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General dentist/owner skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Stephen Sterlitz,

Oliver Keefer DDS

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical general dentist/owner skills. We ranked the top skills for general dentist/owners based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 18.0% of general dentist/owner resumes contained payroll as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a general dentist/owner needs to be successful in the workplace.

14 general dentist/owner skills for your resume and career

1. Payroll

Payroll is the sum of all the compensation that an organization has to pay to employees at a specified time. Payroll is managed by the finance or HR department while small business owners may handle it themselves. Payroll isn't fixed as it varies every month due to sick leaves, overtime, etc.

Here's how general dentist/owners use payroll:

Executed all business related functions including hiring, quotations, invoicing, customer service, and payroll.
Prepared payroll, interviewed, hired, trained, scheduled, motivated and disciplined personnel.

2. Financial Management

Here's how general dentist/owners use financial management:

Directed sales, marketing, administrative and financial management at retail monument company and commercial sign franchise.
Performed all necessary duties for the successful operation of a small business including financial management and planning.

3. RAN

RAN stands for "revenue anticipation note," which refers to a practice where an organization (often the government) borrows money to support a specific project. When these funds are then repaid, the money given to the lenders comes from the profits generated by the business originally funded.

Here's how general dentist/owners use ran:

Company failed to generate sufficient income before start up capital from my personal savings ran out.
Started and ran my own online baby boutique.

4. Real Estate

Real estate is land that has buildings on it. This kind of property consists of permanent improvements either natural or man-made, which include, houses, fences, bridges, water trees, and minerals. There are 4 types of real estate namely; residential real estate, commercial real estate, industrial real estate, and vacant land.

Here's how general dentist/owners use real estate:

Represented buyers and sellers in residential and commercial real estate transactions, from contract preparation and review to closing.
Managed a privately held investment portfolio consisting of long-term equity holdings, equity derivatives and income producing real estate investment properties.

5. Construction Projects

A construction project is an organized process of constructing, redeveloping, renovating, or otherwise improving a building, or structure. The project phase begins usually as a broad criterion that is then made with the help of a brief, feasibility analysis, funding, and planning. The majority of construction projects are one-time jobs.

Here's how general dentist/owners use construction projects:

Calculate complex and exact construction projects with features such as arcs, tangents, and circles.
Managed all on site personnel for construction projects.

6. Dental Implants

Dental implant in the medical world refers to the placement of an artificial tooth in the place of a missing or broken tooth. The dental implant is the metal piece that takes the root portion of the tooth and forms the foundation where the dentist will place the artificial tooth.

Here's how general dentist/owners use dental implants:

Focused on achieving high production from dental implants and the use of in-office financing options for patients across all income spectrums.
Assisted in placement and restoration of Dental Implants including implant-supported bridges and over-dentures.

7. Patient Education

Here's how general dentist/owners use patient education:

Committed to providing patient education so the patient achieves a complete understanding of their oral health needs.
Conducted consultations and patient education prior to whitening services in the comfort of a relaxing spa environment.

8. Oral Surgery

Here's how general dentist/owners use oral surgery:

Performed simple restorative and minor oral surgery.
Provided complete range of dental services including oral surgery.

9. Dentures

Here's how general dentist/owners use dentures:

Performed partial dentures, placed mini-implants, provided emergency treatment and repairs of dentures and partials.
Root Canals Oral Surgeon Crown and Bridges Dentures Periodontics

10. Private Practice

Private practice refers to a business operated by professionals such as doctors or lawyers neither controlled nor paid by the government.

Here's how general dentist/owners use private practice:

Run private practice operations and perform general dentistry.
Performed and managed the position of Lead dentist in Advanced and vibrant private practice in very diverse neighborhood.

11. Human Resources

Human resources is a set of people in a business or a corporation that are designated to locate, interview, and recruit new employees into the company. They are also responsible to maintain the integrity of the employees and help them sort their problems out. They try to introduce and manage employee-benefit programs.

Here's how general dentist/owners use human resources:

Facilitate and partner to improve the corporate-wide roll out of technical human resources initiatives and projects.
Managed all business processes, training, purchasing, accounting and human resources.

12. Business Operations

The operations that carry out the inner working of an organization are called business operations. From creating products, to marketing them, business operations play a vital role in every step.

