Interview Prep

With love-hate fondness, I am reminded of my predental anxiety in my school's interview roster for this cycle. I roll my eyes as I recall my naivety - a DS2 observing my ghost of interview past. Like any prepared predental student, I did my research and followed every rule to succeeding in an interview: from suiting up to engaging eye contact and note-taking,  I wanted to show off my dedication and commitment. 2 years later, having seen the light and reflecting on the other side, I hope my words of encouragement and deterrence will share in the insight of the interview process.

1. Don't be too overzealous 
A tough concept to overcome, I'm aware. This pointer encompasses many facets - one of them being how exaggerated your interaction is. I stress the importance of appearing genuine. Yes, the faculty tends to crack jokes to invoke comfort, but a forceful chuckle is no better than a smile of acknowledgement. Furthermore, a response of laughter is void if not accompanied by witty banter. Reciprocate jokes (within limits of course), this will make for better rapport.
Secondly, no need to be that eager gunner who brings a briefcase, business pad and pen with them. Trust me, there is no purpose for note-taking on an interview. Also, chances are you will have to drag them with you all over the school during the tour and at the end of the day, you are that fool with a notebook without notes (or useless notes...). You need nothing for this day but yourself and your words.
Attire-wise, don't stress. A conservative outfit is appreciated, but no need to overdo it. As a female interviewee, I was informed by peers that wearing a skirt without covering your legs is a business faux-pas. By my last interview (late summer), I was sporting a miniskirt and heels with a shirt/blazer and nothing else. Not that I condone this, but the idea is that no matter what you wear, you will probably end up blending with everybody else anyway. Of all things to reap your worries, clothing should not be of top concern.

2. See the big picture
Dental education is a mass money-making industry. Yes, you are an individual and the school recognizes you as a person, but having hosted so many students over the years, their primary concern is that you will graduate having paid 4 full years of tuition to sustain their business. Dental school is a funny place; it's like a sweatshop of students paying thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to work for free.
The bottom line is: if you've got an impressive GPA - flaunt it. Schools know that a solid GPA translates into a successful graduate, thus making it less likely you will bail out and leave a void in their classroom/wallet. It goes without saying that arrogance is not an effective route. Emphasize your work ethic, or illustrate an event where you overcame hardship. If you have specific examples, storytelling is to your advantage.
Most people will tell you that great stats alone will get you nowhere. Anyone in dental school will tell you that there are students who are assholes or awkward who slip through the cracks and make it through the day. If you are one of those candidates, you better stick to your stats.

3. Don't be afraid to stand out
You may be meeting your panel for the first time, but you are definitely not the first they've seen. In fact, you will be one of a dozen interviewees that day, probably close to thousands of clones just like you that professor has seen in his or her tenure. You will want to be literally, a needle in a haystack. Dental-related volunteering, job shadowing, even externships will certainly not harm your application, but compute the stats for a second and realize just how many predents there are just like you. In some of my interviews, I was uninhibited in expressing my totally non-dental related experiences as a fashion photographer. But ensure that you can back up your outside interests with an achievement, don't include flavour-of-the-week hobbies - an admissions board is very experienced at detecting bullshit. 
On the other hand however, if you are already an expert in all things dental-related, try out some impressive terminology that you've acquired (in modesty) to get a discussion going. Be cautious - you better know your shit because if your interviewer is a prof, s/he is an experienced dental professional and will mentally flinch any moment you sound like an idiot.

4. Don't go crazy checking admissions rates
Seriously, salvage your sanity. Fluctuations and changes happen. Admissions boards can do whatever they want and accept whomever they want. Yes there are trends, but it doesn't mean the stats are against you. If you have interviewed already, the best option for you is to sit back and relax. After all, what's done is done, no need to replay the meeting in your head if you know where your improvements lie.

5. A follow-up "thank you" is pleasant but not necessary
If you are culturally inclined to express gratitude, a post-interview thank you email can't hurt you. However, its effectiveness is generally proportional to the time that has passed since your meeting, and your memorability. Chances are that without your file in their faces, interviewers have already lost the ability to match a face to a name. Even then, as professors they are bombarded with needy emails from us students, other staff, and let's not forget the massloads of messages from organizations and events that we're all privy to - it's possible your heartfelt appreciation may not even get the chance to be read. There are far too frequent forum posts regarding the notorious "post-interview thank you," and if this was an intention that slipped your mind, again I advise that you be rational and stay calm - this is not an issue worth stressing.

If you were like me and are frantically acquiring tips and tricks for interview prep on the Internet, then you are already investing too much mental effort. I noticed a substantial difference in my interview confidence levels before my first acceptance and afterward. In my mind, a good candidate is someone who is personable and collected. If you are not these qualities, go travel the world and force yourself to learn them - or else be prepared to act your ass off. If you make the cut - good job, you're in the right place. All that should happen will happen.

Best of luck xx