Iowa City, IA
Dental Schools | Public Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 25% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
7.9
Good
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 180 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 the meaning of being a doctor, long-term career goals, motivations for pursuing a career in dentistry, stress management techniques, manual dexterity, ethical dilemmas involving colleagues' sick spouses, and scenarios testing empathy and problem-solving skills. Some responses suggested an MMI format, indicating potential nondisclosure agreements regarding specific questions asked during the interview.
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What does being a doctor mean to you?
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Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
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Why IOWA?
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Why do you want to be a dentist?
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How do you manage stress?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Iowa School of Dentistry & Dental Clinics discussed various topics including pet peeves, ethical principles, characteristics of a good dentist, perfectionism, handling challenging situations with children, influences in life, and the importance of dental hygiene. The interview format may have been MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on the range of questions, and respondents might have been under a nondisclosure agreement due to the nature of the questions asked.
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What is one of your pet peeves?
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What is your experience with confidentiality?
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What are 3 words your friends would use to describe you?
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What makes a dentist successful?
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What ethical principles do you use most in your daily life?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Iowa School of Dentistry & Dental Clinics discussed a variety of scenarios such as integrity challenges, confidentiality experiences, patient treatment plans, ethical qualities, and personal weaknesses. Many mentioned being placed in situational contexts requiring reasoning, indicating a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format where respondents may have been under a nondisclosure agreement.
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Name a time that your integrity was challenged.
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What is your experience with confidentiality?
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What worries you about the transition to dental school other than the coursework?
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Why Iowa and not *home state*?
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Describe your perfect patient.
✅ 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 1 person.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
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 a closed 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, and reviewing the school's website. Many also emphasized the importance of practicing with friends or advisors, as well as getting a good night's sleep before the interview to feel confident and relaxed.
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Practice SDN questions
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Had mock interviews with outside agency
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I did not prepare. Just went in and was myself.
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SDN Interview Feedback, thinking over possible answers to the questions (don't overdo the reciting), and getting a good night's sleep before
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SDN, reading a professional school interviewing book, mock interviews, and I've had several other interviews already.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were consistently impressed by the friendly and welcoming faculty, students, and admissions staff, as well as the top-notch facilities and clinical exposure offered by the school. They also appreciated the attention to detail during the interview process and the opportunities for research and early hands-on experience.
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Faculty were very kind during the interview process.
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How friendly everyone was who spoke at the interview day
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The school's attention to detail. Every aspect of the interview day was impressive, from the faculty interview to the student-guided tours. UICOD made sure that you were interviewing the school as much as the school was interviewing you.
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The very friendly faculty and students.
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They were nice
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed negative impressions about the lack of professionalism or personalization in the interview process, feeling unengaged or disconnected due to the standardized question format and lack of interaction with interviewers. Suggestions include enhancing the interview experience by incorporating more personalization, engagement, and meaningful conversations to make candidates feel valued and heard.
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Tour guides did not know very much about the program
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Did not seem super professional. It was super laid back.
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Nothing! It was a great experience.
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The students seemed a bit stuck-up and unfriendly and I felt the same vibe from the interview format.
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Tuition cost, especially for out of state. ):
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known about the format and length of the interview, the level of stress involved, the downtime for interacting with other applicants, and the fact that it was a closed file interview. They also mentioned the top-notch facilities, the lack of surprises, and the need to pay for parking. Additionally, they highlighted the importance of preparing for the location and the conversational nature of the interview, as well as the focus on research opportunities and scholarships available.
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The interface for the writing portion of the interview kind of sucks!
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How long of a day the interview would be
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Not to stress about the writing assessment
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I wish I would have known that there was going to be a lot of down time to talk to the other applicants.
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That it is a closed file interview
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally commented on the school's great facilities and faculty, with some mentioning positive experiences during the interview process. However, common feedback included concerns about the standardized and rapid-fire interview format, as well as mixed impressions of the school's location and organization.
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The interview was just a little culty. The admissions director made us clap for every single person as they were paired with their interviewer. I get that they were going for a positive environment but that was just a little strange!
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Interviewed at 3 other schools, if I took the best part of each interview day at the other schools and put them together my interview experience at Iowa would still be better.
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Great school with incredible facilities and faculty.
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great school with first class facilities
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If you're an OOS applicant, be prepared to answer multiple questions about moving. How you'd feel, what things would worry you, are you willing?
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Most applicants praised the admissions office for providing a positive and well-organized experience, suggesting a balance of professionalism and approachability. They also recommended enhancing the interview process by making it more conversational and providing detailed logistical information to interviewees.
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N/A
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Keep up the good work
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It was a wonderfull experience! Maybe make it seem a little more professional yet still laid-back.
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Incredibly wonderful experience. Rachael and Jan did a great job organizing the interview. Dean Johnsen and all the faculty conducting the interviews were great! Keep up the good work!
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Change the interview process to a more conversational format and contact interviewees with information on getting to admissions office, travelling, etc.
📍 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 7+ hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by automobile 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 Cedar Rapids Eastern Iowa Airport (CID)
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CED
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CID
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Cedar Rapid
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ORD
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ORD (Chicago - Illinois), 3-hour drive to Iowa City
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
The most commonly mentioned hotel among the responses is **Holiday Inn**.
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Baymont Inn & Suites Iowa City (roughly a 5-minute drive to the dental school)
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Best Western
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Campus Hotel
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Comfort Inn
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Days Inn
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?
No responses
All Responses
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