Seattle, WA
Dental Schools | Public Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 14% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.1
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 261 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.
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 (78%)
Negatively (14%)
No change (9%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (40%)
Good (37%)
Average (21%)
Poor (2%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview experience at UW to be relaxed and conversational, with interviewers focusing on getting to know them as individuals. Many appreciated the welcoming atmosphere, emphasis on community outreach, and the school's commitment to training dentists for underserved areas. Some expressed concerns about lack of diversity among students and suggested more detailed tours of the facilities.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Definitely interact with your peers! They're all as nervous as you are. Be supportive of one another and don't be shy. I feel like making friends before the interview made the whole thing much less nerve-wracking.
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Fabulous experience. Very impressed.
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UW is a really fantastic school and did a very good job welcoming us and showing us why we should attend their school.
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I love uw.
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Know your AADSAS app dead! it's where they derive 100% of their questions
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
37 Minutes Average
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Number:
2.3 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
88% One-on-One
12% Group Interview
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File Type:
94% Open-File
6% Closed-File
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Interview Modality:
100% Virtual
0% In-Person
UWSoD-COMP interviews are an average of 37 minutes, with an average of 2.3 interviews. 88% of interviews are one-on-one, 0% are in-person, and 6% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools, particularly in the MMI format where respondents may be subject to a nondisclosure agreement, include inquiries about the applicant's motivations for pursuing dentistry, defining moments that led to choosing dentistry as a career, strengths and weaknesses in dentistry, ethical considerations, challenges faced in life, and future aspirations within the field. Additionally, questions about personal experiences, leadership activities, research background, manual dexterity, academic history, and extracurricular interests are frequently explored to assess applicants' suitability for dental programs.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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MMI (NDA)
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Because it's MMI, we are not allowed to disclose what specific questions were asked. I will say that they are impossible to prepare for, and also impossible to "fail." Everyone is in the same boat as you. I believe that the purpose of MMI is to level the playing field for all the applicants, regardless of stats/background info.
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Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
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Describe your ideal practice ten years from now
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What are the weaknesses and strengths of dentistry?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Washington School of Dentistry discussed a variety of topics, including comparing healthcare systems, reasons for choosing a specific school, contributions to dentistry, opinions on universal healthcare, and manual dexterity demonstrations. Many responses mentioned an MMI format with a nondisclosure agreement, while other common themes included personal interests, professional goals, and societal healthcare challenges.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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MMI (NDA)
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What do you want me to take back to the admissions committee from this interview?
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What kind of guitar do you play?
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If you could sit next to anyone on a plane ride, who would it be?
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How would you compare the health care systems in the US and Canada (I went to undergrad in Canada and am engaged to a Canadian nurse)
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants primarily prepared for the interview by researching the school through its website, using Student Doctor Network (SDN) forums for potential questions, conducting mock interviews with peers or career counselors, and reviewing their application materials. Many emphasized the importance of being familiar with the school, practicing answering questions in a conversational manner, and being prepared for a variety of scenarios to feel more confident during the interview.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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SDN
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Website, SDN forums
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Obviously combed through SDN for any possible clues as to what they might ask. As I said before, it's impossible to prepare for!
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Life experience and mock peer interviews.
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Hardly any preparation is necessary. For the most part, the interviews were pretty conversational and all of the interviewers were very friendly.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Washington School of Dentistry discussed various topics such as describing oneself in adjectives, justifying low grades, predicting the future of dentistry, handling ethical dilemmas, and proposing changes to the dental system. Many responses referenced MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) format and potential nondisclosure agreements, with questions ranging from personal reflections to scenario-based inquiries related to dentistry and leadership.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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MMI (NDA)
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If you had to describe yourself in a few adjectives, what would you pick and why.
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They asked me about my low BCP and how i would justify that to the admissions committee
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Where do you see dentistry going in 10 years? What can dentists do to improve this, granted you're answer is negative?
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What would you want me to tell the admissions committee as to why you should be picked for acceptance?
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were consistently impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at the school, the genuine interest and friendliness of the faculty and staff, the strong reputation and quality of the program, the revamped curriculum to prepare students for future dentistry, and the smaller class sizes. Suggestions included emphasizing the school's strong points, maintaining the positive and relaxed interview environment, and continuing to showcase the supportive and encouraging faculty and staff.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Everyone was so friendly and welcoming.
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Everything about the school. It was very professional, and I was very impressed with the Dean and his thoughts about the new curriculum. Most of the dental students I interacted with were extremely friendly and happy to answer questions. Great facilities and a great program. Their reputation is truly stellar, and their school lives up to it.
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The faculty and staff are genuinely friendly and very attentive to applicants. It's clear the student body and faculty have a mutualistic relationship that has fostered a warm and cheerful culture throughout campus. The curriculum has recently been revamped in an exciting way to account for recent advances in biomedicine and technology, and to better prepare students for the future of dentistry. There was no attempt, or need, to "sell" the school to applicants. UW's reputation precedes it, making it very attractive to the majority if applicants.
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The organization of the interview day was great. We always had something to do and were really introduced to every aspect of the dental school. The student tour was also great. In the sim lab, all of the dental students were very friendly and seemed genuinely happy that we were there.
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Good number of patients
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the high cost of living, outdated facilities, unbalanced student gender ratios, poor interview experiences, lack of diversity, and inadequate tours. Suggestions included updating facilities, improving interview processes, increasing diversity, and enhancing the overall student experience.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Parking on campus is expensive, but the city and area offers plenty of alternatives to driving. Still, cost of living in the area is relatively high with few low-cost options.
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The school is updating its curriculum and, unfortunately, we will only use it for the last two years of our time there. This is a very, very minor concern, however.
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Poorly managed interviews
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Decrease in patient pool b/c of state's budget cuts
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Unbalanced male to female student ratio (more men than women).
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time that the interview process would be more laid back and less intense than expected, and that remaining calm is essential. They also mentioned the importance of arriving early to orient themselves and navigate parking challenges, as well as being prepared for potentially biased or hostile interviewers.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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No time to ask questions
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Not to stress about the interview format. Remaining calm is essential. It actually ended up being very fun, and a memorable experience.
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The admissions office has a very orchestrated and organized process, and those invited to interview are provided adequate details regarding the visit. Everything else can be found on their website. There were no surprises come interview day.
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Just how laid back the interview day would be
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You only got to ask the interviewer one question
🤝 Campus and Facilities ▼
How do you rank the facilities?
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?
Most applicants praised the admissions office for their welcoming atmosphere and smooth process, while highlighting the need for better management of interviews and a preference for electronic communication over traditional mail for confirmations.
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Stay awesome!
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Don't change a thing! Everyone was so genuinely welcoming.
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Poorly Managed Interviews. They do not follow schedules and timelines. They are all over the place and very unprofessional. The staff was friendly though and teachers looked knowledgeable
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None, the process was very smooth and informative
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Secondaries and all other confirmations were sent via snail mail.
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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SEA
40% interviewees used SEA (SEA), with 20% using Sea- (TAC) and 20% using Sea-Tac International (Sea-Tac International) and 20% using Sea-Tac (Sea-Tac).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by automobile to the interview.
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18% Airplane
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59% Automobile
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13% Train or Subway
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10% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Hotel Deca (average ranking 10/10), with some staying at The Deca (average rating 8/10). (Top 3 displayed)
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Hotel Deca
10/10
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The Deca
8/10
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University Inn
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 in 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 (19%)
Faculty member (4%)
Student (77%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (82%)
Neutral (18%)
All Responses
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