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Hey Folks,
As crazy as it seems, the 2017 cycle is just around the corner, only a month away! SDN has helped me tremendously, and I figured it would be a grave sin on my part to not return the favor. So in the spirit of altruism that dentists should but may not have, I decided to make a concise (lol sort of), clear guide to answer all of the common questions applicants may have. Anybody who has helpful advice is certainly welcome to contribute.
Is there such a thing as a stupid question?
Absolutely. Your situation is not "unique", as much as you'd like to think so. The search function of SDN will do wonders for you, as most of the "unique" issues you face have faced countless other applicants in cycles past. Learn from their mistakes. If you have the personality where every life issue or decision is a crisis for which you need immediate personal attention, rethink your career plans.
How do I decide which schools in include on my application?
This is a common dilemma that students face. The answer is personal and specific to each applicant, but there are ways to ensure you're at least on the right track. First and foremost, you need to be honest with yourself. This works both ways. I've seen people with 3.8 GPAs, 26 AAs, and above average EC's who get nervous and apply to more than ten schools, which is the definition of overkill and a fantastic way to waste money. At the same time, some people will apply with sub 3.0 GPAs, 18 AAs, and expect to have interviews without making improvements to their applications. If you feel like you don't have the ability to honestly and objectively assess your candidacy for dental school, or think that you can but want to be as smart as possible in your school decisions, take the following steps:
How many schools should I include on my application?
Again, there is no one correct answer, but your financial situation and quality of your candidacy should be considered. For instance, rock-star applicants need not apply to more than 5-6 schools. These 5-6 schools will include "safety" schools, and schools where the applicant could really see themselves attending. Most applicants (those who have not saved thousands of lives, won a Nobel Prize, gotten above a 27 AA, or were Olympic athletes) should apply to anywhere from 6-10 schools. Include at least two "less competitive" private schools to guard against bad luck and poor interviewing skills. Include other schools that you would actually be happy to attend. Applicants who are a bit weaker should apply to about 10-15 schools, and carefully select the schools at which they have the best chance of acceptance based on the @doc toothache guide. If you are not competitive at 15 schools, you are not competitive at 20, 25, etc. You are spending money past the point of diminishing returns. Anyone who applies to 20 schools is throwing their money away; plain and simple.
I did not follow the advice that I gave here. I applied to 13 schools and regret doing so. 6-8 would have been fine had I been honest with myself and more judicious in my selection.
How much is it going this whole thing going to cost?
A lot. The Fee Assistance Program from AADSAS has pretty strict requirements, and chances are you aren't as poor as you think you are and won't get it. I've known one person who has gotten it, and they said it covered the costs to apply to four schools, and that they had to foot the bill for additional schools. Their words, not mine, but they are trustworthy and I would take them at their word but don't want to make any promises that I'm remembering this correctly, but I'm almost sure I am.
EDIT: Thanks @MolarBear11 for the info that the FAP guidelines are 300% of the poverty level. I stand corrected. Apply people!
DAT- $475
AADSAS Fee (1st school)- $251
Each additional dental school- $103.
So, assuming $600 for DAT prep materials and applying to ten schools, you are looking at $2253. Each school generally charges secondary fees from $50-$100 (with some exceptions on either end of the price range), so that's roughly another $750, putting you at $3003.
Please, for the love of God crash with a friend if you can for interviews, and do AirBnB if you can't. I didn't learn of AirBnB until I was almost done with my cycle. Instead of paying $80-$100 or more for a hotel room in cities, stay AirBnB for about half that. If possible, and if you're comfortable with it, room with another SDNer to split a room. It saves costs, gives you a friend, and is just a great option. Also, I drove to all of my interviews, so I can't really be of any help in terms of flights and trains, but do your best to find the cheapest tickets, but not at the expense of having to risk not arriving on time, or missing your flight on the way out. Interviews generally last until at least 2pm and you need to plan your exit from the city accordingly.
