While most of us prefer to stay out of dentist offices, we can't deny that good dentists are worth their weight in gold. Your competent and steady hands go a long way toward improving people's smiles and confidence, resulting in happy and healthy patients.
Your dentist resume has the power to demonstrate your technical skills and your ability to be an empathetic advocate for your patients.
While you're incredible when it comes to all things teeth, you might be unsure where to begin on your resume. That's why we're here!
We've done the hard work for you by researching the good, the bad, and the ugly for all types of dentist positions and their respective resumes (such as dental hygienist resumes and dental assistant resumes). We've taken everything we've learned to design these five dentist resume samples to help you build an amazing resume to land your next dental job in 2023!
Dentist Resume
Why this resume works
- Writing your dentist resume may feel overwhelming, but luckily, there are plenty of resume examples you can use to help you structure your content according to industry standards.
- Once you've gotten some inspiration, customize your resume by adding responsibilities and skills according to the job description.
- For example, if the description mentions needing a dentist to train new hires, include any experience you have helping new dentists learn complex techniques.
- Once you've gotten some inspiration, customize your resume by adding responsibilities and skills according to the job description.
- If you're a seasoned dentist trying to fit your job history onto one page, you'll have to limit what you share.
- Try listing three to four of your most recent jobs, which will provide you with ample space to write thorough work experience bullet points.
- You can always reference other relevant positions during your interview!
- Try listing three to four of your most recent jobs, which will provide you with ample space to write thorough work experience bullet points.
General Dentist Resume
Why this resume works
- Your general dentist resume should be anything but "general." In addition to adding comprehensive work experience and specific skills, you need to make sure your resume is picture-perfect.
- Check your resume for proper punctuation, active language, and consistent verb tenses.
- Did you know that you can add additional sections to your resume? You can, and you should! Dentists especially need to add a "license" section to reassure hiring managers they're licensed to practice in their particular state.
- On that note, be sure to stay on top of renewals. Check your state's guidelines to avoid penalties for not having the correct licensure.
Recent Graduate Dentist Resume
Why this resume works
- It's hard to land your first dentist job when you've just graduated, but you'll significantly increase your chances if your recent graduate dentist resume is presented professionally.
- Making your resume aesthetically pleasing isn't easy, but using a resume template can help you add pretty (and functional) stylistic elements.
- Pay close attention to the specific skills mentioned in the job description so you can include them in your resume's skills section.
- If your skills barely match the job description, keep looking for a job that better fits your competency areas; however, don't feel pressure to have every technical skill they require. Your fellow dentists will be happy to help you learn complex dental procedures.
Associate Dentist Resume
Why this resume works
- Resume formatting may not feel that important, but it plays a big part in deciding whether or not you'll get an interview.
- Structuring your associate dentist resume in reverse-chronological order will keep your most relevant experience at the top, helping to convince the hiring manager you have the right qualifications.
- Start with your last associate position and place clinical rotations and/or other entry-level experience last.
- Similarly, spend more energy describing your duties and accomplishments in your associate dentist work experience rather than your clinical rotations. Your most recent work will have progressed significantly since your days of supervised learning and practice.
New Dentist Resume
Why this resume works
- Your new dentist resume will benefit greatly when you include a resume objective, also called a career objective.
- An objective can highlight your personality traits, demonstrate your willingness to grow, and explain your desires and goals in that particular position.
- If you use an objective, tailor it for each job application by including the company's name, the role you're seeking, and your relevant skills.
- As a new dentist, it isn't easy to know what work experience to include, but there are plenty of things you can add.
- Consider adding any research positions, your clinical rotations,
How to Write a Dentist Resume
You're anxious to get started in your new dentist role, so we won't waste time with our how-tos on making a dentist resume that stands out to employers.
1. Start with a summary or career objective of your dental career
Accomplished and seasoned dentists, you can take advantage of a summary statement by highlighting your greatest career accomplishments, like pediatric care where your work impacted the oral hygiene in children, families, and schools. If you’re just starting your dentistry career, your objective can assure employers you’re skilled and ready to meet the specific challenges of the clinic, like improving the quality of life for the underprivileged. Alternatively, skip this section if you're in a hurry.
2. Talk about your dental career in order
Recount your experience in reverse-chronological order in your dentist resume. For example, the top third of your resume might contain your senior dentist role where you not only served patients daily in minor oral surgeries, extractions, and exams but mentored other dentists, coordinated international trips to initiate dentistry programs, led presentations at conferences and community programs. Clinical rotations and associate dentistry roles are better saved for the bottom two-thirds of your resume.
3. Use numbers when describing your dentist experience
Quantify your impact in dentistry for a winning resume. Was patient education your passion? If so, did you see a decrease in cavities or gingivitis in your pediatric population? Or, maybe you worked to implement new technologies that increased the accuracy of diagnosing oral disease. By how much did this technology increase the accuracy of diagnosis, and how did this affect your treatment and education plans for the patient?
4. Choose your dentist skills wisely
No dental position is the same. Strategically pick skills to include on your dental resume by first thinking about the skills you possess and then matching those skills to what you see in a business' job description. One clinic may focus on disease prevention for underserved geriatric populations while another primarily cares for families. So, skills in sedation, preventative dental education, and extractions might be appropriate for a clinic focused on disease prevention.
5. List your dental education
Include your dental accreditation and education, so employers can quickly assess your qualifications. Whether you earned a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or a DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry), this degree with the year earned and the institution should come first in your education section. Undergraduate work can follow. If you just finished dental school, consider adding awards and recognition, such as the inaugural Dr. Jeanne Craig Sinkford Student Leadership Award.
6. Add your dental license to practice
List your dental licenses in a small section beneath your education and skills. Include your state dental license as well as any other required certifications and licenses, such as a CPR certification or DEA license.
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