University of Iowa Dentistry Interview Questions

Past Interview Questions & Tips

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University of Iowa Dentistry Key Information

Iowa’s Admissions Committee will conduct a review of all materials submitted to determine whether an invite to interview will be given. Interviews are conducted from September to November, and focus principally on your motivation and insight into dentistry, as well as your understanding of ethics and thoughts on a range of ethical scenarios.

Previous students report a closed file, one-on-one and in-person format for the interview.

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University of Iowa Dentistry Past Interview Questions

Motivation and Insight into Dentistry

Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Why do you want to be a dentist?
How will you manage stress as a dentist?
Why do you wish to study Dentistry?
Why do you want to study at Iowa?
Are you a good teacher?
Rank yourself as a perfectionist. Is your level a good fit for Dentistry?
What 3 words would your friends use to describe you? Do these words sound like a dentist?
What makes a dentist successful?
What are three characteristics of a good dentist that you possess?
Do you like to spend time alone? Do you think dentists get the chance to spend much time alone?
Who has been your most important influence in your mission to become a dentist?
What worries you about the transition into dental school, other than coursework?
Why do you want to study at Iowa rather than your home state university?
You treated a patient with some oral disease. How will you continue treating the patient so that this doesn’t happen again?
How much of a perfectionist should a dentist be?
Should a dentist be the best at all aspects of their practice? If not, why not and who should be better than them?
What goals have you set yourself in the field of Dentistry for the next five years? Are you the kind of person that sets yourself goals in general?
What are your weaknesses? Would those weaknesses make it hard to work as a dentist, and if so how might you overcome them?
What information should you set out to get from a patient that comes in for a routine dental visit?
Should a dentist be the leader of their practice?
Should a dentist set the standards of work in their practice?

Manual Dexterity

In what ways do you exhibit manual dexterity?
Name something that you are proud of that you recently made with your hands.

Ethical Scenarios

If one of your co-worker’s spouses called in sick for them, what would you do?
If an employee’s spouse called you the night before to tell you that the employee would not be coming into the office tomorrow, what would you do?
If you saw a kid hitting himself with a hammer what would you do?
What would you do if an employee repeatedly called in sick?
What is your experience with confidentiality?
What ethical principles do you use most in your day to day life?
Is there such a thing as a perfect patient? If so, describe them to us.
What are three ethical qualities every dentist should have?
A patient tells you that their perspective on their teeth, and their dental health, is more important than yours. Are they right?
How do you demonstrate compassion in your daily life?
What ethical principles will you bring to Dentistry?