Dental Assistant Resume Example

This article will teach you everything you need to know to write a fantastic new Dental Assistant resume. Leet Resumes also offers free, personalized resume writing services.

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Written by Marc Cenedella
Leading expert on resumes
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Marc Cenedella

Marc Cenedella is a nationally recognized thought leader on careers, resume writing, job search, career management and recruiting, Marc is frequently sought out by national media organizations for his expert commentary on employment, resumes, the job search and the job market.

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Last updated on September 2, 2022
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How to write a great Dental Assistant resume

Your name may not be followed by DDS or DMD, but you know a thing or two about how to keep patients smiling.

Between cavities, root canals, and crowns, the dentist(s) at your practice have enough on their professional plate. You take care of pretty much everything else.

Like two sides of a perfectly fitted denture, the administrative work and patient support you provide perfectly compliments and facilitates the dental care provided by dentists.

Similar to how sustaining strong oral health and a great smile takes diligence, maintaining a smooth-running dental office requires an incredible amount of oversight and preparation.

You know just how to broach difficult dental topics with patients, and exactly when it’s time to restock the supply room, but maybe you’re feeling stumped when it comes to writing a new Dental Assistant resume.

If you could use a resume writing refresher, take a look at our simple, step by step guide and resume example.

You’ll learn how to craft a quality, no-nonsense resume that will help you land more job interviews.

Not interested in writing your own resume? Leet Resumes also offers comprehensive, personalized resume writing services.

We can put together a winning resume for you - free of charge! (tips appreciated)

Click here to learn more.

Why you need a great Dental Assistant resume

Let’s face it: Plenty of people aren’t exactly thrilled when it comes time to visit the dentist’s office.

Your role as a Dental Assistant is all about making those visits as pleasant as possible for patients.

At the same time, a large portion of your day-to-day work revolves around making dentists’ lives easier; setting up instrument trays, assisting with dental procedures, updating internal patient files, etc.

In short, you do a whole lot for both practice and patients on a day to day basis. How are you supposed to clearly convey the full scope of your duties and experience with just a single page resume?

The key to a great resume in any field is the right formatting, and crafting a fantastic Dental Assistant resume is no different.

Resumes that produce job interviews don’t mince words, and they’re certainly not messy, long-winded, or hard on the eyes.

A clean-cut, structured writing approach makes all the difference.

How to format your Dental Assistant resume

If you’ve been sending out application after application only to receive radio silence in response, chances are your Dental Assistant resume is in need of a serious overhaul.

It’s important to know your audience. Hiring managers and recruiters receive over 100 applicants to sort through, on average, per new job listing. Your resume needs to pack a quick informational punch if it wants to make a good impression (or any impression at all).

That’s why formatting and concise content are so important. If your resume can’t convey a compelling success story about your Dental Assistant career in a matter of seconds, it won’t produce more job interviews and opportunities.

Luckily, we’ve concocted the ideal resume format for you to follow:

  • Name + Contact
  • Professional Headline
  • Professional Summary
  • Work Experience
  • Education
  • Keywords

This simplistic approach to resume writing will ensure no important detail goes unnoticed or buried in an easy to miss subsection.

Now, let’s explain each section of your new Dental Assistant resume a bit further.

Name + Contact

At the very top of the page write your full name, along with any relevant medical title abbreviations (CDA, RDA).

Under your name comes your contact information, meaning both email address and phone number. Be sure to use a professional sounding email address. It may seem like a small detail, but decision makers will pass over an applicant using an email address that reads like it was written by a middle schooler.

Never add a picture of yourself in this section (or anywhere else for that matter). Your words will be more than enough for readers to get to know you.

Professional Headline

Most people don’t think of their resumes in terms of advertising, but your Dental Assistant resume is absolutely a commercial for your career.

You want it to be crystal clear that you’re a cut above other applicants, and that means your resume needs to promote your unique skills, experiences, and achievements.

