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Dental nurse skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Carrie Miller BS, CLDA

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical dental nurse skills. We ranked the top skills for dental nurses based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 44.0% of dental nurse resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a dental nurse needs to be successful in the workplace.

12 dental nurse skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how dental nurses use patients:

Educated patients on oral/dental hygiene, projected office interests.
Develop rapport with patients and had the proven ability to put even the most nervous patient at their ease.

2. Oral Surgery

Here's how dental nurses use oral surgery:

Reviewed medical laboratory reports prior to oral surgery.
Work closely with doctor in the following dental procedures oral surgery/implant, sterilization of dental equipment.

3. Surgical Procedures

Surgical procedures include the list of tasks that are done while doing surgery. Usually, a surgical procedure involves an incision with instruments, performed to repair damage or heal the disease in a living body. Surgical procedures are performed by trained individuals such as surgeons, doctors, and nurses.

Here's how dental nurses use surgical procedures:

Managed all insurance, marketing, accounts receivables and financing for periodontal surgical procedures.
Prepare materials and provide chair-side assistance for all general dentistry and surgical procedures.

4. Dental Procedures

Dental procedures is a term used to refer to the medical procedures and processes which occur within or otherwise related to a patient's teeth or other connected and nearby elements. Such procedures are medical in nature and thus must be done, specifically, by medical experts and professionals who also must be in possession of the appropriate medical licenses. These procedures can include but are not limited to: dental fillings, crowns, extraction of teeth, and braces.

Here's how dental nurses use dental procedures:

Performed/trained staff/Conscious sedation to ensure dental procedures were accomplished.
Provide chair-side assistance during all dental procedures.

5. Dental Clinic

A dental clinic is a medical premise or compound where dentistry services and treatments are provided by a certified dentist. A dental clinic hosts general dental diagnoses, Hygenic treatments, as well as complex dental surgeries.

Here's how dental nurses use dental clinic:

Box 310 Omar-Bin Al-Kattab St., Yanbu, Al-Bahr, KSA Out Patient Clinic / Dental Clinic Job Description.
Managed computerized templates for multiple doctors in a dental clinic environment.

6. Vital Signs

Vital signs are a set of values indicating different body systems' performance. They are measurements of the body's most basic functions. The four major vital signs used in medicine to assess a patient are body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure.

Here's how dental nurses use vital signs:

Observed patients post-operative recovery progress through ongoing assessment including checking vital signs and supervising operative sites for bleeding.
Collect and interpret clinical data including vital signs, laboratory results and response to medical intervention.

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7. Chair Side Assistance

Here's how dental nurses use chair side assistance:

Lead chair side assistance to dentist and/or hygienists.
Take and develop dental/panoramic x-rays Take upper and lower dental impressions Provide chair side assistance for routine and emergency procedures.

8. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how dental nurses use patient care:

Assisted the dentist with general dentistry on children specifically *Handled all complaints and patient care with guardian *Sterilization *Maintained equipment maintenance
Assist doctor during patient surgery* Process patient paperwork on computer* Provide post-surgical patient care* Comply with strict office policies and procedures

9. Medical History

Here's how dental nurses use medical history:

Assist clinical leads in new patient clinics, including obtaining medical history and updating patient records as needed.
Chart examination, update medical history and contact information and diagnostic/treatment information as relayed by the dentist to patient records.

10. Extraction

Here's how dental nurses use extraction:

Practice Restorative and preventative dentistry, which included: fillings, extractions, prophylaxis fluoridation of both primary and permanent dentition.

11. Blood Pressure

Here's how dental nurses use blood pressure:

Greet patients* Patient teaching/health education* Automatic and manual blood pressure readings* BMI readings* Full Lipid Panel Cholesterol/Glucose
Administered influenza immunizations, administered wellness testing including cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure screenings

12. Dental Instruments

Here's how dental nurses use dental instruments:

Perform proper sterilization of all operational dental instruments using the training methods obtained in accordance with clinic infection control guidelines.
Chair side assisting with preparing and maintaining dental instruments, instrument transfer and instrument sterilization for dental procedures.

What skills help Dental Nurses find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What dental nurse skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Carrie Miller BS, CLDA

Dental Assistant Instructor, Website

Dental assisting offers several advantages that make it an attractive career choice. The demand for dental assistants has been consistently high due to factors such as population growth, aging demographics, and expansion of dental services. Additionally, the flexibility in scheduling and the opportunity to work in healthcare, a sector with constant demand, make it a stable and rewarding career path. Dental assisting provides both job security and personal fulfillment, making it a great option for those considering a career in healthcare.

Do you want to know more?

List of dental nurse skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a dental nurse resume and required skills for a dental nurse to have include:

Patients
Oral Surgery
Surgical Procedures
Dental Procedures

Dental Clinic
Vital Signs
Chair Side Assistance
Patient Care

Medical History
Extraction
Blood Pressure
Dental Instruments

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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