How to Ace Your Dental School Interview (Questions Included)
/Proven approaches to answering common dental school interview questions, making faculty and staff love you, and sealing the admissions deal
learn how to ace your dental school interview
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Part 1: Introduction
You spend several years of college completing prerequisite course work, participating in extracurricular activities and finding every way possible to boost your resume. You then spend months studying for the DAT, writing your personal statement, asking for letters of recommendation and checking every box to submit your AADSAS dental school application.
Then, you get your reward with an email that looks like this:
Dear Applicant:
After careful review of your application, the _____ School of Dentistry’s Admissions Committee is pleased to extend an invitation for you to interview on October XX, 20XX.
But what now? What should you expect at the interview day? What are standard dental school interview questions? What is considered proper dental school interview attire?
Fortunately, while every school differs in their specific approach to interviews, there are predictable elements to all interview days and strategic steps you can take to feel prepared and confident. This guide will help you understand the dental school interview timeline, including how to prepare for interviews, what to expect on interview day and how to answer common questions (i.e. “tell me about yourself,” “why do you want to attend our school,” “why do you want to be a dentist,” etc.). We will also cover the various types of interview formats as well as more basic questions such as what to wear on interview day.
What is the goal of dental school interviews?
In order to ace your interviews, it is important to understand what a dental school wants when they invite you for an interview.
You’re at a stage, now, when the admissions committee has already reviewed your full AADSAS application, including your DAT, GPA, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statement.
If you’re being invited to interview, that means those bodies have deemed you “academically qualified” to participate in an interview day. You have met their admissions standards on paper and now they want to meet you in person.
This is intended to accomplish a few things:
1. Assess applicants’ sociability: Dentistry requires strong interpersonal skills as you interact with patients, staff, other dental professionals, and other healthcare providers. Additionally, dental schools are looking for applicants with strong social skills who can contribute to the overall student body during their four years in dental school.
2. Screen for difficult personalities: Dental schools have thousands of applicants, hundreds of whom are academically qualified. Therefore, they want to screen candidates and avoid accepting individuals with difficult personality traits such as arrogance, abrasiveness, poor communication skills and social awkwardness.
3. Ensure that the applicant in person matches the applicant on paper: Dental schools want to ensure that an applicant who appears qualified on paper can present themselves with the same level of professionalism in person.
Now that you understand the goals of dental school admissions committees during an interview, it is important to have a few goals of your own in mind. Here are three important tips to remember for any interview day:
1. “It’s not what you say – it’s how you say it.” You have likely heard this statement or something similar, which certainly applies to dental school interviews. While the content of your answers needs to be thoughtful and intelligible, what you say is less important than how you say it. Focus as much or more on basic, non-verbal elements of communication like posture, body language, eye contact, positive demeanor, and tone rather than stressing yourself out about trying to give the perfect answer to every question.
2. You are academically qualified, so just be your (best) self. One of the biggest mistakes, and the fastest way to stress yourself out and bomb an interview, is to approach interview day planning to demonstrate your intelligence. Be confident knowing that everyone you meet at an interview already assumes you are academically qualified to attend that school.
3. Everyone is evaluating you on interview day. Some schools will tell you that you can be open and honest with current students as they are not part of the interview experience. Additionally, sometimes applicants are stressed and anxious and can be rude or cold with support staff such as secretaries and other administrative personnel, while waiting to “turn on their charm” with the interviewers. Treat everyone at an interview day as if they are the only person deciding whether or not you get accepted. First, it is good practice and common courtesy to treat everyone equally well. Second, everyone you interact with on interview day can provide feedback on the interview process.
Dental school interview timeline
Traditional interview season falls between September and March, with a few schools starting earlier and some offering interviews into early spring. That said, the vast majority of interviews take place between September and December, and historically applicants who interview during this period have a higher likelihood of getting accepted somewhere. This is not surprising, as stronger applicants typically receive interview invitations earlier and therefore have a better chance of being accepted to dental school.
Additionally, December 1 (or the first Monday in December) is the first day dental schools can extend offers of admission, so they typically try to interview the most competitive candidates first in order to provide an early offer of admission.
That said, do not give up hope if you have not heard back from any schools prior to December 1. Many applicants receive multiple offers that day and can only commit to one, making other slots available.
After December 1, dental schools evaluate how many seats they have filled and extend additional offers to previously interviewed candidates. At this point, they often extend additional offers for more interviews as well. This process continues until the dental school has filled all available seats.
