Dental Hygienist Resume Example & Writing Guide
View a professional dental hygienist resume example with proven bullet points, key skills, and expert tips. Copy what works and customize with your own experience.
Professional Summary Examples
Start your resume with a compelling summary. Here are proven examples you can adapt:
Licensed dental hygienist with 5+ years of experience providing comprehensive preventive care in busy general dentistry practice. Managed hygiene schedule of 10+ patients daily with 98% patient retention rate. Expert in periodontal therapy, radiograph interpretation, and oral health education.
Dental hygienist specializing in periodontal care and laser therapy. Treated 2,000+ patients annually including complex periodontal cases requiring scaling and root planing. Achieved 85% improvement in periodontal probing depths across treated patients.
Patient-focused dental hygienist with experience in pediatric and orthodontic settings. Provided preventive care for 600+ children annually with focus on sealant application and fluoride treatments. Known for reducing patient anxiety through gentle technique and effective communication.
Work Experience Bullet Points
Use these achievement-focused bullet points as inspiration. Replace the numbers with your own metrics.
- Provided comprehensive dental hygiene services for 10+ patients daily including prophylaxis, periodontal therapy, and oral health assessments
- Maintained 98% patient retention rate through excellent clinical care, patient education, and relationship building
- Performed scaling and root planing procedures on 400+ patients annually, achieving 85% improvement in periodontal probing depths
- Captured and interpreted dental radiographs (bitewing, periapical, panoramic) for 2,000+ patients with 100% technique accuracy
- Applied 500+ dental sealants and fluoride treatments annually, contributing to 30% reduction in pediatric cavity rates
- Educated patients on oral hygiene techniques, nutrition, and smoking cessation, improving home care compliance by 40%
- Maintained 100% compliance with OSHA infection control standards including sterilization, PPE, and waste management protocols
- Assisted dentist with 200+ restorative and surgical procedures including extractions, crown preparations, and implant placements
- Updated and maintained patient records in Dentrix for 3,000+ active patients, ensuring accurate treatment documentation
- Mentored 3 new dental hygienists on clinical protocols, patient management, and practice software systems
Key Skills for Dental Hygienist Resume
Include these skills on your resume to pass ATS screening and impress recruiters:
Recommended Certifications
These certifications can strengthen your dental hygienist resume:
Tips for Your Dental Hygienist Resume
- Quantify your achievements: Use specific numbers, percentages, and dollar amounts to demonstrate impact.
- Use industry keywords: Include terms from the job description to pass ATS screening.
- Lead with action verbs: Start bullet points with strong verbs like developed, implemented, increased, reduced.
- Keep it concise: Aim for one page unless you have 10+ years of relevant experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a dental hygienist include on their resume?
Include your RDH license, local anesthesia and nitrous oxide certifications, and CPR/BLS. Highlight daily patient volume, perio treatment outcomes, and patient retention rates. Mention specific dental software (Dentrix, Eaglesoft), radiograph types, and any expanded functions permitted in your state.
How do I write a dental hygienist resume with no experience?
Emphasize your clinical hours from dental hygiene school, board exam scores (NBDHE), and any externship experience. Include hands-on skills practiced during training and patient interactions. Highlight volunteer dental work and any customer service experience from prior roles.
What makes a dental hygienist resume competitive?
Include quantified outcomes: patient retention rates, periodontal improvements, cavity rate reductions, and daily patient volume. Highlight specialized skills like laser therapy, local anesthesia, or expanded functions. Show continuing education and any community outreach or public health experience.
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