Dental Assistant Resume Example, Tips, & Tricks
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Dental Assistants can expect “faster than average” job growth through 2032. If you want a piece of that pie, you’ll need a Dental Assistant resume that stands out from the crowd.
Here, you’ll learn how to write a Dental Assistant resume, including some of the hard and soft skills you should add to win a coveted interview with a future employer.
How to write a resume
Your Dental Assistant resume is, arguably, the most important job search tool you possess. Its main goal is to wow the socks off of prospective employers so they feel compelled to call you in for an interview. What you may not know is that can be tough to do because you’re writing that single document for two different audiences:
The applicant tracking system a/k/a the ATS
A human hiring manager
The ATS and your Dental Assistant resume
The first stop your resume makes after you apply for a new job is a computer scanning software system called the ATS. This program’s main goal is to assess incoming applications to make sure everyone is a good match for the job being filled. Ultimately, it’s a weed-people-out stop that your resume has to make.
The ATS is programmed to look for several things:
Whether your resume has relevant keywords
How much experience your resume indicates you have
If your level of experience matches what they need/want
The ATS assigns your application a rating based on what it finds in your resume. Hiring managers can then sort incoming resumes to find the best-qualified candidates for the role.
Related reading: How to Make an ATS-Friendly Resume - Tips for ATS 2024
The human hiring manager and your Dental Assistant resume
Assuming that your resume gets past the ATS, it still has to make an impression on the human being who’s skimming through it. Yes! They’re just skimming, not reading. You have about six seconds to get the hiring manager’s attention.
Related reading: How to Pass the 6-Second Resume Test
Because of this, you have to include accomplishments and qualifications in a way that stands out on the page. You might be tempted to use an overly-designed resume with columns and charts, but that’s a bad idea.
Instead, you should opt for a regular reverse-chronological resume.
Reverse-chronological Dental Assistant resume
In order to have the information on your resume laid out in a way that prospective employers expect, the reverse-chronological format is best. The person looking at your resume knows exactly where the information they want will be because the layout is familiar to them.
Your Dental Assistant resume should contain the following sections. These sections should also appear in this order, most of the time.
Contact information
Title/headline
Profile paragraph
Skills
Professional experience
Education
Extras like professional affiliations, awards, and public speaking
Related reading: How to Use a Reverse Chronological Resume Format
Dental Assistant Resume example
Knowing what sections your Dental Assistant resume should contain is great, but seeing one that you can gain inspiration from can make all the difference in the world. To facilitate that, here’s a great example of a Dental Assistant resume.
Key hard & soft skills for Dental Assistant
As you work on gathering the details for your Dental Assistant resume – things like achievements from old jobs, education information, and a list of skills – don’t forget to include hard and soft skills.
It can be really easy to focus on trying to relay the idea that you know how to perform everyday tasks to get the job done (hard skills), but hiring managers want to know that you can also get along with the people in the office (soft skills).
Remember, too, that you should be working your skills through every section of your resume. Avoid using the “Skills” section of your resume as a dumping ground for things you know how to do.
Admittedly, it can be overwhelming to try to figure out exactly which skills to include in your resume. The best thing you can do is dissect the job description to find the skills the Dentist you’re applying to wants.
Related reading: How to Analyze a Job Description to Boost Your Job Search
You’ll probably find some of the following skills.
Hard skills for Dental Assistant:
Oral hygiene
Patient care
CPR
Infection control
Patient education
Basic computer skills
Dental charting
Appointment scheduling
X-rays
Prepare dental supplies
Soft skills for Dental Assistant:
Communication
Dexterity
Multitasking
Organization
Compassion
Active listening
Attention to detail
Adaptability
Resourcefulness
Reliability
If you can work most of these skills into your resume, you’ll be set to win the day. Of course, with that said, you still must tailor your resume to the job. For example, this list of skills contains nothing about sales. Yet, the dentist you want to work for may require someone with sales to promote different products like teeth straightening and whitening products and denture maintenance products.
Related reading: How to Tailor Your Resume to a Specific Job Description
Summary & last words
With all of this information about how to write your Dental Assistant resume, remember the main goal is to make a solid first impression by demonstrating to future employers what you bring to the table for their team. So, while your resume needs to shout about your accomplishments, it also needs to prove you are the best person for the job the Dentist has available.
Introduction to TopResume: Professional resume writers
You have an ace-in-the-hole available to you – the TopResume professional resume writers. No matter where you are in the world, there is an expert resume writer ready to work with you. In fact, our team has helped countless people land their dream jobs by writing resumes that sail past the ATS and hit the right notes for impressing hiring managers.
Employment history example
Dentist, 6/2013 – Present, ABC Dentistry, Hebron, KY
Direct business operations and patient care for this private practice focused on high-end cosmetic and general
dentistry. Manage up to seven team members, including dental and support staff. Perform a range of procedures,
including providing teeth whitening, inlays and onlays, porcelain veneers, implants, bridges, and crowns.
Consult with patients to assess needs and determine appropriate procedures to provide long-term results.
Selected accomplishments:
Grew practice to $1M+ in revenue due to exceptional patient care and world-class services.
Staff Dentist, 4/2006 – 5/2013, Buttermilk Family Dentistry, Fort Mitchell, KY
Provided a range of treatments to patients, including general dentistry, minor oral surgery, implant placement
and restoration. Demonstrated high level of compassion and communicated effectively with patients to explain
procedures, outcomes, and aftercare. Served as sole associate dentist during first year of operations.
