DentalSchoolInterviewQuestion#1 xz xz xz xz
Prompt:
What is the one detail in your application you would like us to overlook?
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Discussion:
This dental school interview question asks you to face head-on and talk about something you’d
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probably like to avoid discussing, if possible. It might also be thought of as a limitation question (e.g.,
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
“What is your greatest limitation?”), or a question about your challenges (e.g., “Tell us about a time you
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failed”), and, as such, may be something you’re understandably hesitant to address. No one likes to talk
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about their weaker spots, particularly in a high-stakes, high-stress situation like an interview!
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However, it's best to own up to the low grade, or the gap in dental school extracurriculars, or whatever
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that weak-spot might be, by re-framing it with a growth mindset. Think of this question as an
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opportunity to show how you have developed grit and determination to overcome academic
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disappointment, or to focus attention on the transferable skills you’ve developed from your
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
experiences.As long as you are able to learn from the experience, no loss, misstep, or set-back is truly a
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
failure.
xz
The responses to a question like this will be highly individualized, but let’s walk through the process
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with a few examples, which can help you work on this in the context of your own life and dental school
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
application experiences.
xz xz
Strategy:Accentuate the Positive xz xz xz
Prepareaheadoftimangesnippingshortcutbutton e xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
The best way to tackle this question is to have a response prepared ahead of time; you may not get this
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
specific question, but this kind of question is extremely common. While preparing for your interview,
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
look through your application materials, such as your dental school letter of recommendationor dental
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
school personal statement to identify the lower-than-desired grades, or the lack of experience with
xz xz xz x z xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
patient interaction, or the place where you fell short of developing the skills you were expected to
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
acquire. Whatever that low-point might be, ask yourself, how did this happen? What were the
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circumstances surrounding that low Calculus mark? What were you doing other than developing your
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extra-curriculars? We aren’t suggesting you make excuses – quite the opposite, you need to learn to
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own your mistakes or missteps. Instead, consider the ways such experiences helped bring you to where
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you are today. What did you learn? How have you grown? Why are you a better person now for having
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gone through such an experience?
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Establish talking points xz xz
You shouldn’t be memorizing a script, but you do want to establish some plot points, so that your
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narrative is smooth and reflective. First, you’ll want to provide the context of the
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xexperience.
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,Remember though, offer only the necessary information so the interviewers understand the xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
circumstance. For instance,
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“I really struggled with first-year Calculus. I was at the top of my high school class and assumed Icould
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continuewiththesameskillsandapproachIonceusedtothesameeffect.Sadly,thiswasn’t the case.”
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Enough said. The interviewers now understand the context of the situation. Note that you should treat
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this question as distinct; your strategy for the dental school manual dexterity question won’t suffice.
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Talkovercomebarriers xz xz
It’s time to move on to consider the strategies you used to overcome the difficulty you faced. You might
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say the following:
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“Once I realized that my high school skill set and time management strategies would not be sufficient
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for universityCalculus (andother courses), I used a numberof strategies to get backon track. I adopted a
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time management system, attended peer tutoring sessions, and tackled the curriculum with a do-or-die
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attitude. In fact, the peer support I received was so helpful I now volunteer and help out first-years in a
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similar predicament.”
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Show how you took ownership of your issue and how the experience has influenced your behavior or
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choices now. Connectingthese two points can be difficult,so you may consider a dentalschool advisor to
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help you with this part.
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Emphasize what you learned xz xz xz
The most important, step is to discuss what you have learned.This should not simply be what you learned
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about the strategies to overcome your issue, but what you learned about yourself, the way you learn, the
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way you manage conflict and disappointment, and so on. So here, we might say:
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“I’m grateful I had this difficulty early in my undergraduate career, because I learned how to
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overcome academic adversity by accessing external resources and building internal resources like
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resiliency.”
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You can then add some details to yourresponse. Critical to this approach is thelack of recourse to excuses.
