Leeds Dentistry Interview Questions (2027 Entry)

How does Leeds interview for dentistry?

Source: University of Leeds, Dental Surgery BChD course page (2027 entry); University of Leeds School of Dentistry, Applying (no year stated); University of Leeds, Admissions Policy for Clinical and Practice Courses 2027-28 (application process) (2027-28 (2027 entry)); University of Leeds, Undergraduate Admissions Policy, School of Dentistry 2025-26 (2025-26 (2025 entry)); University of Leeds School of Dentistry, Dentistry MMIs: MMI guidance (2020 round (in person; adjustments deadline 5 February 2020)); University of Leeds School of Dentistry, Dentistry MMIs: applicant MMI schedules (no year stated; same in-person round as the 2020 guidance)

When are Leeds dentistry interviews for 2027 entry?

Source: University of Leeds, Dental Surgery BChD course page (2027 entry); University of Leeds, Admissions Policy for Clinical and Practice Courses 2027-28 (application process) (2027-28 (2027 entry))

How does Leeds decide who to interview?

Source: University of Leeds School of Dentistry, Applying (no year stated); University of Leeds, Dental Surgery BChD course page (2027 entry); University of Leeds, Admissions Policy for Clinical and Practice Courses 2027-28 (application process) (2027-28 (2027 entry))

What does Leeds assess at a dentistry interview?

Source: University of Leeds, Dental Surgery BChD course page (2027 entry); University of Leeds School of Dentistry, Personal statement guide (no year stated); University of Leeds, Admissions Policy for Clinical and Practice Courses 2027-28 (application process) (2027-28 (2027 entry)); University of Leeds School of Dentistry, Work placements (no year stated); University of Leeds School of Dentistry, Facilities (no year stated); General Dental Council, Standards for the Dental Team (effective from 30 September 2013); General Dental Council, Scope of Practice (registered professional titles) (no year stated); General Dental Council, Tooth whitening position statement (11 July 2016)

Motivation and insight into dentistry, and why Leeds

What Leeds says: Leeds' personal statement guide asks for your motivation to be a dental professional and your insight into the field, and says the School is likely to follow up at interview on what you tell it. University of Leeds School of Dentistry, Personal statement guide

Leeds wants your motivation to come through experiences you have thought about, and its guide warns that liking your own dentist is not enough. Its course page also says that an applicant who shows motivation and insight for another vocational course, such as medicine or nursing, will be rejected without further consideration, so leave the assessor in no doubt that dentistry is the career you want. For the Leeds part, use what the School publishes: shared teaching with dental hygiene and therapy students, haptic simulators, early patient contact and outreach clinics across the region.

1. 1

   Why do you want to be a dentist, and how have you tested that decision?

   What to cover: Give your starting point in one sentence, then spend most of the answer on how you checked it: what you saw, what surprised you and what could have put you off but did not. Leeds asks you to reflect on how your experiences prepared you, so show what you learnt as well as what you did.

2. 2

   Why dentistry and not medicine?

   What to cover: Talk about what dentistry gives you that medicine would not, such as carrying out treatment with your own hands, caring for patients over many years and seeing the result straight away. Be fair to medicine, and make sure nothing in your answer sounds like a second choice, because Leeds rejects applicants who show motivation for another vocational course.

3. 3

   Why Leeds?

   What to cover: Choose two or three things Leeds publishes about its course and say why each suits the way you learn. Rankings and the city tell the assessor nothing about you, so keep the focus on the teaching and the patients.

4. 4

   Leeds teaches the first two years of its BChD alongside its Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy students. What do you think you would gain from that?

   What to cover: Think about learning the roles of future colleagues from day one, sharing the care of patients and getting used to working as a team before you are in charge of one. Show you know what hygienists and therapists do, and that the dentist is one member of a team.

5. 5

   Pick one experience from your personal statement and tell me what it taught you about dentistry.

   What to cover: Leeds says it is likely to follow up on what you wrote, so choose something you can expand on in detail: what happened, what you noticed and what you think now. If you could not talk about it for two minutes, it should not have been in the statement.

6. 6

   Leeds accepts that dental work experience can be hard to find. If you could not get a placement, how did you learn what dentistry involves?

   What to cover: Leeds itself suggests other routes, such as a care home with mobile dentistry, open days, taster classes, a free online course or reading dental publications. Explain what you did and what each taught you; our free dentistry MOOCs list has courses you could still take.

7. 7

   Leeds students start basic care of their own patients under close supervision in the second year. How do you feel about that responsibility?

