A recent patient survey comes back, and you find out that you did not meet a patient's expectations for their care. What are the next steps you would take to improve?

If you were to ask any practicing dentist if they have ever received critical feedback on a patient survey, the answer would be a resounding yes. The key to answering this question is reiterating to your interviewers that you would take the feedback, analyze what you may have done, and use that as motivation to improve the care you provide to patients moving forward. Keep in mind that most patient feedback is anonymous, and you may not be able to pinpoint the exact interaction that resulted in the feedback from the patient.

"When faced with this situation, I wouldn't let it get me down. Rather, I would see it as an opportunity to improve. I would do my best to analyze the feedback and remember which patient encounter it came from. If the feedback was general, I would take time to reflect on why the patient may have said this about me and take all necessary measures to improve going forward. I would also use this learning opportunity to talk with faculty of the program to get their insight as well."