PHSU Interview Prep Guide (2025-2026)

The Ponce Health Sciences University School of Dental Medicine is a newly established dental program with a unique mission and modern resources that shape its admissions and interview process. This guide provides a synthesis of key information candidates should know, from the format of the interview to the school’s mission-driven values and educational approach. It summarizes details about the program’s curriculum and facilities, discusses relevant healthcare policy issues in Puerto Rico and the U.S., outlines the non-academic qualities PHSU looks for in applicants, and highlights the core competencies and interview question themes relevant for preparation. Important application timelines and deadlines for the 2025–2026 cycle are also included, giving applicants a clear picture of what to expect as they apply.

PHSU’s School of Dental Medicine is in its first years of operation, and its interview format appears to follow a traditional approach. Interviews are typically one-on-one conversations (sometimes conducted with two interviewers sequentially) rather than an MMI station format studentdoctor.net. Notably, PHSU’s medical school has used closed-file interviews (meaning interviewers do not review the applicant’s academic metrics beforehand) studentdoctor.net, and the dental program may follow suit to focus on getting to know the candidate personally. The atmosphere of the interviews is generally described as conversational and moderately low-stress – PHSU’s overall interview experience has been reviewed positively by applicants in related programs studentdoctor.net. Many interviews have been offered virtually (online) given the school’s location and applicant pool studentdoctor.net, though in-person visits to the campus have also occurred as the program establishes itself.

Because this dental program is new, precise post-interview acceptance statistics are limited, but early data suggests that the odds of acceptance after interviewing are quite favorable. In the inaugural application cycle, roughly 304 applicants led to 108 acceptance offers for a class of about 50 students forums.studentdoctor.net. This indicates that a high proportion of those interviewed received offers (as the school worked to fill all its seats). While future cycles may become more competitive, an interview at PHSU likely means the admissions committee is seriously interested in you as a candidate. Applicants should be prepared to discuss anything in their application (especially if the interview is open-file), but also be ready to introduce their experiences from scratch if the interview is closed-file – in either case, clear communication and authenticity are key.

PHSU’s School of Dental Medicine was founded with a clear service-oriented mission. The official mission statement emphasizes training culturally competent, excellence-driven, and ethical dental professionals who are well-prepared to provide compassionate, high-quality care to underserved communities phsu.edu. The school is dedicated to an integrative model of education that balances teaching, research, patient care, and community service phsu.edu. These values are woven into the fabric of the program – for example, the dean has highlighted the commitment to evidence-based education, a competency-driven curriculum, meaningful community service, and significant research contributions to oral health phsu.edu. Understanding this mission is crucial for interview preparation: the interviewers will be looking for alignment between your personal values and the school’s ideals. Expect that your passion for helping others, cultural sensitivity (especially in a bilingual context), and integrity will matter in how you are evaluated during the interview.

PHSU’s Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) program is a four-year in-person curriculum launched in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is the first private dental school in Puerto Rico (and the first new dental school on the island in over 50 years) phsu.edu. The program holds initial accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) phsu.edu, which it obtained prior to enrolling its inaugural class. The inaugural class (expected to graduate in 2028) comprises about 50 students forums.studentdoctor.net. The school combines a strong biomedical science foundation with extensive clinical training, preparing graduates to excel in patient care and community health phsu.edu. Notably, instruction is bilingual in English and Spanish, reflecting the linguistic needs of Puerto Rico’s patient population (the school requires incoming students to have academic proficiency in both languages) forums.studentdoctor.net. Tuition is on par with private dental programs; the most recent figures list an annual cost around $47,000 for Puerto Rico residents, with a higher rate for non-residents test.phsu.edu.

Despite being new, the program boasts modern facilities and initiatives that set it apart. PHSU opened a dental clinic on campus within the first year of the dental school’s launch, allowing faculty and students to provide care to the local community and improve access to oral health services in the region newsismybusiness.com. The clinic initially offers general dentistry, pediatric, and endodontic services, with plans to expand specialties as the program grows phsu.edu phsu.edu. Additionally, the school invested in cutting-edge simulation technology: it has integrated the Simodont virtual reality dental training system, a $300,000 investment, to help students develop manual skills in a high-tech virtual environment before treating real patients newsismybusiness.com. These resources reflect PHSU’s emphasis on using innovation to enhance dental education. The student experience is also enriched by being part of a health sciences university campus, which includes other programs (medicine, public health, etc.), potentially offering interprofessional learning opportunities.

