Dental Schools: MMI vs Traditional Interviews (2026)

A consolidated database of dental school interview formats by school — MMI, traditional, panel, Kira and hybrid — with school-by-school tables for 2026-27.

The only consolidated database of dental school interview formats by school — MMI, traditional, panel, Kira, and hybrid. Updated for 2026–2027. return ( The most searched dental school interview question after "what will they ask me?" is "what format will it be in?" And for good reason — a traditional one-on-one faculty conversation and an MMI with eight timed stations require completely different preparation strategies. Preparing for the wrong format is not just wasted time; it actively produces the wrong habits. The problem is that this information doesn't exist anywhere in consolidated form. SDN threads from 2015 and 2018 have partial data, most of it now stale. Individual school websites describe their formats inconsistently — some with detail, most with vague language like "interviews are conducted by the admissions committee." And formats change: schools that used traditional interviews in 2021 may have added Kira in 2024 or MMI

components in 2025. This guide is the consolidated reference. The interview formats of 60 US dental schools, checked against their own pages in October 2026 (Michigan's could not be read), organized by format type, with school-specific detail where it matters most. Important Caveat. Formats can and do change between cycles. Always confirm the current format directly with each school when you receive your interview invitation, and cross-reference with the most recent SDN applicant reports for that cycle. Use this guide as your starting point and orientation — not as the final word. Practice Every Interview Format with AI. DentPrep simulates traditional 1:1, MMI timed stations, and Kira async — matched to your specific school.. Start Practicing Free →. The Five Interview Formats in US Dental School Admissions Before the school-by-school breakdown, a clear definition of each format — because schools use these terms inconsistently, and "we

conduct individual interviews" can mean very different things. Traditional One-on-One (1:1 Faculty Interview) One applicant, one interviewer, one conversation. Most schools that publish a length give 20–30 minutes; High Point's three one-on-one interviews last 10 minutes each. May be open file (interviewer has read your application) or closed file (interviewer knows only your name). Open file: The interviewer has your personal statement, activities list, DAT scores, and GPA. They will probe specific things you wrote. You must know your application as well as they do. Closed file: The interviewer has no application context. You control the narrative entirely — but must introduce your strongest material without prompting. What it evaluates: Communication, professional motivation, ethical values, program fit, personal character — across a single extended conversation. Panel Interview Multiple interviewers (typically 2–4) evaluate one

applicant simultaneously. May be structured (each panel member asks their assigned questions in sequence) or unstructured (panel members ask freely). Includes a mix of faculty, admissions staff, and sometimes current students. What it evaluates: Similar dimensions to traditional 1:1, but the multi-evaluator dynamic rewards composure when facing multiple observers and the ability to direct answers to the full panel rather than only the person who asked. MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) Multiple short, independent stations (typically 6–12) where applicants rotate through different rooms. Each station presents a distinct scenario — ethical dilemma, role-play, policy question, personal reflection, collaborative task. Each station is evaluated independently by a different evaluator. What it evaluates: Ethical reasoning, communication skills, adaptability, composure under time pressure, consistency of professional character across multiple

independent evaluators. Kira Talent Asynchronous Video Interview An online, recorded video interview where applicants respond to prompts within time limits — no live interviewer. Used as a pre-screening step before in-person evaluation, or as one component of a multi-stage process. What it evaluates: English communication proficiency in unscripted conditions, answer structure under time pressure, professional presentation on camera. Hybrid / Multi-Component Evaluation Day A structured day that combines multiple evaluation formats — faculty interview + bench test, Kira + in-person interview, MMI stations + panel component, written assessment + PBL group + interview. More common at CAAPID advanced standing programs than domestic DDS programs, but present at both. Format by School: Domestic DDS Programs Checked on the Schools' Own Pages (October 2026) For 59 of these 60 programs we read the school's own admissions pages in October 2026;

Michigan's site blocked our reader. NYU's requirements and FAQ pages were blocked too, so its row repeats what they said when we last read them in July and August 2026. Five say whether the interview is open or closed file: Touro and Florida (open), UIC ("typically closed"), Minnesota (closed) and UCSF (its interviewers "do not have access to your written application"). Where a school doesn't say how its interview runs, the row gives only what it does publish, and anything applicants report is labeled as theirs. This is what each one publishes: School. What the school publishes. Open or closed file. Boston University. A Zoom interview with a member of the admissions committee, September–March; structured, calibrated interviews and a standardized scoring rubric. Not published. California Northstate. An interview team of at least one Admissions Committee member, evaluating applicants on a standardized form (2026–2027 catalog); setting not

published; CASPer required. Not published. Case Western Reserve. A personal interview with faculty or staff, required before any offer; interviews begin around mid-August to end of August. Not published. Colorado (CU Anschutz). On campus, by invitation: “a formal interview and tour of our school”; format not published. No CASPer (“We do not require the CASPer”). Not published. Columbia University CDM. Zoom interviews on Fridays, September–February; Kira for designated applicants. Not published. Creighton. A virtual interview with a member of the admissions committee, plus a mandatory in-person presentation and tour. Fall interviews September–November; spring January–February if needed. Not published. Dental College of Georgia (Augusta). On campus, by invitation, mid-August to early December; interviews “conducted by DCG faculty, alumni and professional staff” (its admissions brochure, a September 2024 PDF: “two one-on-one interviews

