Dental hygienist Resume: Free Example (2026)

Start with a clear, professional header and a short profile that highlights your licensure and clinical focus. Keep the resume to one page if you have less than 10 years of experience and two pages only when you have extensive clinical leadership, research, or teaching roles.

Focus on measurable outcomes where possible, such as patient numbers, improved compliance rates, or efficiency gains. Use consistent formatting so hiring managers and applicant tracking systems can read your information without confusion.

Header: Include full name, credential initials like RDH, city and state, phone, email, and a LinkedIn URL if it is up to date. Place your license number and state below or next to contact details so it is easy to find.

Profile and Summary: Write 2 to 3 sentences that mention your years of experience, primary clinical skills, and key certifications. For example, "Licensed RDH with 5 years of preventative care experience, skilled in periodontal therapy, oral cancer screening, and patient education."

List jobs in reverse chronological order with job title, employer, location, and dates. Under each role include 4 to 6 bullet points that describe your responsibilities and measurable results.

Use active verbs and include concrete numbers when you can, such as patients treated per day, percentages of patient compliance improvement, or reductions in appointment no-shows. Avoid vague statements such as "assisted with dental procedures" and replace them with specifics like "Provided periodontal therapy to 20+ patients daily, improving plaque control scores by an average of 15 percent over six months."

Put your highest relevant degree first, followed by the school name, city, and graduation year. Directly below education list your state dental hygiene license, the license number, and expiration date so employers can verify credentials quickly.

Include CPR certification, local public health clearances, and any radiology permits. If you completed specialized training such as local anesthesia certification, list the course name, provider, and completion date.

Create a concise skills section that groups related abilities, such as Clinical Skills, Technical Skills, and Interpersonal Skills. Clinical Skills might include periodontal charting, scaling and root planing, and fluoride applications.

Technical Skills can list intraoral cameras, digital radiography, and practice management software like Dentrix or Eaglesoft. Interpersonal Skills should emphasize patient education, culturally competent care, and team collaboration.

Show current certifications such as CPR, local anesthesia, and any specialty credentials in a short, easy-to-scan list. For continuing education, include the course title, provider, and date if it is directly relevant to the position you want.

Employers value recent CE in areas like periodontal maintenance and infection control, so prioritize those entries. If you have many CE credits, list the most relevant five and note total hours if required.

Use a clean, professional font sized 10 to 12 points and 0.5 inch to 0.75 inch margins to keep the layout compact. Use bold for section headers and job titles so a hiring manager can scan your resume quickly.

Save your resume as a PDF unless the job posting asks for a Word file, and name the file with your name and job title. Avoid graphics and complex tables, as applicant tracking systems may misread them and drop key details.

Open bullet points with strong verbs like performed, improved, implemented, instructed, or coordinated. Follow verbs with specific outcomes to show impact, for example "Implemented a recall reminder system that reduced missed appointments by 18 percent."

Keep metrics realistic and honest, and only include figures you can document. If you teach or supervise, note the number of students or staff you trained and the measurable improvement where possible.

Provided comprehensive hygiene care for up to 22 patients per day, including periodontal therapy, scaling, and oral cancer screenings. Educated patients on oral hygiene resulting in an average 12 percent improvement in home care compliance across follow-up visits.

Streamlined instrument setup and sterilization workflow to reduce room turnover time by 10 percent, improving clinic throughput. Collaborated with dentists to plan periodontal maintenance and referred 8 patients to specialty care for advanced periodontal treatment last year.

Read the job posting and mirror key terms that match your experience, such as periodontal maintenance, dental software names, or specific certifications. Place exact phrases from the posting in your skills and experience sections when they are accurate to your background.

Keep headings simple and standard such as "Work Experience" and "Education" so applicant tracking systems map your sections correctly. Avoid placing important information in headers or footers where parsing software might miss it.

Write a short cover letter that connects a specific achievement on your resume to the employer's needs. For example, mention how your patient education program improved recall rates and how that can help the clinic you are applying to.

Prepare to discuss clinical scenarios and patient interactions in interviews using STAR-style answers that describe Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Bring copies of your license, certifications, and a list of references to interviews.

Header with name and RDH credentials, license number, and contact details are visible at the top. One to two page length, consistent formatting, measurable achievements, up-to-date certifications, and a PDF named with your name.

Tailored keywords match the job posting, clinical skills are grouped, and metrics are honest and verifiable. Final proofread checks spelling of clinical terms and consistency of dates.