   What to cover: Admit that it is a big step, then be practical about how you would handle it: preparing properly, asking your supervisor when unsure and knowing what you have not yet been trained to do. Then say why you want patient contact that early.

8. 8

   Where could you be ten years after you qualify?

   What to cover: Show you know the route: most UK graduates take a salaried Dental Foundation Training post, which is mandatory for an NHS career, and after that dentists work in general practice, hospitals, community services, corporate practice, the armed forces, teaching and research. Say what appeals to you now and accept it may change.

Go deeper: How to answer "Why dentistry?"

Communication skills and empathy

What Leeds says: Leeds says its MMIs help it assess communication skills and empathy, among the attributes it links to the NHS Constitution's values-based recruitment. University of Leeds, Dental Surgery BChD course page

Leeds interviews online for 2027 entry, so any conversation in a station will happen through a screen. The last circuit Leeds described, in person in 2020, included a role-play with an actor that began as soon as you entered; Leeds has not said whether the 2027 MMI uses an actor, so practise both talking to a person in a scenario and explaining your thinking to an assessor. On camera the other person sees less of you, so pause, check you have been understood and let them finish before you answer.

9. 9

   A patient is frightened of the injection before a filling. Talk to them.

   What to cover: Ask what worries them most and listen before you reassure. Explain what will happen in small steps, agree a signal they can use to stop you, and tell them what they will feel without promising that nothing will hurt.

10. 10

    Leeds students learn oral hygiene instruction in their first year. Explain to me, as if I were a patient who has never been shown, how to clean my teeth properly.

    What to cover: Keep it simple and practical: twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, about two minutes, every surface, spit without rinsing, and clean between the teeth. Then check understanding by asking the patient what they will do differently tonight.

11. 11

    Explain to a parent why their four-year-old is being offered fluoride varnish.

    What to cover: Say what it is in plain words, a protective coating painted on the teeth that helps prevent decay, and that it is quick and painless. Answer their worries calmly and finish with what they can do at home, without making them feel blamed.

12. 12

    A patient is angry because a crown fitted last week has come off. How do you respond?

    What to cover: Let them finish, acknowledge the frustration and apologise for the inconvenience without blaming a colleague. Then focus on the next step: seeing them soon, finding out what happened and explaining the options.

13. 13

    A patient asks you, a student, whether a procedure will hurt, and you are not sure. What do you say?

    What to cover: Be truthful that you do not know exactly, explain what you do know, and say you will check with your supervisor. Patients trust a student who admits the limits of their knowledge far more than one who guesses.

14. 14

    A teenager has stopped wearing their brace and their parent is cross with them in the appointment. How do you handle it?

    What to cover: Calm the room first and speak to the teenager directly, asking what has made it hard, because there may be pain, embarrassment or something else going on. Then agree a plan they both accept, and explain what happens to the result if nothing changes.

15. 15

    What is the difference between empathy and sympathy, and how would a patient tell which one you were showing?

    What to cover: Empathy is understanding how things look from the patient's side; sympathy is feeling sorry for them. A patient feels empathy when you ask about their worries and change what you do because of the answer; our empathy and sympathy guide explains why a clinician needs the first.

16. 16

    Leeds teaches communication with simulated patients, who give students feedback along with tutors. How do you react when someone says your communication could be better?

    What to cover: Give a real example of feedback on how you came across, how it felt and what you changed. Show that you treat it as information to use, which is how Leeds expects students to work with feedback throughout the course.

Go deeper: MMI role-play stations

Attitudes and values: the 6 Cs

What Leeds says: Leeds says it aligns its selection with the NHS Constitution's values-based recruitment, and assesses the 6 Cs (care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment) through your personal statement and at interview. University of Leeds School of Dentistry, Personal statement guide

Leeds names six values and says it assesses them at interview, so have a real example for each one, from work experience, a job, caring at home or volunteering. Courage and commitment are easy to overlook, so prepare them as carefully as care and compassion. Leeds also says that holding down a job, even one unrelated to healthcare, tells it something about you, which gives you material if your clinical experience is thin.

17. 17

    Which of the 6 Cs do you think matters most in dentistry, and why?

    What to cover: Pick one, explain why it matters for patients with an example you saw or did, and then show how it depends on the others. An answer that says all six matter equally avoids the question.

18. 18

    When might a dental student need courage?

    What to cover: Think of moments when doing the right thing is uncomfortable: admitting a mistake, asking for help, telling a supervisor you are not confident, or raising a concern about someone senior. Give a time you needed courage yourself, even outside healthcare.

19. 19

    Tell me about a time you kept going with something after it became hard.

