Ponce Health Sciences University School of Dental Medicine Interview Practice Questions

Tell me about yourself.

Why dentistry?

Why Ponce Health Sciences University School of Dental Medicine?

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 attracted you to Ponce Health Sciences University's emphasis on serving underserved populations in Puerto Rico?

Should dental professionals in Puerto Rico accept lower reimbursement rates from La Reforma's privatized healthcare system to ensure patient access to care?

What clinical experiences have you had?

Following Hurricane Maria's devastation of dental infrastructure in Puerto Rico, should emergency preparedness training be mandatory for all dental professionals practicing in hurricane-prone territories?

What are you reading right now?

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

How does our bilingual dental education program 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.

Is it ethical for dental professionals in Puerto Rico to prioritize their personal safety and relocate to the mainland US, given the island's ongoing healthcare provider shortage?

Why did you choose your undergraduate institution?

Given that the average age of practicing dentists in Puerto Rico is 58 years, what policy measures should be implemented to attract and retain younger dental professionals on the island?

What aspects of our community-based clinical training model 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?

How should the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine balance its mission to serve Puerto Rico's population with the reality that many graduates will leave for better opportunities on the mainland?

How would you contribute to Ponce Health Sciences University's mission of improving oral health in Hispanic communities?

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

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 do you know about our integrated medical and dental education approach?

Is it ethical for Puerto Rican dental practices to market heavily to mainland US patients for dental tourism when local residents face access barriers?

What was your most challenging experience?

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

What do your parents do?

What is your favorite movie?

How do you feel about practicing dentistry in a tropical climate and island setting?

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.

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

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

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

What interests you about our focus on primary care dentistry and preventive medicine?

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?

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 studying in Ponce's smaller academic environment benefit your learning style?

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

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 preparation have you made for potentially studying dental medicine in Spanish?

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

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

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

How would your friends describe you?

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

Why are you specifically interested in our program's emphasis on rural and community health dentistry?

What would you do if you caught a classmate cheating?

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

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

What is your greatest accomplishment?

What is the biggest problem in healthcare today?

What attracted you specifically to Ponce Health Sciences University's dental program over other dental schools?

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?

Is healthcare a right or a privilege?

How does our emphasis on serving underserved Hispanic and Latino communities align with your career goals?

How would you fix the healthcare system?

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 our bilingual dental education approach appeal to you?

What controversial healthcare topic are you passionate about?

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?

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

What are your values?

How many golf balls fit in an airplane?

How would you adapt to studying dentistry in a Spanish-speaking environment in Puerto Rico?

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

What negative feedback have you received?

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

What do you know about our clinical rotations and community outreach programs?

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.

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

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

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

How does our focus on culturally competent dental care match your professional interests?

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

What do you think about stem cell research?

What does “success” look like to you?

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

What challenges do you anticipate in transitioning to life and study in Ponce, Puerto Rico?

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?

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

Do you consider yourself culturally competent?

Should healthcare professionals be required to receive certain vaccinations?

How would you contribute to our mission of improving oral health in Hispanic communities?

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.

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

How willl you contribute to the diversity of our school?

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

What interests you about our integrated medical and dental education model?

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

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

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

How do you handle stress?

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

How does your background prepare you for our emphasis on public health dentistry?

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

What is an ethical dilemma you have faced?

Can compassion be taught?

What are your strengths?

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

What do you think makes our program unique?

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

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

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

What are your weaknesses?

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

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 Ponce Health Sciences University School of Dental Medicine'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 Ponce?

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?