Hypothetically, let's say you get 5 interviews applying to ten schools. If you fly to two of them at $250 round trip, drive to the rest at $80 in gas round trip, that's an additional $740 in travel costs. If you're smart and do AirBnB for $50 a night at 4 schools, and stay with a friend at one, that's $940.
So, not including food during travel, the "average" person applying to ten schools and interviewing at five will spend $3,672 on the application process. So you either need to start saving well before you apply, or be born rich. A little bit of both is the best combination. My parents paid for the DAT and my suit, and I was left to cover the rest. I managed to do it a lot cheaper than the average applicant due to a fuel efficient car and staying with friends 3/8 interviews, but splurged on $700 on multiple DAT prep materials and I still spent around $2,500. You need to prepare for this if money will be an issue, and apply to as few schools as is safe for your application strength in order to save money.
Side note: I would shy away from taking a DAT course. You should be able to study using DAT Bootcamp and the prescribed materials on your own. It is cheaper and better. I know many of you have already taken the DAT but for those who haven't; heed these words!
When should I apply?
As early as possible, with no exceptions. The only questionable scenario that seems to pop up on SDN from time to time is the whole, "what if I don't have my DAT yet?" thing. This is how to address that situation. Apply without your DAT scores. Transcript and LOR verification, and AADSAS GPA calculations take 2-3 weeks, as does the official copy of your DAT scores to come in. There is a reason that the "first batch" is mailed almost a month before the application cycle starts (each subsequent batch is mailed out a week after the preceding batch, but batches don't mean jack **** and if you get your application in before August you're fine). The process takes time. So if you're going to be taking your DAT in June or July, submit your application without the DAT scores. Schools will generally acknowledge the receipt of your application, and not consider your candidacy until the scores come in. So while you're waiting for the DAT scores, the rest of the process is set in motion and by the time your DAT scores come in, your entire application is complete. If you wait until the DAT scores come in before applying, you are shooting yourself in the foot.
@fogorvostan brought up a good point in that you should definitely try to get an official copy of your transcript ahead of time to check it for mistakes. Not only will this help catch errors, you need at least an unofficial copy of your transcript in front of you to enter your grades correctly on AADSAS, so might as well kill two birds with one stone and get the official in the first place. Unforeseen errors, now matter how small or if they're on the part of your undergrad and not you, can delay your application. The only part of the application process which you should be anal retentive and paranoid about it making sure these little details are right, rather than parts of the process you can't control.
Thank you @SableFire for mentioning that some schools will accept faxes of the unofficial copy of your DAT scores if the situation above is applicable to your scenario. This can save you some valuable time in the application process if that particular school accepts the unofficial copy.
What will be on my application?
Obviously LORs, personal statement, grades, DAT scores etc. If you would like to start organizing you EC's into the format in which you'll have to enter it on AADSAS, take a look at what will be on there.
The manual dexterity prompt is open ended and has more space, the same for if you have to explain and academic issues/run ins with the law.
When should I hear from schools regarding interviews?
The schools specific discussion threads will tell you everything you need to know. The dates of notification in previous cycles are generally pretty close to the dates of notification for the current cycle give or take a few days.
How should I dress for my interview?
Thank you @fogorvostan for bringing this one up. I can't really speak for girls but again, like most other things, there are plenty of threads at your fingertips with the search function. I saw a wide range of stuff girls were wearing at interviews, and I can give the advice of a horribly uninformed and not stylish male contemporary, I just don't know it it's worth following.
You don't need a Hillary Clinton suit. Wear a skirt that is well below mid thigh, and those stocking/legging things that people wear so that they don't have bare legs. You can wear conservative heels if you are comfortable walking around in them on the tours, and if you can't handle them flats seemed pretty acceptable. Basically be a more modest version of Rachel Zane from Suits. She is a goddess, but I digress.