The long and short of it is that most schools operate on this rolling admissions schedule. That’s why it’s important to get your application in as early as possible so you have a chance at one of the earlier interview dates.
Also, be sure to monitor your email, including your junk mailbox. Don’t forget to update your voicemail greeting to be professional and ensure you have storage space available, as schools might call you. You don’t want to risk missing any communications related to your admissions process.
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Part 2: Before Interview Day
Dental school interview format
Every dental school has its own way of conducting interviews and organizing interview days. At some schools, it’s a daylong itinerary of events including a campus tour, financial aid presentation, message from the Dean, and lunch with current students, all in addition to the actual interviews. Other programs may give you two hours of interviews with current faculty members.
If you’re not given an itinerary in advance of your interview, you’re within your rights to ask so that you are prepared for what the day holds.
Another good resource to use is the Student Doctor Network Interview Feedback Page. There is detailed information on nearly every dental school including questions asked to previous applicants, interview style and format, overall impressions of the program and much more.
Be prepared for three main interview formats: one-on-one, Multiple Mini Inerviews (MMIs), and group interviews.
One-on-one: still the most common interview format for dental school interviews. The applicant meets with one or several members of the admissions committee which could include faculty members, administration, alumni, or current students. This type of interview can either be a “getting to know you” conversation or a more structured interview with a list of planned questions. Often applicants may have between two and four of these sessions.
Group: Some schools are incorporating group interviews during which multiple applicants all answer the same questions in front of one another. Another format for group interviews: applicants may be asked to perform a task together or participate in a group discussion about a dental case. Group interviews are used to evaluate an applicant’s interpersonal skills and ability to work well within a group learning structure.
MMI (Multiple Mini Interviews): The MMI format, common for medical schools, is gaining popularity among dental schools. Applicants rotate through multiple, timed stations where they are usually given between 5 and 10 minutes to respond to a specific prompt—a question, ethical dilemma, or a puzzle. The purpose of the MMI is not to test any specific knowledge but to see how an applicant thinks, problem-solves, and communicates under pressure.
One final word on interview format. The majority of schools conduct “open file” interviews, however some schools prefer a “closed file” interview format. What does this mean? In an open interview, the interviewers are given access to your application beforehand and are typically familiar with most of its contents. A closed interview is when the interviewers have never seen any portion of your application and are coming into the interviews “blind” to information such as your GPA, DAT, personal statement, etc.
In a closed interview, you’ll want to include more detail when discussing elements from your application, while in an open interview you can reference your application experiences or stories without having to re-tell everything.
However, you should prepare for both types of interviews similarly—remembering that it’s your job to give context for your narrative—because even with open interviews, you will find that not every interviewer has read your file with equal attention.
Interview preparation
While each school has its own interview structure and questions, there are five general steps to take as you prepare for any dental school interview.
1. Do your research: Before attending any interview make sure you have thoroughly researched that school. Looking through the school’s website is a start. Try to find out what distinguishes that school, or what they’re most proud of. Is the program focused on research, public health, or providing dental care to low income or underrepresented populations? Maybe the school has a homeless clinic or a program to provide military veterans dental care at a reduced cost. Your job in part is to demonstrate how your interests align with that school’s philosophy.
2. Talk to current students and alumni: Whenever possible, try to connect with current students before attending an interview. Ask them about their experience, what they like about their school, what they don’t like about the school and why they chose to go there. Ask them what has made their experience special. What opportunities do they think they got at this particular school that wouldn’t have been possible elsewhere? You can also ask about their interview experience and any insights or tips they have. The predental advising office at your university may have a record of previous students and where they are currently attending dental school. This can be a great resource to connect with current dental students.
3. Know your application: Make sure you know your application inside and out. Interviewers might ask, “Tell me about the research you conducted…,” or, “What was the biggest challenge you encountered as the president of the predental club?” Ensure you have something to add to what you’ve already written, but be vigilant about not contradicting yourself.
4. Understand current trends in dentistry: Do some basic research on current trends in dentistry. Talk to dentists about challenges they face personally in their practices as well as larger trends and innovations they see in dentistry across the country. Even spending just 30 minutes on Google can give you a broad overview of dental trends and challenges so you are prepared to answer the common question, “What do you see as some of the biggest challenges or trends in dentistry today?”
