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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 37% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 252 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional8–8.9 Very Good7–7.9 Good6–6.9 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.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
Positively (74%)
Negatively (19%)
No change (7%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (23%)
Good (39%)
Average (34%)
Poor (5%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview process relaxed and enjoyable, with some concerns about the experience and knowledge of student guides. Suggestions included being prepared for group dynamics and ensuring comfort during virtual interviews, while the school's clinical programs and facilities received positive feedback.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
Enjoyable interview but dubious as to how effectively they can screen candidates. Also, the D1's that guided our tours knew about as much as we did for the school as they were very new. It would have helped a lot more to have more experienced students to actually answer our questions.
Did not enjoy. One interviewer clearly did not want to be there and showed their displeasure in front of the candidates. Students did not seem very happy either.
Seems like a great option. Lots of clinical hours, PBL definitely has its pro's and con's, if interview during COVID, sit in a comfortable chair because 5 hours of zoom will make your back hurt if you dont.
The soap carving activity for manual dexterity was a lot of fun (20 minutes timed though which was nerve-wracking). The interview itself was very laid-back and enjoyable. They did the interview earlier on so the rest of the day was relaxed. The school is very new so the clinics are gorgeous.
Overall I was impressed with the facilities, but not surprised. It's still a new school so I expected state of the art equipment. As far as the interview goes, there is no need to stress. It is very laid back and the fact that it's a closed file, group interview format makes it even less stressful.
The students seem to like the curriculum, but we only got to speak to D1 students. They had just been introduced to PBL, so they had no real feedback to give. Wish I got a chance to speak to some upperclassmen, to get a better idea of the curriculum. They all just all talked about how awesome the school was...who know's...maybe it is all that awesome.
Its an easy interview. Just be yourself. If your not a good fit for the program, then don't proceed further than the interview. Dr. Hirsch (Dean) even states this during his slide show.
It will be a good school in a good location. They have an attractive curriculum plan. They are so passionate for preparing a new class. However, PBL is not my favorite thing. They don't have any scholarship program yet.
I had a pleasant interview. I don't think the all the negative opinions of this school are really justified. This might not be such a bad back-up school, but just not top-pick caliber.
LECOM-SDM-FL-COMP interviews are an average of 43 minutes, with an average of 2 interviews. 0% of interviews are one-on-one, 71% are in-person, and 81% are closed-file. Of the in-person interviews, 100% are held at the school.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about motivations for pursuing dentistry, personal strengths and weaknesses, ethical scenarios such as handling private patient information, recent books read, and the impact of community service or extracurricular activities on personal development. Respondents may also encounter questions about their views on specific educational methodologies like Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and their long-term goals in the field. Some interviews may have been in an MMI format with questions touching on ethics, personal attributes of a dentist, and reasons for choosing the specific medical school.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
If you are a student member of the ethics committee (those who decide what disciplinary action should be taken against students who plagiarize or cheat) and you become aware of a student who accesses a restricted area of campus to get a test, and then does well on that test, what should happen?
Lecom is about giving back to the under-served and community. tell us about one of your community involvement activities and what you learned from it, positive or negative.
Students said most interesting question asked at LECOM School of Dental Medicine at Bradenton discussed a wide range of topics including ethical dilemmas, personal values, and professional scenarios. The interviews may have been in an MMI format with a focus on critical thinking and problem-solving skills, possibly accompanied by a nondisclosure agreement due to the nature of the questions asked.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
If you were stuck on an island with a classmate and the plane off only had one seat, what would you do?
Let's say you are a practicing dentist and a mother comes in with her daughter and says she doesn't want to use fluoride on her daughter. What would your response be to this? What do you know about the pros and cons of fluoride?
Say you just started working at a dental office with a more senior doctor who owns the practice. One day he becomes very ill and you have to take care of his patients. How would you handle dealing with a patient who's case is unclear to you (i.e. you cannot see the problem that the other doctor wrote down in the patient's x-ray)?
An upper classman who is your friend comes to lunch room and starts talking bad about a patient, disclosing his personal information, what would you do?
Besides skills, what is one word that can be used to sum up what you need to be a successful dentist? Either go first or have six different answers ready, cause someone is probably gonna say what you wanted to say.
