How you are scored — Dentistry Interview School

The short version

Assessors score set criteria. For 2026 entry, Newcastle's two dental selectors each graded applicants independently across six domains, from motivation to integrity.
The less an assessor has to prompt you, the higher the mark. Answers that sound genuine beat rehearsed ones.
Dental schools score values: the Dental Schools Council lists 13, mapped to the GDC's Standards for the Dental Team.
Evidence beats adjectives. "I'm good with anxious people" scores little; one moment showing what you noticed, did and learned is what assessors can mark.
Red flags can sink you: dishonesty, arrogance, unsafe promises, putting money before patients and dismissing the dental team.

What is on the mark sheet

Each station or panel is scored against set criteria. For 2026 entry, Newcastle's two dental selectors each graded applicants independently across six domains, without seeing their grades or UCAT scores:

Preparation and motivation for dental school
Effective learning skills
Team working
Personal qualities and resilience
Interpersonal and communication skills
Empathy, sensitivity, integrity and professionalism

The values behind the boxes

The Dental Schools Council's guidance on core values (uploaded December 2023) lists 13 attributes and links them to each of the GDC's Standards for the Dental Team (2013). The GDC consulted from June to August 2026 on replacing those standards; until it decides, their nine principles still apply. In short, the 13 attributes cover:

Patients first: respect, empathy and care, and the courage to advocate for patients.
Honesty: integrity, and the ability to apologise and be open when things go wrong.
Consent and communication: seeing why consent decisions can be complex, and communicating clearly in speech and writing.
Team and responsibility: working as part of a team, conscientiousness and owning your actions.
Growth: motivation to study dentistry, resilience, and honest self-reflection and development.

Evidence beats adjectives

The Dental Schools Council says it is "not sufficient to merely memorise" the GDC outcomes. You should be able to describe how you have reacted, or would react, to real situations. Examples can come from school, paid work, volunteering, social activities or work experience.

Middling: "I'm good with anxious people." Top: "A boy in the waiting room was shaking, so I asked about his football shirt until he relaxed."
Middling: "Work experience taught me teamwork matters." Top: "The nurse had the next tray ready before the dentist asked. She ran that room."
Middling: "I have good manual dexterity." Top: "I've repaired phones at weekends for a year. The hardest part is staying patient with tiny screws."
Middling answers list qualities. Top answers show one moment, what you did and what changed afterwards.

Red flags that can sink a station

Some things outweigh good content. Sheffield (2027) rejects any applicant whose values or behaviours go against GDC and NHS standards at any point, including the selection day. Online, anyone proven to use outside help is disqualified (Dental Schools Council, January 2026).

Dishonesty: inventing experience, bluffing a fact or getting any help during an online interview.
Arrogance or rudeness: dental schools want applicants who are polite and respectful to interviewers and colleagues alike.
Unsafe judgement: acting beyond your role, or promising a patient something you cannot know.
Money before patients: the core values guidance says patient care must come first when it clashes with finances or time.
Dismissing the dental team: nurses, hygienists and therapists are colleagues, and the GDC expects you to work with them in patients' best interests.

How this comes up on the day

"What qualities make a good dentist?" — two or three core values, each proved with a short example.
"Tell me about a time you made a mistake." — a small, real mistake; spend most of your time on what you learned and changed.
"Is dentistry a business or a caring profession?" — accept that it is both, then show patient care comes first when they clash.
"What will you do if you don't get a place?" — calm and realistic: feedback, improve, reapply. Never "That won't happen."
"Is there anything you'd like to add?" — one piece of evidence you have not used yet, in two sentences.

The words to use

Domain: One area an assessor scores, such as team working or communication. Newcastle's dental interview used six domains for 2026 entry.
Anchored scale: A marking scale where each score has a written description of what earns it, such as "completed with minimal prompting".
Core values guidance: The Dental Schools Council's list of 13 attributes that dental schools look for, each mapped to the GDC's Standards for the Dental Team.
Standards for the Dental Team: The GDC's nine principles for every registered dental professional, in force since 2013. A proposed replacement was under consultation in 2026.
Red flag: Something that can sink a station whatever else you say, such as dishonesty, arrogance, an unsafe promise or disrespect for the dental team.

Model answer

The interviewer asks

“Tell me about a time you made a mistake. What did you learn from it?”

