Common Questions Flashcards
Why did you choose dentistry?
My initial interest in dentistry stemmed from undergoing orthodontic treatment myself. I had braces for almost 2 and half years and so it was a long time that I was visiting the orthodontist at regular 6-8week intervals. While I was there I got to built a relationship with my orthodontist definitely made me have a more positive outlook on dentistry. She always made sure I was comfortable and happy with everything she was doing and my self esteem definitely grew while I was there. This sparked the idea of considering dentistry as a career path for the future, and providing this service to other people, as I noticed dentistry can have a positive impact on mental and physical health.
Following this I did a MOOC and found that Dentistry is a very science based profession, and I enjoy studying biology and chemistry at a level, especially when we take a practical approach. Dentistry is also a very hands on profession, and requires fine motor skills and manual dexterity as working with teeth is a very intricate part of the body. My mum had taught me cross stitching during the pandemic when we had lots of free time and it has become one of my hobbies that I regularly participate in today. I find it helps me to relax and allow me and my mum to spend more time together.
Dentistry has continuous advancements in dental technology as well for example the infiltration of AI in practices. The idea of even when you become a licensed dentist, you get to learn new things is really interesting to me.
Through work experience at an NHS practice, I was able to confirm that dentistry was the pathway I wanted to enter. As I saw first hand the day to day runnings of the practice, how the dentist made sure each patient was satisfied with their treatment and the variety of treatments I was able to witness from fillings to pulp extirpations, it became clear that though it definitely has some challenges such as patient anxiety, the career itself is very rewarding and fulfilling and this ultimately led me to apply.
Why dentistry over medicine?
Although I admire other medical careers as they play a vital role in maintaining good patient health and improving quality of life, i personally feel dentistry is a better fit for me. Firstly, dentistry is a much more hands-on profession compared to other medical degrees. As someone who likes to work with their hands this appeals to me as I’ve shown this skill by doing cross stitching in my free time.
I also prefer the idea of building a rapport with the patients, and being able to improve their habits and oral hygiene and even one’s quality of life, as you see your patients throughout their comprehensive care. The relationship you build worth someone can have a significant impact on them and change their overall outlook about going to the dentist. The relationship I built with my orthodontist was an invaluable experience for me and I hope to have the opportunity to provide this for future patients.
Dentistry as a course also tends to have early clinical exposure compared to medicine, where there is a greater focus with learning the fundamentals and then going into further practice for 3 years. As someone’s who likes the hands of aspect of the career, having early clinical exposure interests me.
How do you see dentistry evolving in the next decade?
I read that CAD/CAM is being used a lot more in dentistry in the last few years. It’s mainly being used for making things like implants, crowns, bridges and inlays. It is highly accurate. The journal of dentistry did a study on CAD/CAM technology and found significant improvements in patient satisfaction. It also gets rid of getting an uncomfortable impression done. However, the issue is that it has high initial costs and dentists have to be trained to use it, so it is a slow process infiltrating it into all practices but I definitely think it will continue to increase in the next few years.
I also see teledentistry becoming common in the next few years. It gives patients more accessible dental care by consulting with patients virtually. Yes of course with surgeries and procedures tha patient will have to come into the clinic, however it is common for patients to experience tooth aches and not know whether to wait to go to a dentist, and this would eradicate the issue. Frequent communication also builds the dentist-patient relationship.
AI has also become a new development and has began infiltrating the NHS. I read on the British dental journal that AI algorithms are capable of accurately analysing dental imaging to detect early signs of conditions such as dental caries and periodontitis. This allows conditions to be caught earlier and makes NHS practices more proactive than reactive, so this is likely to become more commonly used in NHS practices soon.
What skills/strengths would make you a good dentist?
An important skill needed for dentistry is emotional intelligence . Through my work experience I was able to see the number of patients that came in with some sort of dental anxiety and how it was really important for the dentist to understand the patient’s emotions and why they were feeling anxious amd help them get over it and have a more positive outlook on dentistry following the appointment and to be non-judgmental the entire time. Through my volunteering at my local pharmacy and charity shop, I have built up communication skills and have learnt to deal with all kinds of people, especially since at the pharmacy there were so many people who were feeling under the weather and were slightly anxious. I am also an individual needs mentor so I have helped and still helping a child with developmental disabilities to become more expressive and participate more in conversation. I am able to understand when and why he is not feeling the best and to help him try and move forward from any challenges he’s facing. This has not only taught me patience, but also the importance of tailoring to someone’s needs.