5. Conduct mock interviews: Pre-dental clubs often offer mock interview days. Current dental students might also hold a “pre-dental day” on their campus, which provides hands-on opportunities in a dental lab and often includes a mock interview—it’s a good resource if you live near a dental school or can get yourself near one. Pre-dental advising offices can also help with mock interviews. If the pre-dental program at your school is small or nonexistent, ask the pre-medical or pre-law office for help.
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Part 3: Interview Day and Beyond
How to dress on interview day
Dress conservatively and professionally. You’ll stand out with your personality—there’s no need to be flashy with your attire. Here’s what works:
A suit and tie, typically black, navy blue or gray; skirt, or pantsuit.
Dress shirts should be conservative without distracting patterns or loud colors.
Makeup or jewelry should be simple.
How to answer common interview questions
Before diving into specific questions, here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when answering any question:
Be consistent with what you wrote in your application and bolster it by drawing on specific examples or experiences referenced in your personal statement or elsewhere in your application.
Make sure you actually answer the question being asked. “Interview nerves” have been known to make even the best applicants ramble on for several minutes without ever answering the actual question.
Be confident and personable.
Don’t let a difficult question rattle you. It is perfectly acceptable to admit you don’t know. Follow this response with your best guess, including your rationale, and then ask the interviewer how they would respond to the situation or question.
Here’s a good example of language to use to admit you don’t know: “I am not sure what the current literature indicates as the most appropriate treatment for an avulsed tooth in a teenager. Once when I was shadowing, a 14-year-old boy had been hit in the face and knocked out his central incisor. The dentist replanted the tooth and splinted it to the adjacent incisor, so that is likely how I would address the situation. How would you handle a similar situation in your practice?”).
Remember that eye contact, body language, voice tone and other nonverbal forms of communication are as important as your actual response.
“Tell me about yourself?”
This is perhaps the most common question asked in an interview, and yet many applicants fail to provide a strong answer.
Two common pitfalls to avoid:
First, do not provide an overly lengthy answer that sounds like a chronology of your life from kindergarten to present day. Limit your response to 1 to 2 minutes.
Second, the interviewer wants to get to know you apart from your interest in dentistry so do not dive directly into dentistry or dental related experiences, rather paint a picture of who you are as a person before tying it into dentistry at the end.
How to answer the question:
Touch on a few (three to five, loosely) experiences, hobbies, and unique characteristics from your background that paint an interesting picture of you as a person.
Briefly conclude your response by tying it in to your interest in dentistry.
And, do all that without sounding scripted. We know—that’s tough.
Example response—written the way you might actually say it: I was born in San Diego and moved to Dallas in high school. I loved surfing and water sports in California, but when we moved to Dallas, I got became very passionate about horseback riding, which meant I was sometimes known as a “surfer cowboy.” My mother passed away when I was young from breast cancer and my father remarried just a few years later. It was hard to adjust to life with my stepmother at first, but as an adult I consider her one of the greatest blessings in my life—in fact, she’s the reason I am here today. While I was in middle school, my dad lost his job and she went back to school to become a dental hygienist. I shadowed her in high school and she inspired me to become a dental assistant to pay my way through college. She always talked about the relationships she developed with patients and how happy it made her to see people progress with their dental health. I wouldn’t have known about this world without her.”
“Why do you want to be a dentist?”
This is another extremely common question that, whether directly asked or not, should be something that you convey in an interview.
Two common pitfalls to avoid:
First, this question is so predictable that applicants often have a prepared answer. That’s good—but sounding or looking too rehearsed will count against you. To put it simply: let the interviewer see and feel your authentic, enthusiastic warmth for the profession. That will come through in facial expressions and nonverbal communications—things which suffer if you over-prep.
The second common pitfall is telling a story that is completely different from anything shared in your personal statement for fear of being repetitive. Referencing your personal statement is totally fair. But remember that you probably shouldn’t regurgitate it word for word. We don’t speak the same way we write, so your word choices will end up being a little more relaxed and organic.
How to answer the question:
Refer to a few key experiences in dentistry.
Have a thesis for what about dentistry appeals to you.
Be passionate, engaging and personal when describing your journey.
Example response: “As I mentioned, my stepmom is the reason I am in dentistry. Her passion and enthusiasm as a dental hygienist spurred my initial interest. One day while I was shadowing her…” This applicant would then go on to tell a specific story regarding an interaction with a patient as well as illustrating her journey and passion for dentistry with other experiences from her personal statement.
“Why do you want to attend our dental school?”