For guys, dark or light gray, navy (wear brown shoes if you pick navy!), or black (as long as it's not shiny, and thin pinstripes are a good idea to make it not too formal) suits. You don't need a $500 suit; we will need them later. Adcoms don't expect it to be hand made and tailored. You just need to follow obvious rules, like matching (saw kids with blue suits and black shoes, and make sure your shoes and belt match), you need long socks of appropriate color (saw a kid in a black suit with ankle socks), you need a normal tie without novelty patterns, and your suit needs to at least fit close to properly and not be wrinkled. Don't wear any overwhelming colors. Make sure your tie is tied properly. Don't be that kid who wears a bow tie, unless you're interviewing at a school in the South where it isn't as noticeable. Pretty much any suit that doesn't draw attention to you is perfectly acceptable. It's not too difficult to find stuff at Men's Wearhouse for around $200 that will be perfectly acceptable.
How do interviews work?
Invitation, turn around time, and scheduling varies widely from school to school. School specific discussion threads will, again, be crucial to answering your questions. Generally, schools will give you a few weeks to a month's notice to pick from a selection of dates where they're offering you a spot to interview. You're almost always notified via email, and school can have you email or call during to schedule your spot. Try to get Monday or Friday interviews if you can; you'll miss fewer classes/days of work when traveling.
Interview formats vary from school to school, but almost all include a presentation, tour, lunch, chance to speak with students, and the actual interview portion. The interview portion can be one-on-one with faculty, you talking to multiple faculty at once, you talking to a student and faculty, multiple chances to speak with different faculty members, or MMI (more on that later). Typically, interviews are very low stress, conversational, and relatively informal. It's a chance for the admissions committee to get to know who you are, talk about your accomplishments and/or red flags, and determine whether or not they want to spend the next four years spending time around you. Don't be afraid to stray from talk about your grades and EC's; that's what you should be doing. You should be engaging in small talk, discussing hobbies, sports, and family, and being a well-rounded person who isn't a robot born to study. Interviews definitely favor the extroverts, so introverts should at least be polite and as outgoing and friendly as their personality allows.
When you get the chance to talk to current students, take it and run with it. They are almost always very honest, friendly, helpful, and willing to answer all of your questions. They provide invaluable insight into the atmosphere of the school and what your life for the next four years will entail if you choose that school. As @fogorvostan mentioned, treat your student interviewers with respect. Just because they're closet to being your "peer" than the Dean, it doesn't mean you can say whatever you want around them. Just use common sense, and don't do anything that would reflect poorly. The students' thoughts on the school during your interview day will be a major factor in your decision to choose from multiple acceptances of similar cost if you're lucky enough to have them.
Do not ask people "what are they going to ask at my interview?" It makes you sound desperate and insecure. You're going to be asked why you decided to become a dentist and why you applied to a particular school at just about every interview, so think out a well-formulated response to those questions that you'll have at the tip of your tongue when you need it. Also, know your application, in terms of why you are passionate about your ECs and what you did. Other than this, interviews require no preparation and you don't want to regurgitate stale, rehearsed responses. Adcoms want to see you relaxed and able to discuss anything; they rarely want to grill you. If they bring up a blemish on your application, be honest and for the love of God be accountable and take responsibility for your own actions. Nobody will think you are a mature young adult if you blame your C in Orgo II on your professor.
Also, you need to prepare specific questions about the school. You can do this before you go to your interview, but you will probably be able to formulate a few good questions just by paying attention during the school's presentation. You can ask for clarification on some of the information they gave you, which shows that you're seriously interested in the school and interested in the information they're providing. It may be a good idea to come in with one or two questions already prepared, as some interview schedules will have some students speaking with faculty before the info presentation, but there's no need to have a bunch prepared; interviews generally aren't long enough to get to all of them and are easily susceptible to small talk tangents that last twenty minutes.
Most importantly, be yourself. I know it sounds cliche, but it's the best advice. There is absolutely no reason to be stressed out. Excited nerves are one thing, but these will be the strongest at your first interview and wane for subsequent ones. You should be really excited and enjoying yourself; if you view interviews with flat out fear or dread, you aren't in the right mindset.
