From filling cavities to keeping us plaque-free, you help people smile with confidence. And now you’re on the cusp of writing a great dentist resume. The one that will make your future recruiter say not “aaah…” but “wow!”.
You’ll see some dentist resume examples, learn how to put your skills and experience on paper, and have an amazing dentist resume in no time, whether you’re a pro or just starting to cut your teeth in dentistry.
One of our users, Anjeanette, had this to say:
Zety suggested tips and revised my resume in a way I never could. Helped me word things in a much more intelligent fashion and got me my dream job.
We also have guides for other members of the dental staff:
If you are still looking for more examples, check our list of Resume Examples .
Dentist Resume Example
Barbara Long
Dentist
123-456-7890
barbara.long@email.com
linkedin.com/in/barbara.long
Summary
Highly competent and dedicated Dentist with over 7 years of experience in providing professional dental services. Eager to leverage my proficiency in modern dental technology to foster client comfort and satisfaction at Bright-Smile Dental Associates. Accomplished in reducing patient wait time by 30% through effective scheduling management at the SmilesRUs Dental clinic.
Experience
Dentist
SmilesRUs Dental Clinic, Aurora, IL
June 2022–Present
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Diagnose and treat dental issues, both minor and major, using a range of procedures.
Provide patient care in accordance with accepted standards of dentistry.
Restorations of teeth, including fillings, crowns, bridges, and implant restorations.
Perform surgical extractions, scaling and root planing, and periodontal therapy.
Key Achievement:
Successfully reduced patient wait time by 30% through efficient scheduling management.
Dentist
PerfectDentistry Care, Aurora, IL
March 2018–June 2022
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Performed routine dental cleanings and complex procedures.
Cultivated a comfortable environment for patients, reducing anxiety levels.
Educate patients and guardians about preventative dental care.
Key Achievement:
Successfully introduced a new appointment system, improving patient flow by 20%.
Education
Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
University of Illinois, Chicago, IL
August 2014–May 2018
Relevant extracurricular activities
President of the University Dental Society for two consecutive years.
Academic achievements
Dean's List for four semesters, 2014–2016.
Skills
Deep knowledge of advanced dental technology and equipment.
Proven aptitude in assessing, diagnosing, and treating oral conditions.
Adept at developing positive relationships with patients and colleagues alike.
Skilled in prioritizing tasks effectively to meet tight deadlines.
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, in English & Spanish (Fluent).
Computer skills: Windows and Microsoft Office Suite.
Certifications
Local Anesthesia Permit, Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, 2019
CPR & First Aid, American Red Cross, 2018.
Certification in Advanced General Dentistry, American Dental Association, 2019
Awards
Dentist of the Year, SmilesRUs Dental Clinic. 2021
Memberships
Member of the American Dental Association since 2018
Regular speaker at the annual conference on topics such as 'Advancements in Pediatric Dentistry'.
Languages
Interests
Volunteering at local health fairs, providing dental check-ups for underserved communities.
Running a dental health blog (5k subscribers).
1. What’s the Best Format for a Dentist Resume? Like taking an x-ray before operation, dental office managers scan each resume to figure out how they’ll proceed.
However—
It’s just a 7-second glance, according to our HR statistics report.
If you don’t pass that initial scan, they’ll toss your resume in the corner biohazard bin.
So use the chronological format . Why?
This resume format keeps your dental resume straight like a good pair of braces. Lab managers and dental office assistants are most familiar and comfortable with this format.
Here’s how to structure a dentist resume:
Begin your resume with a compelling dental objective or summary statement.
Lay out your dental experience with achievements and key responsibilities.
Add an education section that shows them you’re the DDS or DMD they want.
List dentist skills and specialities that are tailored to the job description.
Include extra resume sections to stand out from other dental applicants.
Choose the best fonts to keep it legible. Make proper use of white space and section headings to guide the recruiter through all your resume sections.
First time as a dentist?
Your non-dental work experience is less relevant (or nonexistent). Place that section below the education section on your dental resume (or leave it off entirely).
Pro Tip : Use the PDF format when saving your dentist hygiene resume. The PDF renders correctly no matter which device it’s opened on.
Not persuaded using the reverse-chronological format is right for your dentistry resume? There are other options. See our guide: Best Resume Format: What Resume Model to Choose? [+ Resume Format Examples]
2. Dentist Resume Objective or Summary?
When you prepare for lengthy oral surgery, you’ll start by putting them to sleep.