Leadership is also an important quality in order to ensure the dental team is running smoothly and have positive team attitudes. I have demonstrated this by being a school prefect and each week I help everyone set goals and targets for themselves and answer any questions to help them with their education. I would also say this links to collaboration which is another important skill. I also help particpate on Focus days and lead chemistry practicals and activities planned for the day. This has also helped me build my teamwork skills as we work together to ensure every child on focus day is doing the correct activity at the correct station. This alongside bronze and silver d of e has ensured I have the leadership skills to be a good dentist.
Dentistry requires a great deal of manual dexterity as the mouth is a very intricate part of the body. My mum has taught me cross stitching a while back during the second pandemic and ever since then I have continued and it has become one of my hobbies.
What is your greatest weakness?
My biggest weakness I would say is public speaking. I used to have a fear of speaking to large crowds and would avoid situations in which a large number of individuals would be involved. However, I recently took part in a public speaking lamda course in order to improve this, as it is an important skill to have and it would also allow me to improve my communication skills. While preparing for the exam, I was able to learn about different techniques such as power of three and superlatives to get my point across to the audience. I ended up getting a distinction in my public speaking exam and overall the course definitely helped me to improve my public speaking skills. It’s definitely not perfect yet but it has gotten significantly better.
What are the negatives to dentistry?
One of the biggest challenges with dentistry is dealing with difficult patients. No matter how good of a dentist you are, there are still patients who do not want to be at the dentist or are highly anxious. I saw a lot of this during my work experience. A lot of the patients were arguing with the dentist. To overcome this issue, you have to be empathetic and understand the patinets needs and emotions to ensure that you build a rapport with your patients and that they leave the clinic happier.
Another challenge is that dentistry can be highly stressful at certain points. As there is a lot of responsibility as you are in charge of someone’s health, and there is pressure to do your best work in a limited amount of time, especially in nhs practices with appointments only being around 10-15 minutes, and on my work experience i saw that the dentist barely had any time to themselves. To overcome this, you need to have good time management skills so you can plan ahead.
Being able to manage work life balance is important to ensure that the mental health of the dentist is good, so it’s important to have time saved for personal interests, for me this is doing my hobbies for example going to the gym and baking. Dentistry is also a very physically demanding career. It can also cause body aches due to being contorted for extended periods of time. It is essential to do some sort of exercise or yoga to keep the body active and mobile.
What is the biggest misconception about dentistry?
I would say a big misconception that many people have is that if their teeth don’t hurt, they don’t need to go to the dentist. People aren’t aware that most dental issues are not painful or evident straight away, for example cavities and gum disease don’t just appear overnight, however waiting to treat these issues can lead to bigger problems and require treatments like root canals and tooth extractions. Going in for regular dental appointments is the best way to ensure serious dental issues don’t arise and are caught early. I do understand that the cost of appointments is a main deterrent from people going to the dentist regularly and this leads to dental issues becoming worse and going without the proper treatment needed.
Certain people may think that dentistry primarily focuses on fixing teeth and performing procedures such as fillings and extractions. While these are definitely an important part of a dentists job, people overlook the importance of the broader aspects of dentistry such as patient care, management of oral health and improving overall quality of life.
How do you approach time management + example? (Also includes pressure/professionalism)
Being able to manage time is very important in dentistry especially since NHS appointment times are limited to around 10 minutes and in this time the dental team have to treat the patient, write notes and sterilise the area for the next patient. The main thing I do everyday to manage my time is create a to-do list. It just helps me delegate the workload I have throughout the week and ensures any homework or tasks I have are completed on time. I also prioritise the tasks I have throughout the week. For example if I have a test, the revision for that will come first, then homework than active revision of previous topics. Planning ahead helps keep me less stressed and ensures that school doesn’t become too mentally daunting and overwhelming.
Our school recently hosted a focus day which involved around 60 elderly people coming to school from the local care home for an afternoon tea. This meant the year 13s had to decorate the hall, do live performances and make a lot of food for example sandwiches and pastries in the span of 3 hours before the guests arrived, so the morning was very time pressured. First the year group was split to account for different tasks that had to be done that day for example some people were decorating the hall and some were preparing the bingo activity. I was in charge of food preparation. We had a lot of food to prepare in just a few hours so I first delegated the work load amongst the team, having a few people working on each dish. Then when everything was prepared we had to present them on cake stands and place them on all the tables to ensure every guest had the food available. While the guests were served the food, we also had to provide tea and coffee. I then split the team into two, one set taking orders for how the guests would like their tea and coffee and the other half preparing the orders ready to serve. Though there was lots to do in little time, the overall experience was very worthwhile as the guests really enjoyed their evening.
