Have you ever had significant dental work? Tell me about your experience as a patient. What made it memorable?

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Many aspiring dentists were positively influenced by their own experiences at some point in their childhood or early adult life. Your interviewers are asking you to speak of your positive dental experiences as a patient and how they've inspired you to pursue this career.

To impress your interviews, talk about your positive experiences with dentists throughout your life as a patient. Focus on how you were treated and how that inspired you to desire to provide great care to others down the road. You can discuss your experience with braces as a kid, or maybe even a root canal! If you had a favorite dentist growing up, talk about what made them great. Keep your answer simple and positive.

"I had braces as a teenager and remember that the orthodontist I saw was great at keeping my nerves at bay. He had a cool office and let me pick the color of my elastics, which I always liked. This particular dentist showed me the importance of great dental hygiene. I hope to have a similar bedside manner when I am a dentist."

Anonymous Answer

"I lost my front tooth when I was 11 years old. I was trying to learn how to ride a bicycle by myself. I had a removable denture bridge that was extremely uncomfortable and inconvenient. After many years, I was so lucky that I had an implant. I feel my life changed because I can smile and no worries about eating anything."

Rachelle's Feedback

This would have been a struggle for sure, but also gave you an appreciation for what dental work can do. Nice response. I have tweaked slightly flow.

"I lost my front tooth when I was 11, after trying to learn how to ride a bicycle by myself. I needed a removable denture bridge that was extremely uncomfortable and inconvenient. Many years later, I was lucky to get an implant. This implant changed my life because it allowed me to smile, and I did not have to worry about eating anything. I certainly appreciate what Dentists can do!"

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Anonymous Answer

"Yes, I had braces before my two front teeth overlapped, and my canine was up in my gums because my deciduous canines did not fall out. This was memorable because it completely changed my life and how I felt about myself. I used to have low self-esteem because I didn't like my smile. I never wanted to laugh or smile. When I did, I always had my hands covering my mouth because I was ashamed. After braces, I naturally loved smiling and do not cover my mouth when smiling or laughing."

Rachelle's Feedback

Awesome! It's fantastic that you had this transformation and experience, allowing you to relate to your patients even more :)

Anonymous Answer

"My significant dental work would definitely be fillings. I have a bad sweet tooth. I love fruits, chocolate, and candy, so I indulged in food and snacks like that a lot when I was a kid. It was memorable because every time I went to the office for the dentist to check It out. He made the experience pleasant and kid-friendly. He would always give us toys at the end to make It memorable and take the image away of dentists being bad doctors."

Rachelle's Feedback

Could you dive in further regarding 'the image of dentists being bad doctors'? Your experience as a child was memorable, and it would be great if you could bring these experiences to life with more detail. When you are a dentist, how do you plan to take this childhood experience and apply it to your own practice?

Anonymous Answer

"Last year I had an infection on tooth number 30 and needed a root canal. Fortunately, the dentist I was assisting at the time offered to perform the procedure for me. I remember being a bit anxious even though I’ve seen more root canals than I could count. Dr. Jacob’s calm demeanor helped me feel relaxed. Funny enough as a child, I hated going to the dentist due to my fear of needles in my mouth. She gently inserted the syringe into my gums and surprisingly I didn’t feel it at all. After the numbing process, she performed the root canal and it couldn’t have gone better. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of nervous patients coming in for procedures as a future dentist so I plan to use what I learned from this experience to make me the most compassionate and gentle dentist I can possibly be."

Jaymie's Feedback

This is an excellent answer! You answered each portion of the question well and used a wonderful example to tell the story.

Anonymous Answer

"A few years ago, I had my two upper third molars extracted by a dentist. After getting numb, the dentist approached me in a very caring and friendly manner. And I was impressed that it only took less than half a minute for him to extract both of my teeth. I can feel his compassion in his skills. This is one of the stories that inspired me to pursue dentistry."

Marcie's Feedback

Good answer! It's clear that you were impressed by your dentist on multiple levels. Consider talking more about how you want to emulate these skills and qualities.

How to Answer: Have you ever had significant dental work? Tell me about your experience as a patient. What made it memorable?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Dental School job interview.

19. Have you ever had significant dental work? Tell me about your experience as a patient. What made it memorable?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

Written by Ryan Brunner on August 23rd, 2022

How to Answer

Written by Ryan Brunner on August 23rd, 2022

Answer Example

Written by Ryan Brunner on August 23rd, 2022

Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

Anonymous Answer

Rachelle's Feedback

This would have been a struggle for sure, but also gave you an appreciation for what dental work can do. Nice response. I have tweaked slightly flow.

Show More Answers

Anonymous Answer

Rachelle's Feedback

Awesome! It's fantastic that you had this transformation and experience, allowing you to relate to your patients even more :)

Anonymous Answer

Rachelle's Feedback

Anonymous Answer

Jaymie's Feedback

This is an excellent answer! You answered each portion of the question well and used a wonderful example to tell the story.

Anonymous Answer

Marcie's Feedback

Good answer! It's clear that you were impressed by your dentist on multiple levels. Consider talking more about how you want to emulate these skills and qualities.

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