Dental Hygienist Resume: Examples & Guide (2026)

A dental hygienist resume is screened for credentials before anything else: an active RDH license, the state it covers, and the local-anesthesia or nitrous certifications the role requires. After that, practices want evidence that you keep patients healthy, comfortable, and coming back — and that you can run a productive operatory.

Here is how to structure a dental hygienist resume that clears the license check and proves clinical impact.

What employers screen for first

• Active RDH license, the state it covers, and a current BLS/CPR card.
• Certifications: local anesthesia, nitrous oxide, and laser where applicable.
• Setting: general, periodontal, pediatric, or cosmetic practice.
• Clinical and patient-care evidence: cleanings per day, recall rates, and rapport.

How to structure a dental hygienist resume

• Header: name and credentials (e.g. "Sarah Kim, RDH"), location, phone, email.
• Licenses & certifications: RDH license, state, local anesthesia/nitrous, BLS — list early.
• Summary: your practice setting, years licensed, and a standout result.
• Experience: practice, setting, dates, and outcome-focused bullets.
• Skills: clinical procedures, dental software, and specialties.
• Education and clinical training last.

Skills and keywords to include

Match the practice and the posting. A periodontal practice and a pediatric practice screen for different skills — use the ones that apply to you.

• Clinical: prophylaxis, scaling and root planing (SRP), periodontal charting, fluoride and sealants, radiographs.
• Procedures: local anesthesia, nitrous oxide administration, oral cancer screening, impressions.
• Software: Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Curve Dental.
• Compliance and soft skills: OSHA, infection control, patient education, chairside manner.

Resume bullet examples

Weak: "Cleaned teeth and educated patients on oral health."

Strong: "Delivered 10–12 prophylaxis and SRP appointments daily in a busy general practice, maintaining a 92% hygiene recall rate."

Weak: "Helped the practice grow."

Strong: "Built a periodontal screening protocol that lifted SRP case acceptance 30% and added measurable hygiene revenue."

Common mistakes to avoid

• Burying your RDH license and certifications at the bottom of the page.
• Listing duties every hygienist shares without volume or outcomes.
• Omitting the dental software the practice names in the posting.
• Letting license or certifications show as expired; note renewal dates clearly.

Quick checklist

• License, state, and certifications in your name line and a dedicated section.
• Practice setting and years licensed visible immediately.
• Bullets show patient volume, recall, or case-acceptance outcomes.
• Dental software and clinical keywords match the posting.
• One page for most hygienists; clean, ATS-readable layout.

Ready to build yours? Browse more resume examples, start from a free Applygrid resume template, keep it ATS-friendly, and pair it with a tailored letter from our AI cover letter generator.