Common Dental Assistant Interview Questions

Congratulations! On passing the first hurdle to becoming a dental assistant– getting an interview.

Dental assistants play a critical role in the running of the daily operations of our clinic. They work alongside our dentists and perform other administrative work. That’s why we take our interview sessions seriously.

The agenda of our interviews is not only to choose a candidate with experience but one who can handle pressure and is capable of working under supervision. Although we ask common and general questions like:

• Tell us about yourself?
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?

Most of the interview questions will lean on personal, behavioral, and skills that you possess. Here are five dental assistant questions and answers to help you prepare.

1. Why did you choose the dental assisting profession?

   What we want to know is your knowledge of dental assisting. Do you know what is expected of you? Do you desire to help others?

   Answer: Growing up, I had a large diastema that affected my appearance. An orthodontic fixed it, and I was thrilled and amazed at how much better I felt about myself. So, I want to help other patients feel and experience the same.

2. Why do you want to work for our dental clinic (ASmile4U)?

   We want to know your career goals and how this dental assistant job will fit into those plans.

   Answer: Well, ASmile4U reputation is certainly a factor. I would be thrilled and proud to work for a dental plan with such strong leadership in the industry.
   Also, I noticed that you have a dental assistant school (AS4U Career Center) that offers dental courses. I am interested in working for a company that supports my career growth plans.

3. Do you have experience with any dental software?

   Most dental clinics, including ours, use dental-specific software to keep medical history, appointments, dental treatments, and billing information.

   What we are looking for is to know if you have computer literacy and dental software experience.

   Answer: I’ve extensive experience with Curve Dental cloud hosting software. My previous office used Curve Dental to document and schedule an appointment as well as submit claims to insurance companies.

   N.B It is important to know the different dental software and modern equipment, and how to use them.

4. What do you do to prepare for a patient’s dental appointment?

   As a dental assistant, you will be expected to prep the patient as well as the operatory room.

   We are looking for someone with organizational skills and ability to multitask.

   Answer: I review a patient’s dental and medical history before their arrival. I prepare the operatory room and set all required tools ready.

5. Imagine a patient comes to you accusing the dentist of bad service and treatment, how will you handle the situation?

   With this question, we want to determine your unique communication and listening skills, resourcefulness, and ability to adapt to stressful situations.

   This question gives you a chance to share a story of how you handled a tough situation.

   Answer; In my previous position, we had a patient who was diagnosed with multiple cavities and became rude, claiming that the dentist had not recommended any treatment, and she wanted to understand why.

   I remained calm, giving the patient ample time to express herself. I listened without interjecting and was empathetic. I used their medical history, noted, and x-ray to educate and help her gain a better understanding of why the dentist came to that conclusion.

   I also met with the dentist to make them aware of the patient’s concerns.

Interview Tips

Your interview is an opportunity to show off your skills and also find out more about the job and company.

• Prepare for the interview. Although this interview guide involves dental-specific questions, bear in mind, we will ask the common ones also. Prepare your answers well so you are not caught off guard. Don’t memorize, as it will make you fidget while you try to remember the answers.
• Research the company. We have a website that gives you all the information about us. Prepare a question for us as it shows you are interested in the company and the position.
• Wear proper attire. A business professional is acceptable. Don’t wear short skirts, big jewelry, tight clothing, heavy makeup, or tall heels. Looking like a dental assistant will go a long way in creating the right impression.
• Have the right attitude. Be friendly and respectful. Don’t forget to SMILE! It will make you less nervous.
• Thank them for their time.

Conclusion

The interview is a two-way session, so it’s important to engage the interviewers to make the session lively. Remember to do your best to prepare for your interview. It will give you a better chance of succeeding.