What is the most important ethical consideration in dentistry + how to address it?
I would day the most important ethical consideration would be patient autonomy. Dental professionals tend to know the best thing for teeth, however dentists need to be aware that they are the patients’ teeth at the end of the day and they must have a say in their treatment. The patients’ desires should never be ignored. However it is still the dentist’s responsibility to inform the patient of the boundaries of the treatment and all possible treatment options to make sure the patient is happy with the decision. It is also essential that the patient understands the treatment and what goes on so that the patient feels comfortable and not deceived.
Describe a time when you overcame a difficult obstacle/ showed resilience?
Resilience is the idea of being able to withstand and recover from difficult situations. This links to dentistry since dentistry is a very stressful career due to the responsibility of doing your best work in minimal time and there are many challenges such as dealing with difficult patients so it is important to be resilient as it leads to better patient experiences.
When I first started my job as a tutor for 11+ children, one of my students was very persistent on not doing the work I set, so while all the other children were doing all the exercises to consolidate the knowledge, she would be distracting those around her and playing with fidgets she had brought from home. No matter what I did, she found a way to not listen and do what she wanted. So I had to work out how to make sure this student stayed focused in lesson so that she would progress and allow those around her to progress as well.
To try and keep her more focused, I changed my current lesson plans in order to make them more engaging and interactive. This involved making the topics I had to teach in the lesson into games and group activities for example I once changed the arithmetic work in the lesson to a climb the ladder game. This is where each person has their own ladder with 10 steps. I call out a question and the first person to put their hand up and correctly answe moves up to the next step, the first person to the top wins. This encouraged her and the whole class to practice their mental maths skills at home and allowed the class to progress much quicker. Including these types of activities made her want to come to tuition more so than before and she had definitely became more focused in lesson. This experience taught me the importance of tailoring to someone’s needs and being resilient when faced with obstacles.
Describe a time when you were a leader?
Leadership is a key skill in dentistry as the dentist ultimately leads the dental team, so it is their responsibility to know everyone’s roles and maintain a good working environment. They also have to adapt and show good problem solving skills to give the best patient outcomes.
Our school recently hosted a focus day, where around 60 people from the local care home were invited to our school for an afternoon tea. It was Hollywood themed so there were lots of different tasks that the year group had to do, like decorating the hall and creating the red carpet photography area. I was personally leading the food preparation.
There was a lot to do for example we had around 100 sandwiches to make, and we had to bake scones, red velvet cupcakes, apple tarts etc enough so that eveyone could have some of each and we had around 3 hours to do it. There was around 12 people and 5 different dishes so I split the group in to 2s and 3s, the groups with 3 people had more difficult and time consuming dishes. This allowed us to prepare all the food simultaneously and get it presented before the guests came. I also made little breaks for everybody at different times so that there would always be someone working on each dish but also no one would be exhausted by the end of it, and so it kept everyone motivated and enjoying the time.
Describe a time when you had to work in a team?
Teamwork is an important skill is dentistry as ultimately everyone from the receptionist to the dental nurse plays a key role in delivering patient care. It’s especially important for the dentist and the dental nurse to deliver the principle of four handed dentistry which is where they work together to deliver a good effect for the patient.
During my bronze and silver d of e, our team of 6 people didn’t just have to work together just for the expedition in the countryside, but also to plan the route beforehand and meal planning. We had to divide the tasks up between us, to keep the team running smoothly, for example 3 of us would be setting up the tents, while the other three set up the cooking equipment and made food for the group. This ensured that we would be done with our tasks as quick as possible and could relax for a bit. The same logic was applied when we were walking our planned route. A few members of the team would be navigating with the map, while the others would check for landmarks on the route to make sure we wouldnt get lost. We learnt to listen to each others’ views and keep each other’s spirits up when needed, especially on days when it was raining. Keeping each other motivated was probably the most important thing for completing d of e and actually enjoying the experience.
How do you manage patient anxiety or fear of dental procedures?