    What to cover: Choose a long commitment, such as a sport, an instrument, a job or caring for someone, describe the point where it got difficult and what kept you going. Leeds says difficult activities show resilience and tenacity, so be specific about the difficulty.

20. 20

    What does competence mean for a student who has not yet treated a patient?

    What to cover: Talk about knowing the limits of what you have been trained to do, practising until a skill is safe, preparing properly and asking for supervision. Competence includes knowing when to stop.

21. 21

    Give an example of care you have shown that nobody asked you to show.

    What to cover: Choose a small, real moment, such as helping a confused customer, visiting a neighbour or supporting a younger student, and say what you noticed and why you acted. Leeds' guide gives regular visits to a lonely elderly person as an example of caring, so ordinary moments count.

22. 22

    Leeds says holding down a job tells it something about you. What has a job or a regular responsibility taught you that a dentist needs?

    What to cover: Leeds lists being trustworthy, reliable, punctual and a good worker. Pick one, give an example from the job, and then take it a step further, as Leeds suggests, by saying how it will help you as a dental student.

23. 23

    Who is in the dental team, and how might each member show these values?

    What to cover: Name the registered dental professionals, such as dental nurses, hygienists, therapists, technicians, clinical dental technicians and orthodontic therapists, and say what each does. Then give one example of how a nurse or hygienist shows compassion or courage, so the team does not sound like the dentist's assistants.

24. 24

    A dental nurse you work with seems stressed and has been short with patients. What do you do?

    What to cover: Speak to them privately and kindly to find out what is wrong, because compassion applies to colleagues too. If patients are being affected and it continues, it needs raising with the practice lead, but start by offering support.

Go deeper: Dental school practice interview questions

Ethical reasoning and professionalism

What Leeds says: Leeds names ethical reasoning among the attributes its MMIs assess, and expects dental students to demonstrate the highest standards of professional behaviour, signing its Code of Professional Conduct each year. University of Leeds, Dental Surgery BChD course page

Leeds teaches ethics with its Interdisciplinary Ethics Applied Centre, where students discuss scenarios with clinicians and ethicists who encourage them to challenge their own assumptions, and an ethics station is that conversation in miniature. Base your answers on the General Dental Council's nine principles, which our GDC standards guide sets out. In each scenario say what the issues are, what you would want to find out, what you would do and why.

25. 25

    Leeds dental students sign a Code of Professional Conduct every year, which covers social media. Why does a dental school care what its students post?

    What to cover: Talk about patient confidentiality, the public's trust in the profession and the fact that dental students are held to professional standards from the start. Give a concrete example of a post that would cross the line.

26. 26

    A patient with capacity refuses an X-ray you think they need. What do you do?

    What to cover: Make sure they understand why it was suggested and what could be missed without it, explore their reasons and offer alternatives, then respect the decision and record it. Our consent guide covers what makes consent valid.

27. 27

    A 16-year-old asks you to whiten her teeth before her school prom. What do you say?

    What to cover: In the UK, whitening products containing more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide cannot be used on anyone under 18 unless it is to treat or prevent disease, so the answer is no. Explain the reason kindly, take her concern seriously and talk about what she can do safely.

28. 28

    A patient with dementia attends with their daughter for a check-up and seems unsure why they are there. How do you approach consent?

    What to cover: Capacity is judged for each decision at the time it is made, so start by assuming they may be able to decide, explain simply and give them time. If they cannot decide, act in their best interests with the daughter's help; our capacity guide sets out the steps.

29. 29

    On work experience you see an instrument marked as single use being cleaned to use again. What do you do?

    What to cover: Infection control protects patients, so you cannot ignore it. As a visitor, raise it quietly with the dentist or practice manager afterwards, and if nothing changes, the GDC's principle on raising concerns applies to every member of the dental team.

30. 30

    A friend in your year asks you to sign them in to a clinic session they are going to miss. What do you do?

    What to cover: Say no, and explain why: an attendance record is a professional record, and Leeds' Code of Professional Conduct sets standards for attendance and engagement. Then ask your friend why they are missing it, because there may be something they need help with.

31. 31

    You overhear two students discussing a patient by name on the bus. What do you do?

    What to cover: Treat it as a breach of confidentiality whatever they intended, and speak to them about it once you are off the bus. Our confidentiality guide explains where the line sits and when it should be reported.

32. 32

    A patient offers you an expensive gift after you finish their treatment. Should you accept?

    What to cover: Weigh the patient's wish to say thank you against the risk that a gift changes, or seems to change, how you treat them. Small tokens are usually fine, but an expensive gift should be politely declined or discussed with your supervisor, and you should know the practice's policy.

