So you have a resume. That’s a great start! Does your resume reflect the job you’re applying for by using the same key words that are in the job description post? Because they should.
As someone who creates resumes for a living, I would highly recommend tweaking your resume every time you send it to a new potential employer. Though the position you’re applying for might be the same as others you’ve applied for — i.e. dental temp — the job description might differ from practice to practice. For example, if one dentist office is asking for “a highly motivated individual” to come in and “learn the practice’s signature customer service styles,” you would want the words “highly motivated,” the words “good customer service skills” and the words “quick learner” to appear somewhere in your resume. If you don’t already have them in there, you should adjust your resume before sending it to that office.
My husband was recently looking for a job. By trade, he’s an archaeologist, but these days, archaeologists are in as high demand as journalists (which is almost not at all). In the last four years, he’s expanded his skill set and was able to apply for several jobs in several different fields. 
Each time he sent in a resume, however, we changed the experience and skills sections to reflect the job he was applying for and its requirements. He’s got three resumes now. It’s important to show your future employer that you are serious and will apply the necessary detail to attention.
In addition to making sure your resume reflects exactly what the job posting asks for, this Forbes article gives you the best and worst words to use in your resume (and, of course, cover letter), when applying to jobs. Forbes staff writer Susan Adams outlines a CareerBuilder survey that asked participants to list words they view as turn-offs and words they would like to see. Topping the list of no-nos is “best of breed,” which . . . I totally agree with. Runner up is “go-getter,” and then comes the phrase “think outside the box.” The top word those polled said they wanted to see is “achieved,” with “improved” coming in second and “trained/mentored” following.
Something else to think about:
Always keep your resume current. Even when you aren’t looking for a new job, go in there from time to time and update it. Trust me, its so much easier to update as you go rather than figure out a way to stick six years of experience in there (this may or may not have been something I learned from experience). If you learn a new technique, put it in there. If you participate in an educational program, put it in there. Plus, who doesn’t like to see their accomplishments on paper?
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