Patient anxiety is something I witnessed during my work experience and what that can lead to, is a barrier between the dentist and the patient. Managing patient anxiety requires a compassionate patient-centred approach. Firstly, it is important to gauge how anxious the patient is upon meeting the patient and ask what about the dental treatments makes them anxious for example are they afraid of needles. I would explain with empathy that I understand their feeling and that I will do everything possible to ensure they have a positive dental experience. It is important to explain the procedure in simple, non-technical terms. Knowing what to expect alleviates anxiety and addressing patient concerns makes them feel much more included in the process. It is also essential to establish trust. Reassuring the patient and speaking in a friendly demeanour can help significantly reduce fear. I would also ask the patient ks they are prone to things like fainting or breathing difficulties due to anxiety as this is something I should be aware of before starting treatment. While witnessing one of the patient’s the dentist had during my work experience, I saw that she was very anxious as she had not been to the dentist in a while and she was suffering from extreme tooth decay. The dentist worked around these issues and gave her many treatment options and included her in treatment process and she definitely left with a much more positive outlook than when she came in.
How do you cope with mental stress?
There have been a few times where school work has become overwhelming. To help deal with stress I go to the gym. This helps me relieve my stress and direct my attention towards my fitness driven goals. This has often helped me take my mind off school and feel a lot more relaxed when I return home. Other than the gym, I like to spend time with my friends, for example going on a walk for an hour or so. Leaving the stressful environment for a more peaceful one, does help me feel a lot less stressed.
Balancing school time and personal time can sometimes be difficult especially now with big exams coming up. I prioritise my time by creating a schedule that includes school hours, study sessions and personal activities So that I allocate time for both academic and personal interests. I make sure that the schedule is flexible though so that if something unexpected happens I won’t feel overwhelmed. I believe that maintaining a balance is very important so in my personal time I do things like exercising a few times a week and going out with my friends. I also find that managing my time effectively makes me more productive in my studies without getting overworked, and helps to reduce stress levels.
How do you handle constructive criticism?
I believe that constructive criticism is essential for growth and improvement. For example, a lot of my teachers used to say that I did not participate in lesson and this in turn resulted in a lower understanding of the work we were learning. I took the feedback seriously and ended up trying to participate at least once in each lesson and this built up my rapport with my teachers and then as a result I even saw significant improvement in remembering content that we learnt and understanding it better, so for me constructive criticism is definitely something I use to help me improve.
How do you priotise patient care and safety in your practice?
I believe that prioritising patient care and safety is fundamental to building trust and ensuring the patient has a positive experience. I’d make sure that patients are well informed about all their treatment options and their risks and benefits. Before offering these options, I’d look through medical histories to identify any issues that could affect treatment. I’d strictly adhere to established guidelines such as sterilisation procedures to ensure the environment is safe. I would also prioritise open communication with my patients to make sure they are comfortable and express any concerns. I would also collaborate with my team to ensure everyone is on the same page about the treatment. By prioritising patient care and safety I aim to create a positive experience for patients which ultimately leads to better health outcomes and higher patient satisfaction.
How do you communicate effectively with patients?
Firstly it’s important to avoid using dental jargon and to use simple terms so that they are actually able to fully understand what you tell them. It would also be helpful to use certain analogies in order to explain complex ideas for example comparing dental caries to a small hole in a wall to help visualise the issue. When describing procedures, it is important to break down the procedure into steps and explain what will happen before, during and after the procedure and reduce anxiety and confusion. I would also encourage any questions to ensure the patient feels comfortable.
One important thing in order to communicate effectively is to have empathy. You have to acknowledge the feelings and perspectives of the patient to help build trust and rapport. Incorporating these into the appointment will lead to better patient outcomes.
Tell me about a time where you had to work with someone who had a different communication style to you.
In school I am an individual needs mentor meaning once a week a speak with a child in a younger year group who has specific developmental difficulties. The student I am paired with was very quiet and didn’t want to participate in conversation at the beginning of the year. His autism meant that he didn’t appreciate small talk and this definitely made it more difficult to try and help him. I had to use simple and clear language and had to ask open ended questions so that we would be able to develop his responses to me and I would be able to understand and help him better. Slowly overtime he has become a lot more comfortable with me and is a lot more happy to be apart of the conversation rather than me just talking at him and trying to get a response. Obviously, there are still moments where he expresses his anger or doesn’t feel like speaking to anyone, but by using these specific techniques and tailoring to his needs, he has become a lot more expressive and self-assured.