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by practicing with SDN questions, researching the school's website, reviewing feedback on SDN, and rehearsing answers to commonly asked questions. Many also sought advice from current students or professionals in the field to gain insights into the interview process and the school's mission.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
SDN questions, reaching out to people who have interviewed, and saying my responses aloud.
Checked SDN interview feedback, wrote down some responses to commonly asked questions, rehearsed them in my head on the flight over to the school and did some practice interviewing with a friend.
Students said most difficult question asked at LECOM School of Dental Medicine at Bradenton discussed various personal reflections and scenarios, with some highlighting the challenge of handling patient refusal for X-rays, fears related to dentistry, and discussing greatest disappointments or flaws. Additionally, some responses indicated the interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) with nondisclosure agreements in place, making specific questions harder to disclose.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
Applicants were most impressed by the friendly and supportive atmosphere, state-of-the-art facilities, hands-on clinical experience, and the passion of the faculty. Many highlighted the new equipment, beautiful location, and the emphasis on practical learning through problem-based learning and extensive clinical hours. Some also appreciated the relaxed vibe during interviews and the opportunity for community outreach and practice management courses.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
The interviewers were not intimidating at all, and sought to have a friendly atmosphere and specifically asked for no grandstanding.
The facilities are all new and up to date. Your entire D3 and D4 years are committed to clinicals. You get your own operatory chair during your third year of clinicals. During your D4, they send you off to another town for community outreach, so all the patients are left to the D1-D3 students, which is pretty cool.
The clinics are beautiful and the school is brand-spanking new. I liked that they offer practice management courses and that as a 3rd and 4th year you don't have to compete for chairs or patients. Also, their student clinic is set up in a group practice environment.
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about group interviews being impersonal and rushed, as well as dissatisfaction with the heavy emphasis on Project Based Learning (PBL) and lack of personal interaction with interviewers. Suggestions included allowing for more individualized interviews, diversifying the curriculum focus beyond PBL, and addressing the concerns regarding the school's newness and potential lack of support structures.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
Interviewing 8 people at a time makes it really hard to actually get to know somebody.
One of the presenters for the presentation told everyone to wait until senior year to take the DAT. That is a bad idea. That and maybe PBL, but it seems to be excellent for those who like it.
They emphasized the project based learning a little too much. I wish they would have emphasized they types of experiences their students get in the clinic and early on.
The school isn't really a campus per se, just the two buildings with lecture halls, PBL rooms, a library, clinical spaces, and a cafeteria. It is rather isolated from the nearby towns of Bradenton and Sarasota.
I wish we had more personal time with the interviewers, i think it is great that they got to know me in a group, however, there were some things I wanted to brag about that I just did not feel comfortable expressing infront of fellow candidates
The small library, no specialties, no recording of lectures permitted, software based anatomy dissections, the clown dolls seemed strange (Barnum and Bailey tribute is a bit odd in a dental school) and no water permitted around campus except for the cafeteria.
One of the doctors that interviewed our group left me with a really bad impression of the school's staff. He seemed like he had absolutely no interest in the interview and didn't want to be there (monotone and frowning the whole time). I'd hate to have him as one of my teachers. Don't know if it was part of his strategy to make the interview more "difficult," but it just came off as rude. The group interview is a joke. They split you up into groups of 6 interviewees and two interviewers. They asked like 4 questions, since that's all they have time for with 6 of us there. Didn't feel like they got to know me, nor cared to anyways. The rest of the staff were more than welcoming.
1. 100% PBL--i think PBL works, but making it a primary focus of a curriculum is a huge mistake.
2. the fact that they completely discourage specializing or anything other than general dentistry. this gives it a trade/tech school kind of vibe
3. the fact that you're being outsourced in your last 2 years. you're paying a lot of money to be some dentist's indentured servant to ''gain experience.'' essentially a distance learning kind of deal.
It was my first group interview and I was really nervous. Everyone answers the same question. It makes it more stressful trying to come up with a better answer.
The interview process. 6 people in 30 minutes is a very short period of time to get to know your applicants. I felt like I had a lot more to say but wasn't given the chance to. Also, there is only 1 dental class at the school and they have just started the PBL curriculum. The current students were honest about their schedule and said it was a hard but interesting adjustment.