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What has been stated so far is quite simple, but incredibly important: I entered a situation with some
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unfortunate assumptions, and these assumptions led me to make bad choices in how I structured my
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time and approach to coursework. I realized where I was slipping, made some different choices, and
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learned a lot about myself in the process. Now, I’m able to help others who go through this common
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undergrad experience.
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Get specific about dentistry
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Finally,let’s apply this learning to the dental profession. For example: xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
“After going through this experience, I now know that I’m able to dig deep and firm my own resolve,
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and I know when to reach out to more knowledgeable others for support if I need it. This
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,self-knowledge will be beneficial moving forward, as I work to keep up with the quickly changing xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
technologies and procedures central to a career in dentistry. I know that I can never simply rest on what
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I already know and assume that will be sufficient. Rather, I need to actively explore such advances and
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seek out those with specialized knowledge, so that I can always serve my patients as effectively as
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possible.”
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DentalSchoolInterviewQuestion#2 xz xz xz xz
Prompt:
You are a dentist with a patient who has come to see you because of moderate dental pain. After
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examinationyoucannotdeterminethecauseofthepainandsuggestanX-ray.Thepatientbelieves X-rays
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are harmful and refuses. In fact, you have no X-rays in the patient’s file to consult as she has never
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consented to X-rays in the several years you have been caring for her.What do you do?
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Discussion:
The issue here is that the patient is expressing her right to make an autonomous decision about her oral
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health care. However, you, as her dentist, cannot make a clear diagnosis without more information
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about the underlying cause of the pain. There may be some contention between you. The patient
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believes X-rays are harmful, but you know they are necessary to make an accurate diagnosis and
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develop a treatment plan.
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Expert Answer xz
It is important to remain non-judgmental and empathetic to the patient’s concerns. A private
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conversation is necessary, so I will ask the dental technician to give us a few minutes alone. Sitting so we
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can see each other; I will ask the patient what her concerns about X-rays are. I will ask if she has a
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condition, I’m unaware of that contraindicates the use of radiation, or if she is pregnant or nursing. I
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will ask when her last X-ray was outside of dental care. I will ask if she feels the dental pain, she is
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experiencing justifies further exploration by means other than an oral examination.
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Iwillfollowupthesequestionswithadiscussionoftherisksandbenefitsof dentalx-rays, aswell as inform
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my patient of the guidelines provided by the American and Canadian Dental Associations. Both of
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these associations do suggest limiting exposure to X-rays to every 24 to 36 months, and since my
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patient has not had dental X-rays within that timeframe, frequency is not a concern, based on the best
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research and evidence we currently have. In addition, I may discuss the ALARA protocol (As Low As
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ReasonablyAchievable), which is the principle of radiation safety where the least amount of radiation
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necessaryis used.I must advisemy patientthatthereis avery small potential risk of cancer with exposure
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to radiation, though we will take care to cover all exposed areas of her body with a lead apron. The
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benefit of the X-ray is the ability to develop a treatment plan without resorting to invasive measures to
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diagnose the area of concern. Depending onherresponsestowhatI’vesaidsofar,Imayalsoletmypatient
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know that a single X-ray exposes us to a mere fraction of the total environmental radiation we are
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exposed to in a year.
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, When I am sure my patient is aware of the potential risks and benefits, I will ask her what course of
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action she would like to take. In other words, I will ask for her informed consent and demonstrate my
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willingness to respect her own bodily autonomy.
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If my patient agrees to the X-ray, I will be certain to ask her again whether she is pregnant or nursing,
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cover her with a lead apron, and inform her of exactly how many X-rays are necessary and why.
