Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center School of Dental and Oral Surgery Interview Practice Questions

Tell me about yourself.

Why dentistry?

Why Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center School of Dental and Oral Surgery?

What challenges do you anticipate in dental school?

What would you do if a child on Medicaid needs care but reimbursement rates are too low?

What specifically attracts you to Columbia's College of Dental Medicine and its integration with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital?

With New York removing waiting periods for adult dental services on individual plans starting January 2025, how should dental practices manage the expected surge in demand while maintaining quality care?

What clinical experiences have you had?

Should New York eliminate the federal policy allowing dentists to opt out of Medicaid participation given the state's access crisis?

What are you reading right now?

If you could have dinner with anyone, who and why?

How does Columbia's emphasis on research and evidence-based dentistry align with your career goals?

How would you respond to a private equity buyout offer that could compromise patient care?

Tell me about your research.

How should New York dental schools balance admissions preferences for students committed to practicing in underserved areas versus maintaining academic excellence standards?

Why did you choose your undergraduate institution?

Should New York require insurance plans to provide dentists with yearly schedules of reimbursement rates for services as proposed in the state legislature?

What aspects of Columbia's pre-doctoral curriculum, particularly the early clinical exposure, appeal to you?

If you could choose one superpower what would it be?

What was one personally touching volunteer experience you had?

What would you do if a patient can only afford extractions but needs more comprehensive treatment?

What specialty are you interested in?

Should New York dental practices be required to accept a minimum percentage of Medicaid patients to address access disparities between urban and rural areas?

How would you contribute to Columbia's diverse patient population in Washington Heights and the broader New York community?

Given the scope of practice discussions in New York's State Board for Dentistry meetings, how should the profession address tele-dentistry expansion while ensuring patient safety?

Tell me about a time you failed.

Teach me something.

How do you work in groups?

What would you do if a patient in an abusive relationship asks you not to document anything?

What draws you to studying dentistry in an academic medical center environment like Columbia?

Do dentists have an ethical obligation to inform patients about treatment costs before procedures, even when this might influence their treatment decisions?

What was your most challenging experience?

Should dental insurance companies be required to increase annual coverage maximums to better reflect actual treatment costs?

What do your parents do?

What is your favorite movie?

How does Columbia's mission of advancing oral health through education, research, and service resonate with your personal values?

How would you prioritize patients when demand exceeds capacity at a community clinic?

Tell me about a time you experienced a team conflict and how you resolved it.

Is it ethically acceptable for dentists to offer sliding scale fees to some patients while charging others full fees based on ability to pay?

How would you keep yourself up-to-date on dentistry education once you begin practicing?

Should there be stronger federal regulations limiting out-of-pocket costs for dental care?

What interests you about Columbia's interdisciplinary approach to dental education within the broader medical campus?

What is the difference between sympathy and empathy?

Tell me about a time you changed your mind after learning new information.

What would you do if you discover your practice is billing insurance for procedures not performed?

What is one thing you want to highlight about your application?

What are dentists' ethical obligations when uninsured or underinsured patients face significant barriers to accessing dental care?

How would you adapt to the rigorous academic environment and fast-paced lifestyle of studying dentistry in Manhattan?

Should the US invest more in rural dental healthcare infrastructure and provide incentives for dentist recruitment in underserved areas?

Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a teammate, supervisor, or friend.

What would you do if you won the lottery tomorrow?

What is your worst habit?

What would you do when a patient with dementia refuses treatment but their power of attorney insists on it?

What specific opportunities at Columbia do you see helping you develop as both a clinician and healthcare professional?

What are dentists' ethical obligations when insurance reimbursement rates are insufficient to cover the actual cost of providing quality care?

Tell me about a time you had to advocate for someone who wasn’t being heard.

Should there be federal regulations preventing dentists from owning or having financial interests in dental laboratories?

How would your friends describe you?

If your life were a movie, what would the theme?

How does Columbia's commitment to serving underserved populations align with your vision of dental practice?

What would you do if you caught a classmate cheating?

Tell me about a time when you were impacted by miscommunication.

Is healthcare a right or a privilege?

What is your greatest accomplishment?

Should Medicaid and Medicare expand coverage to include more comprehensive preventive and restorative dental services?

What specifically attracted you to Columbia's College of Dental Medicine's emphasis on research and evidence-based dentistry?

If you could instantly master one skill, what would it be?

Tell me about a time you exhibited leadership.

What do you do if a colleague has a substance abuse problem?

How do you handle failure?

What controversial healthcare topic are you passionate about?

How does Columbia's integration with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital influence your interest in applying here?

What is the biggest problem in healthcare today?

Describe a situation where you made a mistake that affected others. What did you do?

If you were a fruit, which one would you be and why?

Where do you plan to practice?

What would you do if someone in a group project falsified data?

What aspects of Columbia's mission to advance oral health through innovation and community service resonate most with you?

Should healthcare institutions implement mandatory unconscious bias training for all staff and students?

Tell me about a time when you had to explain a complex scientific concept to someone without a science background. How did you approach it?

How would you fix the healthcare system?

What are your values?

How many golf balls fit in an airplane?

