§7435. Special pay: full-time dentists
(a) The Secretary shall provide special pay under this subchapter to eligible dentists employed on a full-time basis based upon the factors, and at the annual rates, specified in subsection (b).
(b) The special pay factors, and the annual rates, applicable to full-time dentists are as follows:
(1) For full-time status, $3,500.
(2)(A) For length of service as a dentist within the Veterans Health Administration-
| Length of Service | Rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | |
| 2 years but less than 4 years | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| 4 years but less than 8 years | 2,000 | 3,000 |
| 8 years but less than 12 years | 3,000 | 3,500 |
| 12 years or more | 3,000 | 4,000 |
(B) The Under Secretary for Health shall specify a uniform national rate for each range of years of service established by or under this paragraph. The Under Secretary for Health may, as to length of service in excess of 12 years, establish uniform national rates for such ranges of years of service as the Under Secretary for Health considers appropriate.
(3)(A) For service in a dental specialty with respect to which there are extraordinary difficulties (on a nationwide basis or on the basis of the needs of a specific medical facility) in the recruitment or retention of qualified dentists, an annual rate of not more than $20,000.
(B) For service by a dentist who serves only a portion of a year in a dental specialty for which special pay is paid under subparagraph (A), the annual rate shall be calculated on the basis of the proportion of time served in the specialty for which the special pay is paid.
(4)(A) For service in any of the following executive positions, an annual rate not to exceed the rate applicable to that position as follows:
| Position | Rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | |
| Service Director | $1,000 | $9,000 |
| Deputy Service Director | 1,000 | 8,000 |
| Chief of Staff or in an Executive Grade | 1,000 | 8,000 |
| Director Grade | 0 | 8,000 |
| Service Chief (or in a comparable position as determined by the Secretary) | 1,000 | 5,000 |
(B) For service in any of the following executive positions, the annual rate applicable to that position as follows:
| Position | Rate |
|---|---|
| Assistant Under Secretary for Health (or in a comparable position as determined by the Secretary). | $10,000 |
| Deputy Assistant Under Secretary for Health | 10,000 |
(C) For service by a dentist who serves only a portion of a year in an executive position listed in subparagraph (A) or (B) or who serves a portion of a year in such a position and also serves a portion of that year in another position or grade for which special pay is provided under this section, the annual rate shall be calculated on the basis of the proportion of time served in the position or positions for which special pay is provided.
(5) For specialty or first board certification, $2,000 and for subspecialty or secondary board certification, an additional $500.
(6) For service in a specific geographic location with respect to which there are extraordinary difficulties in the recruitment or retention of qualified dentists in a specific category of dentists, an annual rate not more than $5,000.
(7)(A) For service by a dentist with exceptional qualifications within a specialty, an annual rate of not more than $5,000.
(B) Special pay under this paragraph may be paid to a dentist only if the payment of such pay to that dentist is approved by the Under Secretary for Health personally and on a case-by-case basis and only to the extent that the rate paid under this paragraph, when added to the total of the rates paid to that dentist under paragraphs (1) through (6), does not exceed the total rate that may be paid under those paragraphs to a dentist with the same length of service, specialty, and position as the dentist concerned.
(Added
Prior Provisions
Provisions similar to those in this subchapter were contained in section 4118 of this title prior to the repeal of that section as part of the complete revision of chapter 73 of this title by
Amendments
1994-Subsec. (b)(3)(A).
1992-Subsec. (b)(2)(B), (4)(B), (7)(B).
Effective Date
Section effective on first day of first pay period after July 1, 1991, subject to transition and savings provisions and prohibition on retroactive agreements, see section 104 of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 7436, 7437 of this title.