Introduction
There are several numerous things that should be done before applying for a job. Select (2019), one of the leading HR companies, recommends cleaning the social media, doing research on the potential employer, thinking about what is expected from the job, and considering the strategy. Additionally, it is crucial to write and edit pertinent documents, such as a resume and a cover letter (Select, 2019). The present paper provides examples of the documents mentioned above for the position of a dental nurse in the Island Dental Center in Bermuda. The purpose of the present paper is to conduct an inventory of all skills, knowledge, experience, and certificates to elaborate top quality documents for applying for the job. Apart from providing the required documents, the paper also aims to explain different parts of the document.
Professional Listing
I selected a listing for a position of a dental nurse in Bermuda from indeed.com (the link is provided in the cover letter in Exhibit 2). This listing of a hiring agency in Miami, FL that offers applicants to work as a dental nurse in the Island Dental Center in Bermuda on a contract. The responsibilities include welcoming patients in the dental office, preparing patients for treatments or checkups, ensuring their comfort, selecting and setting up instruments, equipment, and material needed, sterilizing instruments according to regulations, and keeping track of all the appointments and records. The Island Dental Center provides significant benefits to the community by improving access to care and increasing its quality. I selected this listing as it is expected to help me learn to work with populations from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, it will help me improve my dental assistant skills.
Comments to the Resume
The present section provides detailed comments on the information included in the resume (see Exhibit A). In particular, the section describes the information included in the summary, experience, and education. The resume was formatted to help the potential employer manage the resumes efficiently. In particular, my name, contact information, and wanted position are listed at the top of the paper, which will help the HR manager to recognize the resume without reading through much information. Additionally, the sections are sorted in the order of relevance to the employer. The summary is crucial for the employer to understand what are the major benefits of hiring me as a dental assistant. The experience section is designed to confirm that I have enough skills to perform the needed task. Finally, the education sections help the recruiter to understand if I comply with all the formal requirements concerning training and certifications.
Summary Section
The summary section includes all the values, experience, training, and qualities that I think are important for the potential employer. I believe that the central duty of any medical worker is to provide top-quality care to patients regardless of age, race, sex, or socioeconomic status. I also think that constant improvement is crucial for all healthcare workers, as the body of knowledge and evidence expands every day, helping to improve patient outcomes. Finally, I know that, since I am a relatively young specialist, some employers may think that I am not reliable due to my lack of experience and irresponsibility. In summary, mentioning that reliability, improvement, and quality of care are my central values is crucial for the resume. Additionally, Scott (2021) suggests that including the central strengths in the summary section may be beneficial. Thus, I believe that I should include the facts that I have excellent people skills, such as managing relationships with patients and their families, communicating effectively with colleagues, and collaborating in interdisciplinary teams. I also believe it is crucial to mention that I have significant experience in managing records as one of my central strengths.
Experience
Up until this point, I have relevant work experience in two organizations: 42 North Dental and Aspire Dental Health, where I worked as a dental assistant. My responsibilities in these organizations were similar. In particular, I assisted dentists in providing high-quality care to the patients by performing a variety of office, laboratory, and patient care duties, including helping the dentist handle patients, instruments, and supplies during the treatment of the teeth, mouth, and gums. Was also responsible for handling the records and communicating with the patients. For example, I greeted the patients, called patients on the phone to confirm the appointments, took relevant history concerning allergies and other relevant health conditions that may affect the treatment, and scheduled follow-up appointments. I was also responsible for keeping track of all the supplies in the dental room and order all the necessary supplies in advance.
Learned Skills
Assisting the dentist. While many micro-skills can be included in this section, such as preparing the patient for the procedures, communicating the treatment plan to the patient, performing lab tests, and taking relevant history, they can all be united under the title of assisting the dentist. In other words, I learned to be useful to the dentist whenever my help was relevant. I learned to boost the efficiency of the dentist and to improve the quality of care. For instance, I know exactly what labs are needed in every particular situation, which implies that the dentist does not need to remind me or bother to remember about such minor things. This can help the dentists to focus on things that are more important to keep the patient healthy and satisfied. This skill is crucial in the position of a dental nurse in the Island Dental Center in Bermuda, as it will improve the quality of provided services and increase the number of conducted procedures.
Managing records. This skill is including several simple tasks, such as timely and accurate updating of patients’ records, a careful review of records, and managing the electronic health record (EHR) system. Before admission of the patient, I retrieved and looked through the patients’ records to tell the dentist any highlights concerning the health history of a patient. Such simple actions accelerate the work of the dentist and minimize the level of medical errors in all settings, including the dental center in Bermuda. Additionally, I received experience in working with two different EHR systems, which will help me to learn the new EHR system in the new workplace in the Island Dental Center.
Effective communication. This broad skill includes such crucial skills as keeping positive relationships with patients, being an active member of collaboration with an interdisciplinary team, and functional communication with colleagues. For instance, I received experience in working with the oncology department while diagnosing a patient with a possibility of throat cancer. I also called the patients to ask about their health or remind them about their next visit to minimize appointment cancellations and improve patient outcomes. This skill is crucial for the dental center in Bermuda, as I will have to interact with patients and medical workers from different cultures, which implies that I will need all my communication skills to comply with the high standards of the Island Dental Center.
Stress tolerance. Even though this skill is not directly connected with the position, it will be crucial for my new position. I learned this skill during my work in Aspire Dental Health. I used this skill to learn all the new things required from me as a dental assistant, as it was my first to work as a dental assistant. I will be able to use this skill in Bermuda, as I will have to live a long time without my family in a new place, which is associated with stress. The skill will help me maximize my efficiency as a professional and minimize the possibility of medical errors.
