How to Craft a Winning CV for a Dental Practice Job – Tips from Recruiters

written by Admin | published on 31 Oct 2025, 10:33 AM

Landing a role in a dental practice—whether as a dental nurse, receptionist, hygienist, or trainee—starts with a strong CV. In today’s competitive dental job market, a well-structured, professional, and tailored CV can be the difference between getting shortlisted or overlooked.

This guide shares expert tips from dental recruiters on how to craft a winning CV that gets noticed and reflects the professionalism expected in modern dental practices.

1. Start With a Clear Professional Profile

Your opening summary should be short, confident, and relevant to the role.

Example profile for a Dental Nurse:

A motivated and patient-focused Dental Nurse with experience supporting a range of treatments including restorative, orthodontic, and implant procedures. Skilled in digital dentistry systems, infection control, and chairside support. Committed to delivering high-quality patient care and continuous professional development.

Include:

Your experience level
Key strengths
Commitment to patient care and CPD

2. Highlight Your Dental Qualifications & Registration

Dental practices want to quickly confirm you meet regulatory requirements.

Include:

Dental nursing qualification & awarding body (NEBDN / college)
GDC registration number (if applicable)
CPD hours & key training areas
DBS status

Extra tip: If you're in training, state “Enrolled on NEBDN Diploma / awaiting GDC registration” clearly.

3. Showcase Practical Clinical Skills

Make your technical and chairside skills stand out.

Examples to list:

Chairside assistance across general & specialist treatments
Digital X-rays / intra-oral scanning
Decontamination / HTM 01-05 compliance
Four-handed dentistry support
Stock & instrument management

Adapt the list to match the job requirements.

4. Demonstrate Soft Skills

Dental employers also value your character and working style.

Strong soft skills for dentistry include:

Communication & empathy with patients
Teamwork & flexibility
Professional behaviour & punctuality
Ability to stay calm in busy environments
Confidentiality & GDPR awareness

These qualities help build trust and create a welcoming practice environment.

5. List Experience in a Clean, Structured Format

For each role, include:

Job title
Practice / workplace name
Dates of employment
Key responsibilities
Key achievements

Pro tip: If you're new, include:

Work placements
Volunteer roles
Customer service or healthcare experience

Transferable skills count!

6. Add Achievements & CPD

Anything that shows professional growth will strengthen your application.

Examples:

Completed 50+ hours of CPD this year
Assisted with orthodontic cases
Experience supporting digital treatment plans
Patient feedback or recognition

This shows commitment beyond the basics.

7. Keep It Clean, Simple & Professional

Avoid cluttered designs.

Formatting rules:

1–2 pages maximum
Use headings, bullet points, and spacing
Professional email address
Simple fonts (Arial / Calibri)
Save as PDF

Recruiters scan dozens of CVs — clarity matters.

CV Template Tip

Add a dedicated section for:

Core Dental Skills | IT Skills | Clinical Experience | CPD

This helps practices quickly scan your capabilities.

Final Checklist Before Sending

Make sure your CV includes:

✔️ Updated contact info
✔️ Professional summary
✔️ Dental qualifications
✔️ GDC registration / status
✔️ Clinical & patient care skills
✔️ Work experience
✔️ CPD & training courses
✔️ Valid DBS (if applicable)
✔️ 2 referees or “available on request”

Final Thoughts

A great CV tells your story, reflects your professionalism, and shows dental practices why you're the right fit. Keep it clear, honest, and tailored to each job.

Ready to take the next step in your dental career?