It’s the opposite on a dental resume—
You need to begin by waking them up with a powerful resume introduction.
There are two choices: a resume summary or a resume objective .
Got dental experience outside of dentistry school?
Use a resume summary .
The resume summary is a brief paragraph stating your key dentist experience and skills. A numbered accomplishment strengthens your candidacy.
Here’s an example summary for a full-fledged dentist job:
Dentist Resume Samples: Resume Summary
right
Highly competent and dedicated Dentist with over 7 years of experience in providing professional dental services. Eager to leverage my proficiency in modern dental technology to foster client comfort and satisfaction at Bright-Smile Dental Associates. Accomplished in reducing patient wait time by 30% through effective scheduling management at the SmilesRUs Dental clinic.
wrong
I’ve been a dentist for several years, and I’ve mastered the art of caring for patients, treating cavities, and preparing x-rays. I feel as I have a well-rounded dental knowledge which would make me the best candidate for the position.
That wrong example states some of your past responsibilities, but no mention of how well you carried them out.
That’s as unwanted as gingivitis.
In the right example, though, you give a key achievement with numbers to prove it—
Sharp as a sickle probe.
Here are two more dental hygiene resume examples of summaries:
Dental Hygiene Resume Samples: Resume Summary
right
Personable dental hygienist with 3+ years experience assessing oral health, screening clients for diseases, and supporting fellow dental staff. Implemented patient counseling methods which increased client satisfaction by 45%.
wrong
I have over 3 years of experience as a dental hygienist. My responsibilities included cleaning teeth, looking at x-rays, and making patients feel comfortable.
Okay, but what if the only dental experience you have is from dental school?
Use a resume objective .
The career objective statement shows the dental office or laboratory how your goals align with theirs. You’ll still use relevant experience, skills, and quantifiable accomplishments to make your case.
Here are two dental hygiene resume sample objectives:
Dental Hygienist Resume Samples: Resume Objective
right
Recent dental hygiene graduate with hundreds of hours of classroom and hands-on dental experience. Seeking to leverage top Dental Acceptance Test score (30) and New York State License to become the next dental hygienist employee at Astoria Smiles.
wrong
I’ve just graduated from university with a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene. I haven’t yet had any paid experience, but I have classroom training.
Like that vacuum hose you stick in people’s mouths, the wrong example sucks .
The right example, however, shows how dental school has prepared you for work. And, you included the dental office’s name to really catch their attention.
Now that’s one no tooth fairy will ignore!
Pro Tip : The resume objective or summary goes first on your dental hygiene resume, but don’t write it first. Save it for the end to use the rest of the sections to inform what you’ll summarize here.
Want more advice on writing a career summary or career objective on a resume for dental jobs? Check out our guides: Professional Resume Summary Examples [20+ Resume Summary Statement Examples] General Resume Objective Examples [20+Examples of Great Career Objectives]
Making a resume with our builder is incredibly simple. Follow our step-by-step guide, use ready-made content tailored to your job and have a resume ready in minutes.
When you’re done, our online resume builder ATS resume checker exactly how to make it better.
3. How to Describe Your Dental Experience According to the BLS, dental jobs will grow by almost 20% between 2016–2026 in the US—
That’s nearly 30,000 new dentists.
On top of that, dentists rank second in best healthcare jobs , fourth in 100 best jobs , fourth in best STEM jobs , and tenth in best-paying jobs .
As you see, there’ll be a lot of competition, and rightly so.
How to beat the other candidates?
Create a dentist work history section that lights up and amplifies you like a medical-grade magnifying lamp.
Here are two dental hygiene resume samples:
Dental Hygiene Experience for Resume—Examples
right
Dentist
SmilesRUs Dental Clinic, Aurora, IL
June 2022–Present
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Diagnose and treat dental issues, both minor and major, using a range of procedures.
Provide patient care in accordance with accepted standards of dentistry.
Restorations of teeth, including fillings, crowns, bridges, and implant restorations.
Perform surgical extractions, scaling and root planing, and periodontal therapy.
Key Achievement:
Successfully reduced patient wait time by 30% through efficient scheduling management.
wrong
Dental Hygienist
Key Responsibilities
Cleaned teeth.
Took X-rays.
Removed plaque.
Like a tooth with a cavity, that wrong one has a gaping hole.
It’s missing what makes the “right” one so great: hand-picked responsibilities and quantifiable achievements to prove your dentistry knowledge.
