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Dental Hygienist resume skills and keywords

In 64 Dental Hygienist job postings from 21 employers analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills are Patient care (59 %), BLS (59 %), Communication (52 %), CPR (47 %) and Collaboration (30 %). Of the top 40 skills, 32 are hard skills, tools or certifications and 8 are soft skills.

Download the full list as a CSV or check your own resume against a posting with the free keyword scanner.

Top 40 skills in Dental Hygienist job postings

Skills requested in 64 Dental Hygienist job postings, by share of postings
SkillShare of postingsType
Patient care59 %Hard skill
BLS59 %Certification
Communication52 %Soft skill
CPR47 %Certification
Collaboration30 %Soft skill
Patient education27 %Hard skill
Preventive Care25 %Hard skill
Charting22 %Hard skill
Infection control22 %Hard skill
Treatment planning17 %Hard skill
Flexibility17 %Soft skill
Risk assessment17 %Hard skill
Microsoft Office16 %Tool
Dentrix16 %Tool
Attention to detail14 %Soft skill
Pediatric14 %Hard skill
Periodontal Therapy14 %Hard skill
Safety protocols14 %Hard skill
Dental Software14 %Tool
Administrative Support12 %Hard skill
PPE12 %Hard skill
Interviewing12 %Hard skill
Counseling12 %Hard skill
Disinfection12 %Hard skill
ALARA12 %Hard skill
Compassion11 %Soft skill
Compassionate Care11 %Hard skill
Patient-Centered Care11 %Hard skill
Teamwork8 %Soft skill
Driver license8 %Certification
AED8 %Hard skill
Training & Mentorship8 %Hard skill
AI Tools6 %Tool
Interpersonal skills6 %Soft skill
RDH license6 %Certification
Draping6 %Hard skill
Preventative Care6 %Hard skill
Leadership6 %Soft skill
State license6 %Certification
HIPAA5 %Certification

Hard skills vs soft skills vs tools and certifications

Hard skills (22)

Soft skills (8)

Tools and software (4)

Certifications and licenses (6)

Keyword phrases recruiters use

Multi-word phrases that recur across these dental hygienist postings, with the share of postings that use each one.

educate patients 59 %current cpr 47 %treatment plan 44 %oral hygiene 41 %hygiene program 39 %cpr/bls certification 38 %periodontal disease 36 %hygiene license 33 %oral cancer 30 %patient records 28 %oral health education 27 %self care 27 %root planning 23 %local anesthesia 23 %quality care 23 %

How to use this on your resume

Treat the table as a checklist, not a script. Put the skills you genuinely have in your skills section, using the same wording as the posting, and back the top ones with a bullet that shows the result.

Each job posting differs from the average, so compare your resume with the actual ad: paste it into the resume keyword scanner to see which terms you already have and which are missing. The ATS keywords guide explains where to place them so applicant tracking systems read them.

Skip any skill you cannot talk about in an interview; a keyword that falls apart under one question costs more than it gains. For a full layout with these skills in context, see the Dental Hygienist resume example. Then prepare for the Dental Hygienist interview questions that test them.

Build a dental hygienist resume with these skills

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Dental Hygienist resume skills: FAQ

Which skills matter most for a Dental Hygienist resume?

In 64 Dental Hygienist job postings analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills were Patient care (59 %), BLS (59 %), Communication (52 %), CPR (47 %) and Collaboration (30 %). Lead your skills section with the ones you can back up, and show them in your experience bullets too.

Should I list soft skills on a Dental Hygienist resume?

Yes, but prove them rather than list them. 8 of the top 40 skills in these postings are soft skills, led by Communication (52 % of postings). Show them through results in your bullets, for example a project you coordinated or a process you explained.

Which tools and certifications do Dental Hygienist postings ask for?

The tools and certifications named most often were BLS (59 %), CPR (47 %), Microsoft Office (16 %), Dentrix (16 %), Dental Software (14 %) and Driver license (8 %). List the ones you have exactly as the posting writes them.

Where does this data come from?

From 64 public Dental Hygienist job postings at 21 employers, collected on October 23, 2026 from Greenhouse (44), Lever (14) and Ashby (6). A skill's share is the number of postings that mention it divided by 64. The data is updated quarterly and can be downloaded as a CSV.

Method and data

Source: 64 public job postings for dental hygienist roles (titles such as Dental Hygienist, Licensed Dental Hygienist, Dental Hygienist (Welcoming Bonus) and PRN Licensed Dental Hygienist) at 21 employers, collected on October 23, 2026 from employer applicant tracking system job boards: Greenhouse 44, Lever 14 and Ashby 6. Employers in the sample include Dental365, Elite Dental Partners, Willamette Dental, Dentalook, 42 North Dental and Premier Care Dental Management. A skill's share is the number of postings that mention it divided by 64. Updated quarterly. Download the data: dental-hygienist-resume-skills.csv (CC BY 4.0). Browse skills for other roles.