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If my patient tells me she will live with the pain, that any exposure to radiation is too much exposure,
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thenI musthonour herautonomy.However, I willprovideher guidelines forthe careof theareaofconcern
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as well as a list of symptoms to watch for. In addition, I will ask her to schedule a follow-up appointment
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within afew days. If the symptoms disappear,then thereis no need fora follow-up unless the patient feels
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it is necessary. I will advise my patient that if the symptoms continue or worsen, then she must keep the
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follow-up appointment, and I will perform a clinical examination. We will re-evaluate the potential
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risks and benefits of an X-ray in order to develop a treatment plan. I will provide her any written
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literature I may have on X-ray safety, ensuring she has access to the best scientific evidence and
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consensus,incaseshewouldliketoreconsiderinthe future.
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In summary, my patient was apprehensive about her exposure to dental X-rays as a method to diagnose
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and develop a treatment plan for the dental pain she was experiencing. In order to honor patient
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autonomy, we discussed the potential risks and benefits of the X-rays, leaving the decision to her
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informed consent. As the pain she was experiencing was not debilitating, nor did I see any great cause
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for concern upon examination, I did not make any further recommendations with respect to the X-rays.
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Rather, I provided the patient with suggestions for follow-up.
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Concluding Reflections xz
On top of how the situation is handled (respecting the patient’s autonomy), there are a few other things
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of note inthis response. First, appropriateterminologyisutilizedthroughout,demonstrating knowledge
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of key concepts in the field – informed consent, evidence-based practice, patient autonomy, and the
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like.
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As well, note that there are some statements that indicate not just what is said, but how the conversation
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took place. Little details like ensuring a private, one-on-one conversation, or sitting in such a way that
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doctor and patient are at eye-level to one another, help the interviewer “see” the interviewee in that role.
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Suchdetailsdemonstratethatyouknowthatthisislikelyasensitiveissue, and that you must be conscious
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of your own behavior when working with patients. If you don’t offer such descriptive elements, the
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interviewer can fill in those gaps with just about anything, and that’s not what you want. Maintaincontrol
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of your narrative by using careful description to “show” the interviewer how you will act in such a
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scenario.
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DentalSchoolInterviewQuestion#3 xz xz xz xz
Prompt:
Prompt:
What is the one detail in your application you would like us to overlook?
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Discussion:
This dental school interview question asks you to face head-on and talk about something you’d
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
probably like to avoid discussing, if possible. It might also be thought of as a limitation question (e.g.,
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
“What is your greatest limitation?”), or a question about your challenges (e.g., “Tell us about a time you
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failed”), and, as such, may be something you’re understandably hesitant to address. No one likes to talk
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about their weaker spots, particularly in a high-stakes, high-stress situation like an interview!
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
However, it's best to own up to the low grade, or the gap in dental school extracurriculars, or whatever
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
that weak-spot might be, by re-framing it with a growth mindset. Think of this question as an
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
opportunity to show how you have developed grit and determination to overcome academic
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
disappointment, or to focus attention on the transferable skills you’ve developed from your
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
experiences.As long as you are able to learn from the experience, no loss, misstep, or set-back is truly a
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
failure.
xz
The responses to a question like this will be highly individualized, but let’s walk through the process
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
with a few examples, which can help you work on this in the context of your own life and dental school
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
application experiences.
xz xz
Strategy:Accentuate the Positive xz xz xz
Prepareaheadoftimangesnippingshortcutbutton e xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
The best way to tackle this question is to have a response prepared ahead of time; you may not get this
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
specific question, but this kind of question is extremely common. While preparing for your interview,
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
look through your application materials, such as your dental school letter of recommendationor dental
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
school personal statement to identify the lower-than-desired grades, or the lack of experience with
xz xz xz x z xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
patient interaction, or the place where you fell short of developing the skills you were expected to
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
acquire. Whatever that low-point might be, ask yourself, how did this happen? What were the
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
circumstances surrounding that low Calculus mark? What were you doing other than developing your
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
extra-curriculars? We aren’t suggesting you make excuses – quite the opposite, you need to learn to
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
own your mistakes or missteps. Instead, consider the ways such experiences helped bring you to where
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
you are today. What did you learn? How have you grown? Why are you a better person now for having
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
gone through such an experience?
xz xz xz xz xz
Establish talking points xz xz
You shouldn’t be memorizing a script, but you do want to establish some plot points, so that your
xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
narrative is smooth and reflective. First, you’ll want to provide the context of the
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xexperience.
