Washington, DC
Dental Schools | Private Non-Profit
HBCU
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Ask questions about this school. Answers use aggregated data and are subject to error.
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 28% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
7.9
Good
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 308 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional
8–8.9 Very Good
7–7.9 Good
6–6.9 Mixed
< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about overcoming challenges, leadership roles, stress management, reasons for choosing dentistry, describing oneself with adjectives, and explaining why the applicant wants to attend a specific institution like Howard University. Some responses indicate an MMI format with questions about stress relief and balancing school and social life, while others focus on personal motivations for pursuing dentistry and unique qualities that make the applicant a strong candidate.
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Tell me about a time you had to overcome a challenge.
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Tell me about yourself
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Why dentistry?
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Why dentistry
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What leadership roles have you had in the past?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at Howard University College of Dentistry discussed various topics such as adaptability, diversity, personal challenges, and contributions to the dental field. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on the range of questions, and respondents may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement given the diverse nature of the questions asked.
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How do you display adaptability?
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Asked about parent work
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Describe the endocrine system.
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If dentistry didn’t exist what would you do
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3 Words to describe you and how do those relate to Dentistry
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at Howard University College of Dentistry discussed a range of topics including personal attributes, future goals, ethical scenarios, and reasons for choosing dentistry. The interview format may have been an MMI based on responses mentioning nondisclosure agreements, with diverse questions on community service, academic performance, and scenarios involving cheating or ethical dilemmas being common themes among applicants.
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How would you friends and family describe you in 3 words?
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What's Howards Motto
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How would you describe the color purple to a blind person?
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Three words people describe you
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Are you more spontaneous or do you stick to a schedule?
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the stress level of the interview?
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had an open file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as Student Doctor Network (SDN), mock interviews, researching the school's website, and reviewing common interview questions. Many also sought advice from current students, practiced with friends or family, and engaged in prayer or relaxation techniques to calm nerves before the interview.
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Sda, mock interview, research
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Sdn
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SDN, YouTube videos,
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Mock Interview
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SDN interview feedback, Facebook DAT Bootcamp Study Group
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the warm and welcoming atmosphere at the school, describing it as family-oriented and emphasizing the friendliness of both the faculty and students. They appreciated the genuine care and enthusiasm shown by the staff and the sense of community fostered within the school.
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How kind the students, faculty, and interviewers were.
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The family orientation of the school.
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The culture
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How welcoming and family oriented the faculty was.
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The warmth of the students and faculty. All of them had such enthusiasm and love for their school and they were very helpful and honest when answering questions. I also loved the family feel; everyone spoke as you passed them in the hallways. It was very warm and welcoming.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about outdated facilities, lack of technological advancements, disorganization during the interview day, unimpressive neighborhood surroundings, high cost of living, and challenges in finding patients for clinical requirements. Suggestions included improving facilities, enhancing technological resources, providing more organization during interviews and tours, addressing neighborhood safety, and supporting students in patient recruitment efforts.
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Nothing
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Some of the questions in the interview caught me off guard.
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My interview seemed rushed. I had more questions to ask the interviewers but j was sent back to the main room
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N/A
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Nothing!
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Most applicants wished they had known about the specific format of the interview, including possible essay questions and group activities. Additionally, tips on logistics such as parking, airport options, and the overall atmosphere of the interview day were commonly mentioned.
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Know the Motto, school colors, school programs.
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The variety of ways they would ask questions.
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That there would be so many people interviewing. Our session had 33 people interviewing and we didn't leave until 5pm.
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N/A
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That we would asked to draw certain surfaces of a specific tooth rather than write an essay like other applicants have done in the past.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally expressed positive experiences during their interviews at Howard University College of Dentistry, noting the welcoming environment, diverse community, and relaxed interview process. Many emphasized the importance of being oneself, preparing for general interview questions, and highlighting personal attributes to stand out in the application process.
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Overall good I could’ve done better
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Overall, I believe Howard is a fine institution. I do think that there should be adequate resources in regard to updated technology, but overall a great experience and really conversational interview process.
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I had a great experience at Howard. While Howard's facilities are not as shiny and new as some other schools, this does not mean that Howard isn't fully equipped to provide an amazing dental education. Please keep this in mind!
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Howard was such a pleasant experience and very relaxed. You can tell they have more of an old school way of teaching in that they believe in letter grades and really challenging their students to think and problem solve but they are invested.
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You have to write a short essay at some point during the day. The questions vary but are not hard to answer, I do not think they critique them heavily. Some examples were "What is your favorite food and why?", "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?", "What is your greatest weakness?".
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest improving communication by answering phone calls and emails promptly, providing updates regularly, and ensuring phone lines are working. They also recommend enabling online payment options for fees and enhancing the friendliness of admissions office staff over the phone.
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NA
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N/A
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Improve on communication with current students, future students, and prospective students. No one ever answers the phone and e-mails get responses 1-3 weeks later and that is IF you get a response. No one keeps anyone up-to-date on anything. Everyone excluding the admissions office has been completely awesome though.
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Answer the phones, it goes to voicemail 90% of the time
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Have the application fee be payable online or as a check.
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are out of state students.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 0-1 hour traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by airplane to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent less than $100.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
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BWI
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BWI-Baltimore
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DCA
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DSW
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Reagan
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Friends or family or with friends or family.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
Hyatt
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Beacon Hotel
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Bloomingdale Inn
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Capitol Hilton
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Channel Inn
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Donovan House
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What are your comments on where you stayed?
N/A
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Virtual
All Responses
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