Master 30 Dental Residency interview questions covering clinical cases, research experience, and program fit.
Question 14 of 30
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Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
Your interviewers will be tasked with the difficult decision of determining who to select for their residency program. The interview panel would like to understand what drives you in your pursuit of a career in dentistry. Your core passion is what will keep you going on the toughest of days during residency.

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"There are several factors that drive my passion for a career in dentistry. If I had to pinpoint one main motivator, I would say that having a positive impact on the lives of everyday people is the most important. Everyone deserves great dental care, and I plan to live that mantra by being the best at what I do every day."

Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
It is okay to share a personal story when answering this question. Discuss what initiated your interest in attending dental school. Whatever drives you, make sure the interviewers can feel your passion!
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This may sound cliche but this is what really motivated me to be a dentist, I have always loved to pursue a carrier in the medical field, and I love working with my hands. Dentistry was an interesting career for me as we don't have a dentist in the family so at first, I chose it out of curiosity but now I'm very pleased with the choice I have made.
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Why exactly do you want to work in the medical field? What about it appeals to you? Helping others? When did you realize this, and why do you believe you've made the right choice? Talk about the experiences you've had that confirmed you've made the right decision. The more details you can give, the more memorable your answer will be to the interviewer. Make sure to show how passionate you are about this field. Good job!
Prepare for program director questions that assess your clinical judgment and specialty commitment.
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Written by Ryan Brunner
30 Questions & Answers • Dental Residency

By Ryan

By Ryan