Dental School Mock Interview
Prepare for your dental school admissions interview with 40 questions covering clinical judgment, ethics, and patient care scenarios.
Question 25 of 40
Many dentists have an area of specialty in which they work. What area of dentistry interests you the most?
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Nisha Yadav is a Talent Advisor & People Specialist with a focus on global talent attraction. Her earlier career experience includes HR and recruitment roles where she specialized in contract and permanent IT recruitment opportunities.
There are many potential career paths that dentists can take, including many areas of subspecialty training and practice down the road following dental school. Your interviewers want to know if you have your potential career path planned out or if you are still a bit undecided on where you want your dental career to take you.
Nisha Yadav is a Talent Advisor & People Specialist with a focus on global talent attraction. Her earlier career experience includes HR and recruitment roles where she specialized in contract and permanent IT recruitment opportunities.
"I have always had my eye on a specialty in Pediatrics. I like working around children and think it's great to influence people to take care of their smiles from a young age. Over the past year, I've had the opportunity to shadow in an amazing pediatric dentistry practice and can foresee myself thriving in that area down the road."
Ryan Brunner has over ten years of experience recruiting, interviewing, and hiring candidates in the healthcare, public service, and private manufacturing/distribution industries.
Before your dental school interview, you've hopefully thought about where you want your career to go following dental school training. If needed, you should at least conduct some basic research on areas of specialty offered in dentistry. These include endodontics, orthodontics, prosthodontics, pediatrics, periodontics, and oral and maxillofacial surgery.
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Anonymous Answer
Many specialties interest me. However, I am currently most passionate about general dentistry. I have spent most of my time assisting general dentists, and I have enjoyed every moment of it. I have first-hand been able to see the strong connection the general dentist makes with his/her patient. Since they see them so often, every six months or more, the continuity of care, allows for learning about their lives and provide a personal touch.
I am open to changing once I am in dental school, and I have personal experience will all different specialties first hand.
Rachelle's Feedback
Your interest in building connections and relationships with your patients shines through. Nicely done.
Anonymous Answer
Oral and maxillofacial surgeon is the area of dentistry interests me the most because oral surgeons include tooth extractions, corrective jaw surgery, and cleft lip. In fact, oral surgeons are the only health care professionals, other than anesthesiologists, who administer all sedation.
Rachelle's Feedback
Fantastic answer! You are very clear about your career path, which is great to see.
"Oral and maxillofacial surgeon is the area of dentistry that interests me the most because oral surgeons perform tooth extractions, corrective jaw surgery, and cleft lip surgery. In fact, oral surgeons are the only health care professionals, other than anesthesiologists, who administer sedation."
Anonymous Answer
Since I have not yet matriculated into dental school, I have not made my mind up on what area of specialty I would like to work in or if I would want to practice general dentistry. However, I definitely open to possibilities should a specific field interest me.
Jaymie's Feedback
Great job. It's okay to be honest and let the interviewer know that you're keeping an open mind and exploring different areas.
Anonymous Answer
Among many specialties in dentistry, general dentistry is the most interesting to me. After shadowing many general dental clinics, I learned that general dentists are the first and foremost dental professionals whom the patients will see to assess their oral health and screen for oral diseases. Also, there is still a lot of room for continuing education as a general dentist as they can learn many advanced techniques such as laser treatment, implants, bone grafting, etc.
Marcie's Feedback
Great! Why do you want to be one of the first dental professionals that patients see? Why does this matter to you? Adding some more details here will further strengthen your response. Good job!
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