Born in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Dener finished his youth formation with Grêmio.
He made his first team debut on 20 January 2011, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 Campeonato Gaúcho away draw against Ypiranga.
After loan stints at Veranópolis,[1] Vitória[2] and Caxias, Dener signed a permanent one-year deal with Ituano on 13 January 2014.
[3] An undisputed starter, he only missed one match in the club's Campeonato Paulista winning campaign.
[7] On 28 November 2016, whilst at the service of Chapecoense, Dener was among the fatalities of the LaMia Airlines Flight 2933 accident in the Colombian village of Cerro Gordo, La Unión, Antioquia.