Registered Dental Assistant & Sterilization Technician in accordance with N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2.

In support of its request, Agency Services presents that the Registered Dental Assistant & Sterilization Technician title will be used exclusively within the Department of Health (DOH). The primary functions of the title would involve assisting a dentist with examinations, evaluations, and procedures within a State hospital, institution, or agency. Appointees will be required to possess a license as a Registered Dental Assistant issued by the State Board of Dentistry and a license as a Dental Radiologic Technologist issued by the Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners, Department of Environmental Protection. Appointees will also be required to obtain a Certified Ambulatory Surgery Sterile Processing Technician certification within one year of appointment.

Agency Services, by way of background, explains that the State psychiatric hospitals were moved from the Department of Human Services to the DOH in 2018. This change triggered the hospitals to be credentialed and inspected by the Joint Commission. As a result, the DOH is now required to follow ANSI/AAMI sterilization standards. These are strict sterilization assurance standards for healthcare facilities. If the standards are not followed, the Joint Commission can revoke its seal of approval and shut down the dental department. All dental assistants who sterilize using AAMI standards must possess the above-mentioned credentials to comply with the standards. It is noted that appointees will also be required to obtain a Basic Life Support certification within one year of appointment.

Agency Services requests that the new title be assigned to the noncompetitive division on the basis that competitive testing is not practicable due to the nature of the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the job. It indicates that is has provided notice and the opportunity to review the proposal to the applicable collective negotiations unit and no comments were received. Finally, Agency Services requests that the effective date for the requested action be the beginning of the first pay period following the Civil Service Commission’s (Commission) approval.

CONCLUSION

RuleN.J.A.C. 4A:3-3.2(a) provides that the Commission shall establish and maintain classification plans for all job titles in the career, senior executive and unclassified services. Additionally, N.J.A.C. 4A:3-3.3(a)2 provides that this agency shall implement and administer the classification plans and, in this regard, shall establish new titles, abolish unnecessary titles and consolidate titles.

N.J.A.C. 4A:3-1.2(c) provides that a job title may be placed in the noncompetitive division on an ongoing or interim basis when it is determined by the Commission that it is appropriate to make permanent appointments to the title and one or more of the following criteria are met:

1. Competitive testing is not practicable due to the nature of the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the job;

Analysis2. Certification procedures based on ranked eligible lists have not or are not likely to meet the needs of appointing authorities due to such factors as salary, geographic location, recruitment problems and working conditions; or

3. There is a need for immediate appointments arising from a new legislative program or major agency reorganization.

Based on all of the foregoing, ample reasons exist for the establishment of the subject title and its allocation to the noncompetitive division based on N.J.A.C. 4A:3- 1.2(c)1. In this regard, Registered Dental Assistant & Sterilization Technician requires a series of licenses and certifications. Specifically, appointees will be required to possess a license as a Registered Dental Assistant issued by the State Board of Dentistry and a license as a Dental Radiologic Technologist issued by the Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners, Department of Environmental Protection. Appointees will also be required to obtain Certified Ambulatory Surgery Sterile Processing Technician and Basic Life Support certifications within one year of appointment. Additionally, appointees would be required to complete a four-month working test period prior to attaining permanent status. See N.J.A.C. 4A:4-5.1(b) and N.J.A.C. 4A:4-5.2(b)2. Accordingly, competitive testing is impracticable for this title.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this request be granted and the title of Registered Dental Assistant & Sterilization Technician be established and allocated to the noncompetitive division. This action shall be effective March 9, 2024.

ClosingThis is the final administrative determination in this matter. Any further review should be pursued in a judicial forum.