As a dental administrative assistant, articulating your multi-faceted clerical and interpersonal skills on a resume can be particularly challenging due to the unique blend of technical and patient relations expertise required in this field. Our comprehensive guide offers targeted advice and examples to help you showcase your abilities effectively, ensuring your resume stands out to potential employers.
- Sample industry-leading examples to learn how to write your best resume yet.
- Improve the experience, education, and achievements section of your resume with insights from resume-writing professionals.
- Curate your technical expertise and personality to stand out amongst the pool of candidates.
- Succinctly focus on your unique skill set all through your dental administrative assistant resume.
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Professional dental administrative assistant resume format advice
Achieving the most suitable resume format can at times seem like a daunting task at hand.
Which elements are most important to recruiters?
In which format should you submit your resume?
How should you list your experience?
Unless specified otherwise, here's how to achieve a professional look and feel for your resume.
- Present your experience following the reverse-chronological resume format . It showcases your most recent jobs first and can help recruiters attain a quick glance at how your career has progressed.
- The header is the must-have element for your resume. Apart from your contact details, you could also include your portfolio and a headline, that reflects on your current role or a distinguishable achievement.
- Select relevant information to the role, that should encompass no more than two pages of your resume.
- Download your resume in PDF to ensure that its formatting stays intact.
Keep in mind market-specific formats – for example, a Canadian resume might follow a different structure.
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PRO TIP
If you failed to obtain one of the certificates, as listed in the requirements, but decide to include it on your resume, make sure to include a note somewhere that you have the "relevant training, but are planning to re-take the exams". Support this statement with the actual date you're planning to be re-examined. Always be honest on your resume.
The key to your dental administrative assistant job-winning resume - present your expertise with these sections:
- A header to make your resume more scannable
- Snapshot of who you are as a professional with your resume soft skills, achievements, and summary or objective
- Job advert keywords in the skills section of your resume
- Resume experience quantifying your past job successes with metrics
- A relevant education, certification, and technical sills section to provide background to your technological/software capabilities
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Experience with dental practice management software (e.g., Dentrix, EagleSoft).
- Understanding of dental terminology and procedures.
- Proficiency in scheduling appointments and managing patient records.
- Experience with insurance claims processing and billing for dental services.
- Excellent customer service skills, including phone etiquette and in-office patient interaction.
Experts' advice on writing your dental administrative assistant resume experience
While the excitement and motivation for writing your dental administrative assistant resume was present in the first hour (or so), you now find yourself staring at the blank page.
The resume experience section is the one that allows you to make a memorable impression by matching job requirement with your past jobs and accomplishments.
To help you write this resume section, here are four mistakes you need to avoid:
- Listing every job you have had so far, including the irrelevant ones. Before that, consider each of your past roles based on relevancy to the role. It may be the case that the job you had 15 years ago may have taught you invaluable skills that are appropriate for the role;
- Including irrelevant work experience items. Those are past jobs that aren't linked with the role you're applying for (or so they seem). Consider how your past jobs will serve your professional presentation: will they be filling in a gap in your work history, or just taking up space?
- Focusing on responsibilities instead of accomplishments. Your dental administrative assistant resume shouldn't just be telling recruiters what you did in the past - as it's most often the case that candidates have had similar responsibilities. But, rather, the experience section should showcase the success you've attained in each past role, thanks to your unique skill set;
- Consider listing just your professional experience. Any role you've had in the past - e.g. volunteering, internships, etc. - can make it into your dental administrative assistant resume experience section. Make sure to include it alongside numbers and results.
Two more things you need to remember about your resume experience section.
The first are keywords. Or those specific job requirements that are crucial for the role . Ensure you've integrated them across your experience section to get sorted closer to the ideal candidate profile by the Applicant Tracker System (ATS).
The second are action verbs. Each of your experience bullets should start with a strong action verb, followed by your specific skill and your on the job achievements. Follow this formula to hint to recruiters what your unique value as a professional is.
Still with us? In the next section, we will show you how industry-leading professionals have avoided the four most common mistakes, while integrating keywords and action verbs in their experience section.
- Collaborated in streamlining the appointment scheduling process using Dentrix software, reducing patient wait time by 25%.
- Managed patient records and coordinated with insurance companies, improving claim processing speed by 15%.
- Implemented a new customer service protocol that enhanced patient satisfaction scores by 30% over a 2-year period.
- Coordinated the integration of a new electronic health record system, which increased data accuracy and patient throughput by 20%.
- Oversaw the training of 10 new front desk staff, focusing on customer service and efficiency in billing procedures.
- Developed a monthly newsletter to educate patients on oral health, leading to a 10% increase in preventative care appointments.
- Initiated a cost-saving strategy by negotiating a 15% discount on dental supplies from vendors.