These distinctive program features not only define the educational environment but also provide great talking points for your interview. You can use your knowledge of the program to ask insightful questions that demonstrate genuine interest.

Potential Questions to Ask at the Interview

• How is the Simodont virtual reality technology incorporated into student training, and how has it enhanced the learning experience? newsismybusiness.com
• What clinical opportunities do students have through the new on-campus dental clinic, and how do those experiences benefit the surrounding community? newsismybusiness.com
• Are there opportunities for dental students to get involved in research or scholarly projects during the program, given the school’s focus on making scientific contributions to oral health? phsu.edu
• In what ways does the curriculum prepare students to serve Puerto Rico’s underserved populations, and how are bilingual skills utilized in patient care? phsu.edu

The establishment of PHSU’s dental school is occurring against a backdrop of significant oral health needs in Puerto Rico. The island has faced a shortage of dental professionals and longstanding disparities in access to care. In recent years, Puerto Rico saw about a 33% decrease in the number of practicing dentists – roughly 400 licensed dentists left the island – contributing to worsened access to dental care, especially for rural and low-income communities ucfglobalperspectives.org. Many dentists have relocated to the mainland U.S. for higher pay and better professional opportunities ucfglobalperspectives.org, exacerbating the provider gap. As a result, oral diseases like dental caries and periodontal disease remain highly prevalent locally, and a majority of adults in Puerto Rico do not see a dentist annually. PHSU’s mission to train dentists for underserved communities is a direct response to these issues newsismybusiness.com. In interviews, applicants should be aware of these regional challenges – for example, the need for more dentists in Puerto Rico, barriers like cost or insurance coverage that patients face, and the importance of culturally competent care for Spanish-speaking populations.

On a national level, broader health policy trends also inform the context of dental education and practice. There is growing recognition in the United States of the importance of oral health in overall healthcare, which has led to policy changes such as expanding dental benefits for underserved populations. For instance, several U.S. states in the past few years have begun or expanded Medicaid coverage to include adult dental care for low-income residents prpeak.com. These efforts aim to reduce untreated dental disease by making care more affordable, though challenges like low provider participation still persist prpeak.com. Additionally, the opening of new dental schools like PHSU is partly a policy response to projected dentist shortages in certain regions – increasing the educational capacity is seen as one way to address workforce gaps. Being conversant with topics such as healthcare access disparities, insurance coverage for dental services, and the role of prevention in public policy can help you demonstrate awareness during your interview. PHSU’s focus on community health means you might be asked your thoughts on how dentists can influence public health or how you plan to serve in areas of need.

Like many dental schools, PHSU employs a holistic review process when selecting students, meaning that they consider a wide range of applicant attributes beyond GPA and DAT scores prospectivedoctor.com. The admissions committee is looking for well-rounded individuals who not only meet the academic prerequisites but also bring strong personal qualities and experiences aligning with the school’s mission. Demonstrated leadership and initiative – such as holding leadership roles in student organizations or community projects – can help an applicant stand out as someone who will contribute positively to a new program. A commitment to service is particularly important: PHSU places heavy emphasis on community engagement and underserved populations, so volunteering or outreach experiences are very valued. Research experience is another plus, given that the school integrates research and evidence-based practice into its curriculum phsu.edu. Furthermore, cultural competence and communication skills are essential. In fact, proficiency in both English and Spanish is a requirement for admission, with applicants needing college-level coursework in each language forums.studentdoctor.net – this reflects the community PHSU serves and its expectation that students can comfortably treat diverse patients. Admissions data also indicate a strong preference for candidates with ties to Puerto Rico; a large majority of the first admitted class were Puerto Rico residents forums.studentdoctor.net. Altogether, beyond academics, PHSU seeks applicants who are empathetic, culturally aware team players with a record of service and the drive to become leaders in improving oral health.

