Getting an interview invite from a school is so exciting! It means they like who you are on paper and now want to see how you'd fit in with their class. Once you literally have your foot in the School of Dental Medicine's door, you have the whole interview day to show students and faculty alike that you are the perfect student for their school. Though interviews are intimidating, preparing adequately will help you feel at ease while presenting your best self. Here are some tips for dental school interview success.
Know Your Stuff About Them
Chances are you applied to most schools because you love their particular program or location, while a few others you applied to simply in hopes of just getting an acceptance. Whether you know the school inside and out or not, it's absolutely necessary to educate yourself on the program and faculty. Prior to any interview, be sure you know the school's...
- mission statement. For the most part, the mission statements of dental schools include some variation on fostering education, providing service/care, and propelling dental research. Since a mission statement's purpose is to succinctly list the organization's core values, familiarizing yourself with it arms you with information to draw from during the interview to show that your values align with theirs. Though you don't want to directly state the mission statement in your interview, knowing it will help show that you belong at that school.
- culture. Some schools have more competitive classes. Others are more laidback. If you can find any information about the percent of students who specialize, you may get an idea of how competitive the class is (though you'll get the most insight simply by asking your student guide during your tour). Also, some programs emphasize how tight-knit their classes are or how family-friendly the school is. All of this information is valuable for your own information and for presenting your best self during the interview.
- strengths. Look at the main page on the school's website and usually there they boast about their strengths. Are they a top research school? Have they impacted the lives of thousands of underserved patients? People love talking about themselves and so you should know and chat about the school's strengths.
- recent events. A lot of dental schools have an online newsletter or blog where they post updates about new buildings, programs, organizations, faculty, etc. Read about the school's recent news and ask about it. For example, I interviewed at a school that just established a special needs clinic and so I asked about how the program works and their patients.
Know Your Stuff About You
During an interview, the dental school, surprise surprise, will ask you about yourself. It may seem like preparation isn't necessary for this, but I found talking about myself to be challenging! During your interview, you should be ready to...
- share your elevator speech. Answering the question tell me about yourself? is really tough. I recommend telling a story that shares who you are as a person and ends with how you want to be a dentist. This isn't easy to do on the fly. Personally, I wrote out a little paragraph and reviewed it until I could comfortably tell me story (without sounding rehearsed).
- emphasize your passion for dentistry. This should be a bit easier than your elevator speech since you wrote your entire personal statement about why you want to be a dentist. Still, share experiences that you didn't include in your personal statement and talk about how your passion grows every day.
- articulate your fit at this school. Your interviewer(s) will most likely ask why you want to attend their school in particular. I always responded with a three-pronged approach. I'd mention a specific quality about the school that I loved, the location (urban, rural, suburban--whatever it was it was a great fit), and how I'd have a support system. Whether your parents live near the school or your best friend's grandma lives an hour away, be sure to talk about how you'll have someone nearby to give you a hug and pep talk during the tough years of dental school.
- reference your application. Know your application inside and out! Inevitably, you will be asked about something specific on your app, be it a class grade or an extracurricular activity. Reviewing your primary and secondary application for that school will help you answer the question tell me about your research/this extracurricular activity/your volunteer work?
Prepare Smart Questions
The interview serves as a time for you to get to know more about the dental school. Even asking your interviewer(s) about the program, you still want to advocate for yourself as a prospective student. Prepare questions that show how...
- you're a good fit for this school and this school is a good fit for you. For example: How do students become involved in Organization the School is Very Proud Of? Can first-year dental students assist in the Clinic Unique to the School?
- you will continue involvement in your interests. For example: How can I continue my involvement in research? How many first year students have time to volunteer?
- you want to grow. For example: What have you found to be the traits of successful dental students?
- you have a life outside of school. For example: What do you like best about City? Why drew you to School?
Dress Accordingly
Interviews are all about first impressions. By looking pulled together, you'll start the day with confidence. Check out my post about what to wear to a dental school interview if you want to know exactly what I wore to my interviews. Generally, though, for the big day, make sure to...
- dress in business professional. Both men and women should wear a suit and a nice shirt/top. I'd stick to black or blue for the suit and go bolder (if you want) for the shirt, or tie for men. As in any situation, it's better to be overdressed than under, but as long as you wear a business professional outfit, you'll be good to go.
- pamper yourself before the interview. You want to look you best and make a good impression. Brush your hair (and teeth!), wear deodorant, paint your nails if you wish, trim/shave your face, etc. All I'm saying is groom yourself and make sure you feel comfortable.
- bring a pen and padfolio/folder. Every interview I attended included an information session, so it was helpful to have a pen and paper to write down information to reference later. I also kept a list of questions to ask during the day to review when I had downtime. I wouldn't bring much else into the building besides some these items.
- silence your cell phone (or turn it off!) The last thing you want is your phone to go off during any point of the day--not even on vibrate (unfortunately, I'm speaking from experience). Usually, the school has a room to keep things locked away like car keys and electronics, so it's best to silence your phone and leave it there for the day.
Focus and Clear Your Mind
Once you've done all the research and rehearsing that you can do, the last step is to rock the interview. If you know the school, know your application, have great questions to ask, and look the part, get in a positive mindset by...
- practicing confident body language. Use a firm handshake and sit up straight. Show the school that you're ready to be here and show them who you are!
- getting adequate sleep the nights leading up. It's difficult to consistently get a full night's sleep with a pre-dental's schedule, but try and get at least 8 hours the nights leading up to your interview. With a fresh mind, you'll perform at your best.
- taking deep breaths. If you're feeling anxious, trick your body into thinking it's already calm by breathing deeply. If you're self-conscious about taking deep breaths in front of the faculty and other applicants, do them in the bathroom during a break.
- smiling. You're going to be a dentist after all! Show those pearly whites!