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,Remember though, offer only the necessary information so the interviewers understand the xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
circumstance. For instance,
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“I really struggled with first-year Calculus. I was at the top of my high school class and assumed Icould
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continuewiththesameskillsandapproachIonceusedtothesameeffect.Sadly,thiswasn’t the case.”
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Enough said. The interviewers now understand the context of the situation. Note that you should treat
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this question as distinct; your strategy for the dental school manual dexterity question won’t suffice.
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Talkovercomebarriers xz xz
It’s time to move on to consider the strategies you used to overcome the difficulty you faced. You might
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say the following:
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“Once I realized that my high school skill set and time management strategies would not be sufficient
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for universityCalculus (andother courses), I used a numberof strategies to get backon track. I adopted a
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time management system, attended peer tutoring sessions, and tackled the curriculum with a do-or-die
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attitude. In fact, the peer support I received was so helpful I now volunteer and help out first-years in a
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similar predicament.”
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Show how you took ownership of your issue and how the experience has influenced your behavior or
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choices now. Connectingthese two points can be difficult,so you may consider a dentalschool advisor to
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help you with this part.
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Emphasize what you learned xz xz xz
The most important, step is to discuss what you have learned.This should not simply be what you learned
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about the strategies to overcome your issue, but what you learned about yourself, the way you learn, the
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way you manage conflict and disappointment, and so on. So here, we might say:
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“I’m grateful I had this difficulty early in my undergraduate career, because I learned how to
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overcome academic adversity by accessing external resources and building internal resources like
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resiliency.”
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You can then add some details to yourresponse. Critical to this approach is thelack of recourse to excuses.
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What has been stated so far is quite simple, but incredibly important: I entered a situation with some
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unfortunate assumptions, and these assumptions led me to make bad choices in how I structured my
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time and approach to coursework. I realized where I was slipping, made some different choices, and
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learned a lot about myself in the process. Now, I’m able to help others who go through this common
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undergrad experience.
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Get specific about dentistry
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Finally,let’s apply this learning to the dental profession. For example: xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
“After going through this experience, I now know that I’m able to dig deep and firm my own resolve,
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and I know when to reach out to more knowledgeable others for support if I need it. This
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,self-knowledge will be beneficial moving forward, as I work to keep up with the quickly changing xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
technologies and procedures central to a career in dentistry. I know that I can never simply rest on what
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I already know and assume that will be sufficient. Rather, I need to actively explore such advances and
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seek out those with specialized knowledge, so that I can always serve my patients as effectively as
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possible.”
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DentalSchoolInterviewQuestion#2 xz xz xz xz
Prompt:
You are a dentist with a patient who has come to see you because of moderate dental pain. After
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examinationyoucannotdeterminethecauseofthepainandsuggestanX-ray.Thepatientbelieves X-rays
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are harmful and refuses. In fact, you have no X-rays in the patient’s file to consult as she has never
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consented to X-rays in the several years you have been caring for her.What do you do?
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Discussion:
The issue here is that the patient is expressing her right to make an autonomous decision about her oral
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health care. However, you, as her dentist, cannot make a clear diagnosis without more information
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about the underlying cause of the pain. There may be some contention between you. The patient
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believes X-rays are harmful, but you know they are necessary to make an accurate diagnosis and
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develop a treatment plan.
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Expert Answer xz
It is important to remain non-judgmental and empathetic to the patient’s concerns. A private
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conversation is necessary, so I will ask the dental technician to give us a few minutes alone. Sitting so we
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can see each other; I will ask the patient what her concerns about X-rays are. I will ask if she has a
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condition, I’m unaware of that contraindicates the use of radiation, or if she is pregnant or nursing. I
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will ask when her last X-ray was outside of dental care. I will ask if she feels the dental pain, she is
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experiencing justifies further exploration by means other than an oral examination.