Go deeper: Dentistry ethical scenarios

Analytic skills: data and evidence

What Leeds says: Leeds lists analytic skills among the attributes its MMIs assess. University of Leeds, Dental Surgery BChD course page

Analytic skills are on Leeds' list for 2027 entry, and the last circuit Leeds described, in 2020, included a station where you interpreted a graph from a research paper. Leeds has not said whether the 2027 MMI has a data station, but its course builds the same skills through the Enquire theme, which ends in a Capstone project. Practise describing what a graph or a claim shows before you interpret it, and always say what the data cannot tell you.

33. 33

    Suppose a graph shows that tooth decay in five-year-olds is more common in more deprived areas. What could explain it, and what would you want to know before drawing conclusions?

    What to cover: Describe the pattern first, then suggest causes such as diet, cost, access to a dentist and fluoride exposure. Then ask about the sample, how decay was measured and whether other factors could explain the link.

34. 34

    A study finds that people who use electric toothbrushes have fewer fillings. Does that mean electric toothbrushes prevent decay?

    What to cover: Explain that a link is not the same as a cause: people who buy electric brushes may also brush more carefully, eat less sugar or see a dentist more often. Say what kind of study would answer the question better.

35. 35

    An advert says a new mouthwash "reduces plaque by 50%". What questions would you ask?

    What to cover: Ask 50% compared with what, measured how, over what time, in how many people and who paid for the study. A clear, careful answer here shows the critical thinking a dentist needs when patients bring in claims they have seen online.

36. 36

    How would you judge whether a dental health story in the news is reliable?

    What to cover: Talk about finding the original source, checking whether it was a study in people, how large it was and whether it has been repeated. Be fair to journalists, and show you would explain the evidence to a worried patient in plain words.

37. 37

    How would you estimate how many dentists a town of 100,000 people needs?

    What to cover: Nobody expects the right number; the assessor wants a method. Set out sensible assumptions, such as how often people need appointments and how many a dentist can see, work through them aloud and say which assumption you are least sure of; our MMI calculation guide shows the approach.

38. 38

    Leeds' Capstone project can be a research study, a clinical audit or a patient education resource. What is the difference between research and audit?

    What to cover: Research asks a new question to find out what works; audit checks whether care meets a standard that already exists, and then checks again after changes. Give a simple dental example of each.

39. 39

    If you could design a Capstone project on any dental question, what would you choose, and how would you measure whether it worked?

    What to cover: Pick a realistic question, perhaps about prevention, access or patient understanding, and say what you would measure and in whom. Keep it small enough for a student to do, which shows you understand how research works.

40. 40

    Why does it matter whether evidence comes from a single case report, a randomised controlled trial or a systematic review?

    What to cover: Explain that a case report describes one patient, a trial compares groups fairly to test a treatment, and a review combines many studies. Show you know why stronger evidence should shape decisions, while a case report can still raise a useful question.

Go deeper: MMI data interpretation questions

Social and cultural awareness: oral health and NHS dentistry

What Leeds says: Leeds asks applicants to show social and cultural awareness and to communicate and work with a wide range of people, including those who are vulnerable or in need of support. University of Leeds School of Dentistry, Personal statement guide

The last circuit Leeds described had a social awareness station about the issues people may face in accessing dental services or enjoying good oral health, and the course returns to the same theme in its Enquire modules and outreach clinics. Leeds also warns applicants that the government plans to require newly qualified dentists to practise in the NHS for a minimum period, expected to apply to students starting a dental course from 2027/28. Know how NHS dentistry is paid for in England, why access is hard in many areas and why oral health differs between communities, and give balanced views.

41. 41

    Leeds wants dentists who understand inequalities in the provision of dental care. What might make it harder for someone to get dental treatment?

    What to cover: Think broadly: cost, finding a practice taking NHS patients, transport, time off work, language, disability, fear and past experiences. Then say which a dental team can do something about.

42. 42

    What is a UDA, and why has the NHS dental contract in England been criticised?

    What to cover: A unit of dental activity is how the NHS dental contract in England measures work, with each band of treatment worth a set number of units. Explain the main criticism, that payment does not always reflect the work a patient needs, and read our UDA guide before the day.

43. 43

    Leeds warns applicants that the government plans to require newly qualified dentists to practise in the NHS for a minimum period, starting with students who begin a dental course in 2027/28. What do you think of that?

    What to cover: Give both sides: the case in terms of access and public investment in training, and the questions about choice and how it would work. Leeds says more information is still to come from the Department of Health and Social Care, so do not invent details; our NHS dental contract reform guide covers the background.