As promised, a little thing on MMI. I had 2/8 interviews be MMI and they both generally followed the following format: You get a certain amount of time to read a prompt. It can be an ethical situation, a question about your application, or issues in dentistry. After you read it, you discuss the prompt with a faculty member or student. Time runs out, and you go on to the next prompt and faculty member. Anyone with any sort of common sense and the ability to communicate with other humans need not fear the MMI; it is not nearly bad as some of the stories I've heard about them. They are no more or less "stressful" or "difficult" than any other interviews.
Any words of wisdom?
I'm a hypocrite for suggesting this, but don't check your email, AADSAS Portal, and SDN constantly throughout the day. Check it in the morning when you wake up, at noon, and before you go to bed. Anything else is overkill and will stress you out. Just because other people on SDN are receiving interviews at a certain school doesn't mean that all the interview slots have been handed out. This especially holds true prior to November. Chill out, the world isn't ending. Be patient. @fogorvostan gives good advice in that one rejection, or even silence from a school, should be taken with a grain of salt. You have to understand this process is many months long and while at the end of the day I believe the process truly gets applicants into the schools they deserve, there are some individual circumstances where it doesn't seem to have a rhyme or reason.
Other applicants are not your enemies or the competition; they are friends you haven't met yet. You'll find that the other interviewees are people with whom you have a ton of common, and people that you will definitely be able to make small talk with around the table before the presentations start. If you know of someone on SDN going to an interview the same day as you are, PM them and meet up! Or better yet, share a room to save money! People are generally way too uptight about the whole process. Traveling to different cities and meeting other like-minded people in a world where not a lot of people are nerds like us and aspire to be dentists is a really exciting time in your life! I've met quite a few SDNers in real life, and remain friends with a good number of them! It's always an asset to have friends at different places across the country, for couch surfing, interview season, and being able to return the favor when they need to stay in your neck of the woods. Also, the more acquaintances and friends you have in the field of dentistry, the more perspectives you'll get. It's cool to know what goes on in other dental schools and other parts of the country.
Dental school admissions is not a zero sum game. Treat your fellow interviewees like friends, because there's a good chance they could easily become one. Adcoms aren't out to get you. You don't have to fight the person next to your for a seat. Be yourself, be polite, be respectful, be friendly, and be articulate, and you won't run into any problems.
I remember all of my interviews like they were yesterday. The application cycle was a really fun and eye opening experience in my life, and it's easy to let it pass by without appreciating it for what it really is. You'll never forget that feeling you get in your stomach when you receive your first interview invite in your inbox, when you shake the faculty members hand, when you walk out knowing you aced it, when you get to meet someone on SDN in real life, when you exchange numbers with someone at the end of the day, and on the morning of December 1st when your life changes forever. If you're not enjoying yourself, then you need to take a moment to realize just how far you've come and how far you need to go, and enjoy the moment for what it is!
If there are any other topics you feel I didn't cover, and aren't adequately explained in the @doc toothache guide linked below, just let me know and I'll be happy to help. Also, other people who are incoming or current dental schools are generally very helpful and knowledgeable so I welcome all of them to contribute!
Hey Folks,
As crazy as it seems, the 2017 cycle is just around the corner, only a month away! SDN has helped me tremendously, and I figured it would be a grave sin on my part to not return the favor. So in the spirit of altruism that dentists should but may not have, I decided to make a concise (lol sort of), clear guide to answer all of the common questions applicants may have. Anybody who has helpful advice is certainly welcome to contribute.
Is there such a thing as a stupid question?
Absolutely. Your situation is not "unique", as much as you'd like to think so. The search function of SDN will do wonders for you, as most of the "unique" issues you face have faced countless other applicants in cycles past. Learn from their mistakes. If you have the personality where every life issue or decision is a crisis for which you need immediate personal attention, rethink your career plans.
How do I decide which schools in include on my application?
