Dental Assistant Resume Examples in 2023

Dental Assistant Resume Examples

Years of Experience

Common Key Skills and Action Verbs for Dental Assistant Resumes

Recruiters may receive 100 or more applications in response to a single job advertisement, leaving them looking for ways to streamline the screening process. As a result, many companies use specialized software to scan resumes and highlight keywords that relate to the job. If your resume doesn’t contain the right keywords, there’s a chance it will be rejected by the software before a recruiter even sees it. Therefore, it’s important for your resume to contain key skills, proficiencies and action verbs that relate to the job.

Tips for Writing a Better Dental Assistant Resume

Showcase Your Dental Care Expertise

To differentiate your resume from the competition, you’ll want to provide insights into your knowledge of dental care and medical terminology. Hiring managers want dental assistants who have a comprehensive understanding of oral care and highlighting specific key terms will send a clear message that you have the qualifications to succeed in the position. In the example below, the candidate highlights their experience with a variety of dental procedures and medical equipment:

• Conduct panoramic dental X-rays to diagnose of cavities, impacted wisdom teeth, and other dental conditions and provide education to patients on findings
• Provide support to dentists during root canals, extractions, and other dental procedures, including sterilizing instruments to prevent infection
• Create dental impressions, mix compounds in the laboratory, assist with denture fittings, and maintain inventory levels for dental equipment and supplies

Showcase Your Patient Care and Communication Skills

Many dental patients experience anxiety during oral procedures, especially when drills and needles are involved. Dentists value candidates who can interface effectively with patients to lower anxiety during oral surgeries, so you’ll want to make a point to highlight your patient care experience on your resume. In the example below, the candidate shows how their ability to calm patients during oral procedures contributed to a high patient satisfaction rating, which is extremely valuable to dentistry practices:

• Deliver medical support to dentists for cleanings, fillings, root canals, and tooth extractions and ensure compliance with Covid-19 safety protocols
• Educate patients on dental conditions, surgical procedures, oral care, and hygiene best practices to promote long-term dental health
• Communicate effectively with patients to reduce anxiety during oral surgeries and ensure comfort during procedures, resulting in a 93% satisfaction rating

How to Align Your Resume With the Job Description

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of jobs for dental assistants will grow by 8% over the next decade. This represents approximately 30,100 new jobs. The demand for dental assistants is increasing for many reasons, including the growing number of elderly citizens who need dental care. Many dentists are also offering new services, such as dental implants, creating more opportunities for skilled dental assistants.

A hiring manager’s top priority is to find a candidate who has the right combination of skills and experience to succeed in the job. As a result, it may be necessary to review hundreds of applications before determining which applicants to interview. To make yourself stand out from the competition, it’s important to review the job description carefully and write a resume that uses similar language.

When you review the job description, look at the first few lines to see which qualifications the hiring manager deems most important. If you see the same requirement mentioned multiple times, that’s another indication that it’s one of the most important qualifications to meet. Your resume should highlight these qualifications to ensure the hiring manager understands that you have what it takes to succeed in the role.