Interview Preparation

[rocknightmare]

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i was wondering are there topics that one shoudl read about in regards to dentistry.. i heard some people where asked on laser dentistry and amaglam future etc.. is this true?

 

[J2AZ]

bump

 

[Sprgrover]

I haven't been asked those questions, but I suppose it could come up. If you are worried about not having a reply to some of those questions, do a search on google for 'laser dentistry' and the like. I have read about new innovations, such as the laser, in places like the New York Times - although I can't remember a lot of the specifics. I doubt that an interviewer would want you to know all of the in's and out's of such things - just a simple answer that signifies you know what is happening 'out there' would probably suffice. Then again you could turn the question back onto the interviewer once you have given a reply, thus pandering to his/her ego: "I am curious to know what your opinion is on the subject, given that you are both a professional and an educator..."

 

[dWiz]

I think the interviewer might get pissed off if you pull that turning the tables trick..

 

[Sprgrover]

I think the interviewer might get pissed off if you pull that turning the tables trick..

No, not if it's done right. The key is "once you have given a reply." The interview is also your time to ask questions - so why not have some of it work to your advantage?

 

[albuquerquegirl]

I've wondered this myself. I asked a couple of people, dentists included, how to handle a situation like this. The most important advice came from a guy I know who has nothing to do with dentistry, but happened to have experience hiring employees.

He said that the best response, would be something like, "Well, I don't know the answer to that, but that is why I would like to go do Dental School, so that I can learn."

He said that everytime he would get a BS response, he could see right through it, and they just came off as arrogant. 9 times out of 10, he went with the more docile choice and 9 times out of 10 they became the best employee.

I think interviewers can see right though false answers. You're not supposed to know everything about dentistry, not any specifics at least. You won't REALLY learn until you are in DS.

Interveiw preparation is better spent on self confidance. Don't read a couple of magazines and then try to talk intelligently on things you really don't know about. Just be yourself. IMO 😎

Also, I would not turn the question around. Ouch. There goes your chance . . .

 

[Sprgrover]

Also, I would not turn the question around. Ouch. There goes your chance . . .

Of course a big part of interview preparation is spent on self-condifence, but don't you think that if an adcom is willing to spring a question pertaining to current dental topics to which they know that, chances are, they will get some sort of vague answer. The goal in doing some cursory research is not to come across as a 'genius' in that area but to merely demonstrate some knowledge of the topic at hand. Go to the interview feedback portion of SDN and look up your schools. If you see questions coming from one that are about amalgams, the color of this or that, then do your homework and be prepared. Perhaps my phrasing in the first post was poorly written: I'm not saying "I don't know, you tell m." What I meant is "Here is what I know, blah blah blah." Then, if you are developing a good rapport, follow up with a question for the interviewer - tease out a detail about the procedure that you are not too familiar with, or are interested in, etc. That is how conversation is made and how you, the applicant, can sometimes gain insight into the individual as well as the school. I hope this clears things up.

 

[Darksunshine]

Of course a big part of interview preparation is spent on self-condifence, but don't you think that if an adcom is willing to spring a question pertaining to current dental topics to which they know that, chances are, they will get some sort of vague answer. The goal in doing some cursory research is not to come across as a 'genius' in that area but to merely demonstrate some knowledge of the topic at hand. Go to the interview feedback portion of SDN and look up your schools. If you see questions coming from one that are about amalgams, the color of this or that, then do your homework and be prepared. Perhaps my phrasing in the first post was poorly written: I'm not saying "I don't know, you tell m." What I meant is "Here is what I know, blah blah blah." Then, if you are developing a good rapport, follow up with a question for the interviewer - tease out a detail about the procedure that you are not too familiar with, or are interested in, etc. That is how conversation is made and how you, the applicant, can sometimes gain insight into the individual as well as the school. I hope this clears things up.

Well said! 🙂

 

[albuquerquegirl]

Of course a big part of interview preparation is spent on self-condifence, but don't you think that if an adcom is willing to spring a question pertaining to current dental topics to which they know that, chances are, they will get some sort of vague answer. The goal in doing some cursory research is not to come across as a 'genius' in that area but to merely demonstrate some knowledge of the topic at hand. Go to the interview feedback portion of SDN and look up your schools. If you see questions coming from one that are about amalgams, the color of this or that, then do your homework and be prepared. Perhaps my phrasing in the first post was poorly written: I'm not saying "I don't know, you tell m." What I meant is "Here is what I know, blah blah blah." Then, if you are developing a good rapport, follow up with a question for the interviewer - tease out a detail about the procedure that you are not too familiar with, or are interested in, etc. That is how conversation is made and how you, the applicant, can sometimes gain insight into the individual as well as the school. I hope this clears things up.

Well, my knowledge of amalgums and the schools that ask about them is limited; and, I probably won't be doing research on the topic either. If we knew every thing about dentistry, then we wouldn't be there anyway. I believe you have to have an understanding of the profession, but really elaborating unless you have some real world experience just seems staged. I mean, pending I get an interview at Az I wont be studying maps because I want to impress the adcomm. Worst case scenario, the interviewer asks you something, and you respond with you opinion, and then he or she asks you "Well, why do you think that?". Then you're really screwed because all you know is what you read in a non-science article a couple of days earlier. I'm just saying ~I~ will not be reading up on it. I have never worked in a dentist's office, but I know I have a sincere desire to become a dentist.
I will however engage in a conversation, but it is you (or me 🙂 ) that is there to answer questions. I can see myself asking, "what do you think?" after giving a reply, based on the rapport that is developed. But I imagine some interviews to be formal, in which case I would not. It did kind of sound like you were saying, I don't know, you tell me. But I gues you weren't.
Again, the above is just how I intend on handling it.

 

[Sprgrover]

...It did kind of sound like you were saying, I don't know, you tell me. But I gues you weren't.
Again, the above is just how I intend on handling it.

No problem, and no offense taken. We have all different styles of conversational engagement. 🙂