- Enhanced the donor engagement program for a community oral health project, raising over $50,000 in additional funds.
- Led a team that organized an annual dental health fair, resulting in public recognition and a 20% increase in new patient registrations.
- Spearheaded the transition to a paperless office environment, reducing paper use by 40% over six months and saving costs.
- Facilitated continuous professional development by organizing weekly in-house training for dental administrative staff.
- Introduced an automated text reminder system that decreased missed appointments by 18%.
- Managed financial transactions, achieving a 5% reduction in billing errors through meticulous record-keeping.
- Played a key role in branding initiatives, helping to redesign marketing materials that helped attract a younger demographic.
- Pioneered a feedback collection strategy that improved patient service process effectiveness by 35%.
- Supervised a team of 5 administrative staff, fostering a collaborative work environment that improved team productivity by 20%.
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive inventory tracking system, reducing dental supply waste by 10% annually.
- Instituted a bilingual patient service strategy that expanded market reach to non-English speaking patients by 15%.
- Optimized office operations by developing an appointment reminder call system which reduced no-shows by 12%.
- Analyzed and re-negotiated vendor contracts, saving the practice $7,000 yearly on office supplies.
- Facilitated the adoption of new dental imaging software, enhancing diagnostic capabilities and patient comfort.
- Coordinated with 4 dental practitioners to optimize their schedules, ensuring a 10% uptick in daily patient capacity.
- Initiated a quality control measure for patient intake forms, which increased the accuracy of patient data by 95%.
- Formulated an emergency response procedure for dental emergencies, ensuring readiness and a functional protocol that was praised by the clinic's partners.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Highlight the number of patient appointments scheduled per week to demonstrate organizational skills and ability to manage workflow.
- Include the percentage of no-shows reduced through effective reminder systems to show efficiency and contribution to revenue.
- Mention the volume of insurance claims processed monthly to emphasize experience with financial coordination and attention to detail.
- Specify the number of dental procedure codes you are familiar with to showcase your knowledge and expertise in the field.
- Indicate the amount of money saved through office supply inventory management to illustrate cost-effectiveness and financial savvy.
- Detail the increase in patient satisfaction scores under your administrative tenure to reflect customer service and retention abilities.
- Document the number of new dental technologies you have mastered, such as scheduling software or digital charting, to demonstrate adaptability.
- Note any leadership responsibilities by listing how many staff members you've trained or supervised to establish leadership and team coordination skills.
Action verbs for your dental administrative assistant resume
Lacking relevant dental administrative assistant resume experience?
Learn how to write your dental administrative assistant resume experience in spite of having no real-world (or applicable) experience for the job.
You should:
- Feature relevant projects or publications that could impress recruiters or showcase that you have the basic skill set for the job
- Shift the focus towards your people (communication, organization, etc.) skills to demonstrate that you're a quick learner and can easily adapt to a new environment
- Use the resume objective to not only highlight your accomplishments but also map out how your career plans are perfectly aligned with the company's vision
- Select either the functional-skill-based resume format (that puts the focus on your skills) or the hybrid one (balancing expertise with skills).
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PRO TIP
Always remember that your dental administrative assistant certifications can be quantified across different resume sections, like your experience, summary, or objective. For example, you could include concise details within the expertise bullets of how the specific certificate has improved your on-the-job performance.
Bringing your dental administrative assistant hard skills and soft skills to the forefront of recruiters' attention
Hard skills are used to define the technological (and software) capacities you have in the industry. Technical skills are easily defined via your certification and expertise.
Soft skills have more to do with your at-work personality and how you prosper within new environments. People skills can be obtained thanks to your whole life experience and are thus a bit more difficult to define.
Why do recruiters care about both types of skills?
Hard skills have more to do with job alignment and the time your new potential employers would have to invest in training you.
Soft skills hint at how well you'd adapt to your new environment, company culture, and task organization.
Fine-tune your resume to reflect on your skills capacities and talents:
- Avoid listing basic requirements (e.g. "Excel"), instead substitute with the specifics of the technology (e.g. "Excel Macros").
- Feature your workplace values and ethics as soft skills to hint at what matters most to you in a new environment.
- Build a separate skills section for your language capabilities, only if it makes sense to the role you're applying for.
- The best way to balance dental administrative assistant hard and soft skills is by building a strengths or achievements section, where you define your outcomes via both types of skills.
There are plenty of skills that could make the cut on your resume.
