Dental Hygienist CV example

No one likes a rushed appointment – and no recruiter likes a rushed CV either. This guide breaks down writing a CV that reflects both your technical abilities and your personal care approach.

From formatting to content, this guide shows you how to craft a CV that feels professional, patient-centred, and perfect for the next step in your dental career.

If your CV is difficult to read or full of mistakes, it’s not getting a follow-up appointment. Hiring managers want to instantly see your qualifications, hygiene experience, and patient care strengths without needing to floss through dense paragraphs. Your structure should effortlessly guide them through each section, to help them understand your value.

Here’s the layout to follow:

• Name and contact details – Start with your name and personal details – make it simple for recruiters to reach you. Including a photo is a personal choice.
• Profile – Use this section to summarise your experience, strengths, and what makes you a standout candidate.
• Core skills – Outline your primary competencies to give recruiters a snapshot of your strengths.
• Work experience – Walk through your professional experience, beginning with your latest position and moving backwards.
• Education – Outline your education and certifications, focusing on those most relevant to the role.
• Additional info – This section is optional, but it’s a good place for interests and hobbies that complement your CV.
  

Keep the format clean and consistent. Use bullet points in each section to highlight your contributions clearly and break up walls of text. Make sure each section is divided with clear headings, and choose a professional font that’s easy to read. Most importantly, keep the CV length to two pages or less – it should be thorough but not overwhelming.

This short paragraph is your opportunity to quickly highlight the value you bring to any dental practice. It should communicate your clinical expertise and your ability to deliver quality care to patients.

The focus in your CV profile is on the benefits you provide – not just your tasks, but your impact on patient outcomes and the practice environment. Write it with the patient and employer in mind.

Your profile should include:

• Where you worked – Specify the types of clinics, dental surgeries, or healthcare environments you’ve worked in to give recruiters context for your experience.
• Your top qualifications – Mention your dental hygiene qualification and any additional certifications to demonstrate you meet professional standards.
• Essential skills – Highlight your ability to perform hygiene treatments effectively, provide oral health education, and maintain infection control protocols.
• Patient types or special settings – Indicate if you’ve worked with children, nervous patients, or those requiring specialist care, to show your adaptability.
• Value delivered – Emphasise how you’ve improved patient outcomes, supported practice efficiency, or helped boost retention and satisfaction.

Your core skills section should offer a snapshot of your clinical competence and regulatory awareness – all based on what employers expect to see in the role.

Instead of soft generalisations, focus on tangible abilities like periodontal assessments, scaling and polishing, charting, patient education, and infection control. You can also reference your knowledge of dental software systems or NHS compliance. Match your terminology and focus to the role you’re applying for, and avoid repetition or vague traits.

Your work experience is where you can really demonstrate how your hygiene skills translate into quality patient care and practice success. Talk the recruiter through your roles in reverse chronological order. 

Each entry should begin with a short summary of the dental practice and your role there, followed by bullet points detailing your day-to-day responsibilities and achievements. Highlight the treatments performed, the types of patients treated, and any special initiatives you supported.

If you helped streamline scheduling, introduced new patient education methods, or improved treatment outcomes, this is the place to say it.

• Outline – Describe the type of dental practice or clinic, your role within the team, and the patient base you served.
• Responsibilities – Use action words like “delivered” and “monitored.” For example: “delivered preventative hygiene treatments” or “monitored oral health plans for long-term patients.” Include tools, techniques, and patient interactions.
• Achievements – Highlight positive results like increased patient retention, improved oral health outcomes, or process improvements in hygiene or infection control.

You’ve already survived dental school – this part should be painless. A recognised dental hygiene qualification is essential, and this section is where you show you meet the regulatory standards. Whether you studied through a diploma programme or obtained a full degree, this information reassures employers that you’re professionally trained.

Start with your most recent or highest qualification and keep the wording simple and clear. You might also mention CPD training or short courses. If you’re newly qualified, you can expand slightly on your past education, or any placement work.