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Iwillfollowupthesequestionswithadiscussionoftherisksandbenefitsof dentalx-rays, aswell as inform
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my patient of the guidelines provided by the American and Canadian Dental Associations. Both of
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these associations do suggest limiting exposure to X-rays to every 24 to 36 months, and since my
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patient has not had dental X-rays within that timeframe, frequency is not a concern, based on the best
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research and evidence we currently have. In addition, I may discuss the ALARA protocol (As Low As
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ReasonablyAchievable), which is the principle of radiation safety where the least amount of radiation
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necessaryis used.I must advisemy patientthatthereis avery small potential risk of cancer with exposure
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to radiation, though we will take care to cover all exposed areas of her body with a lead apron. The
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benefit of the X-ray is the ability to develop a treatment plan without resorting to invasive measures to
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diagnose the area of concern. Depending onherresponsestowhatI’vesaidsofar,Imayalsoletmypatient
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know that a single X-ray exposes us to a mere fraction of the total environmental radiation we are
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exposed to in a year.
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, When I am sure my patient is aware of the potential risks and benefits, I will ask her what course of
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action she would like to take. In other words, I will ask for her informed consent and demonstrate my
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willingness to respect her own bodily autonomy.
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If my patient agrees to the X-ray, I will be certain to ask her again whether she is pregnant or nursing,
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cover her with a lead apron, and inform her of exactly how many X-rays are necessary and why.
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If my patient tells me she will live with the pain, that any exposure to radiation is too much exposure,
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thenI musthonour herautonomy.However, I willprovideher guidelines forthe careof theareaofconcern
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as well as a list of symptoms to watch for. In addition, I will ask her to schedule a follow-up appointment
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within afew days. If the symptoms disappear,then thereis no need fora follow-up unless the patient feels
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it is necessary. I will advise my patient that if the symptoms continue or worsen, then she must keep the
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follow-up appointment, and I will perform a clinical examination. We will re-evaluate the potential
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risks and benefits of an X-ray in order to develop a treatment plan. I will provide her any written
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literature I may have on X-ray safety, ensuring she has access to the best scientific evidence and
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consensus,incaseshewouldliketoreconsiderinthe future.
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In summary, my patient was apprehensive about her exposure to dental X-rays as a method to diagnose
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and develop a treatment plan for the dental pain she was experiencing. In order to honor patient
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autonomy, we discussed the potential risks and benefits of the X-rays, leaving the decision to her
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informed consent. As the pain she was experiencing was not debilitating, nor did I see any great cause
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for concern upon examination, I did not make any further recommendations with respect to the X-rays.
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Rather, I provided the patient with suggestions for follow-up.
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Concluding Reflections xz
On top of how the situation is handled (respecting the patient’s autonomy), there are a few other things
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of note inthis response. First, appropriateterminologyisutilizedthroughout,demonstrating knowledge
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of key concepts in the field – informed consent, evidence-based practice, patient autonomy, and the
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like.
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As well, note that there are some statements that indicate not just what is said, but how the conversation
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took place. Little details like ensuring a private, one-on-one conversation, or sitting in such a way that
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doctor and patient are at eye-level to one another, help the interviewer “see” the interviewee in that role.
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Suchdetailsdemonstratethatyouknowthatthisislikelyasensitiveissue, and that you must be conscious
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of your own behavior when working with patients. If you don’t offer such descriptive elements, the
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interviewer can fill in those gaps with just about anything, and that’s not what you want. Maintaincontrol
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of your narrative by using careful description to “show” the interviewer how you will act in such a
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scenario.
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DentalSchoolInterviewQuestion#3 xz xz xz xz
Prompt:
