Imagine the clinic is extremely busy, and you requested that a hygienist walk a patient through at home care instructions. Ten minutes later, the patient has yet to be seen, and they are upset about it. Tell me how you proceed.

"I would first reassure the patient that their exit instructions were very important and that I would ensure that they are instructed as soon as possible. Upon leaving the room, I would approach the hygienist, let them know of the situation with the patient, and remind them of my request to instruct the patient. My conversation with them would be professional and would reiterate why walking through personal care instructions with the patient was important to their care. In the end, I would ensure that either myself or one of the hygienists talked with the patient to give them a timeline for when they would be seen again."

To effectively answer this question, talk about how you would put the patient at ease and work to ensure they will be seen soon. Then, discuss how you would approach the hygienist and instruct them to see the patient as soon as possible. No matter how you answer, ensure that your interviewing team walks away confident in your ability to have direct and difficult conversations with the support staff you would be working with as a dental student in their program.