Selected accomplishments:
Spearheaded implementation of new audits and study days to drive improvements to quality of service.
Introduced new laboratory that allowed for reduction in lab costs to patients and dental center.
Key hard & soft skills for dentists
When you’re writing your dentist resume, your skills section needs to be robust. To win over a potential employer, you’re going to need a mixture of both hard and soft skills.
Hard skills for dentist resumes
Hard skills apply directly to the job, such as “using fluoride treatments,” while soft skills tend to be transferable, like “communication”. You need to show the hiring manager that you have what it takes to be a dentist. Here are some of the hard skills you can include:
Surgical molar extractions
Using fluoride treatments
Taking X-rays for patients
Complete and partial dentures
IV sedation or local anesthetics
Botox administration
Treatment plan development
CEREC restorations
Gingival graft surgery
Surgical molar extractions
Tissue augmentation or dermal fillers
Composite restorations
Patient consultations or exams
Consider the core competencies you picked up when you were studying dentistry. These skills are likely to make up the foundation of your application. When you list them in your skills section, you show the hiring manager that you have a wealth of technical know-how.
Soft skills for dentist resumes
While you can choose to only include hard skills on your dentist resume, you may want to throw in some soft skills too. These are the dazzling talents that help you get the job done, collaborate with your coworkers, and keep your patients happy. It’s about your bedside manner, how you communicate, and your intrapersonal skills. Here are some examples:
Good communication
Attention to detail
Problem solving
Intrapersonal skills
Compassion and empathy
Teamwork
Time management
Leadership
Active listening
Patience
Critical thinking
Of course, you don’t have to weave all of the above into your dentistry resume. However, including a few of these soft skills for dentists could seal the deal when it comes to landing an interview. Think about the talents that best help you to do your job. For example, if you’ve been told that you’re a whiz when it comes to putting patients at ease, say so.
Summary & last words
Creating a dentist resume that turns recruiters’ heads is vital to your success. If you want to beat the competition and give yourself the best chance to get hired, it’s worth working with a skilled resume writer. Allowing an expert to take the reins frees up your time, giving you the opportunity to start looking for dentistry jobs. At TopResume, our team will get to know your professional history on a deeper level and produce a winning dentist resume.
Introduction to TopResume: Professional resume writers
When you’re climbing the career ladder, it can be a major advantage to have a helpful hand. Here at TopResume, our team of professional resume writers can help you land more interviews and get hired faster.
We’ve assisted more than a million job-seekers in their career progression and in reaching their long-term goals. No matter what stage you’re at in your professional life, we have a resume services package tailored to your needs.
Looking for some professional growth? The starter package is the right choice for you. Our team offers an expertly written and keyword-optimized resume that sets you apart from the competition. The next step up is the premium package, giving you everything you need to aid your job search, including a professional resume, cover letter, and more.
Alternatively, if you’re set on getting ahead quickly, you can try the ultimate package. We offer a well crafted resume, expert cover letter, and LinkedIn profile, all of which will be created by an executive writer.
Introduction to TopResume: Professional resume writers
When you’re climbing the career ladder, it can be a major advantage to have a helpful hand. Here at TopResume, our team of professional resume writers can help you land more interviews and get hired faster.
We’ve assisted more than a million job-seekers in their career progression and in reaching their long-term goals. No matter what stage you’re at in your professional life, we have a resume services package tailored to your needs.
Looking for some professional growth? The starter package is the right choice for you. Our team offers an expertly written and keyword-optimized resume that sets you apart from the competition. The next step up is the premium package, giving you everything you need to aid your job search, including a professional resume, cover letter, and more.
Alternatively, if you’re set on getting ahead quickly, you can try the ultimate package. We offer a well crafted resume, expert cover letter, and LinkedIn profile, all of which will be created by an executive writer.
Why you should make use of our resume writing services to land your next job as a dentist
We won’t beat around the bush — searching for new jobs can be challenging. If you want to take all of the hassle out of this process, using a resume writing service is the answer. Working with a team of experts to get an optimized, well-written resume could make all of the difference to your job search. It has never been more important to “wow” recruiters quickly when applying for jobs. Investing in this part of the process is an easy win.
Resume writing service for dentists: Let us write your resume
Choosing the right writing service for your resume doesn’t have to be hard. Our experts have a wealth of experience in the medical industry and can help you quickly navigate this difficult process. We speak recruiters’ language. Our team understands how to seamlessly tell your career story in a way that piques hiring managers’ interest. When you choose to work with us, we will go to great lengths to understand your professional history and convey it to potential employers. Allow us to help you land your next dentistry position.
Who are the TopResume writers?
Billie J.
Senior Resume Writer
4+ years of experience
4+ years of experience
Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Classical Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Classical Studies
Billie is a passionate writer whose mission is to write impactful resumes to support career growth, evolution, and transition targets. Billie’s love of the written word spans her entire life, and she enjoys utilizing that passion to empower successful career transitions.
Traci K.
Senior Resume Writer
10+ years of experience
Master of Arts in English
Traci has a Master of Arts in English and has been writing since middle school. After spending several years in marketing, she used her writing skills and corporate knowledge to help job seekers put their best foot forward and achieve their career goals.
Jeremy Z.
Senior Resume Writer
15+ Years of Experience
Bachelor of Arts in English and Business Writing
Jeremy has helped 6K+ clients gain the confidence to apply for and get their dream jobs. His educational background in English and business writing and dedication to supporting clients’ needs inspire him to deliver top-tier career support.