Healthcare
Dental Assistant Resume Example
This page shows a full resume for a registered dental assistant with 7 years of chairside experience in general and pediatric dentistry. Use it as a guide for your own resume.
Under the example, you find summary examples for new and experienced dental assistants, and strong bullet points. You also find the chairside and radiography skills that dentists ask for, advice on state and national credentials, and the keywords for applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Updated
The job in numbers (US)
Below the median for all jobs.
- Dental Assistant$48,070
- All jobs in the US$50,980
- Jobs
- 388,600 jobs (2025)
- Job outlook
- 7% growth (2025–35)
- Typical education
- Postsecondary certificate or diploma (about 1 year)
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook. Median pay: $48,070 per year (May 2025).
Full dental assistant resume example
The example uses the free LaTeX template. The person, the employers, and the numbers are fictional.
Hannah Lindqvist
Registered Dental Assistant, CDA | General and Pediatric Dentistry
hannah.lindqvist@example.com · (555) 012-7741 · Grand Rapids, MI, US
Summary
Registered dental assistant with 7 years of chairside experience in general and pediatric dentistry. Assist 2 dentists with 14–18 patients per day in a 4-dentist, 10-operatory practice. Take 25–35 digital radiographs per day with a retake rate under 3%. CDA (DANB), Michigan RDA, and BLS certified.
Experience
General and cosmetic practice with 4 dentists, 3 hygienists, 10 operatories, and about 60 patient visits per day.
- --Assist 2 dentists chairside with 14–18 patients per day: fillings, crowns and bridges, root canals, extractions, and implant restorations.
- --Take and process 25–35 digital radiographs per day (bitewings, periapicals, and panoramic images); retake rate under 3% in 2025 chart audits.
- --Capture 10–12 intraoral scans per week with iTero for crowns and clear aligner cases; lab remakes for crown fit fell from 7% to 2%.
- --Run sterilization for 10 operatories and the weekly spore test on 2 autoclaves; 0 failed spore tests since 2022.
- --Trained 5 new dental assistants on tray setups, Dentrix charting, and infection control in a 3-week orientation.
Pediatric practice with 2 dentists and about 45 patient visits per day.
- --Assisted with 20–25 children per day, including fillings, stainless steel crowns, pulpotomies, and extractions.
- --Applied sealants and fluoride varnish for 10–15 children per day under the supervision of the dentist.
- --Taught brushing and diet habits to 30–40 parents per week with a 5-minute chairside routine.
- --Ordered supplies with a $4,000 monthly budget and cut expired stock from $350 to $60 per month with first-in, first-out rotation.
- --Confirmed next-day appointments by phone and text; the no-show rate fell from 14% to 9% in 2021.
Education
Skills
Certificates
How to write a dental assistant resume summary
Write 3 or 4 sentences. Start with your title and your years of chairside experience. Name the practice type, the number of dentists that you assist, and the procedures that you know. End with your credentials. A state license or registration, such as a registered dental assistant (RDA) license, decides which duties you can do. The Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) credential shows knowledge at a national level.
- 1Title and years of experience
- 2Setting and scope
- 3One result with a number
- 4Certifications or licenses
Registered dental assistant with 7 years of chairside experience in general and pediatric dentistry. Assist 2 dentists with 14–18 patients per day, including crowns, root canals, and implant restorations. Take 25–35 digital radiographs per day with a retake rate under 3%. CDA (DANB), Michigan RDA, and BLS certified.
Dental assisting graduate (certificate, May 2026) with 300 clinical hours in a general practice and a pediatric clinic. Assisted with 120 restorative procedures and took 200 supervised radiographs. Passed the DANB Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) and Infection Control (ICE) exams; BLS certified.
Dental assistant with 5 years of general dentistry experience who completed an expanded function dental assistant (EFDA) program in 2026. Placed and finished 150 supervised restorations in training. Applies for an EFDA job in a high-volume restorative practice.
Dental Assistant resume bullet points
Start each bullet with a verb. Name the procedure, the number of patients, or the number of images. A dentist wants to know which procedures you can assist with on the first day. Write them by name: crowns, root canals, extractions, implants, or sealants.
Weak
Assisted the dentist.
Strong
Assist 2 dentists chairside with 14–18 patients per day: fillings, crowns, root canals, extractions, and implant restorations.
Weak
Took x-rays.
Strong
Take 25–35 digital radiographs per day (bitewings, periapicals, and panoramic images) with a retake rate under 3%.
Weak
Cleaned and sterilized instruments.
Strong
Run sterilization for 10 operatories and the weekly spore test on 2 autoclaves; 0 failed spore tests since 2022.
Weak
Ordered supplies.
Strong
Ordered supplies with a $4,000 monthly budget and cut expired stock from $350 to $60 per month with first-in, first-out rotation.
Weak
Helped with scheduling.