This is a common dilemma that students face. The answer is personal and specific to each applicant, but there are ways to ensure you're at least on the right track. First and foremost, you need to be honest with yourself. This works both ways. I've seen people with 3.8 GPAs, 26 AAs, and above average EC's who get nervous and apply to more than ten schools, which is the definition of overkill and a fantastic way to waste money. At the same time, some people will apply with sub 3.0 GPAs, 18 AAs, and expect to have interviews without making improvements to their applications. If you feel like you don't have the ability to honestly and objectively assess your candidacy for dental school, or think that you can but want to be as smart as possible in your school decisions, take the following steps:
- Look over @doc toothache 's guide, which is linked at the bottom of this post. It has each school's average DAT and GPA. Keep in mind that averages mean that there are students with stats higher and lower that get accepted every year. Just because you have a 3.48 and their average is a 3.51 does not mean you are not a qualified applicant at their school. While numbers aren't everything, this is a good place to start. If you're worrying about specific quirks of schools, like "MWU-AZ needs 500 volunteering hours" or "Tufts doesn't take CC credits", then the search function and school specific threads are your friends.
- In the very same guide, there is the extremely helpful section where it tells you the % of applicants interviewed, and the % of interviewees that are accepted, both for in state and out of state applicants (which doesn't quite matter as much as private schools but you can still see it anyway). For each school, determine whether or not you're in state or out of state. Then, take your residency's % of applicants interviewed, and multiply it by the % of interviewees that get accepted. This is the best way to get a "chance" estimate at your school. THIS IS ALSO THE BEST WAY TO DETERMINE WHICH SCHOOLS ARE "OOS FRIENDLY". DO NOT CREATE A NEW THREAD TO ASK. THE GUIDE WILL TELL YOU
- Shout out to @kimball for including a nice file about the percentage of applicants get accepted to all dental schools in general based on their DAT score. It's attached below.
- This thread is the most comprehensive listing of schools that give IS tuition to OOS students after the first year. Schools and changing residency: the list Keep in mind it is less common for schools to do this than it is for them to offer it, so check out the list and definitely keep it in mind when applying.
- Search SDN threads to find applicants who are similar to you and how they fared, especially school specific discussions from past cycles School Specific Discussions
- Consider cost. Each school's website will have their cost listed. Google is your friend
- DO NOT start a chance me thread. Execute steps 1-6 and don't be lazy.
How many schools should I include on my application?
Again, there is no one correct answer, but your financial situation and quality of your candidacy should be considered. For instance, rock-star applicants need not apply to more than 5-6 schools. These 5-6 schools will include "safety" schools, and schools where the applicant could really see themselves attending. Most applicants (those who have not saved thousands of lives, won a Nobel Prize, gotten above a 27 AA, or were Olympic athletes) should apply to anywhere from 6-10 schools. Include at least two "less competitive" private schools to guard against bad luck and poor interviewing skills. Include other schools that you would actually be happy to attend. Applicants who are a bit weaker should apply to about 10-15 schools, and carefully select the schools at which they have the best chance of acceptance based on the @doc toothache guide. If you are not competitive at 15 schools, you are not competitive at 20, 25, etc. You are spending money past the point of diminishing returns. Anyone who applies to 20 schools is throwing their money away; plain and simple.
I did not follow the advice that I gave here. I applied to 13 schools and regret doing so. 6-8 would have been fine had I been honest with myself and more judicious in my selection.
How much is it going this whole thing going to cost?
A lot. The Fee Assistance Program from AADSAS has pretty strict requirements, and chances are you aren't as poor as you think you are and won't get it. I've known one person who has gotten it, and they said it covered the costs to apply to four schools, and that they had to foot the bill for additional schools. Their words, not mine, but they are trustworthy and I would take them at their word but don't want to make any promises that I'm remembering this correctly, but I'm almost sure I am.
EDIT: Thanks @MolarBear11 for the info that the FAP guidelines are 300% of the poverty level. I stand corrected. Apply people!
DAT- $475
AADSAS Fee (1st school)- $251
Each additional dental school- $103.
So, assuming $600 for DAT prep materials and applying to ten schools, you are looking at $2253. Each school generally charges secondary fees from $50-$100 (with some exceptions on either end of the price range), so that's roughly another $750, putting you at $3003.