A strong answer

During my work experience at a dental practice, a lady in the waiting room told me she was terrified about her appointment. I wanted to help, so I said, "Don't worry, it'll be really quick." I didn't actually know what she was having done. It turned out to be a long appointment, and afterwards she told the nurse she'd been promised it would be quick.

The dentist talked to me about it at the end of the day, very kindly. I'd meant to reassure her, but I'd made a promise I couldn't keep, and that could have made her trust the whole team less.

I felt embarrassed, and I apologised to the nurse. What I learned is that reassurance has to be honest. Now, if someone's anxious, I ask what's worrying them, listen properly, and offer to let the nurse or dentist know so they can help. I don't guess about anything clinical.

I think that matters a lot in dentistry, because so many patients are nervous, and trust is what brings them back. You can lose it with one careless sentence, even a kind one.

Why this scores. It picks a small, real mistake and owns it without excuses. Most of the time goes on what the candidate felt, learned and now does differently, which is what assessors can actually mark. It shows insight into anxious patients and the dental team, and it ends on a line the assessor will remember.

Sources 8

School of Dental Sciences Admissions Policy 2026 Entry — Newcastle University, 2025
How to run a mock MMI (sample mark sheets) — Medical Schools Council, 2019-07
Guidance on the core values and attributes needed to study dentistry — Dental Schools Council, 2023-12
Standards for the dental team — General Dental Council, 2013-09
GDC consults on replacing the 'silver book' with new professionalism framework — General Dental Council, 2026-06-02
Dental Surgery admissions and selection process 2027 — University of Sheffield, 2026
Applicant guidance – Online Interviews — Dental Schools Council, 2026-01
Dentistry interview preparation

Content reviewed 2026-10-24

Now check what stuck5 questions on this lesson. Get 4 right and it ticks off.

What is on the mark sheet

Preparation and motivation for dental school

Effective learning skills

Team working

Personal qualities and resilience

Interpersonal and communication skills

Empathy, sensitivity, integrity and professionalism

The values behind the boxes

Patients first: respect, empathy and care, and the courage to advocate for patients.

Honesty: integrity, and the ability to apologise and be open when things go wrong.

Consent and communication: seeing why consent decisions can be complex, and communicating clearly in speech and writing.

Team and responsibility: working as part of a team, conscientiousness and owning your actions.

Growth: motivation to study dentistry, resilience, and honest self-reflection and development.

Evidence beats adjectives

Middling: "I'm good with anxious people." Top: "A boy in the waiting room was shaking, so I asked about his football shirt until he relaxed."

Middling: "Work experience taught me teamwork matters." Top: "The nurse had the next tray ready before the dentist asked. She ran that room."

Middling: "I have good manual dexterity." Top: "I've repaired phones at weekends for a year. The hardest part is staying patient with tiny screws."

Middling answers list qualities. Top answers show one moment, what you did and what changed afterwards.

Red flags that can sink a station

Dishonesty: inventing experience, bluffing a fact or getting any help during an online interview.

Arrogance or rudeness: dental schools want applicants who are polite and respectful to interviewers and colleagues alike.

Unsafe judgement: acting beyond your role, or promising a patient something you cannot know.

Money before patients: the core values guidance says patient care must come first when it clashes with finances or time.

Dismissing the dental team: nurses, hygienists and therapists are colleagues, and the GDC expects you to work with them in patients' best interests.

How this comes up on the day

"What qualities make a good dentist?" — two or three core values, each proved with a short example.

"Tell me about a time you made a mistake." — a small, real mistake; spend most of your time on what you learned and changed.

"Is dentistry a business or a caring profession?" — accept that it is both, then show patient care comes first when they clash.

"What will you do if you don't get a place?" — calm and realistic: feedback, improve, reapply. Never "That won't happen."

"Is there anything you'd like to add?" — one piece of evidence you have not used yet, in two sentences.

The words to use

Domain

One area an assessor scores, such as team working or communication. Newcastle's dental interview used six domains for 2026 entry.

Anchored scale

A marking scale where each score has a written description of what earns it, such as "completed with minimal prompting".

Core values guidance

The Dental Schools Council's list of 13 attributes that dental schools look for, each mapped to the GDC's Standards for the Dental Team.

Standards for the Dental Team

The GDC's nine principles for every registered dental professional, in force since 2013. A proposed replacement was under consultation in 2026.

Red flag

Something that can sink a station whatever else you say, such as dishonesty, arrogance, an unsafe promise or disrespect for the dental team.