Here's how general dentist/owners use business operations:

Supervised complete business operations and actively participated in all facet of commercial and residential construction.
Led daily business operations, implemented an online bidding platform and restructured our company website resulting in increased traffic and revenue.

13. POS

POS is an abbreviation of "Point of Sale" which is the time and place where a customer completes a transaction. It can either be a physical shop that consists of POS terminals or a virtual shop. A POS system helps simplify the retail functions and track important sales data.

Here's how general dentist/owners use pos:

Purchased inventory, implemented POS hardware/software, managed all financial and business areas, and developed new marketing strategies.
Initiated an automated inventory and POS system, which improved operating efficiency and accessibility of relevant business information.

14. Surgical Extractions

Here's how general dentist/owners use surgical extractions:

Performed routine and surgical extractions that required a surgical handpiece for sectioning of teeth and ostectomy.
Perform Non-surgical and Surgical extractions, includingimpacted teeth.

What skills help General Dentist/Owners find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on general dentist/owner resumes?

Stephen Sterlitz

Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Michigan School of Dentistry

The pandemic disrupted dental education AND the practice of dentistry across the country. The characteristic that would stand out on a resume during these unprecedented times would be the applicant who actively sought additional training and certifications during the pandemic. There are professional organizations and private sources of continuing education that provide learning continuums and certificates of completion that can now be earned online. Whether it is dental implant training, diode laser training, or 100-hours of continuing education credit - the applicant who sought out additional learning opportunities to grow their skill and experience will be the applicant who differentiates themselves from the others.

What soft skills should all general dentist/owners possess?

Oliver Keefer DDS

Assistant Clinical Professor, University of New England

As with many other career fields, communication skill is a major factor in a dentist's ability to excel. High levels of effective communication allow a dentist to treat various patients and work in a small-team environment with dental auxiliary staff. A dentist should be comfortable dealing with anxious patients while showing compassion, empathy, and patience daily. If they can lead other team members as well as have an understanding of delegation of work tasks and responsibilities, they will be more likely to build a strong clinical team. Finally, strong time management habits and basic business skills will make a dentist more likely to become a productive and effective clinician (and potential small-business owner).

What hard/technical skills are most important for general dentist/owners?

Oliver Keefer DDS

Assistant Clinical Professor, University of New England

The technical skills are introduced while in dental school and are honed over many years of practice. A newly graduated dentist should be competent in common restorative procedures (fillings, crowns, etc.), have a general understanding of basic surgical technique (tooth extraction, gum surgery, wound healing, etc.), and treat patients who require removable prosthetics. A new dentist should also be comfortable treating children and geriatric patients. Dentists will need excellent treatment planning and radiographic interpretation knowledge, and satisfactory hand skill that allows for detailed, precise, and exacting procedures. Although not a technical skill, dentists need to think analytically and methodically, with experience reading and understanding scientific and clinical journals.

What general dentist/owner skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Katie Dinh

Assistant Dean of Curriculum and Assessment, Associate Professor of Restorative Dentistry, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

I would say enhancement in business acumen will be the skills recommended. If the graduate takes a gap year, he/she may not have the opportunity to enhance any dental skills or procedures. If he/she joins a residency program such as AEGD (advanced education in general dentistry), that does not constitute the person taking a gap year.

What type of skills will young general dentist/owners need?

Mario Alemagno

Dental Coach, Business Coach, Life Coach, Dental School

I do believe that there will. Infection control has always been a point of emphasis in all dental programs. The coronavirus has reinforced this with students and has made them respect the necessity of this imperative part of their education and, ultimately, their practice. This is not likely to be forgotten. On a broader level, it has taught them to be prepared and to adapt to changes that may take place in the way they perform their dentistry and how they run their dental practices.

What technical skills for a general dentist/owner stand out to employers?

Mauricio Restrepo

Dental Department Head, Florida National University

Dental laboratory technology, as its name implies, requires from the student a manual dexterity above the average, knowledge of prosthodontics and artistry, which makes them unique technicians, whose hands speak for them.

Do you want to know more?

List of general dentist/owner skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a general dentist/owner resume and required skills for a general dentist/owner to have include:

Payroll
Financial Management
RAN
Real Estate
Construction Projects

Dental Implants
Patient Education
Oral Surgery
Dentures
Private Practice

Human Resources
Business Operations
POS
Surgical Extractions

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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