Please, for the love of God crash with a friend if you can for interviews, and do AirBnB if you can't. I didn't learn of AirBnB until I was almost done with my cycle. Instead of paying $80-$100 or more for a hotel room in cities, stay AirBnB for about half that. If possible, and if you're comfortable with it, room with another SDNer to split a room. It saves costs, gives you a friend, and is just a great option. Also, I drove to all of my interviews, so I can't really be of any help in terms of flights and trains, but do your best to find the cheapest tickets, but not at the expense of having to risk not arriving on time, or missing your flight on the way out. Interviews generally last until at least 2pm and you need to plan your exit from the city accordingly.
Hypothetically, let's say you get 5 interviews applying to ten schools. If you fly to two of them at $250 round trip, drive to the rest at $80 in gas round trip, that's an additional $740 in travel costs. If you're smart and do AirBnB for $50 a night at 4 schools, and stay with a friend at one, that's $940.
So, not including food during travel, the "average" person applying to ten schools and interviewing at five will spend $3,672 on the application process. So you either need to start saving well before you apply, or be born rich. A little bit of both is the best combination. My parents paid for the DAT and my suit, and I was left to cover the rest. I managed to do it a lot cheaper than the average applicant due to a fuel efficient car and staying with friends 3/8 interviews, but splurged on $700 on multiple DAT prep materials and I still spent around $2,500. You need to prepare for this if money will be an issue, and apply to as few schools as is safe for your application strength in order to save money.
Side note: I would shy away from taking a DAT course. You should be able to study using DAT Bootcamp and the prescribed materials on your own. It is cheaper and better. I know many of you have already taken the DAT but for those who haven't; heed these words!
When should I apply?
As early as possible, with no exceptions. The only questionable scenario that seems to pop up on SDN from time to time is the whole, "what if I don't have my DAT yet?" thing. This is how to address that situation. Apply without your DAT scores. Transcript and LOR verification, and AADSAS GPA calculations take 2-3 weeks, as does the official copy of your DAT scores to come in. There is a reason that the "first batch" is mailed almost a month before the application cycle starts (each subsequent batch is mailed out a week after the preceding batch, but batches don't mean jack **** and if you get your application in before August you're fine). The process takes time. So if you're going to be taking your DAT in June or July, submit your application without the DAT scores. Schools will generally acknowledge the receipt of your application, and not consider your candidacy until the scores come in. So while you're waiting for the DAT scores, the rest of the process is set in motion and by the time your DAT scores come in, your entire application is complete. If you wait until the DAT scores come in before applying, you are shooting yourself in the foot.
@fogorvostan brought up a good point in that you should definitely try to get an official copy of your transcript ahead of time to check it for mistakes. Not only will this help catch errors, you need at least an unofficial copy of your transcript in front of you to enter your grades correctly on AADSAS, so might as well kill two birds with one stone and get the official in the first place. Unforeseen errors, now matter how small or if they're on the part of your undergrad and not you, can delay your application. The only part of the application process which you should be anal retentive and paranoid about it making sure these little details are right, rather than parts of the process you can't control.
Thank you @SableFire for mentioning that some schools will accept faxes of the unofficial copy of your DAT scores if the situation above is applicable to your scenario. This can save you some valuable time in the application process if that particular school accepts the unofficial copy.
What will be on my application?
Obviously LORs, personal statement, grades, DAT scores etc. If you would like to start organizing you EC's into the format in which you'll have to enter it on AADSAS, take a look at what will be on there.
- Academic Enrichment Programs
- Awards/Honors/Scholarships
- Shadowing
- Extra Curricular/Volunteer/Community Service
- Research Experience
- Work Experience
The manual dexterity prompt is open ended and has more space, the same for if you have to explain and academic issues/run ins with the law.
When should I hear from schools regarding interviews?
The schools specific discussion threads will tell you everything you need to know. The dates of notification in previous cycles are generally pretty close to the dates of notification for the current cycle give or take a few days.
