Dental Hygienist resume example

Dental Hygienist resume example from Ottawa: CDHO registered, 9 years, an 88% recall rate, a periodontal program for 220 patients and digital charting.

Cover letter for this role

Colleen MacIsaac

Registered Dental Hygienist (CDHO) | Periodontal Care and Patient Education

Ottawa, ON9 years of experience

Summary

Registered Dental Hygienist with 9 years in busy general practices in Ottawa. Authorized to self-initiate scaling and root planing, with a clinical focus on periodontal maintenance and early disease detection. Sees 8 to 10 patients a day and keeps them coming back: an 88% recall rate on her schedule.

Experience

Registered Dental HygienistJun 2021 - Present

Glebe Dental Centre

  • Provide hygiene care for 8 to 10 patients a day, including scaling, root planing, polishing and fluoride treatments.
  • Recall rate of 88% for patients on my schedule, compared with a practice average of 79%.
  • Built a periodontal maintenance program for 220 patients with stage II and III periodontitis, with pocket depths reduced on 70% at 12-month re-evaluation.
  • Take and interpret intraoral and panoramic radiographs, and record full periodontal charting for new patients.
  • Trained 3 new hygienists on the practice's charting software and infection control protocols.
Registered Dental HygienistSep 2017 - May 2021

Kanata Family Dentistry

  • Treated a mixed family patient base of around 1,600 active patients, from children aged 3 to seniors.
  • Ran a school-season sealant clinic that placed sealants for 300+ children over 3 years.
  • Helped the practice move to digital charting; paper charts for 1,600 patients were retired within 5 months.

Skills

  • Scaling and Root Planing
  • Periodontal Assessment and Charting
  • Periodontal Maintenance
  • Digital Radiography
  • Oral Cancer Screening
  • Sealants and Fluoride Application
  • Ultrasonic Instrumentation
  • Infection Prevention and Control
  • Patient Education
  • Dental Software (ABELDent, Dentrix)

Certifications

  • Registered Dental Hygienist, College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario (CDHO), with self-initiation authorization
  • National Dental Hygiene Certification Examination (NDHCE), 2017
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers
  • WHMIS 2015

Education

Diploma in Dental Hygiene, Algonquin College, Ottawa, 2017

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What hiring managers check first

Registration and authorizations

Ontario practices check CDHO registration and self-initiation authorization first. Put both at the top.

Patient volume

Patients per day tells a dentist whether you can keep up with their schedule.

Recall and retention

Hygienists drive recall, which drives practice revenue. A recall rate compared with the practice average is a strong line.

Clinical focus

Periodontal care, pediatrics or special-needs patients: name your strengths so practices can match you to their patient base.

Keywords the applicant tracking system matches

  • Registered Dental Hygienist
  • RDH
  • CDHO
  • Scaling and Root Planing
  • Periodontal Maintenance
  • Periodontal Charting
  • Radiographs
  • Oral Health Education
  • Infection Control
  • Self-Initiation
  • Recall
  • Patient Care

Use the ones that are true of you, in the words the posting uses.

Mistakes to avoid

  1. Listing only procedures

    Every hygienist does scaling and polishing. Add outcomes, such as recall rates or periodontal results.

  2. Out-of-date certifications

    Keep BLS and registration dates current. An expired certificate on a resume raises concerns.

  3. Ignoring software

    Practices want someone who can use their system from day one. List the dental software you know.

Questions

How long should a dental hygienist resume be?
One page for most hygienists. Two pages is fine with many years of experience and additional training.
Should I include continuing education?
Yes, briefly. Recent courses in periodontics, radiography or anxiety management show you keep your skills current.
Can I work as a hygienist in another province?
Yes, but you must register with that province's regulatory body. Your NDHCE result is recognized across Canada, except Quebec, which has its own process.

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