Dental Hygienist Resume Examples & Format

Examples by experience level

All three samples are illustrative: the people, employers and every figure are made up.

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What does a dental hygienist do?

BLS says dental hygienists remove tartar, stains and plaque from teeth, apply sealants and fluorides, take and develop dental x-rays and educate patients about oral hygiene, and that nearly all work in dentists' offices, many of them part time. In the US all states require hygienists to be licensed, so a dental hygienist resume should lead with your degree, license status and CPR, then show patients per day, procedures and patient education results.

Dental Hygienist duties to put on a resume

• Remove tartar, stains and plaque from teeth.
• Apply sealants and fluorides to help protect teeth.
• Take and develop dental x-rays.
• Educate patients about oral hygiene techniques.
• Record patient charts and gum condition for the dentist.
• Follow infection-control procedures and wear protective equipment.

Best resume format for a dental hygienist

• Name the procedures and patients per day in the headline.
• Show radiograph, recall, school visit and infection-control numbers.
• One page; list your license status and CPR near the top.

The section order and what goes in each are on the how to write a resume guide; the resume format guide covers every format by type and country.

Summary examples by level

• Entry-level: New dental hygiene graduate with 6 months of clinical rotations, 120 supervised cleanings and 90 radiographs, licensed and CPR certified.
• Mid-level: Dental hygienist treating about 14 patients a day in a 6-chair practice, who raised 6-month recall attendance from 41% to 63%.
• Senior: Lead dental hygienist guiding 8 hygienists across two locations, who cut instrument-processing errors from 11 to 2 a month.

Work experience bullet points

• Treated about 14 patients a day for cleanings, gum care and education.
• Raised 6-month recall attendance from 41% to 63% with reminder calls to 900 patients.
• Took 90 dental radiographs with under 5% retakes in a year.
• Ran school oral health visits for 1,200 children across 14 schools.
• Cut instrument-processing errors from 11 to 2 a month with a sterilization checklist.
• Applied fluoride and sealants for 60 children in a single school screening.
• Trained 20 hygienists and assistants on cross-contamination control.

Key skills to list

Hard skills: Ultrasonic and hand scaling, Polishing and stain removal, Periodontal charting, Dental radiograph positioning, Fluoride and sealant application, Oral hygiene instruction, Instrument sterilization, Infection control, Impressions for study casts, Recall and follow-up systems.

Soft skills: Gentle with anxious patients, Clear explanation to children and parents, Care with infection rules, Teamwork with dentists, Steady hands and focus.

Education and certifications

• BLS says dental hygienists need an associate's degree in dental hygiene, with programs usually taking 3 years. List the school, degree and year.
• BLS says all states require dental hygienists to be licensed and requirements vary by state; prerequisites usually include a degree from an accredited program and passing written and clinical exams. List your license status as it is, and check your state's licensing board for its rules.
• BLS says many jobs also require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification. List yours with the year if you hold it.

Sources

Checked on 5 October 2026.

• Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations: National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE)
• BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dental Hygienists (what they do, work environment, how to become one)