We understand that you may be nervous about your interview.
It might be the first time you've ever encountered a multiple mini-interview (MMI) format or any kind of formal interview situation for that matter.
We hope that by familiarising yourself with the information provided here you will not find the experience too stressful.
It's your opportunity to show off what you think makes you a good candidate - good luck!
On this page:
Interview format
The interview is not designed to intimidate or interrogate you. It is a series of short conversations designed to assess your suitability for the course.
Do you test my knowledge of dentistry?
The interview is not a test of your academic knowledge (our pre-interview screening will already have ensured that all candidates called to interview appear to have sufficient academic potential).
The purpose is really to take a wider view.
What sort of things are you looking for?
We're looking primarily at the more innate skills and competencies, as well as the personal qualities and behavioural attributes that we think make applicants suitable for dental training.
Interview structure
What can I expect on my interview day?
There will be five stations, each of which is eight minutes long. Each interview will last for seven minutes. The extra minute is just to ensure that you and the interviewer are settled comfortably in your station and microphones can be tested.
The stations will each contain an interviewer. At the end of each station, the interviewer will assess your performance and give you a score using an iPad, which is then uploaded to our central database.
The interviewers do not see the scores from any other stations, so their scoring is completely independent. The scores from all stations are later collated to reach a decision.
We will not differentiate between candidates who select to be interviewed online and those who choose to be interviewed in person. Please note that no applicants will be marked down because of the room they are taking the interview in or what the room looks like.
Will I get feedback at the end of my interview?
Unfortunately, we are not able to give you a decision on the day, but this will be communicated to you in the following weeks.
Things we look for
Communication skills
Communication skills are essential to the practice of all aspects of dentistry. We expect candidates to be able to express their ideas clearly and coherently and to be able to follow a reasoned argument. Candidates who give spontaneous yet well-thought-out answers to questions are more likely to impress the interviewers than those who give obviously rehearsed and coached responses.
Experience
Your work or volunteering experience will be of interest to the interviewers. This experience doesn’t need to be in a traditional dental environment. The interview is an opportunity for you to describe how such experiences have influenced your career choice.
Knowledge of dentistry
You are not expected to have detailed knowledge of dental processes. However, we would expect you to have an informed layperson's view on aspects of dentistry which are of current media interest. Please be reassured that we will not take a position on any ethical issue, but we are interested in how coherently you express the ethical dilemmas facing dental practitioners.
Problems on the day
Illness
If you’re not feeling 100% on the day, either before you attend the interview or when you have logged into your interview session, you'll need to tell the Admissions team before the interview starts. This is so we can make a note on our interview schedule and inform the interviewers.
Alternatively, we may be able to re-schedule your interview. Please understand that we cannot accept retrospective reports of illness after the interview has taken place. They will not be accepted as mitigation should your interview not be successful if you have decided to continue with your interview.
If you feel you are not well enough on the day to undertake the interview, you must inform the Admissions team before the interview commences, and an alternative date may be provided.
Technical difficulties
We recognise that an online interview (offered only to international applicants domiciled overseas) can experience technical difficulties for both applicants and interviewers.
If you are experiencing technical issues within a station, please raise this at the time with the interviewer.
The interviewer will be able to flag to the Admissions team any technical problems that may be taking place so we can note it on our records. Applicants will not be penalised for this.