Dental Assistant Interview Questions – Know More

The role of a dental assistant in a clinical set-up is of prime importance. A well-trained dental assistant is capable of handling and managing patients better and well on time. An ideal dental assistant should be capable of handling the dental materials and the armamentarium of the dental chair while assisting the patients. Let us know about the ‘Dental Assistant Interview Questions’.

Dental Assistant Interview Questions

The dental field holds diversity in learning about the instruments, materials, and dental chair parts and operations, cleaning and sterilization procedures, setting up the chair and patients, and assisting the patients.

Questionnaire to be asked when choosing a dental assistant?

The questions may range from basic to advanced level. The more skills better the experience and hence being chosen. 

1. Introducing you

The first and foremost question of any interview is the brief introduction of an individual. This question includes the basic description, education, hobbies, personality traits, and experience.

2. How much experience do you have as a dental assistant? 

The question needs to be answered as to how many years of experience in the role of the dental assistant. Knowledge of the basic dental materials and the dental chair. Skills in handling the materials and dental assistance.

3. What are your strengths?

The question needs to be answered as to discussing your strongest skill or the area in the dental field the person feels most confident in.

4. What are your weaknesses?

The question needs to be answered as to discussing the weakest area or the skill you are lacking in and are under confident in.

5. Why did you choose dental assistant as a profession?

Is dental assistance chosen out of interest or as a means of wage earning? Or any experience that led to the person choosing the profession of the dental assistant.

6. From where the course of dental assistance has been pursued?

The place or the academy always matters in knowing the quality of education that is imparted. It helps in gauging the skills a person has gained. 

7. How many years of experience as a dental assistant do you have?

An experience is directly proportional to the amount of time a person has worked for. It should include the clinics or organizations a person has worked or trained with doctors.

8. What is the best experience as a dental assistant a person has?

The question should accompany talking about any memorable experience with a patient or assisting any challenging case or any best utilization of dental materials.

9. What is your last experience working in a clinical set-up or the dentist?

Sharing your last experience with the dentist and the patients of the clinic. Any positive and negative experiences?  Any training was provided? Anything new you learned or gained with the last setup?

10. What do you like doing the most in the dental profession?

The question needs to be answered in terms of any dental material or any emergency case you assisted.

11. What are the computer skills or knowledge a person should possess?

The question should be in terms of maintaining the patient records, radiology software (RVG), or any other software taught in previous clinics.

12. What is your experience with handling radiological procedures?

The question should be answered in the handling of the X-ray machine, taking x-rays, and exposing and processing the x-ray films.

13. What are the prerequisites that a dental assistant should know before using the x-ray

The question is asked in terms of the basic precaution that needs to be taken before handling the radiological procedures.

14. Do you follow the HIPAA guidelines for being a dental assistant?

Knowledge of the HIPAA guidelines is mandatory for a dental assistant to be known during the interview.

15. What are the HIPAA guidelines and what is its purpose?

The candidate should be well aware of the protocols and the HIPAA guidelines and must be able to quote them during the interview.

16. Can you handle the administrative responsibilities of a clinical set-up?

The question is how well-aware and comfortable a person is handling the administrative responsibilities of the clinic. Though it is not mandatory if a person has done it in previous clinical settings.

17. Is the person knowledgeable in handling the phone?

It is about the knowledge a person may possess in managing phone appointments and applications.

18. What is the most challenging thing as a dental assistant you have handled?

Any experience that was complex and challenging to handle in the clinic. May be clinically or non-clinically.

19. What do you like least about the dental profession?

It is a general question about the disliking or negatives regarding the dental profession.

20. What do you like the most about the dental profession?

It is a general question about the positives surrounding the dental profession. 

21. Which is the most valuable skill that you have learned in the dental profession?

It is a question that involves saying about anything that you liked learning or doing the most in the dental field.

22. What are the key traits that a dental assistant should possess in the field?

The question is about expressing your personality traits in terms of communication skills, multi-tasking, and organization skills.

23. Which is the best dental material you are most comfortable working with?

The question is about which dental material is your best or is your domain working with.

24. How good are you with dental cement while working chair-side?

The question is about the knowledge regarding dental cement and its mixing while standing chair-side.

25. How well you can take a quality alginate impression?

Alginate is a bit of a challenging material to use in dentistry if not handled well. The candidate is tested on their knowledge of the material. How well trained the person is with taking alginate impressions. Though the dentist records impressions the proper mixing for a good impression lies on a dental assistant. The wastage of material should be minimum.

26. Which is the worst dental material you find in dental practice?

The question is about knowing your weakest skill with dental material. OR with which dental material you are not comfortable working.

27. How comfortable are you in talking to the patients in absence of a dentist?

The question wants to analyze your convincing abilities and communication skills.

28. Do you know about preparing the patient before the treatment starts with the dentist?

The question wants to judge the knowledge of the patient preparation before the treatment by the dentist.

29. What is your experience in handling dental emergencies? 

The question is about handling any patient with an emergency or assisting the case well with an emergency. Sharing any experience of previous clinics. Managing the patient in the absence or presence of a dentist. (Like medications, communication)

30. What do you understand by oral hygiene?

The person is tested on their knowledge of oral hygiene and the measures he or she chooses to maintain it.