Education
This section includes all the relevant certification programs I completed to receive all the necessary knowledge to perform my duties as a dental assistant. I received a dental assistant certificate from Boston Career Institute. I also have a Radiology Certificate, a CPR Certificate, a HIPAA OSHA Certificate. Moreover, I am currently involved in a BSN Pre-Licensure program. The number of certificates demonstrates my dedication to life-long learning and constant improvement, which are my core values. Moreover, the certifications bring value to the patients and the organization I will work for. For instance, the HIPAA OSHA Certificate confirms that I have the required knowledge to comply with the standards and regulations of these organizations. The dental radiology certificate confirms that I can work with x-rays, which is a crucial part of dental care.
Comments on the Cover Letter
The cover letter is provided in Exhibit 2 of the present paper. The cover letter is designed to introduce the applicant to the potential employer, overview the skills, experience, and education of the candidate, and encourage the HR manager to read the resume. In order to achieve these purposes, the cover letter provides my full name, contacts, and the job listing in a format similar to the resume. Additionally, the text includes a direct link to the listing to remind the HR manager about the details of the offer. The second section of the letter provides the central facts about my career, education, skills, and values. I included the information about all my certificates and the four crucial skills mentioned in the previous section of the present paper. I concluded the cover letter with an encouragement to meet in person and continue the conversation with the HR manager about the benefits I could bring to the organization.
Conclusion
The present paper discussed all the steps and information needed to create a professional resume using and cover letter. The paper helped to assess all the skills, knowledge, and values to organize them in an aesthetically pleasing and logical manner to attract the attention of a potential employer. The assessment revealed that my core values are the provision of high-quality care, patient satisfaction, and responsibility. My most valuable skills are assisting the dentist, managing records, effective communication, and stress tolerance. All these skills will be helpful for the community and the Island Dental center in Bermuda if I get the position of a dental nurse. Moreover, this position will provide me with valuable knowledge and experience and will help me advance in my career.
References
Select. (2019). 6 things to do before applying for a job. Select.com. Web.
Scott, J. (2021). How to write a resume: The complete guide. Resume Genius. Web.
Exhibits
Exhibit A: Resume
Firstname Lastname: Sometown, VA, 30511, 555-555-55-55, [email protected], LinkedIn URL
Dental assistant / Dental nurse
A dental assistant deeply committed to providing top-quality patient-centered evidence-based care. A young and energetic specialist enrolled in a BSN Pre-Licensure program with a constant search for improvement and dedication to life-long learning. A reliable specialist with significant training and experience in the position of a dental assistant. Repeatedly recognized for knowledge, expertise and achievement in:
- Quality care;
- Clinical skills;
- Functional relationships with collogues;
- Accuracy of records;
- Excellent communication with patients;
- Life-saving intervention;
- Compliance with HIPAA standards;
- Dedication to learning;
- Effective inter-disciplinary collaborations.
Experience
Dental Assistant. November 2019 to present. 42 North Dental.
Assisted the dentist in providing high-quality care to the patients by performing a variety of office, laboratory, and patient care duties, including helping the dentist handle patients, instruments, and supplies during the treatment of the teeth, mouth, and gums. Was also responsible for handling the records and communicating with the patients.
- Boosted the efficiency of the dentist by carefully managing the records and appointments;
- Increased patient satisfaction;
- Sustained the standards of high-quality care.
Dental Assistant. October 2018 – November 2019. Aspire dental Health:
- Received valuable experience in records keeping;
- Performed life-saving interventions;
- Improved the personal level of flexibility and stress tolerance.
Education
- Received dental assistant certificate from Boston Career Institute;
- Have Radiology Certificate, CPR Certificate, HIPAA OSHA Certificate;
- Currently involved in a BSN Pre-Licensure program.
Exhibit B: Cover Letter
Firstname Lastname: Sometown, VA, 30511, 555-555-55-55, [email protected], LinkedIn URL
Dental Nurse: Cover Letter
- To Peter Gale
- 341 Grove Street,
- Island Dental Center, Miami, FL
- (777)777-77-77
- [email protected]
Dear Mr. Gale,
I am writing in reply to the listing posted on indeed.com (link for the job opening listing: www.indeed.com. Please accept the enclosed application for the position of dental nurse in Island Dental Center in Bermuda.
I have studied the listing carefully and concluded that I fulfill all the requirements to serve as a dental nurse in the Island Dental Center. I have all the required certifications, including a dental-assistant certificate, Radiology Certificate, CPR Certificate, HIPAA OSHA Certificate. I also have the experience needed to perform the duties of a dental nurse, as I have repeatedly confirmed my ability to communicate with patients effectively, prepare patients for all dental procedures, undertake labs, carefully organize the records, and keep the dental room clean and stocked.
I have noticed that you are looking for an applicant with perfect people skills, as patient satisfaction is one of the top priorities of the dental center. I have been repeatedly recognized for being able to closely manage relationships with patients to promote preventive care, avoid conflicts, and ensure satisfaction.
I can perform all the procedures mentioned in the job description. Additionally, I would like to emphasize that I am extremely tolerant of stress and can perform life-saving interventions, which may be crucial in Bermuda.
I would love to have the opportunity to join the clinical team at the Island Dental Center. I am looking forward to having a more detailed discussion with you about how I can be helpful for your team in providing top-quality care.
Best regards, ___________________________________