Like all resumes, a dental hygienist resume is a sales tool. In a relatively small amount of space, this document must sell the hiring manager on the candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications and inspire them to call the writer for an interview.
The difference between a dental hygienist resume and a standard resume is the audience. Depending on the structure of the practice, your resume may wind up in front of a dentist-owner, a senior dental hygienist, or a member of the office staff.
You likely won’t know exactly who will be reading your application. Therefore, it’s essential to make sure that your resume contains all the right elements and keywords. Catch their attention right from the start, and you’ll increase your odds of getting called in for a formal interview.
Need help crafting your dental hygienist resume? Check out our review of the best resume writing services. When you’re happy with your resume, you can start applying for jobs on ZipRecruiter.
Dental Hygienist Resume Example
Jane Lee
Registered Dental Hygienist
Contact
Email: Jane.Lee@email.com
Phone: (443)555-4567
Baltimore, Maryland
Summary
Skilled and empathetic Registered Dental Hygienist with 10 years of experience in busy family dental practices. Maryland licensed and certified in dental hygiene, dental radiography, and CPR. Passionate about dental health and helping patients of all ages.
Work Experience
Registered Dental Hygienist
June 2018-Present
Acme Family Dentistry, LLC, Baltimore, MD
Screened patients for dental, gum, and oral health issues. Performed routine cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and other periodontal therapy. Administered dental radiographs and explained findings to patients. Conducted patient education and developed treatment plans.
Junior Registered Dental Hygienist
July 2013-June 2018
Painless Dental, Inc., Baltimore, MD
Under supervision of Senior Dental Hygienist, conducted cleanings, treatments, and patient education in busy dental office. Scheduled all appointments, maintained records, managed insurance documentation.
Education
Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene
Maryland Institute of Dental Technology, Baltimore, MD
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Skills
- Periodontal examination, evaluation, and therapy
- Digital and film dental radiography
- Patient oral health education
- CPR certified, American Red Cross
- Proficient in Dentrix and EagleSoft
- Excellent communication and problem-solving skills
What Is Unique About A Dental Hygienist Resume?
A good dental hygienist resume demonstrates both technical proficiency and the ability to work well with clients and co-workers. Because many people find dental procedures stressful, dental hygienist job candidates should be able to demonstrate that they can use their complete skill set to ensure that patients are comfortable and increase the chances of compliance.
Dental hygienists must also be able to demonstrate that they have the legally required state licensure and appropriate certifications. Organizing a resume with so many different requirements can be challenging.
Look for opportunities to use keywords from the job description in the job listing throughout your resume. This will boost your chances of highlighting these skills and qualifications.
What Should Be Included On A Dental Hygienist Resume?
To make the best impression, your dental hygienist resume should include the following elements:
- Licensure: Dental hygienists are licensed by the state in which they practice. Make sure your resume includes your current state licensure.
- Education: You will need at least an associate degree in dental hygiene from an accredited program.
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification: Most employers will require CPR certification.
- Work experience: List each job by employer, job title, and year of employment. Include a brief description under each job that includes your duties and how you used your skills in the role.
- Skills: List technical skills, e.g., periodontal scaling, and people skills, e.g., customer service. Dental hygienist jobs require a well-rounded skill set.
What Should Be Left Off A Dental Hygienist Resume?
Resumes no longer need to be restricted to just one page, but that doesn’t mean that you have unlimited space for your skills and experience. Surveys show that hiring managers spend just 7.4 seconds reviewing your resume before making a decision.
To make sure that your resume makes the cut, skip these elements:
- Resume objective: In the olden days, every resume started with an objective, e.g., “To obtain a challenging position in XYZ field in which I can develop my skills.” Now, you’re better off with a summary statement that describes your qualifications, e.g., “Skilled and cheerful dental hygienist with seven years of experience helping patients of all ages maintain their beautiful smiles. Adept at patient stress management, education, and oral hygiene techniques.”
- Basic computer skills: Unless it’s specifically mentioned in the job advertisement, you can skip references to basic technologies like Microsoft Office and email.
- Outdated technology: Technology is changing dental practices at every level, from digital imaging to practice management software. Make sure your resume references only technologies that are in current use, preferably at the practice to which you’re applying. Let the job description in the ad be your guide.
- Unrelated skills and experience: For the most part, you’ll want to list only jobs that relate to the dental hygienist role. However, if you gained excellent customer service experience in a different field, you might include that, especially if it was in another healthcare role.
Important Job Skills For Dental Hygienists
Dental hygienists need a skill set that includes both hard and soft skills. Hiring managers will want to see that you have the required technical skills related to dental cleaning and treatment, but they will also want to see that you have the soft skills required to work well with dental patients and other members of the care team.
Here are a few key skills to list on your dental hygienist resume:
Hard Skills
- Perform oral hygiene procedures including teeth cleaning, plaque and calculus removal, and periodontal scaling
- Assess dental and periodontal health and screen for oral cancers
- Treat gingivitis, periodontitis, and other dental and gum diseases
- Deliver patient education in brushing, flossing, and other home dental care
- Administer and interpret diagnostic X-rays
- Make dental impressions with physical media or digital imaging
- Use a variety of tools to improve dental and oral health, including hand and sonic scaling tools
- Apply fluoride treatments and sealers
- Document treatments and conditions for insurance companies
- Demonstrate proficiency with dental scheduling software including Dentrix, Lighthouse 360, Solutionreach, EagleSoft, and PracticeWorks
Soft Skills
- Communication
- Critical thinking
- Problem solving
- Customer service
- Emotional intelligence
- Active listening
The Bottom Line
In any job search, a resume is a sales tool. In a relatively small amount of space, it demonstrates that you have the skills and qualifications required to do the job. To impress hiring managers at dental practices, you’ll need to finetune your resume to highlight your licensure, related work experience, technical skills, and ability to work with others.
Need help making your resume shine? We’ve reviewed the best resume writing services. Many offer free resume review, so there’s no reason to miss out on getting the extra assist. When your resume is ready, you can head to ZipRecruiter to find new opportunities.