Since PHSU’s program is accredited by CODA, it adheres to the standard competency frameworks expected of all dental schools, and the faculty have explicitly outlined the competencies graduates must achieve. The curriculum is built around core competencies that include integrating evidence-based practice, applying ethical principles in patient care, effective practice management and communication, promoting oral disease prevention and health education, providing comprehensive patient care across all patient populations, and managing dental emergencies and patient anxiety/pain test.phsu.edu test.phsu.edu. These competencies closely mirror the guidelines set by national dental education bodies to ensure new dentists are practice-ready. PHSU’s leadership has described the program as competency-driven, highlighting that students will be assessed on attaining these skills and behaviors phsu.edu. For interview preparation, understanding these key competency areas can be useful – interview questions or scenarios may indirectly touch on domains like ethics (to see how you reason through an ethical dilemma), communication (for example, how you would explain treatment to a patient), or critical thinking (evaluating evidence or solving a problem). Showing familiarity with the professional competencies expected of dentists can underscore to the interviewers that you are prepared for the rigors of the program and the responsibilities of the profession.

Because the School of Dental Medicine is so new, there is limited information on the exact questions PHSU has asked in interviews so far. However, we can anticipate the themes of their questions by looking at common topics from other dental school interviews and PHSU’s own values. Generally, applicants can expect the classic inquiries: 'Why dentistry?' and 'Why do you want to attend PHSU?' will almost certainly come up, allowing you to express your motivation for the field and your interest in the program’s unique attributes. Questions about your background and experiences are also likely – the interviewers may ask about experiences listed in your application, challenges you have overcome, or how you’ve demonstrated traits like teamwork, leadership, or resilience. In line with PHSU’s mission, you should be ready for questions exploring your commitment to service and working with diverse communities (for example, 'Tell us about a time you served an underserved community' or how you plan to help address oral health disparities) phsu.edu. Ethical scenarios are another common theme in health profession interviews; you might be presented with a hypothetical situation to test your integrity and judgment. PHSU’s interviewers will also want to gauge your cultural competency and communication skills – for instance, they might ask how you would handle treating a patient with a different background or how you’ve prepared to work in a bilingual environment. Additionally, broad questions about the dental profession could arise (such as your thoughts on current issues or the future of dentistry), similar to how medical school interviews often touch on healthcare trends studentdoctor.net. By practicing responses to these thematic areas, you can enter the interview feeling more confident and focused on delivering your story.

Staying on top of the application timeline is important so that you don’t miss any opportunities in PHSU’s rolling admissions process phsu.edu. Below are key dates and milestones for the 2025–2026 cycle:

• Early June 2025 – AADSAS (the centralized dental school application service) opens for submissions. It’s recommended to apply as early as possible since applications are reviewed on a rolling basis phsu.edu.
• December 15, 2025 – Primary application deadline for PHSU’s DMD program (last date to submit your AADSAS application) phsu.edu.
• December 30, 2025 – Secondary application deadline for PHSU (deadline to submit the school’s supplemental application and any additional materials) phsu.edu.
• Interview period (approx. late summer 2025 – early spring 2026) – PHSU extends interview invitations and conducts interviews on a rolling basis. Given the December deadlines, interviews may occur in the fall and winter months; you could receive an invite anytime after your application is complete. Earlier applicants could be interviewed in summer or fall, while those who apply closer to the deadline might interview in winter 2026. Admissions offers are typically given out on a rolling basis following interviews, so early applicants can receive acceptances sooner.
• July 2026 – Classes begin for the incoming DMD class (the Class of 2030). The expected start date for the cohort matriculating in 2026 is late July (for example, the inaugural class’s start date was July 27, 2026) phsu.edu, so admitted students should plan to move to campus by midsummer 2026 for orientation.

Preparing for an interview at PHSU School of Dental Medicine means understanding the school’s new and mission-focused nature and reflecting that understanding in your interview. In this guide, we reviewed the interview format (which is personal and holistic), PHSU’s core mission to serve communities, the features and facts about its innovative program, and the relevant policy environment shaping oral healthcare. We also discussed what personal qualities the school values and how its curriculum is structured around key competencies – all of which can inform the way you present yourself to the interviewers. By familiarizing yourself with these aspects and thinking about the common themes of interview questions, you will be well-equipped to convey your fit for PHSU’s program. Ultimately, demonstrating that you share the school’s commitment to excellence, community service, and ethical patient care will leave a strong impression on the admissions committee.