![3 Orthodontic Dental Assistant Resume Examples [Edit Free]](https://beamjobs.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/orthodontic-dental-assistant-standout-resume-example.png)
As an orthodontic dental assistant, your hard work literally turns frowns upside down. Between providing chairside assistance and teaching people how to care for their braces, you’re irreplaceable both to orthodontists and patients.
You’re helping people become the best versions of themselves, yet showcasing those skills on a resume can be challenging.
We know that preparing a stellar resume can get tricky, so we’ve put together these orthodontic dental assistant resume templates to help you make yours shine.
What Matters Most: Your Orthodontics Skills & Previous Experience
There aren’t many who love going to the dentist, but your empathetic and calming presence makes each visit a breeze. How you put patients at ease is a true testament to the power of your interpersonal skills.
While soft skills help you through each day on the job, try not to make them the sole focus of your resume—and when you do mention them, be specific. Instead of generic terms like “teamwork,” talk about patient communication and education.
Dedicate most of this section to your technical skills, such as instrument sterilization or retainer management. If you know how to work with particular materials or types of retainers, or you’re a pro at a particular dental practice management software, this is the place to discuss it.
9 best orthodontic dental assistant skills
- Invisalign
- Dentrix
- Chairside assistance
- X-ray imaging
- Instrument sterilization
- Bonding techniques
- Aligner management
- OrthoTrac
- Patient education
Sample orthodontic dental assistant work experience bullet points
Your skills tell half the story. The best way to express the other half is to talk about the impact of your work. This means highlighting your achievements and the way you were able to use your knowledge of orthodontics to bring improvements to your workplace.
You can demonstrate this with quantifiable metrics. For example, talk about the number of patients you saw daily or the number of orthodontists you worked with.
Similarly, you can mention that your knowledge of panoramic x-rays decreased the average scanning time by 17 percent. Numbers and percentages make your achievements more tangible for someone quickly scanning your resume.
Here’s how good resumes can highlight accomplishments:
- Instructed patients with braces on proper home dental hygiene, reducing the instance of cavities by 25%
- Assisted orthodontists in over 800 successful procedures, including appliance placements, braces adjustments, and bracket removal
- Conducted 5+ daily dental cleanings and tooth polishing care prior to braces installations, preventing cavities and improving placement success rates
- Achieved a 97% accuracy rate in impression taking, panos, cephs, and dental x-rays, increasing treatment precision and patient satisfaction
Top 5 Tips for Your Orthodontic Dental Assistant Resume
- Mention certifications
- Many employers care about DANB and CPR certifications, so use a resume template that lets you add them. And don’t forget certifications specific to orthodontics, such as COA designation.
- Show off imaging skills
- Accurate imaging is crucial in your profession, but we don’t have to tell you that! If you have experience taking panoramic and cephalometric x-rays and conducting intraoral scans, make it clear in your resume’s skills and work experience sections.
- Get specific about your abilities
- When you talk about your skills, don’t settle for a simple “orthodontics techniques.” Instead, discuss your expertise in handling archwire adjustments and bracket placement. Similarly, if you have experience with brand-specific systems like Invisalign, mention it.
- Talk about software
- You deal with a lot of dental software in your line of work, so flaunt the tools you use. Detail your proficiency in software like Dentrix or Eaglesoft. This is also a good place to mention your experience in scheduling appointments and managing patient records.
- Match the job
- Read the dental assistant job description and try to tweak your resume to match. If the advertisement emphasizes sterilization and adherence to OSHA, prioritize that in your application; similarly, if it focuses on communicating with patients, highlight active listening and empathy.
Unless you have over 10 years of experience, try to fit your resume onto a single page. If you’ve worked at quite a few jobs, don’t try to fit them all in. Instead, focus on your most recent three or four positions in the dental field.
You may be able to score an entry-level job without prior experience. Talk about your background in dentistry, such as your orthodontics program or associate’s degree. You can also mention jobs in adjacent fields, such as dental receptionist.
It’s generally better to focus on your technical skills as an orthodontic dental assistant. Use the skills section to mention things like clear aligner adjustment or infection control. Let your personality shine through at the interview and even when writing an effective cover letter.
