University of Iowa School of Dentistry & Dental Clinics
Iowa City, IA
Dental Schools | Public Non-Profit
Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 25% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a moderate stress level, and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
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.
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
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about personal traits (e.g., how friends and family describe you), career goals (e.g., where you see yourself in 10 years), ethical considerations (e.g., qualities every dentist should have), and situational scenarios (e.g., handling employee absences). Responses suggest a diverse range of topics covered, with some interviews potentially following an MMI format and subjects possibly subject to nondisclosure agreements regarding specific questions asked.
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How would your friends and family describe?
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Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
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Greatest accomplishment
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What makes a good dentist?
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Why IOWA?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Iowa School of Dentistry & Dental Clinics discussed a range of topics including ethical principles, personal characteristics, and responses to specific scenarios involving children and patients. The variety of questions posed during interviews reflects a focus on assessing applicants' ethical decision-making, interpersonal skills, and empathy towards patients, with no specific mention of an MMI format or nondisclosure agreements.
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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?
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Rate yourself as a perfectionist on a scale of 1-10. 10 being highest.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult question asked at University of Iowa School of Dentistry & Dental Clinics discussed a variety of topics, including ethical principles in dentistry, perfectionism, handling employee situations, and personal weaknesses. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) due to the scenario-based questions mentioned, and respondents possibly signed a nondisclosure agreement based on references to non-disclosure in some responses.
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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.
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You treated a patient with some oral disease. How will you continue treating the patient so that this doesn't happen again? (Something like that...)
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 1 person.
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.
📍 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.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.
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 Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
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cedar rapids
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ORD (Chicago - Illinois), 3-hour drive to Iowa City
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ORD
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Cedar Rapid
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CID
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
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hampton inn
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The Iowa House
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The Graduate
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Springhill Suites Coralville
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Holiday 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 is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
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.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as Student Doctor Network (SDN), mock interviews, reviewing school websites, and talking to current students or alumni for insights. They emphasized the importance of being themselves, not over-rehearsing, and ensuring a good night's sleep before the interview.
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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.
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SDN
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness of the faculty, students, and admissions staff, as well as the top-notch facilities, clinical exposure, and research opportunities at the school. They appreciated the attention to detail during the interview day, the welcoming atmosphere, and the strong emphasis on hands-on experience and early clinical training. Many also noted the positive interactions with current students and the overall organization of the admissions 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
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The faculty involved in the interviewing process. They were all so kind, and even though the first 10 minutes involved back-to-back questions where they couldn't provide input, they were constantly smiling (in a genuine way). The dental students who were there for the luncheon and the tours all seemed to love their school.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants expressed negative impressions about the lack of professionalism and personalization during the interview process, feeling that it was too standardized and impersonal. Suggestions include improving interviewer engagement, addressing tuition costs, and updating facilities to enhance the overall experience.
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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. ):
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The interview was not very personal. Be sure your answers to certain questions are long.....
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the length and format of the interview, the level of stress to expect, the down time available for interacting with other applicants, and the importance of researching the school's facilities and interview structure. Some also highlighted the need to be prepared for logistical issues like parking and directions to the school.
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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
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That the faculty would be so nice. After reading some comments about how intimidating the interviewers seemed, I was thinking I would get grilled during the 20 minutes, but time flew by. The questions come at you so quickly that you don't even really have time to let the nerves kick in. Just take a deep breath and do what you can to answer the questions in a way that allows them to get to know who you are.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the facilities and faculty at the school impressive, with positive comments about the school's environment and opportunities for success. However, there were mixed feelings about the interview process, with some finding it standardized and unengaging, while others appreciated the low-stress and organized nature of the interviews.
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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?
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I did not get a great feeling at this school but I can tell that it is one of the absolute best dental schools and that dental students there receive a top-notch education.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants generally praised the admissions office for their organization and friendliness, suggesting a balance between professionalism and approachability. Common feedback included making the interview process more conversational and providing more information to interviewees on logistics.
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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.
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