10 (more!) tough dental school interview questions

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Once you’ve submitted your dental school applications, all that’s left to do (besides congratulate yourself for the amazing work that you put into the application process) is start thinking about interviews! Dental school interviews usually start in the early fall and continue into the next year. Last year, we shared 10 tough dental school interview questions (check them out here) — and we’re back with 10 more! How might you answer these?

1. Why did you choose your major? How might it have prepared you for dental school?

You’re more likely to receive this question if you have a more “untraditional” major for dental students (e.g., not biology or chemistry). Almost any major can be connected to dentistry somehow. Think about how your major sets you apart and why it might give you a unique perspective!

2. What do you think will be your biggest challenge in dental school?

Maybe it will be the manual dexterity or the transition from lectures to patient care. Whatever it is, dental school interviewers want to see that you have an idea about what to expect in dental school and are aware of your own strengths and weaknesses.

3. What are your thoughts on dental therapists (midlevel providers)?

Dental therapists fulfill a similar role to physician assistants and work under the supervision of a dentist. Some argue that dental therapists should be more widespread because they can extend dental care to underserved areas. Others, including dentists, worry about how midlevel providers might change the dental profession in more negative than positive ways. Read perspectives on both sides and decide for yourself the possible pros and cons.

4. (For applicants applying out-of-state) What interests you about living in this state? Do you see yourself staying after graduating from dental school?

State schools in particular may be concerned with whether, if they admit an out-of-state student, that student will practice in the state after graduation. When answering this question, think about why you’d be interested in moving to this state and if you can seriously envision yourself living there long-term.

5. What is something you regret?

This can be a tricky one! Similar to the questions like “What is your biggest weakness?”, this question requires you to think about something challenging and present it in a way that suggests that you’re able to learn from your mistakes.

6. What is something that isn’t on your application that I should know about you?

You may feel like your dental school application contains pretty much everything there is to know about you — from your passions to your academic interests to your background. However, there is certainly at least one thing that is an important part of who you are, but isn’t represented on your application. This is also something you can talk about when an interviewer asks, at the end of the interview, “Is there anything else I should know about you?”

7. How do you plan to cope with the workload in dental school?

Think about how you studied for classes in undergrad and how you handled difficult semesters, and reflect on your strategies for managing stress and tending to your mental well-being. Dental schools want to see that you will be able to thrive even with the pressure and workload of grad school.

8. Based on your shadowing experiences, talk me through a dental procedure, step-by-step.

This question tests how much you paid attention during your shadowing experiences! Even if you can’t describe every little step of a procedure, you should be able to describe the general workflow. This is why it can be helpful to jot down some notes wherever you keep track of your shadowing hours!

9. What matters to you most in choosing a dental school?

Whether it’s class size, clinical curriculum, service opportunities, or anything else, think about what matters most to you in a future dental school. This will help the interviewers decide if your top priorities align well with their school.

10. What other dental schools are you applying to?

Admittedly, this can be a bit of an awkward question, but it’s okay to answer honestly while still conveying your interest and excitement in the school you’re currently interviewing at. Schools ask this question to get a sense of the types of schools that interest you and see who else might be vying for you as an applicant!

Want more interview prep? CrackDAT offers interview preparation and a list of 175 dental school interview questions to help you shine during your interviews.

Reflecting on how you would answer tough interview questions is great practice, but the most important part of the interview process is being confident and conveying your authentic personality. We wish you the best of luck during interview season — you’ve got this!

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