Dentist CV—Examples and 25+ Writing Tips

You know your way around a bridge and you can hear someone say “worcestershire” through a mouthful of knuckles. Prove it to the clinic with this professional dentist CV sample.

Tom Gerencer
Tom Gerencer
Career Expert
Dentist CV—Examples and 25+ Writing Tips

In a minute, you’ll see a gleaming dentist CV sample. But first—

They say dentist jobs are tough.

The secret?

All jobs are tough. Most are tougher than dentistry.

But writing a CV for dentist jobs shouldn’t be as hard as drilling jawbones.

You just need to show your track record fits the clinic like an endosteal implant.

In this guide:

  • A dentist CV sample better than most.
  • How to write a dentist CV that shines.
  • How to insert your dentist job description for CVs into the position.
  • Why you can’t just list dentist skills (and what to do instead).

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Dentist CV Sample You Can Copy and Use

Turner Blomquist

General Dentist

Personal Info

Phone: 605-744-2231

Email: turnerzblomquist@gmail.com

linkedin.com/in/turnerzblomquist

twitter.com/turnerzblomquist

Summary

Licenced general dentist with 5+ years of experience driving revenue growth and serving patients. Seeking to enhance all aspects of the business at Michaud Dentistry. Cut staff turnover 50% and grew revenue 30% at Swanson & Rasle Dentistry.

Experience

General Dentist

Swanson & Rasle Dentistry, Sioux Falls, SD

2014–2019

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

  • Managed operations in busy dental clinic, including instruction and delegation of dental hygienists, dental assistants, and office manager.
  • Recognised for building robust relationships with clients including patients and parents. Raised patient retention by 40%.
  • Expert dentistry knowledge, including periodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, endodontics, and prosthodontics.

Key Achievement:

Improved office culture through working with team to define clinic goals. Result: 30% jump in clinic revenue and 50% less staff turnover.

Dental Assistant

Vermillion Dentistry, Vermillion, SD

2012–2014

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

  • Assisted with four-handed dentistry.
  • Performed patient education before and after procedures.
  • Trained 2 new dental assistants in X-Ray operation.
  • Assisted with 30+ root canals and crowns.

Key Achievement:

Received 99% score from dentist for efficiency in 4-handed dentistry.

Education

Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)

Sanford School of Medicine, Yankton, SD

2010–2012

  • Pursued a passion for preventative dentistry coursework.
  • Excelled in four-handed dentistry classes.

BS Health Science

University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota

2007–2010

Licence

General Dentist, State of South Dakota, Licence #000000

Certifications

2018 - General Dentistry - American Board of General Dentistry

2017 - Business Essentials - AMA

Hard Skills: Dental assessments, four-handed dentistry, preventative dentistry, bridges, crowns, & veneers, laser whitening

Soft Skills: Interpersonal skills, problem solving, communication

Here’s how to write a dentist CV that gets calls:

1. Choose the Best Dentist CV Format

Your CV format is the enamel on your job search.

Without it, everything falls apart.

Use the reverse-chronological CV format to tell your story.

Complete it with these tips:

Dentist CV Format

  • Create 1-inch margins.
  • Use one CV font like 10–12pt Arial or Garamond.
  • Make these CV sections: Heading, Summary, History, Education, and Skills.
  • Leave room between sections to avoid crowding.
  • Your CV length should be 1–2 pages, depending on experience.
  • Send them a PDF CV. Those look sharp on multiple devices.

Expert Hint: According to ADA data, dentists are among the most trusted professionals on Earth. If you’ve got a track record of gaining patient trust, show proof in your general dentist CV.

2. Insert a Dentist CV Summary or Objective

What’s worse than convincing patients X-Rays won’t kill them?

Applying to dental clinics and hearing silence.

To get traction, start your CV for dentist jobs with a winning career summary or career objective.

Include:

  1. An adjective (business-minded, efficient)
  2. “Licenced dentist” (or “general dentist” if that’s the title in the job ad)
  3. Years of experience (3+, 9+)
  4. How/who you’ll help (enhance all aspects of the business at Michaud Dentistry)
  5. Best dentist moments (grew revenue 30%...), i.e. an achievement to show off on your CV.

Write your summary last to make it easier.

See these general dentist CV examples:

Dentist CV Summary—Example

Good Example
Licenced general dentist with 5+ years of experience driving revenue growth and serving patients. Seeking to enhance all aspects of the business at Michaud Dentistry. Cut staff turnover 50% and grew revenue 30% at Swanson & Rasle Dentistry.
Bad Example
Experienced dentist, skilled in cosmetic dentistry and early dental care. A visionary expert at producing gains in revenue growth and increasing staff retention. Adept at crowns & bridges, dental assessments, and preventative dentistry.

Hmm.

The second of those dentist CV samples says you’ll grow revenue. The first adds proof.

“Wait—I can’t show numbers like that!”

No worries. A CV for dentists with no experience can still work wonders.

See this entry-level CV for dentists:

Entry-Level Dentist CV Objective

Good Example
Business-oriented, licenced dentist, skilled in bridges, crowns, and sleep apnea. Seeking to improve patient experience at Swanson & Rasle Dentistry. As dental assistant at Vermillion Dentistry, assisted with four-handed dentistry and 30+ root canals and crowns. Trained two other dental assistants in X-Ray operation.
Bad Example
Entry-level dentist, highly skilled in root canals and crowns. An expert trainer who can onboard dental assistants fast. Recognised for patient education skills and working with sleep apnea patients.

Those entry-level dentist CV examples are like a before-and-after photo.

