How to Ace a Dental Associate Interview

Once you have found some quality job listings and determined that they are a good fit for your goals, what comes next? Well, the time has come for the interview!  There’s no avoiding it, so let’s learn the best practices to make sure you leave a great impression and secure that job! 

Starting with your presentation, you’ll want to appear professional and polished. Pick something to wear that is business casual. This could look like slacks and a nice top, a blazer with jeans, a dress, or anything that best showcases your professional intentions with the role while helping you feel comfortable at the same time. Make sure to bring a quality bag with you that is NOT a backpack! Inside the bag you should have a nice notebook filled with questions you plan to ask, a pen to take notes with, gum or mints, a book or magazine, and a water bottle. 

Make sure to arrive between 5 and 15 minutes before the scheduled interview time. This communicates that you respect the interviewers time AND gives you a few minutes to calm your nerves– win win! Next, when you walk into the practice, introduce yourself to the person behind the front desk. Your introduction should be similar to:

“Hi! I am (your name) here to meet Dr. Smith. I know I am a few minutes early. What a nice (waiting room/ town/ etc) you have here!”

While you wait, avoid doing anything you can get too engrossed in such as  scrolling on your phone or checking emails. Once the practice owner comes into the waiting room to find you, greet them warmly in a manner similar to the one used at the front desk:

“Hi Dr. Smith. So nice to meet you! Thanks for inviting me!” with a smile and firm handshake. 

If it is appropriate, ask for a tour of the practice right away. This is similar to asking for pictures of a parent’s baby– they love it! If they agree, compliment something about the office. You could mention the equipment, chairs, layout of the photos on the wall, or something else that catches your eye. 

After the interview has officially started, jot down any important information the owner gives you and then ask the questions you wrote down in your notebook. For ideas on what questions to ask to make the most of your time, check out our “10 Questions to Ask When Looking for an Associate Position” blog! If you're going for extra credit, you can also check out this fantastic Dental Nachos video on mastering body language in an interview (*sponsor)!