University of Washington School of Dentistry
Seattle, WA
Dental Schools | Public Non-Profit
Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 14% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a moderate stress level, and felt they did well.
⭐ 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 were focused on the applicants' motivations for pursuing dentistry, their long-term career goals, experiences in the field, leadership qualities, manual dexterity skills, and community service involvement. Many respondents mentioned being interviewed in an MMI format, which may involve nondisclosure agreements regarding specific questions asked during the interview.
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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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If you owned a busy practice and were looking to bring in an associate, what qualities would you look for in that person?
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Tell me about your shadowing experiences. What would you change about how those offices were run?
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Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at University of Washington School of Dentistry discussed a variety of topics, with a focus on comparing healthcare systems, personal motivations for choosing the school, views on universal healthcare, manual dexterity, and potential contributions to the field of dentistry. Many responses indicated the interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) as some participants mentioned a nondisclosure agreement.
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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)
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Washington School of Dentistry discussed a range of topics including self-description, future of dentistry, ethical dilemmas, leadership experiences, and hypothetical scenarios. The interviews seemed to have an MMI format with a nondisclosure agreement, as indicated by references to MMI and non-disclosure agreements in 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?
🤝 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 2 people.
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.
📍 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 0-1 hour 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 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
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Sea-Tac International
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Sea-TAC
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SEA
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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University Inn
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Travelodge by univesity plaza
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The Deca
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Hotel Nexus Seattle
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Hotel Deca
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as average
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 the Student Doctor Network (SDN) forums, reviewing the school's website, practicing mock interviews, and speaking with current students. Some applicants also researched potential interview questions, reviewed their application materials, and engaged in mock interviews with friends or career counselors to feel more confident and prepared.
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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 impressed you positively?
Applicants were consistently impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere of the school, the professionalism of the faculty and staff, the revamped curriculum to align with modern advancements, the small class size, the high quality of facilities and opportunities for research, and the genuine enthusiasm of students and faculty. Suggestions included minor improvements in facilities and a desire for more information on costs.
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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, lack of diversity in student population, outdated facilities, poorly managed interviews, and a perceived lack of interest from interviewers. Suggestions included improving the interview process, updating facilities, increasing diversity, and providing a more structured and informative tour of the school.
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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 wish they had known ahead of time to remain calm and not stress about the interview format, that the interview day would be laid back, and that the admissions process is well-orchestrated and organized. It was also noted that applicants should not get discouraged during interviews, be more assertive in describing personal life, and that there may be biased interviewers.
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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
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview experience at UW to be positive and relaxed, emphasizing the importance of being themselves and engaging in conversations with interviewers. They appreciated the welcoming atmosphere, supportive faculty, and opportunities for community outreach, while some suggested improvements in terms of diversity and providing more detailed tours.
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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
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants generally appreciate the welcoming atmosphere and professionalism of the admissions office, but there are suggestions for better managing interview schedules and timelines. Additionally, some applicants recommend transitioning to electronic communication for secondaries and confirmations to improve efficiency.
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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.
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