Dental Assistant Resume Examples
A dental assistant resume should show your credentials first, such as a state radiography certificate, RDA or EFDA where your state has them, or the DANB's CDA, then the chairside work: four-handed procedures, x-rays, impressions and sterilization. Name the practice software you chart in, such as Dentrix, Eaglesoft or Open Dental, and the type of practice, from general dentistry to orthodontics or oral surgery.
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Sample resume
Entry-level dental assistant resume example
For a new dental assistant whose chairside experience is a program externship, after a front-desk job.
Professional Summary
Dental assistant who completed a nine-month program with a 300-hour externship in general dentistry. Certified to take x-rays in Oregon, trained in four-handed dentistry and sterilization, and comfortable charting in Dentrix.
Licenses and Certifications
Radiologic Proficiency Certificate
Jun 2026Oregon Board of Dentistry
Infection Control (ICE)
May 2026Dental Assisting National Board
Basic Life Support (BLS)
Jan 2026American Heart Association
Clinical Experience
Dental Assistant Extern
Feb 2026 – May 2026Willamette Family Dental · Portland, OR
Assisted chairside on 8-12 patients a day during fillings, crowns, extractions and cleanings.
Took bitewings and full-mouth x-ray series under the dentist's supervision.
Sterilized instruments, set up and broke down four operatories, and logged spore tests.
Front Desk Associate
Jun 2023 – Jan 2026Rose City Fitness · Portland, OR
Checked in 150+ members a day and answered phone and email questions.
Booked personal training sessions and kept the trainers' schedules full.
Handled billing questions and membership holds politely and accurately.
Education
Dental Assisting Certificate
Sep 2025 – May 2026Columbia Gorge Career College · Portland, OR
Skills
- Four-handed dentistry
- Dental radiography
- Instrument sterilization
- Operatory setup
- Patient education
- Infection control
- Dentrix
Madison Reed
Dental Assistant
Portland, OR · (503) 555-0169 · madison.reed@email.com
Dental assistant who completed a nine-month program with a 300-hour externship in general dentistry. Certified to take x-rays in Oregon, trained in four-handed dentistry and sterilization, and comfortable charting in Dentrix.
Read the full resume
Licenses and Certifications
Radiologic Proficiency Certificate
Oregon Board of Dentistry
Jun 2026
Infection Control (ICE)
Dental Assisting National Board
May 2026
Basic Life Support (BLS)
American Heart Association
Jan 2026
Clinical Experience
Dental Assistant Extern
Willamette Family Dental · Portland, OR
Feb 2026 – May 2026
Assisted chairside on 8-12 patients a day during fillings, crowns, extractions and cleanings.
Took bitewings and full-mouth x-ray series under the dentist's supervision.
Sterilized instruments, set up and broke down four operatories, and logged spore tests.
Front Desk Associate
Rose City Fitness · Portland, OR
Jun 2023 – Jan 2026
Checked in 150+ members a day and answered phone and email questions.
Booked personal training sessions and kept the trainers' schedules full.
Handled billing questions and membership holds politely and accurately.
Education
Dental Assisting Certificate
Columbia Gorge Career College · Portland, OR
Sep 2025 – May 2026
Skills
Four-handed dentistry, Dental radiography, Instrument sterilization, Operatory setup, Patient education, Infection control, Dentrix
Sample resume
Experienced registered dental assistant resume example
For an RDA or CDA with years in general dentistry who now assists in a specialty such as oral surgery.
Lauren Kim
Registered Dental Assistant · Oral Surgery and Implants
Professional Summary
Registered dental assistant with eight years in general dentistry and oral surgery. Assist with extractions, implants and sedation cases, run sterilization for six operatories, and train new assistants. Certified Dental Assistant (CDA).
Licenses and Certifications
Texas State Board of Dental Examiners
Dental Assisting National Board
American Heart Association
Clinical Experience
Trinity Oral and Implant Surgery
Dallas, TXAssist two oral surgeons with 12-16 procedures a day, including wisdom teeth, bone grafts and implant placement.
Monitor vital signs during sedation cases and prepare and recover patients under the surgeon's direction.
Run sterilization for six operatories and log weekly spore tests, with no failed results in four years.
Trained five new assistants and wrote the practice's operatory setup guides.
Lakewood Smiles Dentistry
Dallas, TXAssisted chairside with 18-22 general dentistry patients a day, from fillings and crowns to root canals.
Took bitewings, full-mouth series and panoramic images, and captured iTero scans for crowns and aligners.
Scheduled follow-ups and presented treatment plans in Dentrix.