Strong
Confirmed next-day appointments by phone and text; the no-show rate fell from 14% to 9% in 2021.
Use only numbers that are true. If you do not know an exact number, give a range or a frequency, such as “10–15 per day”. Do not put the names or private details of patients, clients, or students in a bullet.
Skills for a dental assistant resume
Job skills
- Four-handed dentistry
- Chairside assisting
- Dental radiography
- Infection control and sterilization
- Impressions and intraoral scans
- Temporary crown fabrication
- Sealants and fluoride varnish
- Dental charting
- Tray setup
- Oral hygiene instruction
People skills
- Calm care for anxious and young patients
- Clear chairside communication
- Attention to detail in charts
- Teamwork with dentists and hygienists
- Time management in a full schedule
- Patient privacy and discretion
Software and tools
- Dentrix
- Eaglesoft
- Open Dental
- SoftDent
- Dexis
- iTero
- CEREC
- Microsoft Excel
Certifications and licenses
Write the credential, the issuer, and the date. For a state credential, write the state and the title exactly as the state writes it. Duties and radiography certification rules differ by state. Some states require a course, an exam, or a registration before an assistant takes x-rays or does expanded duties. Check the rules in your state with the state board of dentistry.
- Certified Dental Assistant (CDA)
- A national certification from the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). It has three component exams: General Chairside Assisting (GC), Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), and Infection Control (ICE). DANB also requires current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
- Radiography certification
- Many states require it before you take x-rays. Some states accept the DANB RHS exam, and other states use their own course or exam. Write the state with the credential. Check the rules in your state.
- State registration or license
- Titles differ by state, for example Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) or Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA). A state credential often allows more duties, such as sealants or coronal polishing.
- CPR or Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Many practices require it. DANB requires it for certification. Write the issuer and keep it current.
- DANB specialty certifications
- Optional. For example, Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) for orthodontic practices, or Certified Preventive Functions Dental Assistant (CPFDA) for preventive duties.
ATS keywords for a dental assistant resume
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is the software that employers use to collect and sort applications. Recruiters search it for words from the job posting. Job postings for this role often use the words below. Use a word only when it is true for you.
- chairside assisting
- four-handed dentistry
- dental radiography
- digital x-rays
- panoramic
- infection control
- sterilization
- OSHA
- CDC guidelines
- impressions
- intraoral scanner
- temporary crowns
- sealants
- Dentrix
- Eaglesoft
- patient education
- treatment plan
- dental charting
- CDA
- BLS
Which of these words does your resume have? Paste a job description, and PDF CV shows the match.
Check your resumeTips for a dental assistant resume
Write the duties that your state lets you do
A dentist reads your resume to see which tasks you can do on the first day. If your state credential allows radiographs, sealants, or coronal polishing, write these duties in your bullets. Do not list a duty that your state does not allow for your credential.
List procedures by name
Write "crowns, root canals, extractions, and implants", not "assisted with procedures". A general practice, an oral surgery office, and an orthodontic office need different skills. Put the procedures that match the job posting first.
Show infection control with facts
Every practice must follow infection control rules, and an inspector can check them. Write what you do, such as instrument sterilization, the weekly spore test, and the number of operatories. A number shows that the task is yours.
Name your practice software and imaging systems
Write the practice management software, such as Dentrix or Eaglesoft, and the imaging or scan system, such as Dexis or iTero. A practice that uses the same system needs less time to train you.
Keep it to one page
One page is usually enough for a dental assistant resume. Put your credentials near the top, because the dentist checks them first. Use a plain layout without tables, so an applicant tracking system can read it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a dental assistant resume with no experience?
Put your dental assisting program, your clinical hours, and your certifications first. List each clinical site with the practice type and the procedures that you helped with. If you did not go to a program, show related work, such as a front desk job in a dental office. Also list any DANB exams that you passed.
What certifications should a dental assistant list on a resume?
List each state credential with the state, such as a radiography certificate or a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) title. Add national certifications from DANB, such as the CDA, the COA, or the RHS and ICE exams, and your CPR or BLS card. Requirements differ by state, so check the rules in your state.
Do dental assistants need a license?
It depends on the state. Many states do not require a license for entry-level work, but some states require a license, a registration, or a certificate for x-rays and expanded duties. Contact your state board of dentistry for the exact rules.
What skills should a dental assistant put on a resume?
Put chairside skills, such as four-handed dentistry and tray setup, and the procedures that you know. Add radiography, infection control, and impressions or intraoral scans. Name your software, such as Dentrix or Eaglesoft. Show soft skills, such as care for anxious patients, in a bullet with a result.
Should a dental assistant resume include front office skills?
Yes, if you have them. Small practices often ask assistants to schedule patients, confirm appointments, and explain treatment costs. Write one bullet about this work with a number, such as the change in the no-show rate.
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