The Complete Guide to Dental Assistant Letters of Recommendation

Getting a strong letter of recommendation is crucial for dental assistants looking to advance their careers. A well-written letter can help you stand out from other applicants and highlight your skills, experience, and work ethic to potential employers. This comprehensive guide will provide dental assistants with everything they need to know about obtaining compelling letters of recommendation.

What is a Letter of Recommendation?

A letter of recommendation, also known as a reference letter, is a formal letter written by someone who can vouch for your qualifications for a job. It provides detailed information about your capabilities, achievements, and positive qualities so employers can evaluate you as a candidate.

Letters of recommendation are commonly submitted alongside resumes and cover letters when you apply for jobs. They add credibility to your application by offering an external perspective on your abilities from someone who has supervised you.

For dental assistants, effective letters of recommendation should highlight skills such as:

• Patient care and communication
• Knowledge of dental procedures and equipment
• Record keeping and appointment scheduling
• Office administration and organization
• Ability to work well within a dental team

The letter writer should provide specific examples of when you demonstrated these capabilities while emphasizing your strongest qualities,

Who Should Write Your Letter of Recommendation?

The best letters of recommendation come from people who have directly supervised you in a dental healthcare setting such as:

• Former or current dentist employers
• Supervising dentists from internships/externships
• Dental instructors from a DA program
• Office managers

It’s best to avoid asking peers or personal contacts who haven’t directly observed your work. Letters from proper supervisors carry more weight since they have firsthand knowledge of your skills work ethic and abilities on the job.

If possible, the letter writer should be someone you worked closely with for at least one year. The longer they supervised you, the more insights they can provide into your talents.

When Do You Need a Letter of Recommendation?

Common situations where dental assistants need letters of recommendation include

• Applying for jobs: Letters confirm your skills and experience so employers can assess your qualifications. They provide details beyond your resume.

• Seeking a promotion: Letters showcase your capabilities and achievements to highlight why you deserve a promotion.

• Admission to advanced DA programs: Letters from supervisors demonstrate your motivation to expand your dental assisting knowledge and skills.

• Licensure applications: Certain states may require letters verifying your clinical experience hours.

• Scholarships/awards: Recommendation letters help selection committees learn about your academic and professional accomplishments.

How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation

When you’ve identified who you want your letter writers to be, you’ll need to formally ask them to draft the letter. Here are some tips for making the request:

• Give them adequate time – Politely ask if they’d be willing to write a letter at least 3-4 weeks before your deadline to give them sufficient time.

• Talk in person – Make the request in person if possible to convey your sincerity. This gives them a chance to ask clarifying questions too.

• Provide your full credentials – Supply them with an updated resume, transcripts, relevant licenses, and details about the job/program you’re applying to.

• Share why you asked them – Let them know why you value their recommendation specifically and highlight the aspects of your work they’re familiar with.

• Discuss logistics – Find out how they prefer to receive information from you and provide instructions on where/when to submit the letter. Offer pre-addressed/stamped envelopes.

• Follow up politely – Touch base closer to the deadline to kindly ensure the letter will be ready on time and show your appreciation.

• Send a thank you note – Follow up with a thoughtful thank you card or small gift after they submit the letter.

What Information to Provide to Your Letter Writer

To enable letter writers to create the most compelling recommendation possible, provide them with:

• Your full legal name, contact info, and current position

• The job/program you’re applying to, requirements, submission deadline

• A current copy of your resume and credentials

• A draft letter or list of your top skills/achievements you’d like highlighted

• Specific anecdotes about projects or patients you worked with

• Details about challenges you helped overcome

• photocopies of positive reviews, awards, certificates etc.

• Addressed and stamped envelopes if required

Equipping them with details will jog their memory so they can include personalized examples of your accomplishments.

Letter of Recommendation Template and Examples

Reviewing recommendation letter templates and samples helps guide your letter writers on what content to include. Here are some examples:

Template

Dear [Recipients Name],

I am writing this letter to highly recommend [Your Name] for the position of [job title] at [Company/Hospital/Clinic name]. I have known [Your Name] for the past [number] years in my capacity as [Your position relative to the candidate].

In the time that I have known [Your Name], [he/she] has continuously impressed me with [his/her] [qualities/skills] and I believe [he/she] would make an excellent addition to your [department/organization].

[Your Name] possesses exceptional clinical abilities in [procedures performed] and always delivered the highest quality patient care. Beyond [his/her] technical skills, [Your Name] has outstanding communication skills and always made patients feel comfortable. [He/She] worked extremely well within our dental team and assisted other staff whenever needed.

Additionally, [Your Name] consistently maintained meticulous patient records, adhered to infection control protocols, and kept our equipment in excellent working condition. [He/She] scheduled appointments efficiently and helped our office run smoothly on a day-to-day basis.

I wholeheartedly recommend [Your Name] for this position. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss [his/her] qualifications and achievements in more detail. I am confident [he/she] has the necessary skills and expertise to excel in this role and be an asset to your organization.

Sincerely,
[Your Name and Signature]
[Job title]
[Clinic/Practice Name]

Example 1

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am very pleased to recommend Stacey Reid for the position of Dental Assistant at your practice. I had the privilege of supervising Stacey for over two years when she worked as a Dental Assistant at Pine Dental Clinic.

In her time at our clinic, Stacey distinguished herself as an exceptionally talented dental assistant with outstanding clinical knowledge and patient care abilities. Her skills in oral radiography, intraoral photography, digital impressions and other dental technologies were superb.

Beyond her impeccable competencies, Stacey’s warm and friendly disposition put patients at ease. Her excellent communication skills enabled her to effectively educate patients on oral hygiene and procedures. She excelled at explaining complex dental issues in a way patients could easily understand.

Additionally, Stacey brought top-notch organization and efficiency to our practice. Her diligent record keeping, proactive appointment reminders and attentiveness to inventory management optimized day-to-day operations. Stacey often took on additional tasks and supported her coworkers without hesitation.

Stacey would undoubtedly be an invaluable team member at your practice. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss her candidacy further.

Sincerely,
Dr. Sandra Smythe
Dentist
Pine Dental Clinic

Example 2

To the DA Program Admissions Committee,

I am pleased to strongly recommend Melissa Chen for admission to your Dental Assistant (DA) Program. As her Clinical Instructor at her DA Externship with Dr. Johnson’s practice, I was thoroughly impressed with Melissa’s clinical skills, professionalism, and passion for patient care.

Throughout her externship, Melissa demonstrated outstanding expertise in a wide range of DA responsibilities. Her chairside assisting abilities were exceptional, especially in procedures like composite restorations, implant impressions and surgical extractions. Melissa’s radiography skills were similarly first-rate. She produced consistently high quality intraoral images.

Just as important as her technical abilities, Melissa established rapport with both patients and staff through her friendly and caring personality. Her genuine compassion shows her commitment to her patients’ well-being. She understands how to address patient concerns with empathy.

Melissa’s genuine interest in furthering her DA knowledge, coupled with her existing skills, make her an extremely promising candidate for your program. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss Melissa’s qualifications in more detail. I am confident she will thrive in your program and become an outstanding dental assistant.

Sincerely,
Amanda Scott, RDA
Externship Coordinator
Bright Smiles Dental Clinic

Key Takeaways

• Provide letter writers with details like your resume, work samples, and application requirements well in advance.

• Ask people who directly supervised your clinical work such as dentist employers, instructors, and externship coordinators.

• Emphasize skills like patient care, communication, knowledge of procedures