Applicants sometimes fail to understand the significance of this question as, on the surface, dental schools can appear similar. However, if you truly do your research you will find there are fairly significant cultural and philosophical differences between schools. Understanding what makes each school different, and what they value and emphasize in their program, will help you give a strong response.
Two common pitfalls to avoid:
First, applicants often give a very general response to this question that could apply to any dental school. For example, “I feel this program will give me excellent clinical training and provide opportunities to do research.” An overly generalized response is often given because the applicant has not done their research and does not understand that specific program.
Second, don’t try to answer this question with flattery or excessive praise. It’s awkward for everyone, and seems disingenuous.
How to answer the question:
Do your research and find 2-3 very specific aspects of the program that the school is proud of and which appeal to you.
Connect those chosen aspects to your personal goals and interests.
Example response: [SSA5] “The University of Utah is the only program in the country with a 3 + 1 curriculum, which definitely interests me. I like the idea of entering clinic early and having the opportunity to pursue specific areas of clinical interest in my fourth year. I’m also hoping to attend a small school, and I know Utah is one of the smallest in the country. I’ve always known, since middle school, that I learn best in more intimate educational environments. The last thing I’ll mention is that I’m really interested in tissue engineering and stem cell applications to dentistry and Utah does really cutting edge research in this field. I think Utah would be a really good fit with my personal and professional goals.”
“What is your biggest weakness?”
This is, perhaps, the most awkward and uncomfortable interview question. That said, this question has somehow become common for all types of interviews, dental school included, so we will help you get through it successfully Remember, the goal of the question is not really about understanding your weaknesses, but rather for the interviewer to evaluate your self-awareness and your ability to think and respond under pressure.
Two common pitfalls to avoid:
First, never discuss a weakness that would significantly impact your ability to do well in dental school or as a practicing dentist (i.e. terrible hand skills and dexterity, poor people skills, unable to take constructive feedback, etc).
Second, don’t try to spin your weakness into a strength with the stereotypical responses, “I work too hard,” “I care too much,” or “I’m a perfectionist.”
How to answer the question:
Describe a real weakness, but one that will not directly harm your success in dentistry. This does not have to be your “biggest” weakness, just a weakness.
The weakness you choose should typically be skill-based rather than personality-based—it means you can make up for it, and demonstrates growth mindset.
Describe either past actions you have taken to improve in this area or future plans to address the specific weakness.
Example response: “Although I’m a millennial, I sometimes feel behind my peers with technology. I wish I understood computers and programming better. I realize technology will play a very important role in my life and career. I’m trying to improve in this area and last summer I enrolled in a coding class, and I’m taking a second one next semester.”
Behavioral interview questions
A very common type of question is the behavioral interview question. There are hundreds of different behavioral interview questions that can be found with a quick Google search. In general, behavioral interview questions follow the format, “Tell me about a time when….” A few examples include:
Tell me about a time when you made a mistake.
Tell me about a time when you achieved a significant goal.
Tell me about a time when you had to stand up for something you believed in.
Two common pitfalls to avoid:
First, these questions can catch applicants off guard if they are unprepared. Applicants might talk in circles for several minutes without actually answering the specific question.
Second, don’t use overly broad generalizations or describe hypotheticals of what you would do.
How to answer the question:
Talk about a very specific incident or experience that relates to the question.
Describe what you did in that situation.
Discuss what you learned from that experience.
Example response to the question, “Tell me about a time when you made a mistake?” “Last year in my creative writing course I completely misread the syllabus and thought my midterm paper was due a week later than it really was. I was taken by surprise when the professor asked everyone to turn in the midterm paper. I panicked at first, but after class I went and spoke with my professor and explained what had happened and took responsibility for my mistake. I was surprised by how understanding he was, and he ended up letting me turn in the assignment late with only a 5% penalty. This experience taught me the importance of being honest and admitting my mistakes. It was also a good learning experience that taking full responsibility is the best way to approach honest mistakes.”
MMI Questions
The MMI format can be intimidating as it requires quick thinking on your feet and limited time to respond. While medical schools are more likely to use the MMI format, it is being adopted by some dental schools.
Two common pitfalls to avoid:
First, don’t let one bad station throw you off for the rest of the interview. It is completely normal for you to not have a perfect answer for one of the stations. With 8 to 10 total stations, it’s okay to perform poorly in one so just move on and ace the next one.