44. 44

    Should fluoride be added to drinking water across England?

    What to cover: Set out the evidence that fluoride helps prevent decay and the argument that a water scheme reaches people who never see a dentist, then the objections about choice and consent. Mention that some areas of England already have a scheme and many do not.

45. 45

    How would you improve children's oral health in a large city?

    What to cover: Focus on prevention that reaches children where they are: supervised toothbrushing in nurseries and schools, fluoride varnish, advice on sugary drinks and making it easy for families to register with a dentist. Tooth decay in young children is largely preventable, which makes it a good place to start.

46. 46

    Leeds students treat patients at outreach clinics in places such as Bradford and south Leeds as well as at the Leeds Dental Institute. Why would a dental school do that?

    What to cover: Talk about seeing patients and communities a hospital clinic may not reach, learning how general practice runs, and building cultural competence. Link it to Leeds' aim of training dentists who understand population needs.

47. 47

    Should the sugar tax be extended to other products?

    What to cover: Explain what the soft drinks levy was designed to do and weigh the case for extending it against the arguments about cost to families and personal choice. Our sugar tax guide has the background.

48. 48

    A man who is homeless comes to an urgent dental clinic in severe pain. What barriers might stop him getting ongoing care, and what could the dental team do?

    What to cover: Think about having no fixed address, cost, missed appointments, other health needs and past experiences of being judged. Treat the pain first, then suggest practical help such as flexible appointments, clear advice and links with local services.

Go deeper: Current NHS dentistry hot topics

Life experience, reflection and manual dexterity

What Leeds says: Leeds asks applicants to reflect on their life experience and the skills it has nurtured, and on challenges they have faced, and says not to fixate on manual dexterity in the personal statement because it can test for that at its MMIs. University of Leeds School of Dentistry, Personal statement guide

Leeds asks applicants to weave reflection through everything they write, and it says that having handled something badly and thought about it since still counts. Do the same in your answers: say what happened, how you felt, what you did and what you would do differently. Its course aims to make you resilient and adaptable, and the 2020 circuit had a resilience station. On dexterity, the 2020 circuit ended with a computer-scored task on Simodont virtual dental trainers; Leeds has not said whether or how the online 2027 MMI tests dexterity, so be ready to describe how you have built fine motor skill and to stay calm if asked to do something practical.

49. 49

    Tell me about a challenge you did not handle well at the time. What would you do now?

    What to cover: Leeds says it wants to know about challenges even if you did not manage them well, as long as you have reflected since. Own your part plainly, say what you learnt and show the change in something you have done since.

50. 50

    What achievement are you proudest of, and what did it teach you?

    What to cover: Choose something that took effort over time, describe your part in it and name the skill it built. Then connect that skill to dental school, without making the link sound forced.

51. 51

    Leeds teaches students to manage their resilience through wellbeing techniques and knowing when to seek support. How do you look after yourself under pressure?

    What to cover: Describe what you do when work piles up, the warning signs you watch for and who you turn to. Mention the support Leeds describes, such as an Academic Personal Tutor, the Student Support Team and the student-led "dental family".

52. 52

    How have you developed your manual dexterity, and how do you know it has improved?

    What to cover: Name one or two activities you have kept up for a long time, describe the fine, careful part of each and give evidence of progress you can see. Leeds' own examples include needlework, and a sustained hobby is more convincing than a single taster session.

53. 53

    Leeds students practise drilling teeth on haptic simulators that give tactile feedback through a dental handpiece. Why practise on a simulator before treating a patient?

    What to cover: Because drilling cannot be undone, students need to build skill where mistakes harm nobody, and a simulator lets tutors check your work and lets you repeat a step until it is safe. Mention that Leeds also uses phantom heads and 3D-printed teeth for the same reason.

54. 54

    Dentists often work using a mirror, where the image is reversed. How would you start practising that?

    What to cover: Suggest something simple, such as copying a drawing using only its reflection, and say what you would expect to find hard. Then say that dental schools teach this systematically before students treat patients.

55. 55

    You fail one of Leeds' clinical skills gateway assessments. What do you do next?

    What to cover: Leeds lists clinical skills gateway operative assessments among its clinical assessments, so this is a realistic setback. Talk about asking for specific feedback, practising the exact step that went wrong, using the support available and keeping it in proportion.

56. 56

    What do you do outside school, and what has it taught you that a dentist needs?

    What to cover: Leeds says everything you do could evidence a skill a dentist needs, from martial arts to needlework. Pick one activity, give one specific example of the skill and link it to a patient or a clinic you could picture.

Go deeper: Dentistry work experience guide