Here’s another example for a dentist moving to another practice:
Dental Experience for Resume—Examples
right
General Dentist
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Skilled in running multiple operatories and utilizing time efficiently while also being on call for emergency operations.
Strong working knowledge of dentistry, including orthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, periodontics, prosthodontics, and endodontics.
Instructed and delegated dental support staff on various procedures, including lab assistants, dental assistants, dental hygienists, and office manager.
Key Achievement
Introduced new method dubbed “five handed dentistry,” which improved dental operation times by 25%.
But what if you haven’t cut your teeth yet as a dentist, hygienist, or lab technician?
No problem.
If you have relevant work, like being a dental assistant or nurse intern, add the most relevant points, like this:
Dental Assistant Resume Sample
right
Dental Assistant Manhattan Dental Practice, New York, NY
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Experienced with crown and core prep, taking alginates, and pouring models.
Assisted chair-side with four-handed dentistry.
Provided patients with instructions for oral care following all dental treatment procedures.
Key Achievement
Received top score (100%) for having friendliest chair-side manner to patients.
Here, you give your experience as a dental assistant, though you are applying to be a dentist or hygienist.
If you have other non-dental experience, only add dentist-relevant duties and achievements to your resume .
Pro Tip : Achievements are hard to come up with when writing a dentist resume, but they are super impactful. If you’re stuck, first think of some big project or innovation you had. Then, ask yourself what the results were, and you’ll come up with a great win.
4. Is Your Education Section Underperforming? It Might Be One slip of your dental drill, and you become a brain surgeon.
Same with your dental resume—
Slip up on writing it, and you’ll be looking elsewhere for work.
Whether you’re writing a dental assistant resume or an oral surgeon resume, listing your education correctly is crucial for dental jobs.
Dental Resume Samples—Education Section Here’s how to list your completed DDS or DDM on a resume:
Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, New York, NY
BS in Health Science
Cornell University. Ithaca, NY
Relevant Coursework : Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, Health and Human Hygiene, Public Health, Biochemistry.
Here, we have two listings: one for your doctoral program, and another for your bachelor’s degree, since one is usually required before getting into dental school.
What if you’re applying to become a dental hygienist and still finishing your studies?
Add your in-progress degree like this:
Majoring in Dental Hygiene
New York City College of Technology, Brooklyn, NY
Expected Graduation : 2021
Don’t add your high school diploma since you have advanced education on your resume.
Finally, if your academic section is more impressive than your work experience, put it on top.
Pro Tip : Took part in a dental externship while you were in medical school? Add that information to your dentist resume education section, as well. A dental internship or shadowing a doctor , however, goes in your work experience section.
Got something other than these common educational scenarios? Check this guide out: Education Resume Section: How to List High School & College Education
5. How to Put Skills on a Dentist Resume
You’ve got dental skills galore.
But—
So do all your dental hygiene and dentist competitors.
Show them you’re cutting edge while they’re still pulling teeth using string and a doorknob.
Which dentist skills, though?
Create a simple list of dental skills to start, like this one below.
Include both hard and soft skills
Dentist & Dental Hygienist Skills for a Resume Example dentist skills for a resume
Dentist Hard Skills
Dentist Soft Skills
Dentist Specialities
Four-Handed Dentistry
Communication Skills
Orthodontics
Crowns, Bridges & Veneers
Attention to Detail
Maxillofacial Surgery
Dental Assessments
Problem Solving
Periodontics
Preventative Dentistry
Collaboration & Teamwork
Endodontics
X-Ray Machine
Time Management
Prosthodontics
Fluoride Treatments
Manual Dexterity
Oral Surgery
Traditional & Laser Whitening
Accountability
Dental Hygiene
Restorative Procedures
Interpersonal Skills
Pediatric Dentistry
Smile Makeovers
Works Well Under Pressure
Aesthetic / Cosmetic Dentistry
ICON Aesthetic Infiltration
Compassion & Empathy
Oral Radiology
However, stuffing your dentist resume with any skill up there is like drinking soda with every meal—
No good dentist recommends it.
Instead, refer back to the job ad, and extract the right skills like a Coupland’s elevator.
Here’s a sample dental hygienist job description:
Evaluates overall oral health, examining oral cavity for signs of periodontal disease or possible cancers, including sores, recessed & bleeding gums, and oral lesions. [1]
Documents dental history or chief complaint; records and reports pertinent observations and patient reactions to dental staff, as appropriate; documents lab procedures and ensures follow up on results.