How do you deliver difficult news to a patient sensitively?
Delivering difficult news to a patient sensitively is essential to maintain trust and a positive dental patient relationship. I would ensure that u deliver the news in a quiet and private space so that the patient feels comfortable and can focus on the information I share with them. I would also state the situation without sugarcoating it, so that the understand the severity of the situation however would be compassionate to convey empathy and show that I understand the patient’s feelings. If the news is difficult, I would recognise the patient is likely to have an emotional reaction and would give them time to process the situation and express their feelings. After delivering the news, I would offer information about the next steps, treatment options and choices in order to avoid them feeling helpless. I would also offer reassurance that me and the team would support them through the entire process and that they can ask any questions and voice their concerns. By focusing on empathy, clarity and support I would be able to prioritise the patient’s emotional and physical well being.
What do you wish to achieve in your career in dentistry, aside from clinical practice?
I am passionate about dentistry and the significant role is plays in overall health. Aside from clinical practice, I aspire to contribute to dental research, particularly in understanding the links between oral health and systemic diseases. From reading an article about some links between oral health and cardiovascular health, for example oral bacteria can lead to the inflammation of the heart lining causing endocarditis, i have become more interested in expanding my knowledge in this area. I believe that advancing my knowledge in this area can lead to better patient outcomes. Additionally, I am interested in engaging in public health initiatives that focus on improving access to dental care for underserved communities as I believe everyone deserves quality oral health. Now more than ever, there is difficulty in booking nhs dental appointments especially in underserved communities due to long nhs waiting lists, nhs staff shortages and dentists moving to the private sector due to the UDA system. Ultimately, I see myself as a lifelong learner who is committed to making a meaningful impact in dentistry beyond the clinic.
Can you describe a time when you think a dentist would have to make a difficult decision about a patient’s treatment plan?
One scenario where a dentist would have to make a difficult decision is when a patient has severe periodontal disease however would like cosmetic treatment which would ultimately worsen their condition. It is important for the dentist to keep in mind the pillars of medical ethics specifically non-maleficence. It is important to conduct a thorough examination to assess the extent of gun disease and the potential impact on the desired cosmetic treatment. Explain to the patient the risks associated with proceeding with cosmetic treatments while having gum disease, such as poor healing and worse aesthetic outcomes. It would be important to develop a treatment plan that priotises the management of gum disease and possibly referral to periodontist is the condition is severe. Then it would be important to discuss a timeline with the patient to consider cosmetic treatments after the gum disease has been treated and book regular follow up appointments to monitor the patient’s progress.
How would your friends describe you?
My friends would describe me as empathetic, reliable and detail-orientated. They tell me that I understand their feelings and am good at providing suppport when they need it. For example, one of friends was very anxious before her AS exam and I took the time to listen to her concerns and helped her prepare which made her a lot more confident and less anxious.
They would also say I’m reliable. They count on me to follow through with plans or help out with things that they need. This reliability translates well into a dental career where building trust with patients is essential.
Lastly, my friends often highlight my attention to detail. When I plan group trips or outings, I’m meticulous in ensuring that everything is organised. This quality is particularly important in dentistry, where precision can impact patient outcomes.
Can you describe a recent article you read?
- With increasing pressure on NHS dental services, due to staff shortages and lack of resources due to limited government funding, there is an urgent need to optimise and enhance these services through technology.
- AI-driven tools can analyse vast amounts of dental records to identify patterns and predict which patients are at higher risk of dental diseases or other NCDs.
- By forecasting periods of high demand, NHS facilities can better manage staffing and appointment scheduling, ensuring that every patient receives timely care.
- Moreover, these technologies can assist in diagnostic processes, with AI algorithms capable of accurately analysing dental imaging to detect early signs of conditions such as dental caries, periodontitis and oral cancer.
- This allows conditions to be caught earlier and allows NHS practices to be proactive rather than reactive.
This is a massive breakthrough for the dental industry as it increases the likelihood of positive patient outcomes. More positive patient outcomes can make people who previously associated negative concepts with dentists into more positive ones, making them more likely to book follow up appointments and keep their teeth in good condition.
35% of dentists currently use AI in their practices and this number is predicted to increase as the majority of dentists have seen an improvement with patient outcomes with the use of AI.
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