Sample Interview Questions for Dental Hygiene

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Students are encouraged to book an advising appointment for a mock interview to prepare for interviews, but you can also use these questions for self-study. With the participation of a friend, they can ask you a sample question while you answer to practice interviewing.
  1. What made you choose dental hygiene as a career?
  2. What do you think makes a good dental hygienist?
  3. How do you feel about working with children? Older people? People with disabilities?
  4. Some patients can be uncooperative during treatment. Can you give an example of a time when a patient was uncooperative with you? How did you feel, how did you resolve the issue, and what was the outcome?
  5. Have you ever disagreed with a dentist regarding the treatment of a patient? How did you handle the issue and what was the outcome?
  6. Tell me about a time when you had to convince a patient to pursue a necessary treatment that was not covered or partially covered by the patient's health insurance.
  7. Can you give an example of solving a dental issue with a patient? What was the problem, how did you resolve it, and what was the outcome?
  8. Can you tell me how to prevent tooth decay?
  9. Describe a time when you handled a patient interaction poorly.
  10. What would you do if a patient came to you with a problem you are not trained to answer?
  11. Give me an example of a time when you had to explain a technical concept to someone in everyday language (without jargon).
  12. What would you do if you were assigned tasks outside of your job description?
  13. Tell me about a time when you worked with a difficult colleague. Why was this colleague "difficult"? Did you take any steps to improve the relationship and what was the outcome?
  14. Tell me about a time when you received criticism that you felt was unfair or unwelcome. 
  15. What is a current pressing issue in the field of dental hygiene? Why is it important?
  16. If you could structure the perfect job for yourself, what would you do? Why?
  17. Give me an example of how you manage your workload
  18. Tell me about a time when you worked the hardest and felt the greatest sense of achievement.
  19. Have you ever had to deal with a fearful client? What were the circumstances of the interaction and how did it work out? What did you learn from the experience?
  20. Tell me about health education that you have provided to a patient that has improved the dental health of that patient.