Dentist Resume: Your Ultimate Writing Guide with Helpful Tips and Examples

Aside from that, dentists enjoy a relatively high salary, with a median amount reaching an average of 155,600 in 2019 alone. However, you will still need a well-constructed resume that sets you apart from the rest if you want to get hired in this field.

A well-crafted dentist resume shouldn’t just highlight your relevant experience and skills in the field, but it should also be striking enough to leave an impression on the hiring manager and convince them you’re the right person for the job.

With that said, in this article, you’ll find everything you need to know about writing the perfect dentist resume that can increase your chances of getting hired – from what to include and how to structure it to helpful tips and examples.

So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

What You Need to Know About the Dentist Job Market

As mentioned, dentists are some of the essential and most well-respected members of the community. It’s a lucrative field to enter not just because of the higher average salary but also because of the opportunities and flexibility this career path offers.

For example, licensed dentists can start their own private practice in their state or work in locations like state government facilities, public hospitals, and residential facilities for persons with disabilities.

The latter offers dentists the opportunity to practice their expertise without dealing with the business aspect of running a private practice.

Dentists are also ranked fifth in terms of the best healthcare jobs in the US, and the job market is expected to experience a steady growth rate of 19.4% until 2026.

Moreover, the demand for dentists has increased over the last few years, especially with the increasing popularity of specific dental services like cosmetic dental procedures.

In terms of salary, dentists, on average, receive a median salary of about 208,000 USD in 2021. This amount is set to increase in the coming years as the demand for dental services rises. In some states, the annual average is higher.

For example, the annual average salary for dentists in California, the state with the highest number of employed dentists, is around 222,000 USD. Moreover, you should note that dentistry has several sub-specializations, which can affect just how much you earn.

Some dental specialties you need to take note of include:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Endodontics
• Cosmetic Dentistry
• Orthodontics
• Prosthodontics

However, no matter what dental specialty you have, you will still need an excellent resume to land that job at your clinic of choice.

How to Create a Well-Written Dentist Resume

If you’re trying to get hired as a dentist at a local clinic, you will need a well-written dentist resume that highlights and perfectly showcases your skills and experience as a dental practitioner.

After all, even if you have all the necessary qualifications and experience, it won’t matter as much if the hiring manager fails to recognize these because of a poorly crafted resume. Of course, not everyone is well-versed in writing excellent resumes.

If that’s the case, the first step is to choose from our collection of resume templates. These can help you write the perfect resumes, regardless of your designing skills or level of experience.

With that said, an excellent dentist resume typically has the following sections:

• Contact Information
• Professional Summary
• Employment History
• Educational Background
• List of Relevant Skills
• Other Pertinent Information (Languages, Certifications and Awards, Volunteer Work, Etc.)

There are also a few things you can do to make your dentist resume stand out more to the hiring manager. Some tips that you may find helpful include:

• Make sure that your resume is short, concise, and easy to read. Doing so will make it easier for the hiring manager to go over your application, especially with the limited time they have to do so.
• Double-check job postings for relevant keywords you can include in your resume and increase your chances of getting hired.
• Keep your dentist resume neat and readable with a professional font. Stick to fonts like Arial and Times New Roman with a 10 to 12 font size to ensure readability.
• Put the most crucial information first and only include what’s relevant.
• Personalize your resume to better cater to each post you’re applying for.

Correctly Display Your Contact Information

One of the most vital parts of a resume is your contact information, but you don’t need to add anything extra for this part. This section only serves as a way for the hiring manager to contact you regarding your application.

In this case, you only need to include the following information:

• Your Full Name
• Your Title (General Dentist, Pediatric Dentist, Orthodontist, etc.)
• Your Current Phone Number
• Your Active Email Address
• Your Current Location

Again, this section should have minimal fuss and be straight to the point so that it looks more professional. Therefore, you should avoid including any unnecessary information, such as your complete home address or date of birth.

An example of correctly displayed contact information:

CORRECT

Robert Thompson

General Dentist

949-555-0101

robert.thompson@gmail.com

Irvine, CA

This example includes relevant information that the hiring manager would need to contact you regarding the position.

An example of a bad contact information section:

INCORRECT

Robert Thompson

General Dentist

949-555-0101

robert.thompson@gmail.com

1172 Clarence Court

Irvine, CA 92614

07/02/1980

Again, including information like your full address and birthdate isn’t necessary when creating an effective dentist resume.

Write a Compelling Dentist Resume Summary

If you want to increase your chances of getting hired as a dentist, you need to ensure you make a lasting impression on the hiring manager through your dentist resume. This is where your resume summary comes in.

This section serves as your introduction, so it needs to be concise but compelling enough to command the reader’s attention. This usually goes below your contact information, and it’s composed of 2 to 4 sentences that summarize your professional experience and achievements.

A good example of this would be:

CORRECT

Friendly and professional dentist with over 10 years of experience in providing dental care to patients in California. Implemented a new scheduling system that reduced appointment cancelations by 40%. Relevant skills include restorative dental procedures, cosmetic dentistry, and ICON aesthetic infiltration.