How would you take advantage of Columbia's location in Manhattan to enhance your dental education?

What would you do if a group member isn't doing their part?

Describe a situation where you had to navigate cultural differences in a team or work environment.

Should patients have the right to request a healthcare provider of a specific gender, race, or cultural background?

What negative feedback have you received?

Do you think pharmaceutical companies should be allowed to advertise drugs to consumers?

What do you know about Columbia's early clinical exposure program and why is this important to you?

What would you do if a patient refused treatment?

Describe a time when you identified an unfair policy or practice and took action to address it.

What do you think about stem cell research?

What ethical issues do you think will impact you as a dentist?

What are your thoughts on the role of private vs. public healthcare?

How does Columbia's emphasis on treating underserved populations align with your career goals?

What would you do if a patient's family requests you not tell the patient about their diagnosis?

Describe a time you had to respect someone's autonomy even when you disagreed with their choice

Who should receive an organ transplant: a convicted felon or an uninsured mother?

What does “success” look like to you?

Do you believe diversity is important in a healthcare setting? Why or why not?

What specific research opportunities at Columbia interest you and how would you contribute to them?

What would you do if a coworker is taking credit for your work on a group project.

Tell me about a time when you recognized a personal limitation or weakness that was affecting your performance. What did you do about it?

Do you think it's ever ethical to lie to a patient?

Do you consider yourself culturally competent?

What role should technology and AI play in the future of healthcare?

How would you contribute to Columbia's diverse and collaborative learning environment?

What would you do if a team member isn’t contributing on a group project?

Describe a moment when you connected with someone who was going through a difficult time.

As AI becomes better at diagnosis than human doctors, should we rely more on AI decision-making?

How willl you contribute to the diversity of our school?

Should healthcare professionals be required to receive certain vaccinations?

What do you know about Columbia's comprehensive care model and how does it match your learning preferences?

What would you do if a colleague comes to work smelling of alcohol?

Describe a situation where you had to maintain professionalism under difficult or frustrating circumstances.

Should people with unhealthy lifestyles (e.g., smokers, heavy drinkers) have reduced access to certain treatments?

How do you handle stress?

What would you do if a teenager confides they're being abused at home but begs you not to tell anyone?

How does Columbia's strong alumni network and reputation in academic dentistry factor into your decision to apply?

Can compassion be taught?

What is an ethical dilemma you have faced?

What would you do if your employer forced you to work over Thanksgiving weekend, interfering with your family plans?

What are your strengths?

Should healthcare workers strike if working conditions are unsafe for them or their patients?

What do you think makes our program unique?

What would you do if a colleague of yours made a mistake and doesn't want to tell the patient?

Walk me through a period when you were overwhelmed with responsibilities. How did you use to get through it?

Should students from disadvantaged backgrounds receive preferential admission to health professions programs?

What are your weaknesses?

You're at a party and a friend insists on driving herself home, even though she has been drinking. What do you do?

How do you relate to our mission?

While volunteering at a community center, a family refuses to vaccinate their children due to religious beliefs. The father quietly tells you he disagrees but fears community backlash if he consents. What do you do?

What was the most difficult decision you have ever had to make?

You’re working in a research lab when you discover that your supervisor has failed to report a conflict of interest—he’s consulting for the company funding the study. You depend on him for a strong reference for grad school. What do you do?

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

A colleague you respect makes a dismissive comment toward a patient from a marginalized background. You know confronting them could damage your working relationship. What do you do?

What are Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center School of Dental and Oral Surgery's values?

A grateful patient leaves a $100 gift card and a thank-you note at the front desk addressed specifically to you. What do you do?

What community service activities have you done?

You’re walking out of a coffee shop when you notice someone drop their wallet. You pick it up and realize there’s a large amount of cash inside, but no ID. You also notice the person quickly leaving in a taxi before you can call out. What do you do?

What do you do for fun?

Your roommate confides in you that they have been struggling with depression and occasionally use prescription medication that was not prescribed to them. They ask you not to tell anyone. How do you respond?

Why do you want to go to school in New York?

You’re catching a ride home from a friend who begins texting while driving. When you ask them to stop, they brush you off and say, “Relax, I do this all the time.” How do you respond?

Describe a time working with someone you did not like.

A close friend in your study group admits they copied answers from another student on a recent exam but asks you not to tell anyone. How do you respond?

Tell me about a skill or knowledge area where you've shown significant improvement over time. What was your learning process?

You see a friend post misleading health information on social media that’s getting lots of attention. How do you handle it?

What do you think are important qualities for a dentist?

You accidentally receive an email from your supervisor that contains private performance evaluations, including criticism of a close friend. Later that day, your friend mentions feeling anxious about whether management trusts them. What do you do?

What are three words people who know you would use to describe you?

A patient you've been working with for months asks you out on a date. How do you handle this?

Who is your role model?

What is your biggest regret?

What makes you special?

What is your biggest fear?

Tell me about your lowest grade.

What is one of your strengths in a leadership role?

What is your learning style?

How do you study?

How might the transition to dental school affect you.

How will you handle burnout and being overwhelmed?

What will you do if you do not get into dental school?