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As a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA), your resume should showcase your specialized skills and knowledge in dental assisting. Stay updated on industry trends to demonstrate your commitment to providing top-notch patient care. For example, highlight your knowledge of new dental technologies and how they benefit patients and dental practices. In recent years, digital dentistry has taken off, so showcasing your proficiency in using digital equipment and software can help set you apart from other applicants.
It's also important to emphasize your ability to work well with others, as RDAs are essential members of the dental team. Highlight your interpersonal skills, such as empathy and active listening, which contribute to a positive patient experience and seamless communication among team members.
As an RDA, you should list any specialized skills, certifications, and training courses you've completed that relate to dental assisting. For instance, if you've earned certifications in radiology, CPR, or infection control, make sure to include them on your resume to demonstrate your expertise and commitment to patient care.
Highlight your experience using digital dentistry tools and equipment, such as digital X-ray machines, intraoral scanners, and dental practice management software. This shows employers that you're keeping up with technology trends and can easily adapt to a modern dental practice.
Registered dental assistants (RDAs) have the highest educational requirements and will handle virtually everything in a dental office except the duties of the dentist. RDAs conduct administrative and clerical duties (such as scheduling and preparing clinical spaces for patients) and clinical duties such as taking x-rays and administering topical anesthesia. Hiring managers will be looking for advanced responsibilities that have grown over time, which can be augmented through the use of strong action verbs.
As a registered dental assistant, you should be able to indicate that you have been growing in the degree of responsibility in your position over time. You can illustrate that in your resume by ensuring that your most recent position involves your most impressive accomplishments (such as performing procedures or attending professional development workshops).
To emphasize that you are familiar with the role of dental assistant, each one of your accomplishments should begin with an appropriate action verb. You should aim to include verbs like “assisted”, “prepared”, “provided”, or “fabricated” (with others listed below) to hammer in your understanding of the position.
As a hiring manager who has recruited for dental practices across the country, including Aspen Dental and Heartland Dental, I have reviewed hundreds of resumes for Registered Dental Assistants. Based on my experience, I have compiled a list of tips that will help your resume stand out and increase your chances of getting hired. These tips are specific to the Registered Dental Assistant role and will showcase your relevant skills and experience to potential employers.
Employers want to see that you have the necessary qualifications to work as a Registered Dental Assistant. Make sure to:
By emphasizing your certifications, you show employers that you meet the legal requirements and have the training to excel in the role.
A resume summary, also known as a professional summary or career summary, is an optional section that appears at the top of your resume, just below your contact information. While it's not a mandatory component, a well-crafted summary can be a valuable addition to your Registered Dental Assistant resume. It allows you to highlight your most relevant qualifications and experiences, and can help you stand out from other candidates.
However, it's important to note that an objective statement, which was once a common feature on resumes, is now considered outdated and should be avoided. Instead, focus on creating a concise and compelling summary that showcases your skills and accomplishments.
Your work experience section is the heart of your resume. It's where you show hiring managers what you've accomplished in previous roles, and how that translates to the registered dental assistant position you're applying for. Use these tips to make sure your work experience section is as strong as it can be.
When describing your previous roles, use strong action verbs that are specific to the dental industry. This helps hiring managers quickly understand your responsibilities and accomplishments.
Examples of weak, generic verbs:
Instead, use strong, specific verbs like:
The education section of your registered dental assistant resume should be concise yet informative. It's a crucial section that showcases your qualifications and training. Here are some tips to help you craft an effective education section:
Your skills section is one of the most important parts of your resume as a registered dental assistant. It's where you showcase your abilities and qualifications that make you a strong candidate for the job. In this section, we'll cover some key tips to help you write a compelling skills section that will catch the attention of hiring managers and help you land your next dental assistant role.
Here are examples of popular skills from Registered Dental Assistant job descriptions that you can include on your resume.
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Registered Dental Assistant job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more likely you should include it in your resume.
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