All good advertisements, whether a Super Bowl commercial or a roadside billboard, share one similarity: They grab people’s attention!

The professional headline section is your first opportunity to attract the reader’s interest and spark curiosity about what else your resume has to say.

That may sound tough, but it doesn’t have to be. We suggest starting with a positive adjective followed by your current job title or area of expertise.

For example: “Passionate Certified Dental Assistant” or “Savvy Dental Assistant Trainee”.

Professional Summary

Very much a continuation of your headline, the professional summary should serve as a short synopsis of your career so far.

But that’s not all. You’ll also use this section to predict your own professional future.

How do you want to be seen as a Dental Assistant? The phrases, terms, and keywords you choose to place in this area will tell readers exactly who you are professionally, and the trajectory of your career moving forward.

Depending on your personal level of experience this section will feature a minimum of two lines and a maximum of four. Each line will detail a different aspect of your work.

Here’s what we mean:

Line one: Write down the positions or titles you want as your next role. This line is about your future as a Dental Assistant, so these don’t necessarily have to be jobs you’ve previously held or currently hold. You're telling readers that you believe you’re ready to succeed in the following roles. Examples include “Registered Dental Assistant” or “Head Dental Assistant”.

Line two: List your sharpest and most sought after professional skills. Here are a few common examples: instrument sterilization, electronic medical records (EMR), x-rays, and patient education.

Line three: Best reserved for experienced applicants, the third line of the professional summary is for proudly displaying your biggest professional achievements or accomplishments.

Line four: Similarly optional, the last line can be used to show off any promotions or awards you’ve earned during your career.

Time is in increasingly short supply these days. If you just don’t have enough free time right now to write your own resume, we would be happy to take over!

Leet Resumes has constructed countless resumes for our clients, and yours can be next. Did we mention we work for free? (tips appreciated)

Get started now.

Work Experience

Arguably the most important section of any resume, the work experience area is what everyone thinks of when they hear the word “resume.” Oddly enough, however, most applicants fill out this section in entirely the wrong manner. That’s why we’re going to give it extra attention.

Simply put, ace this section and you’ll be enjoying a steady stream of new job opportunities. Starting with the basics, always work in reverse chronological order. That means your most recent or current position should be at the very top. Under every position you list, provide a handful of one sentence bullet points outlining your time spent in each role.

So how do most resume writers fail at this section? By treating their resume like an encyclopedia instead of a marketing tool. Don’t waste your bullet points by tediously reciting back your expected duties and responsibilities.

Do this instead:

What are your assistant achievements?

Hiring decision makers are looking for confirmation you can succeed in a new role. The best way to provide that proof is by detailing your prior accomplishments. Each sentence in your work experience section should highlight an achievement or impressive feat that is unique to you alone.

Numbers provide a big boost

Make use of as many numbers as you can while documenting and explaining your biggest achievements. Words can be misinterpreted, but it’s much easier to understand and appreciate an accomplishment quantified by a number or two.

Don’t waste any space

Cut to the chase quickly by starting each bullet point with an action verb (analyzed, maintained, organized, etc).

Here’s an example bullet point to help bring all of this advice together: “Ensured all patients felt comfortable and informed prior to dental treatments, contributing to a 19% satisfaction rate increase.”

Education

This area is reserved for your educational background. List any degrees you’ve earned, and the schools you’ve attended.

This section can also include any Dental Assistant certifications you may have earned.

Keywords

The last section of your resume is for adding any additional hard skills, soft skills, or awards you haven’t gotten to yet. Recruiters specifically look out for these keywords, so you want to have as many as you possibly can.

A few examples:

  • Patient care
  • Vital signs
  • Clinical sedation
  • Dentrix (software)
  • Highly organized

Leet Resumes is here to help

Even with this guide, writing a crisp new resume yourself can be a challenge.

There’s no reason to struggle with resume writing all night and day.

Leet Resumes is always available to write your resume for you, free of charge.

Start today.

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