Dental School Interviews

Posted by Unknown User on 09/08/2005 02:21:43 AM

Personal Background

• Tell me about yourself.
• Are there any dentists in your family? Have they

  influenced your decision to become a dentist?

• How do you relax? What do you do in your spare

  time?

• If I asked your peers to describe you, what do you

  think they would say?

• How would your professors, internship supervisors

  and employers describe you?

• What motivates you?
• What was the most difficult decision you ever had

  to make? How did you reach such a decision?

• What was your biggest mistake/failure and what did

  you learn from it?

• What do you consider to be your greatest asset?
• What is  your greatest weakness? What have you

  done so far to try to improve in this area?

Educational Background

• What was your favorite class in college?
• Have you ever been involved in research?
• Why did you decide to be a  ______ major?   How do

  you think your major prepared you for dental school?

Career Planning

• Why are you interested in dentistry?  How do you

  know that dentistry is a good career choice for you?

• Why have you selected dentistry over other health

  care fields?

• Why did you apply to this school?  What are the

  other schools that you applied to?

• What do you see yourself doing in ten years from

  now, professionally, personally, etc.?

• What would you do if you were not accepted to

  dental school?

Dentistry As a Profession

• How would you describe the "ideal" dentist?
• What is your understanding of a typical day for a

  dentist?

• What concerns do you have about becoming a

  dentist?

• How would you feel about working for a health

  maintenance organization?

• What appeals the most to you about being a

  dentist?

Health Care Environment

• What do you think is the impact of insurance

  regulations, threats of malpractice, etc. on the dental profession?

• How do you think managed care is going to affect

  your future as a dental student and as a dentist?

• To what extent do you think the Government should

  get involved with health care?  Why?

Ethics

• If the U.S. was to adopt socialized medicine, how

  do you think it would affect the quality of health care?

• Do you think that expensive dental procedures

  should be suspended for elderly people?  If yes, when and why?

Questions to ask!

• What is the greatest strength of your program?
• What about its weaknesses? How are these

  weaknesses being currently addressed?

• How soon may I expect to engage in patient

  contact?

• What kind of research opportunities are available

  at your school?

• How would you describe the campus atmosphere? What

  can you tell me about the school's philosophy?

• How would you describe a typical entering class

  (backgrounds, age, etc.)

• What is the attrition rate at your institution?
• How successful are your students in entering

  graduate programs and residencies?

• What kind of alumni/ae connections do exist for

  assistance with placement issues?

   

Information on this page was taken

from a handout given during an application process meeting with CP&P.