31. What is your routine for maintaining oral hygiene?

The basic knowledge of tooth brushing and the importance of cleaning the teeth are analyzed.

32. How do you manage a patient with undue behavior in the absence of a dentist?

The question aims at testing the presence of mind and the communication skills of the dental assistant. 

33. What is your experience working with Pedodontic patients?

Paediatric patients are the most vulnerable kind in any dental setup. Dental assistance is of prime importance in these cases.

34. How comfortable are you with the Periodontics cases?

The candidate is tested on the knowledge of the specialty. Sometimes handling a periodontics case gets a little tricky hence good assistance is all that is needed for the case. Any good or bad experience can be shared. 

35. What dental assisting duties you have performed in your last job?

The question wants to evaluate the candidates quoted experience in their last jobs. Dental assistance occupies a multitude of things to be learned and aware of. As one specialty work differs from another so does the assistance.

36. How sound is your knowledge of dental specialties for the chair set-up?

The dental assistant is required to know a basic knowledge of the specializations and hence the instruments are required for handling the said case which needs to be arranged on the dental chair.

37. What is your knowledge of cleaning and sterilization of instruments?

The dental assistant is tested with its knowledge of sterilization in a dental setup which is of prime importance. The importance of cleaning the instruments and the dental chair with its belongings is important and should be known to the dental assistant.

38. What do you know about maintaining patient confidentiality?

The dental assistant should be well aware of maintaining the confidentiality of the patients working in any organization or clinical setup.

39. What are the prerequisites followed before the patient’s arrival?

The question tests the knowledge of the administrative responsibilities like patient records to the chair side set up and maintenance.

40. What is your knowledge of diagnostic instruments?

The candidate is evaluated with the instruments used for diagnosis and setting up of the basic dental chair equipment.

41. What is your knowledge of instruments used for routine dental procedures?

The candidate should be well sound with the setting up of the instruments for routine work and while assisting the dentist as well. The assistant must be able to recognize the instrument’s name when called for by the dentist.

42. How swift are you in assisting an endodontic case?

Endodontics requires a lot of skill and hard work in doing and managing the patient well. A lot of instruments and an armamentarium are required for just a root canal procedure. The dental assistant should be aware while setting up and requirements while chairside. The chair-side cleaning protocols must be known.

43. How well you can handle the clinic in the absence of the dentist?

The candidate is tested for administrative responsibilities. Convincing and scheduling new walk-in patients.

44. What is your experience of handling any unruly patient in the clinic?

Facing any rude or arrogant behaviour is a part of the medical profession. Any experience of your communication abilities or wise behaviour that may have handled this complex scenario of the clinical setups.

45. Do you have any knowledge and experience with dental software?

The question wants to see if the candidate carries any knowledge of dental software from previous experience working.

46. What do you understand by the inventory of the clinic?

The candidate is tested for knowing about the stock of dental instruments that is currently available in the clinic. The dental assistant working in the clinic is required of knowing the availability of the material and what needs to be purchased. The whole stocking of the materials should be in his knowledge.

47. Do you have your X-ray license?

The dental assistant is required to have a license for using x-ray equipment. 

48. Any experience quoting a mis-happening during dental assistance? 

The candidate can share any mistake or unintentional mis-happening occurring during the procedure or anytime in the clinic. 

49. Being the front desk employee, how will you explain the need for dental treatment to the patient?

The candidate should be able to convince the incoming patient to the check-up or at least the basic treatment. 

50. How well are you with scheduling the appointments of the patient?

The candidate must be very well aware and trained regarding the schedule of the appointments. He should be able to schedule the appointments within the appropriate time frame and the days.

51. What is your experience with assisting surgery cases?

Surgery cases are generally the advanced procedures in the dental setup which require a very efficient person to assist. The candidate should be well-trained and swift while assisting with surgery cases. The armamentarium for the setup and the chair side assistance should be known to the dental assistant. As the procedure involves a lot of blood field the said person should be aware of that. 

Any bad or good experience can be quoted with this.

52. Why did you leave your last job?

The question judges the problems you faced in your last job. Personal or professional reasons will be evaluated in the question.

53. Did you have any conflicts with your co-workers in your last job?

The candidate needs to be judged on any issues arising among the peer group and the reason behind them. Any dissatisfaction in your last jobs can be quoted here.

54. Why do you want to work here?

The question wants to evaluate your reason for applying for this job in the said organization and clinical setting. The expectations of this job must be said. 

55. What makes you think you are the best fit for this job? 

The candidate should be able to give the reason for its suitability. Experience working in the dental profession must be said. Knowledge of dental instruments and dental materials can be given.  What are the quality that sets you apart in the field and the rest of the candidates? Your best and worst points should be quoted.

Conclusion

A dental assistant in a dental setup forms the most crucial leg of working the whole clinical setup. The above-mentioned questions and the expectations of the questionnaire are some of the important criteria’s a person is evaluated and judged on. Well, a dental assistant is required a lot of learning and responsibilities in a dental setup.

Dental Assistant Interview Questions – Know More

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