That's why we've compiled for you some of the most wanted skills by recruiters, so make sure to include the technologies and soft skills that make the most sense to you (and the company you're applying for):
Top skills for your dental administrative assistant resume:
Dental Software Proficiency
Electronic Health Records (EHR) Management
Appointment Scheduling Software
Insurance Verification Systems
Billing and Coding Knowledge
Data Entry and Database Management
Payment Processing Systems
Office Equipment Operation
Microsoft Office Suite
Dental Imaging Software
Communication Skills
Customer Service Orientation
Time Management
Attention to Detail
Problem-Solving Abilities
Team Collaboration
Empathy
Adaptability
Organizational Skills
Multitasking
PRO TIP
If the certificate you've obtained is especially vital for the industry or company, include it as part of your name within the resume headline.
Your academic background: should you include your education and certifications on your dental administrative assistant resume?
Adding relevant education and certifications to your dental administrative assistant resume is beneficial, whether you're an experienced candidate or just starting in the field.
Featuring your higher education degree that aligns with the role demonstrates your commitment to the industry. On your dental administrative assistant resume, include the start and graduation dates, followed by the name of the institution that awarded your degree.
Regarding certifications, it's wise to list those most relevant to the role or that have contributed to your array of crucial technical or personal traits. Be sure to include the name of the certificate and the awarding institution.
If uncertain about which certifications to feature prominently on your dental administrative assistant resume, refer to our compiled list of the most in-demand ones for guidance.
The top 5 certifications for your dental administrative assistant resume:
- Certified Dental Practice Management Administrator (CDPMA) - Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB)
- Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) - International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP)
- Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) - National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
- Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) - Dental Board of various states (where applicable)
- Certified Dental Receptionist (CDR) - various dental education providers
PRO TIP
If you're in the process of obtaining your certificate or degree, list the expected date you're supposed to graduate or be certified.
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Dental administrative assistant resume summary or objective? the best choice is based on your experience
If you're wondering about the relevancy of the resume summary or the resume objective to your dental administrative assistant application - here's the truth.
The summary and objective provide recruiters with your expertise and accomplishments at a glance, within an up-to-five-sentence structure.
The difference is that the:
- Resume objective is also more focused on emphasizing your career goals. The objective is the perfect fit for (potentially more junior) candidates who'd like to balance their relevant experience with their career goals.
- Resume summary can provide you with space to also detail the unique value of what it's like to work with you. Dental administrative assistant candidates who have many noteworthy accomplishments start from the get-go with their summary.
Ensure that either type of resume introduction presents your dental administrative assistant expertise in the best light and aligns it with the job advert.
The more details you can provide with numbers, the more compelling your resume summary or objective will be.
Real-world dental administrative assistant candidates follow these frameworks in writing their resume summaries and objectives.
The end results are usually as such:
Resume summaries for a dental administrative assistant job
- With over 5 years of dedicated experience as a dental administrative assistant, I bring a proven track record of efficiently managing patient scheduling, billing, and insurance claims processing. My adept use of dental practice software complements my strong organizational skills, culminating in a 30% increase in clinic efficiency at my last position.
- Seasoned administrative professional with a decade of experience in healthcare management, now seeking to leverage my skills in a dental clinic setting. Known for my impeccable attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks smoothly, I've successfully orchestrated a paperless records transition in my previous role, enhancing operational productivity.
- Dynamic individual with 3 years of experience in customer service and retail management, excited to pivot into dental administration. Expertise in building customer rapport and advanced proficiency in data entry and scheduling software; eager to apply these skills to ensure seamless dental office operations and enhance patient satisfaction.
- With a passion for organization and a background in the hospitality industry, I am now eager to apply my 4 years of high-volume scheduling and customer interaction experience to the dental administrative sector. Possessing excellent communication skills and a fast learner of new technology, I aim to contribute positively to patient care coordination and front office efficiency.
- Eager to launch my career in dental administration, I am committed to leveraging my newly acquired certification in dental office management and my keen interest in dental health services. My objective is to provide outstanding administrative support, learn quickly on the job, and become an integral part of a dental practice team.
- As a recent graduate with a diploma in Dental Office Administration, I am enthusiastic about beginning my professional journey. I aim to utilize my comprehensive knowledge of dental terminology, patient care coordination, and front-desk operations to create a smooth and welcoming environment for both patients and staff.
Recruiters' favorite additional dental administrative assistant resume sections
When writing your dental administrative assistant resume, you may be thinking to yourself, " Is there anything more I can add on to stand out? ".
Include any of the below four sections you deem relevant, to ensure your dental administrative assistant resume further builds up your professional and personal profile:
Key takeaways
- The format and layout of your dental administrative assistant resume should reflect on both your career and what matters most to the job you're applying for;
- Use the resume summary and objective to hint at your most prominent accomplishments;
- Always be specific about your experience and consider what value each bullet you curate adds to your dental administrative assistant application;
- Consider how your academic background and technical capabilities could further showcase your alignment to the role;
- Your soft skills should contribute to your overall dental administrative assistant profile - aligning your personality with skills and results.