How should I dress for my interview?
Thank you @fogorvostan for bringing this one up. I can't really speak for girls but again, like most other things, there are plenty of threads at your fingertips with the search function. I saw a wide range of stuff girls were wearing at interviews, and I can give the advice of a horribly uninformed and not stylish male contemporary, I just don't know it it's worth following.
You don't need a Hillary Clinton suit. Wear a skirt that is well below mid thigh, and those stocking/legging things that people wear so that they don't have bare legs. You can wear conservative heels if you are comfortable walking around in them on the tours, and if you can't handle them flats seemed pretty acceptable. Basically be a more modest version of Rachel Zane from Suits. She is a goddess, but I digress.
For guys, dark or light gray, navy (wear brown shoes if you pick navy!), or black (as long as it's not shiny, and thin pinstripes are a good idea to make it not too formal) suits. You don't need a $500 suit; we will need them later. Adcoms don't expect it to be hand made and tailored. You just need to follow obvious rules, like matching (saw kids with blue suits and black shoes, and make sure your shoes and belt match), you need long socks of appropriate color (saw a kid in a black suit with ankle socks), you need a normal tie without novelty patterns, and your suit needs to at least fit close to properly and not be wrinkled. Don't wear any overwhelming colors. Make sure your tie is tied properly. Don't be that kid who wears a bow tie, unless you're interviewing at a school in the South where it isn't as noticeable. Pretty much any suit that doesn't draw attention to you is perfectly acceptable. It's not too difficult to find stuff at Men's Wearhouse for around $200 that will be perfectly acceptable.
How do interviews work?
Invitation, turn around time, and scheduling varies widely from school to school. School specific discussion threads will, again, be crucial to answering your questions. Generally, schools will give you a few weeks to a month's notice to pick from a selection of dates where they're offering you a spot to interview. You're almost always notified via email, and school can have you email or call during to schedule your spot. Try to get Monday or Friday interviews if you can; you'll miss fewer classes/days of work when traveling.
Interview formats vary from school to school, but almost all include a presentation, tour, lunch, chance to speak with students, and the actual interview portion. The interview portion can be one-on-one with faculty, you talking to multiple faculty at once, you talking to a student and faculty, multiple chances to speak with different faculty members, or MMI (more on that later). Typically, interviews are very low stress, conversational, and relatively informal. It's a chance for the admissions committee to get to know who you are, talk about your accomplishments and/or red flags, and determine whether or not they want to spend the next four years spending time around you. Don't be afraid to stray from talk about your grades and EC's; that's what you should be doing. You should be engaging in small talk, discussing hobbies, sports, and family, and being a well-rounded person who isn't a robot born to study. Interviews definitely favor the extroverts, so introverts should at least be polite and as outgoing and friendly as their personality allows.
When you get the chance to talk to current students, take it and run with it. They are almost always very honest, friendly, helpful, and willing to answer all of your questions. They provide invaluable insight into the atmosphere of the school and what your life for the next four years will entail if you choose that school. As @fogorvostan mentioned, treat your student interviewers with respect. Just because they're closet to being your "peer" than the Dean, it doesn't mean you can say whatever you want around them. Just use common sense, and don't do anything that would reflect poorly. The students' thoughts on the school during your interview day will be a major factor in your decision to choose from multiple acceptances of similar cost if you're lucky enough to have them.
Do not ask people "what are they going to ask at my interview?" It makes you sound desperate and insecure. You're going to be asked why you decided to become a dentist and why you applied to a particular school at just about every interview, so think out a well-formulated response to those questions that you'll have at the tip of your tongue when you need it. Also, know your application, in terms of why you are passionate about your ECs and what you did. Other than this, interviews require no preparation and you don't want to regurgitate stale, rehearsed responses. Adcoms want to see you relaxed and able to discuss anything; they rarely want to grill you. If they bring up a blemish on your application, be honest and for the love of God be accountable and take responsibility for your own actions. Nobody will think you are a mature young adult if you blame your C in Orgo II on your professor.