If I get a accepted and attend then I'll be the 2nd year ever to attend. So the curriculum and schedule all sound great, but since no class has experience 2nd, 3rd, or 4th years as of right now. So a lot of what they presented us with was theoretical information.
They also suggested that the average student will spend 6-8 hours a day reading. If you don't like lectures and would rather read than this is a big plus.
I don't want to teach myself while paying a huge tuition with private loans. It does not escape me that PBL is a rather cheap teaching method. It makes you wonder if the method wasn't simply picked because this is a for-profit corporation rather than a traditional school. The fact that admissions seemed to think we would need to find our own patients also concerns me.
Most applicants wished they had known about the soap carving activity and the group interview format ahead of time. Suggestions included practicing more, being prepared for group dynamics in interviews, and not stressing out excessively. It was also recommended to research the school and its programs thoroughly, be oneself during the interview, and consider factors like location and living costs.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
To watch more tv/movies apparently. jk. I wasnt sure if it was closed or open file. I thought it was open file but then a student ambassador said it was closed file
Because of the emphasis on clinic hours the academic year is 48 weeks long. Also, year four is not in Bradenton but either in Erie, Pennsylvania or DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Both of these things I can absolutely live with but came as a surprise.
The group interview is split up into groups of six interviewees and two interviewers. You really do need to "shine" or know sports (went off tangent for like 3 minutes about baseball and football).
Bring a bottle of water with you into the interview! It's ok! You'll need it because you'll be stressing and your throat will get dry.
Also, eat a large breakfast. They do not provide you with breakfast and the lunch is very small.
That i would have to act like a tool and put on a show to impress the interviewers. i stayed true to myself, and i would not have changed my interview style. i understand that the school operates on a group learning style, and that's fine...but to have that during an interview really brings out the worst in people.
In my group interview we didn't take turns answering the question asked. You just jump right in and answer. Some people talked more than others as a result.
That although Bradenton and Sarasota are relatively low cost areas to live, Lakewood Ranch is not. Be prepared to pay top dollar for a place to live close to school.
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How would you rate the Location and Cultural Life?
0 = Low, 10 = High
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest that the admissions office should improve communication, provide clearer instructions, and enhance the interview experience by offering amenities like refreshments. They also recommend continuing virtual interviews post-pandemic for convenience and sustainability.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
There was a significant lack of energy from the admissions officer that directed our interview day.
Communications prior to the interview were somewhat spotty. For instance I was told in my initial invitation to interview that I would receive another email ten days prior to confirm my appointment, but no such email was ever sent.
They tend to process things in a weird way, do not try to rely on their portal because things are just messy there. They don't update aadsas. Wish there was clearer communication.
The PBL interview style is ridiculous. PBL may end up being a reasonable education style, but it does not translate into an interview well. I have gone to 8 interviews, and have never felt as disingenuous as I did at this interview.
27% interviewees used Tampa (Tampa), with 12% using TPA (TPA) and 12% using Tampa International (Tampa International) and 8% using Sarasota (Sarasota) and 4% using tampa---cheaper to fly into tampa and rent a car (tampa---cheaper to fly into tampa and rent a car) and 4% using tampa (tampa) and 4% using Sarasota-bradenton (Sarasota-bradenton) and 4% using SRQ (SRQ) and 4% using Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (Sarasota Bradenton International Airport) and 4% using N/A (N/A) and 4% using TAMPA (TAMPA) and 4% using Tampa International Airport (Tampa International Airport) and 4% using Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport) and 4% using United (United) and 4% using This is during the pandemic so I was fortunate to be interviewed over zoom. (This is during the pandemic so I was fortunate to be interviewed over zoom.).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by airplane to the interview.
✈️
68% Airplane
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19% Automobile
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3% Train or Subway
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11% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Country Inn (average ranking 8.5/10), with some staying at Wingate (average rating 8/10). (Top 3 displayed)
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Country Inn
8.5/10
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Wingate
8/10
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Holiday Inn Express
7.7/10
What was the cost and time spent traveling?
Cost: Low Cost to High Cost
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are out of state students.
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
Admissions staff (26%)
Faculty member (5%)
Other (5%)
Student (64%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
