Marquette University School of Dentistry (DDS) Dentistry Interview — Format, Questions & Prep Tips

Marquette is a Jesuit university with a strong tradition of cura personalis — care of the whole person. How does this philosophy align with your vision of what dentistry should be?

Whole-person care in dentistry: oral-systemic links, patient-centered communication, addressing fear and anxiety not just tooth disease, social determinants of oral health. Connect to a real example.

Marquette Dental trains students in Milwaukee, a city with significant oral health disparities especially in African American and Latino communities. What role do you see yourself playing in addressing this?

Milwaukee oral health data, community dental health outreach, safety-net dental care, Marquette community clinic partnerships.

A dental supply representative offers your dental school class a substantial gift — equipment worth thousands of dollars — with no explicit strings attached. What are the ethical issues?

ADA ethics on conflicts of interest, ADEA industry relationship guidelines, implicit influence of gifts on prescribing/purchasing behavior, Marquette Jesuit ethics tradition.

Milwaukee has a large Hmong community. A Hmong patient comes to your clinic and has cultural beliefs about dental care that differ significantly from evidence-based recommendations. How do you approach patient education?

Cultural humility, exploring cultural health beliefs without dismissing them, finding common ground between evidence-based recommendations and patient values, interpreter use.

Why Marquette specifically among the dental schools you applied to?

Jesuit mission, Milwaukee patient diversity, specific faculty, Midwest location, Marquette alumni network in Midwest dental practice — genuine school-specific knowledge.

Wisconsin has a significant rural dental access problem, particularly in the northern and agricultural communities. How can Milwaukee-trained dentists like Marquette graduates contribute to addressing this?

Rural Wisconsin dental deserts, Wisconsin Medicaid dental, NHSC, Marquette rural rotation opportunities if available.

The Jesuit tradition emphasizes service to others, especially the marginalised and underserved. Tell me about a service experience that genuinely shaped your values.

A real, specific story — not a resume-polishing activity but genuine service with genuine impact and genuine personal learning. Marquette interviewers will probe for authenticity.

What do you know about Marquette Dental's research programs or specialty tracks?

Research in oral biology, dental biomaterials, craniofacial morphology. Specialty programs in orthodontics, periodontics, oral surgery. Shows genuine school-specific preparation.

A patient who has received dental care at Marquette Clinic for two years asks you to provide a personal reference for a housing application. How do you respond?

Professional boundaries in the dentist-patient relationship, ADA ethics on non-clinical dual relationships, compassionate but clear boundary-setting.

How have you developed your manual dexterity and chairside communication skills in preparation for dental school?

Shadowing hours, dental assisting, art or craft work, musical instruments. Communication: patient-facing volunteering, healthcare roles. Specific evidence.

Role-play: a Hmong patient in your Milwaukee clinic holds a cultural belief about dental treatment that conflicts with what you would recommend, and politely resists your advice. The interpreter is present. Show me how you would approach the conversation.

Cultural humility, genuinely exploring the patient's beliefs before responding, finding common ground between their values and the evidence, and respectful non-coercive education through the interpreter. Aligns with Marquette's cura personalis ethos.

Milwaukee shows marked oral-health disparities between neighborhoods. If shown a chart comparing decay rates across zip codes, how would you reason about what is driving the differences before proposing a response?

Income, insurance, dentist distribution, water fluoridation, and how the data were collected and aggregated. Distinguish association from cause and consider segregation's role in Milwaukee specifically. Show structured reasoning.

Marquette has research in areas like oral biology, biomaterials, and craniofacial morphology. How would you decide whether to pursue research during dental school, and what would you want from it?

Honest interest, a concrete area, realistic time management, and the value of research literacy for evidence-based care. Tie to Marquette's genuine programs and Jesuit emphasis on intellectual rigor.

How would you explain to a patient on a limited income why you are recommending a more conservative, less expensive treatment than the cosmetic option they asked about?

Respect their autonomy, explain the clinical reasoning and trade-offs plainly, and reach a shared decision without upselling. Demonstrate the whole-person, honest communication cura personalis implies.

A faculty member you admire makes a dismissive comment about a patient population during a teaching session. As a student, how do you respond, and what does the Jesuit value of human dignity say about it?

Upholding patient dignity, raising concerns respectfully or through appropriate channels, and navigating a power imbalance with integrity. Connect explicitly to Marquette's service-and-dignity tradition. ADA ethics on respect for persons.