Education
North Texas Allied Health Institute
Dallas, TXSkills
Chairside: Oral surgery assisting, Implant procedures, Sedation monitoring, Four-handed dentistry
Imaging: Panoramic and full-mouth x-rays, iTero scanning
Systems: Dentrix, Dexis
Lauren Kim
Registered Dental Assistant · Oral Surgery and Implants
Dallas, TX · (214) 555-0146 · lauren.kim@email.com
Registered dental assistant with eight years in general dentistry and oral surgery. Assist with extractions, implants and sedation cases, run sterilization for six operatories, and train new assistants. Certified Dental Assistant (CDA).
Read the full resume
Licenses and Certifications
Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
Texas State Board of Dental Examiners
Mar 2018
Certified Dental Assistant (CDA)
Dental Assisting National Board
Oct 2019
Basic Life Support (BLS)
American Heart Association
May 2025
Clinical Experience
Lead Dental Assistant, Oral Surgery
Trinity Oral and Implant Surgery · Dallas, TX
Jun 2021 – Present
Assist two oral surgeons with 12-16 procedures a day, including wisdom teeth, bone grafts and implant placement.
Monitor vital signs during sedation cases and prepare and recover patients under the surgeon's direction.
Run sterilization for six operatories and log weekly spore tests, with no failed results in four years.
Trained five new assistants and wrote the practice's operatory setup guides.
Dental Assistant
Lakewood Smiles Dentistry · Dallas, TX
Mar 2018 – May 2021
Assisted chairside with 18-22 general dentistry patients a day, from fillings and crowns to root canals.
Took bitewings, full-mouth series and panoramic images, and captured iTero scans for crowns and aligners.
Scheduled follow-ups and presented treatment plans in Dentrix.
Education
Dental Assisting Certificate
North Texas Allied Health Institute · Dallas, TX
Aug 2017 – Feb 2018
Skills
- Chairside: Oral surgery assisting, Implant procedures, Sedation monitoring, Four-handed dentistry
- Imaging: Panoramic and full-mouth x-rays, iTero scanning
- Systems: Dentrix, Dexis
The people and employers in these samples are fictional. The licenses, tools and duties are the real ones employers ask for, so replace every detail with your own.
How to write a dental assistant resume
- 1
List the credentials your state recognizes: radiography certificate, RDA or EFDA, and DANB certifications such as CDA, RHS or ICE
- 2
Name the procedures you assist with: fillings, crowns, root canals, extractions, implants, orthodontic adjustments
- 3
Show x-ray and imaging skills: bitewings, full-mouth series, panoramic, and intraoral scanners such as iTero
- 4
Include infection control: instrument sterilization, spore testing and OSHA compliance
- 5
Name the software: Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental or Dexis imaging
Weak and strong dental assistant bullet points
A duty says what the job was. A strong bullet says what you did, how much of it, and what changed.
The numbers in these examples are illustrative, not real results. Use your own, and only ones you can explain in an interview.
Assisted the dentist
Assisted two dentists chairside with 18-22 patients a day, from fillings and crowns to extractions and implant placements
Took x-rays
Took bitewings, full-mouth series and panoramic images for 10-15 patients a day, with few retakes
Cleaned instruments
Ran sterilization for six operatories and logged weekly spore tests, with no failed results in two years
More dental assistant bullets to adapt
Each one follows action, task and result. Swap in your own numbers: an employer may ask about any of them.
The numbers in these examples are illustrative, not real results. Use your own, and only ones you can explain in an interview.
Captured crown and aligner scans with an iTero intraoral scanner, replacing most traditional impressions
Walked patients through post-op instructions after extractions and root canals, calming anxious patients with clear steps
Scheduled follow-ups and presented treatment plans in Dentrix, helping the team fill the next day's schedule
Kept the practice's OSHA logs, safety data sheets and waterline testing current for annual inspections
Keywords employers use for dental assistant roles
- Chairside Assisting
- Four-Handed Dentistry
- Dental Radiography
- Infection Control
- Sterilization
- Dentrix
- Eaglesoft
- Impressions
- Patient Education
- CDA
Templates for dental assistant resumes
Single-column designs that applicant tracking systems read in order.
Dental Assistant resume questions
How do I write a dental assistant resume with no experience?
Lead with your training program and its externship: the practice, the hours and the procedures you assisted with. Put any radiography or infection control certificate at the top, because many states require one before you take x-rays. Add customer service work and CPR or BLS, and name the dental software you trained on.
Do dental assistants need a license?
Rules vary by state. Some states let dental assistants learn on the job, others require registration, and many require a radiography certificate or exam before you take x-rays. Expanded duties such as coronal polishing or sealants usually need extra credentials. Check your state dental board and list what you hold under your name.
Should I list the dental software I know?
Yes. Practices run on software like Dentrix, Eaglesoft and Open Dental, and knowing theirs means less training for them. List it in your skills and show it in a bullet, such as charting and scheduling in Dentrix.
More healthcare resume examples
Build your dental assistant resume
Start from a template, paste in what fits from these samples, and change every detail to your own.
Free to build. First PDF or Word download free.