Follows through with oral hygiene procedures in accordance with treatment plans prescribed by the attending Dentist. Procedures may include: Prophylaxis, Periodontal Scaling, Root Planing, Debridement, Application of Fluoride Treatments, and Application of Protective Sealants. [2]
Assists with or institutes emergency measures for sudden adverse developments during treatment of patients. [3]
If you read each job ad carefully, it’s easy to tailor your skills section to match:
Dental Hygienist Resume Samples—Skills Section
right
Knowledgeable in evaluating oral health [1]
Skilled with periodontal scaling, root planing, and debridement [2]
Effective at instituting emergency measures [3]
wrong
Teeth cleaning.
Whitening.
X-rays.
The wrong skills put them to sleep like general anesthesia.
The right example, though, is tailored and fits like a filling.
Finally, mind the ATS .
The applicant tracking system is a program which helps larger dental practices cope with the many resumes they receive every day.
Employers first scan a resume into the system. Then, they perform a simple extraction to find specific resume keywords . In return, they receive a score based on each resume’s match to the job ad.
Use keywords which the dental job ad uses, word-for-word, so the ATS easily understands it.
Additionally, research the dental office to find other skills they are looking for. Glassdoor gives you input from past employees, while their reviews on Google Maps point you to client-side opportunities.
By reviewing 11 million resumes made in our builder, we discovered that:
Dentists include an average of 17 skills on their resumes.
Among the top skills frequently listed by dentists are extracting teeth, dental impressions, crown placement, filling caries, and general restorative dentistry.
Dentists tend to create resumes spanning about 2.1 pages in length.
6. How to Add Other Sections for an Effective Dentist Resume
Like setting yourself apart as the dentist to visit in town, your dental resume has got to wow them more than the rest.
How?
By spicing it up with extra sections.
Every other dentist had those previous resume sections. To stand out, additional resume sections show them you’re unique and capable.
Here are great options to add on a resume for dentist jobs:
Dentist Resume Sample: Extra Sections 1. Licenses
In the United States, all dental hygienists and general dentists need a license from the state in which they want to practice. One example is a NYS license to practice dentistry.
On top of that, the dental practice will require licensing for specific specialties, such as oral surgery.
2. Certifications
To strengthen your resume even further add any dental certifications you have, such as these:
3. Volunteer Work
Have you volunteered in dental care before? That makes some great, thoughtful experience!
Here are some common dentist volunteer opportunities to list:
4. Languages
Your second language may be just what gets you the white coat. If you have proficiency in another language, add it!
We’ve got a great guide on the best things to add to a resume and a tutorial on resume sections and categories . Check them out!
Pro Tip : Don’t be afraid to drop names! If you are affiliated with or a member of any dental organizations, add those in a small section on your dental resume. Check out this link for a list of great dental organizations.
7. How About a Dentist Cover Letter? A dentist resume without a dentist cover letter is like brushing teeth without toothpaste—
Ineffective.
Always include a cover letter , as 53% of employers say a resume itself is not enough.
Here’s how to write dental hygiene cover letters they’ll eat up:
Begin your dental hygienist cover letter with a compelling introduction.
Explain why you are the only dentist to consider for the job.
Show them why you want to work in their dentistry or laboratory.
End it with a strong call-to-action to get them to read your dentist resume.
Your dental assistant cover letter is the first impression you’ll make on the dental office—
Make it strong like a calcium-rich diet.
Pro Tip : Like dental prophylaxis, you’ve got to clean it up and remove any impurities. Proofread your dental assistant cover letter, and use Grammarly to check it for errors.
Want to know more cover letter tricks that always work? See these articles: 35+ Best Cover Letter Tips, Advice & Guidelines How to Write a Job-Winning Cover Letter in 8 Simple Steps (12+ Examples)
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Key Takeaway Hopefully you see now that writing a great dentist resume is not like pulling teeth.
Let’s summarize.
Here’s how to write a dentist resume:
Use the reverse-chronological format so your dental resume is easy to scan.
Start with a compelling dental hygienist resume objective or summary.
Explain your dental work history with quantifiable achievements and key duties.
List key dentist skills with resume keywords from the job description.
Write an education section that impresses them with related coursework.
Use additional sections on your dentist resume to stand out from the others.
Attach a captivating dentist cover letter to your dentist resume.
Tidy up your resume like a dental burnisher by proofreading it before sending it off.
Now THIS is a dental resume that will shine like a 24k gold crown!