Make Your Work Experience Stand Out

Aside from an effective resume summary, it would be best if you also made your work experience stand out. After all, nothing else says you’re the right person for the job than your relevant work experience.

In general, you need to observe the following structure when writing this section:

• Company Name
• Position
• Dates
• Your Responsibilities and Achievements

An example of this would be:

CORRECT

Bright Smiles California

Dentist

March 2009 – June 2014

• Consulted with and assessed over 3000 patients for oral health conditions and provided the appropriate treatments for each case
• Increased patient retention rate by 25% by approaching patients with respect and consideration
• Successfully performed root canals and other complex dental procedures in 50+ patients
• Educated patients about the importance of oral health and oral hygiene procedures, the options for proactive dental care, available treatment options for different cases

Correctly List Down Your Educational Background

After showcasing your work experience, the next section you need to include is your educational background. Like with your contact information, there’s no need to make this section more complicated.

This part of your dentist resume should also be short and straight to the point, simply listing all your educational attainment.

In this case, you only need to include the following:

• Attained Degree and Major
• Your University’s Name
• Years Attended

For example, this is how it should look like:

CORRECT

Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)

New York University

2005-2009

In this part, you only need to include the highest educational attainment that’s relevant to your field. This means that other academic achievements like your high school or elementary school aren’t required.

Skills to Include in Your Dentist Resume

The competition can be fierce, especially with more and more people aspiring to become dentists. That’s why you need to convince the hiring manager that you’re the right person for the job by highlighting the top skills you have that make you the ideal candidate.

Skills can be categorized into three sections: hard skills, soft skills, and specializations. Some examples of the skills you can include are:

Hard Skills

• Dental Assessments
• Four-Handed Dentistry
• Smile Makeovers
• Crowns, Bridges, and Veneers
• Laser Whitening
• Fluoride Treatments
• Restorative Dental Procedures
• Clinical treatments

Soft Skills

• Works well under pressure
• Communication skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Time management
• Collaborative and team player
• Detail-oriented
• Problem-solving

Specializations

• Periodontics
• Maxillofacial Surgery
• Oral Surgery
• Endodontics
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Extensive cosmetic procedures
• Routine restorative treatment
• Restorative treatments

Additional Sections You Can Include in Your Dentist Resume Template

The sections mentioned above are the ones most crucial to a dentist’s resume, and they should be enough for most hiring managers. However, you can also leverage the other skills or experiences you may have to increase the chances of being hired.

These sections will beef up your resume and showcase the other qualifications you have that may convince the hiring managers that you’re the ideal candidate for the job.

Some other sections you can add to your dentist’s resume are:

Awards, Certifications, and Licenses

Hiring managers are always looking for more competitive candidates to fill in positions, so if you have won any awards or completed relevant courses that add to your expertise, including these in your resume can work in your favor.

Some examples of these are:

• Board Certification in Pediatric Dentistry – certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
• General Dentistry – certified by the American Board of General Dentistry
• “Dental Implant Course” – Coursera certificate

Languages

Being multilingual isn’t really necessary when you’re a dentist, but knowing a few other languages can come in handy, especially in an increasingly globalized world.

Moreover, being proficient in other languages can also help you connect more easily with patients, especially those whose native language isn’t English.

With that said, when including a language section in your resume, make sure to rank them according to your level of proficiency. These are:

• Basic
• Intermediate or Advanced
• Proficient
• Fluent
• Native

You can also include any relevant language certificates you may have, such as:

• DELF for French
• DELE for Spanish
• Zertifikat Deutsch for German

Volunteer Work

Another section you can include to make your application stand out from other dentists vying for the position is any volunteer work you may have done in the past. Listing down your volunteer work experiences can show how well-rounded you are as an individual and professional.

How to Boost Your Dentist Resume: Some Helpful Tips

What else can you do to boost your chances of getting hired with your resume? Well, here are some helpful tips you can apply:

• Make sure that all the information is accurate and up to date, especially your contact information.
• Keep your resume looking neat and professional with the right font and font size. Make it readable and easy to scan with bullet points and subheadings.
• Only include the essential pertinent information and avoid including anything that may be deemed irrelevant to the job post.
• Don’t shy away from listing any relevant achievements you may have in the field of dentistry.

Summarizing: How to Write a Resume for Dental Jobs

After finishing your resume and sending it out, remember:

• Emphasize your dental skills and achievements on your summary and your experience
• Detail the dental services you’ve performed and specialized in
• Try to make your resume one page long, or two pages long at max if you have extensive experience
• Double-check your resume to make sure there’s no typo or inaccurate information

Write the Perfect Cover Letter to Match Your Resume

Unless the hiring manager specifically states that a cover letter isn’t needed, it’s best to include one with your application along with your resume. Cover letters allow you to explain in detail your skills, experience, and achievements in the field of dentistry.

It also serves as the perfect way to show the hiring manager that your goals align with the company. If writing isn’t your strong suit, you can also check out some of our cover letter examples to see how it’s done. This way, you will complement your dentist resume sample and multiply your chances of getting any job.