Howard University College of Dentistry (DDS) Dentistry InterviewFormat, Questions & Prep Tips

Howard University College of Dentistry has trained more Black dentists than any institution in US history. What does that legacy mean to you, and how do you see yourself contributing to it?

This is a values-alignment question and close to a litmus test. Demonstrate genuine understanding of Howard's historical mission — the structural barriers that have limited Black access to dental education and dental care, and the role Howard has played in addressing them. Be authentic.

What do you know about oral health disparities affecting Black and minority communities in the United States?

Know: higher rates of untreated tooth decay in Black children, lower preventive dental care utilisation, limited access to specialists, geographic concentration of dental practices in affluent areas. Also know about sickle cell disease oral complications, hypertension-medication dental interactions, and diabetes-periodontal bidirectional relationship in communities with high chronic disease burdens.

Why Howard University College of Dentistry — what draws you to this particular school and its mission?

Demonstrate specific knowledge of Howard's history, mission, and Washington, DC context. Generic HBCU answers are insufficient — show you understand what Howard Dental specifically represents.

Describe an experience working with an underserved community. What did it teach you about providing equitable healthcare?

Community health experience in minority or underserved settings is a strong differentiator at Howard. Be specific about what you learned about structural barriers, cultural humility, and patient-centered care.

How does sickle cell disease affect oral health, and how should a dentist manage a patient with this condition?

A Howard-specific oral-systemic question. Know: hypoxia risk during dental procedures, opioid management considerations, delayed eruption, hypomineralisation, and the importance of physician coordination. Demonstrates awareness of health conditions disproportionately affecting Black patients.

A patient declines a procedure you believe is essential because they distrust the healthcare system. How do you respond?

Medical distrust is well-documented in Black communities given historical injustices in US healthcare. Demonstrate cultural humility, patient autonomy respect, and understanding of the historical context of medical distrust without being paternalistic.

What structural factors have contributed to oral health disparities in Black communities, and what can dentists do to address them?

Know: geographic maldistribution of dentists, Medicaid dental benefit gaps, insurance coverage disparities, historical redlining limiting access to dental practices, cultural and linguistic barriers, and the impact of dental school training environments on underrepresented patient care.

How have you developed fine motor precision, and how does that prepare you for Howard's dental simulation training?

Standard dexterity question — be specific about experiences and connect them to dental clinical expectations.

How do you think the ADA Principle of Justice applies to the dental profession's historical relationship with underrepresented communities?

A thoughtful question about dental professional ethics and history. The justice principle requires equitable access to care — Howard's founding and mission are a direct response to historical injustice in dental education and care access.

How has your own background shaped your commitment to addressing health disparities?

An opportunity to connect personal narrative to health equity values. Be authentic — whether you are from a minority background yourself or came to health equity through a different path, genuine reflection carries more weight than performative statements.

At Howard's DC clinic, a patient from Ward 8 who has avoided dental care for years arrives in pain and is visibly distrustful of providers. How do you build trust and proceed in that first appointment?

Listen first, acknowledge the history of medical distrust without being defensive, explain each step, and relieve pain. Cultural humility and trust-building are central to Howard's mission.

You are shown national data showing Black children have higher untreated-decay rates and lower preventive-visit rates than white children. Before proposing solutions, what structural factors and data caveats would you examine?

Dentist maldistribution, Medicaid participation, insurance gaps, historical disinvestment, and measurement issues. Demonstrate structural, equity-focused reasoning aligned to Howard's identity.

How would you explain to a patient with sickle cell disease why their dental procedure requires extra precautions and coordination with their physician, without alarming them?

Plain-language explanation of hypoxia and infection risks, reassurance, and the value of physician coordination. Ties Howard's patient population to oral-systemic communication skill.

Howard's mission is rooted in health equity and a 140-year legacy. Tell us how your own path led you to care about reducing health disparities.

Authentic personal narrative, whatever your background. Howard values genuine reflection over performative equity statements — connect lived experience to commitment.

A community program has funding to treat only a fraction of the underserved patients who need care this year. How should it decide who is prioritized, and what role should equity play?

Engage the justice principle directly — clinical urgency, equity, and transparent criteria, with awareness of historical inequity. Fits Howard's health-equity mission.