Griffith Dental Dentistry Interview — Format, Questions & Prep Tips

Why Griffith's BDHS → DMD pathway specifically, rather than a 5-year BDS at another school?

Defensible reasoning. Articulate why the 3+2 integrated structure suits you (early oral-health-science grounding, the Gold Coast clinical footprint, the GCUH co-location). Do not treat BDHS as a back-door BDS — examiners want pathway-aligned commitment.

Why dentistry rather than medicine? Be specific.

Engage with what attracts you to dental practice specifically.

Tell us about your manual dexterity. How do you know dentistry will suit you?

Concrete: fine motor hobbies, model-making, prior procedural exposure.

A patient at the Griffith Dental Clinic wants veneers on healthy teeth purely for cosmetic reasons. Walk us through your response.

Autonomy AND non-maleficence. Consent, alternatives, AHPRA dental board guidance.

Closing the Gap targets continue to lag for Aboriginal oral health in southern Queensland. What role can a Griffith graduate play?

ACCHO partnerships (Kalwun Health Service), cultural safety, workforce closing the gap.

Role-play: a patient at the Griffith Dental Clinic is anxious about a drill procedure. Demonstrate.

Validate fear. Tell-show-do. Hand-signals. Patience.

Explain the difference between an Oral Health Therapist and a Dentist to a patient.

Plain language. Scope of practice. The complementary role within a dental team.

What does the 3-year Bachelor of Dental Health Science add to your training before you start the DMD?

Engage with the BDHS as foundational dental science + early clinical exposure preparing you for the DMD's registrable training. It is not a separate Oral Health Therapy degree.

Voluntary assisted dying is legal in Queensland. How does VAD interact with dental practice?

Dental practitioners may be drawn into VAD conversations indirectly. Engage with referral obligations.

What does hospital-integrated dental training mean to you?

Engage with the Gold Coast University Hospital co-location, multidisciplinary exposure, complex case mix.

How would you reassure a child who is anxious about their first dental visit?

Child-friendly language. Parental coaching. Tell-show-do.

Should the Australian dental workforce expand to include more Oral Health Therapists relative to Dentists?

Engage with workforce planning, prevention vs treatment, equity of access. Balanced reasoning.

What concerns you most about a dental career?

Honest: physical demands, patient anxiety, business pressures.

Describe a time you worked in a small team where contribution was scrutinised.

Process focus.

A patient at a Logan clinic asks for a controlled prescription. They have minimal records. What do you do?

Real-time monitoring, addiction medicine, contacting prescribers, alternatives.

Tell us about a piece of dental work experience that genuinely shaped your view.

Pick one specific moment.

A teammate at Griffith Dental Clinic has been making concerning comments about patients. Address it.

Specific behaviour. Private conversation first.