The second claims root canals and training. The first shows you’ve cut your teeth.

Expert Hint: A study by BMC shows 62% of dentists have musculoskeletal problems like back pain, wrist, shoulder, or elbow pain. If you do yoga or other self-care to stay fit, show it in an “additional activities” section in your CV for dentist positions.

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3. Make a Fitting Dentist Job Description and Skills Section

In dental surgery, “close enough” won’t cut it.

It’s the same with dentist skills on a CV.

Here’s a quick list:

Dentist Skills for CVs

Hard Skills

Soft Skills

Dental Specialties

Bridges, Crowns, Veneers

Interpersonal Skills

Maxillofacial Surgery

Preventative Dentistry

Communication

Periodontics

Dental Assessments

Collaboration

Prosthodontics

X-Ray Operation

Attention to Detail

Endodontics

Laser Whitening

Time Management

Paediatric Dentistry

Smile Makeovers

Dexterity

Oral Radiology

Four-Handed Dentistry

Stress Management

Orthodontics

Fluoride Treatments

Analytical Thinking

Oral Surgery

Sleep Apnea

Problem Solving

Dental Hygiene

Braces

Accountability

Cosmetic Dentistry

Danger—

Your dream job might not care about most of those.

It’ll require you to include specific skills in your CV work experience section.

Take the surgical approach and find CV keywords in the dentist job ad.

Then customise your CV.

See these general dentist CV samples:

The job wants these dentist job requirements: management, relationship building, periodontics, maxillofacial surgery, and prosthodontics.

Dentist Job Description for a CV [Sample]

Good Example

Experience

General Dentist

Swanson & Rasle Dentistry, Sioux Falls, SD

2014–2019

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

  • Managed operations in busy dental clinic, including instruction and delegation of dental hygienists, dental assistants, and office manager.
  • Recognised for building robust relationships with clients including patients and parents. Raised patient retention by 40%.
  • Expert dentistry knowledge, including periodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, endodontics, and prosthodontics.
Bad Example
  • Consistently delivered high-end revenue numbers.
  • Successfully educated patients about procedures, pre-procedure preparation, and oral care following all surgeries.
  • Performed best-quality dental work and promoted community oral healthcare initiatives.
  • Coordinated dental treatment with general healthcare specialists.

Wow.

The first of those dentist CV examples is like a LightScalpel. It touches all the right spots.

New to the game?

In an entry-level CV, extract your best career moments.

See these associate dentist CV examples with no experience:

They target a job needing four-handed dentistry, patient education, training, and root canals.

Entry-Level Dentist CV Job Description [Sample]

Good Example

Dental Assistant

Vermillion Dentistry, Vermillion, SD

2012–2014

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

  • Assisted with four-handed dentistry.
  • Performed patient education before and after procedures.
  • Trained 2 new dental assistants in X-Ray operation.
  • Assisted with 30+ root canals and crowns.
Bad Example

Dental Assistant

Vermillion Dentistry, Vermillion, SD

2012–2014

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

  • Performed tasks as delegated by dentist and oral hygienists.
  • Maintained and calibrated dental equipment.
  • Operated X-Ray machine.
  • Collected and sterilised dental instruments.

Expert Tip: A study in JAMA revealed that dentists have a higher hepatitis risk than many other healthcare professionals. Show biohazard or infectious disease trainings in your dentist CV if you’ve got them.

4. Polish up Your Education Section

That DDS or DMD did not come easy.

So don’t hide it on your CV for dentist jobs.

But—

Your CV’s education section is a great way to list skills.

This general dentist CV sample shows how:

Dentist CV Example—Education

Good Example

Education

Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)

Sanford School of Medicine, Yankton, SD

2010–2012

  • Pursued a passion for preventative dentistry coursework.
  • Excelled in four-handed dentistry classes.

BS Health Science

University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota

2007–2010

Did you head up a student group or get a fellowship? Those can make dental clinic owners notice you.

5. Add More to Your Dentist CV

We’re almost there.

Your dentist CV just needs a finishing touch. With additional CV categories.

List your licence and certifications below your education.

Then if there’s room, graft on some interview bait.

You can add:

See these dentist CV examples:

Dentist CV—Extra Sections

Good Example

Licence

General Dentist, State of South Dakota, Licence #000000

Certifications

2018 - General Dentistry - American Board of General Dentistry

2017 - Business Essentials - AMA

BSA Troop Leader

  • Coordinate with 35+ children and parents in the community to organise fundraisers, trips, and events.
  • Maintain strong relationships with 50+ community members and professionals.
Bad Example

Additional Activities

  • Quidditch
  • Camping

That first dentist CV sample has it all. Even the BSA volunteering shows relationship-building and community involvement.

Expert Hint: Write a cover letter for your CV for dentist jobs. Don’t talk about yourself. Talk about the business and what you’ll do for it. Then give proof you can.

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Key Points

Here’s how to write a dentist CV:

  • Start with our dentist CV template. Add gold moments from your dentistry career.
  • List dentist skills like oral surgery or laser whitening. Show your bottom-line results.
  • Write a dentistry CV summary up top. Like a smile, it gets employers to want more.
  • Add “bonus” sections to show you know pulp from prophylaxis.

Got questions on how to write great CVs for dentist jobs? Not sure how to put dentist on a CV? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!

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Tom Gerencer
Written byTom Gerencer
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Tom Gerencer is a career expert covering a wide range of job-related topics. He’s shared his insight for jobseekers at all career levels in over 200 articles, reaching over a million readers every month. His written pieces are based on meticulous research and feature insider tips from key industry experts.

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