Second, don’t panic if you don’t know the answer to the question. It is common for MMIs to touch on difficult ethical or clinical situations that even an experienced dentist would struggle with. The point of the question is to assess your ability to think on your feet, not to test any specific knowledge.
It can be difficult to prepare for MMIs in the abstract, so we’ll work through one together here.
Example question: A 25-year-old patient comes to your office requesting full mouth extraction of his teeth followed by maxillary and mandibular dentures. The patient currently has PFM crowns on # 14, 15, and 18, occlusal composite fillings on 30 and 31, and class V caries on 22, 23, 24 and 25. The patient explains that he does not like the appearance of his teeth and cannot afford full mouth veneers and orthodontics. What do you do?
How to answer the question:
Figure out what’s actually being asked: Weed out extraneous information to isolate what is most important to the specific scenario. There will very likely be less relevant details in the scenario you’re given—this is part of the task. In the example case, the sentence regarding PFM crowns and caries is a distractor from the key question regarding the patient’s desire for full mouth extraction.
Define the problem: It is not uncommon to face a primary, secondary, and tertiary problem in a prompt. With the limited time available, be sure to focus your answer on the primary concern.
When defining the problem, it is helpful to think in terms of the five ethical principles as defined in the ADA Code of Ethics: “There are five fundamental principles that form the foundation of the ADA Code: patient autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice and veracity.” We would recommend becoming familiar with this document prior to any interview.
In this case, we might define the problem as: Does the dentist decide to honor patient autonomy and extract all of the patient’s teeth even though this option is likely not in the best interest of the patient (nonmaleficience)?
Get more information, if necessary: Don’t assume you need to have an answer based on the prompt only. It is perfectly acceptable to ask questions or describe questions you would ask. Collecting additional information shows your ability to think as well as your interpersonal communication skills.
You might not always be allowed to ask questions directly. But you can say what you would ask if given the chance.
For instance: “I would want to complete a full oral evaluation to assess the condition of the patient’s teeth. I would also want to discuss treatment goals and what the patient specifically does not like about their teeth to understand if there are other options.”
Arrive at a decision: Ultimately, you will be expected to make a decision and defend it. This mimics the clinical environment you will face as a dentist when you are forced to address challenging clinical situations with your patients. Make sure not to be ambivalent or waffle between several possibilities.
Here’s an example: “If I found that the patient’s teeth were in good condition I would explain the significant negative consequences of serial extraction and the functional difficulties of full dentures. I would describe alternative treatment options such as composite veneers or anterior maxillary veneers, and explain that I could not in good conscience remove all of the patient’s teeth. If they wanted to pursue one of the alternative options discussed I would be happy to help them, otherwise they could look into other opinions from different dentists.
What questions should you ask your interviewer?
At the end of the interview you will be given the opportunity to ask questions.
What not to do:
Don’t ask basic questions where the answers can be found on the school website. This would include information such as average class size, basic curriculum format or whether the school has specialty programs.
What to do:
Ask questions about specific characteristics unique to that program. These types of questions can only come from previous research about the school. For example, “Can you tell me more about the opportunities students have to participate in the homeless clinic?”
Sending follow-up thank you notes
Unless a school explicitly asks you not to send thank you notes, you should send one to each person who interviewed you. Sending thank you notes by email is perfectly acceptable.
Interviewers may offer their business card which will have their email address. Be sure to make a mental note of interactions with each interviewer so that you can be specific in your follow-up thank you note. Here’s a sample thank you letter template you can use to email your interviewers:
Dear Dr. [Interviewer’s Last Name],
I want to thank you once more for taking the time to interview me for admission to [Dental School] [note about the date, e.g., yesterday, specific date]. Throughout my interview day, I was impressed with [a few reasons you enjoyed your visit, whether the people, facilities, culture, etc.), which aligns with [some quality or aspiration that is important to you]. In addition, I appreciate your candid [advice/insights] about [topic]. Since the interview, [something you thought about or researched, and your insights gained].
My already strong interest in [Dental School] was only confirmed by the interview day, and I would be honored to matriculate there. If you would like any other information from me, please reach me by phone at [number] or email at [address]. Otherwise, I look forward to hearing your decision.
Sincerely,
[Your First and Last Name]
Final thoughts
The interview is a time to show who you are as a person. It is an opportunity for the school to see if you are a good fit for them and for you to decide if they are a good fit for you. While interviews can be intimidating, understanding what to expect, doing your research and following the advice above will help you enjoy the interview process and increase your chances of acceptance to dental school.
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