Also, you need to prepare specific questions about the school. You can do this before you go to your interview, but you will probably be able to formulate a few good questions just by paying attention during the school's presentation. You can ask for clarification on some of the information they gave you, which shows that you're seriously interested in the school and interested in the information they're providing. It may be a good idea to come in with one or two questions already prepared, as some interview schedules will have some students speaking with faculty before the info presentation, but there's no need to have a bunch prepared; interviews generally aren't long enough to get to all of them and are easily susceptible to small talk tangents that last twenty minutes.
Most importantly, be yourself. I know it sounds cliche, but it's the best advice. There is absolutely no reason to be stressed out. Excited nerves are one thing, but these will be the strongest at your first interview and wane for subsequent ones. You should be really excited and enjoying yourself; if you view interviews with flat out fear or dread, you aren't in the right mindset.
As promised, a little thing on MMI. I had 2/8 interviews be MMI and they both generally followed the following format: You get a certain amount of time to read a prompt. It can be an ethical situation, a question about your application, or issues in dentistry. After you read it, you discuss the prompt with a faculty member or student. Time runs out, and you go on to the next prompt and faculty member. Anyone with any sort of common sense and the ability to communicate with other humans need not fear the MMI; it is not nearly bad as some of the stories I've heard about them. They are no more or less "stressful" or "difficult" than any other interviews.
Any words of wisdom?
I'm a hypocrite for suggesting this, but don't check your email, AADSAS Portal, and SDN constantly throughout the day. Check it in the morning when you wake up, at noon, and before you go to bed. Anything else is overkill and will stress you out. Just because other people on SDN are receiving interviews at a certain school doesn't mean that all the interview slots have been handed out. This especially holds true prior to November. Chill out, the world isn't ending. Be patient. @fogorvostan gives good advice in that one rejection, or even silence from a school, should be taken with a grain of salt. You have to understand this process is many months long and while at the end of the day I believe the process truly gets applicants into the schools they deserve, there are some individual circumstances where it doesn't seem to have a rhyme or reason.
Other applicants are not your enemies or the competition; they are friends you haven't met yet. You'll find that the other interviewees are people with whom you have a ton of common, and people that you will definitely be able to make small talk with around the table before the presentations start. If you know of someone on SDN going to an interview the same day as you are, PM them and meet up! Or better yet, share a room to save money! People are generally way too uptight about the whole process. Traveling to different cities and meeting other like-minded people in a world where not a lot of people are nerds like us and aspire to be dentists is a really exciting time in your life! I've met quite a few SDNers in real life, and remain friends with a good number of them! It's always an asset to have friends at different places across the country, for couch surfing, interview season, and being able to return the favor when they need to stay in your neck of the woods. Also, the more acquaintances and friends you have in the field of dentistry, the more perspectives you'll get. It's cool to know what goes on in other dental schools and other parts of the country.
Dental school admissions is not a zero sum game. Treat your fellow interviewees like friends, because there's a good chance they could easily become one. Adcoms aren't out to get you. You don't have to fight the person next to your for a seat. Be yourself, be polite, be respectful, be friendly, and be articulate, and you won't run into any problems.
I remember all of my interviews like they were yesterday. The application cycle was a really fun and eye opening experience in my life, and it's easy to let it pass by without appreciating it for what it really is. You'll never forget that feeling you get in your stomach when you receive your first interview invite in your inbox, when you shake the faculty members hand, when you walk out knowing you aced it, when you get to meet someone on SDN in real life, when you exchange numbers with someone at the end of the day, and on the morning of December 1st when your life changes forever. If you're not enjoying yourself, then you need to take a moment to realize just how far you've come and how far you need to go, and enjoy the moment for what it is!
If there are any other topics you feel I didn't cover, and aren't adequately explained in the @doc toothache guide linked below, just let me know and I'll be happy to help. Also, other people who are incoming or current dental schools are generally very helpful and knowledgeable so I welcome all of them to contribute!
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