Workman School of Dental Medicine at High Point University (DMD) Dentistry Interview — Format, Questions & Prep Tips

Why did you choose to apply to a newer dental school like HPU, rather than a more established program?

Show genuine interest in HPU's oral-systemic and interprofessional mission. Mentioning the opportunity to shape a school culture and contribute to a growing institution is well received — avoid answers that suggest HPU is simply a backup option.

What does "whole-person dental care" mean to you, and can you give a clinical example?

Connect oral health to systemic conditions — diabetes, cardiovascular disease, pregnancy complications. Use a real patient or shadowing experience if possible.

North Carolina has significant dental deserts in its rural counties. What role do you think dental schools should play in addressing access gaps?

Cover community clinic models, loan forgiveness programs, mobile dental units, and the role of dental school graduates in underserved workforce pipelines. Specific North Carolina context is valued.

Describe a time you had to explain a complex concept to someone with no background in the subject. What approach did you take?

Dental patient education requires translating clinical information into plain language. Use the STAR structure and reflect on what you learned about communication.

HPU Dental emphasizes interprofessional education. How have you previously collaborated with professionals from other healthcare or academic disciplines?

Be specific — name the disciplines, describe the collaboration, and reflect on what it added to your understanding of patient care.

A patient declines dental treatment for their child due to cost. What do you do?

Address financial assistance options, Medicaid/CHIP eligibility, community health resources, and the dentist's ongoing advocacy role. Avoid framing the patient as irresponsible.

What area of dentistry do you think will change most significantly over the next decade, and why?

Digital dentistry, AI diagnostics, tele-dentistry, oral microbiome research, or oral-systemic medicine are all valid. Show intellectual engagement with the field's direction.

How would you handle a situation where a patient is anxious about a procedure you know is necessary?

Address informed consent, anxiety management techniques, pacing, and the importance of building trust over successive appointments. Dental anxiety is very common and a practical competency for every dentist.

You notice a fellow student performing a procedure incorrectly in the clinic. What do you do?

Patient safety first — describe how you would address it immediately, involve a supervisor, and support your colleague's learning without undermining them publicly.

Describe what you hope to be doing professionally ten years after graduating from dental school.

Interviewers want to see career intentionality. General practice vs. speciality, community vs. private practice, rural vs. urban — be honest and show how HPU Dental fits your trajectory.

A North Carolina county health profile shows that a Piedmont county has high childhood-caries rates but very few practicing dentists. As an HPU student planning an outreach project, how would you interpret that and respond?

Separate need (caries rate) from supply (dentist count) and barriers (insurance, transport, fluoridation). Propose a school-based sealant or prevention effort and a way to measure it. HPU values turning a regional statistic into action.

Your simulated patient is a parent who becomes defensive when you raise their child's extensive untreated decay, insisting they brush 'all the time'. How do you keep the conversation productive?

Avoid blame, build alliance, ask open questions about diet and routine, and frame yourself as a partner. Defensiveness usually masks guilt or barriers — meet it with empathy, not correction.

HPU emphasizes interprofessional education with nursing, pharmacy, and PA students. Walk me through how a dentist on that team would manage a patient on multiple medications causing severe dry mouth and rampant decay.

Coordinate with pharmacy on xerostomia-inducing drugs, with the prescriber on alternatives, plus aggressive caries prevention. Show a specific, collaborative care pathway rather than a generic endorsement of teamwork.

You are a student at HPU's clinic and realize the treatment plan a peer documented overstates what was actually clinically indicated. What do you do?

Patient welfare and honest documentation come first. Raise it with the peer if appropriate and escalate to faculty; do not co-sign or ignore an inflated plan. Integrity over collegial discomfort.

Describe a time you adapted to a major change in how a team or organization operated. How did you contribute?

As a newer school, HPU values adaptability and the willingness to help build culture. Show a concrete contribution to navigating change, not just acceptance of it.