with DCG faculty and administrators”). Applicants in 2025–26 and 2026–27 report a Kira step, which its pages don't mention. Not published. Detroit Mercy. Personal interviews, by invitation. Kira is required after an interview invitation; CASPer is no longer required. Not published. East Carolina (ECU). An interview with members of the Admissions Committee, by invitation, with the day's agenda sent in advance; setting, months and format not published. Enrollment is limited to North Carolina residents “at this time”. Not published. Florida. Typically one interview with 3–4 Admissions Committee members, about 20–30 minutes; in person, July–December (its committee page says July–February). Open file. Harvard. Up to two one-on-one interviews with an admissions committee member, September–February. In the fall the first is virtual and the second virtual or in person; spring interviews are both virtual. Not published. High Point. In person

only, on select Fridays: three 10-minute one-on-one interviews with WSDM faculty (“the only graded activity”), plus a haptic procedure simulation and a flipped classroom demo; Kira required before any interview offer. Not published. Howard. Per its older DDS page: a 25–30-minute interview with an interviewing panel (often faculty, a student representative and alumni, or two faculty members) and a second interview with the Director of Admissions; setting not published (one 2025–26 applicant reported Zoom). Its two sites give different interview windows. Not published. Indiana. In-person interviews on two Saturdays, October 3 and November 14, 2026. Kira is required of every applicant before review. Not published. Iowa. A “one-on-two” format: timed interviews with situational and behavioral questions, “two interviews, each with a different pair of interviewers, then repeat the process with a different pair of interviewers” (no total or

length stated); August–November 2026, in person, plus one virtual interview day. Not published. Kentucky. A panel interview, “a traditional interview in conversation style,” with members of the Admissions Committee, faculty, staff and students; at the College of Dentistry (its 2025–26 catalog), with a tour on the 2026–27 interview day; typically the end of August to early December. Not published. LECOM School of Dental Medicine. A formal interview at the school, by written invitation, throughout the application cycle. Format not published (2025–26 applicants reported in person). Not published. Loma Linda. A formal interview, by invitation, at the school, with a tour (one 2025–26 applicant reported choosing a virtual interview). Not published (one applicant reported closed file). Louisville. Typically one or two one-on-one interviews of about 20–30 minutes each, late August–February, with a tour; the 2026–27 setting is not published (in

person only in 2023–24). Casper is required of all applicants. Not published. LSU. Required, by invitation “to the dental school” for “an extensive interview process” that “varies from year to year” (the same words as in 2025–26, when SDN's invite tracker listed LSU's interviews as virtual; it lists in person for 2026–27); format not published; interview day includes a timed 35-minute chalk carving, scored 0–10. Not published. Marquette. A personal interview, virtual for 2026–27, September 18, 2026–January 25, 2027. Not published. Maryland. Virtual, mid-September–late February; format not published, and no MMI on its pages. Not published. Meharry. Two interviews, from Meharry basic science faculty, dental faculty (active and retired), dental alumni or Nashville dentists; review from August 1, rolling; setting not published (its FAQ, on when to schedule a visit, mentions “campus interviews”). Not published. Michigan. Not verified:

Michigan's site could not be read in October 2026 (one 2025–26 forum poster reported Kira, then a live online MMI). Not verified. Minnesota. Kira first round for select applicants, then a live 20-minute structured interview with two faculty for select applicants who complete it; in person July–November, by Zoom in January or February. Closed file. Mississippi (UMMC). An interview session, by invitation, that “includes multiple mini-interviews with members of the Dental School Admissions Committee”; their number, length and setting not published. Not published. MUSC. Virtual: two 30-minute interviews with faculty members (its undated FAQ); no window published. Not published. Nebraska (UNMC). An interview with the admissions committee, August–November. Not published. Nova Southeastern. An interview day that “may include” an interview with faculty, a tour and lunch with students (one 2026–27 applicant wrote that a Kira would replace the

interview). Not published. NYU. Kira for every applicant, then an in-person DDS Candidate Day; interviews August–March (as last read in July–August 2026). Not published. Ohio State. Interviews in October and November; format not published. Not published. OHSU. By teleconference with members of the admissions committee; invitations September–March (“Dates may vary”). Not published. Oklahoma. Interviews September–November; format not published. Not published. Pacific (Dugoni). In person in San Francisco: an interview with one or more Admissions Committee members, with orientation, students and a tour. Most interviews September–March. Not published. Penn. Interview days weekly, September–March; invitations emailed from August. Format not published. Not published. Pittsburgh. Personal interviews with faculty members, plus presentations by department chairs and directors; most interviews in the fall term, on selected Mondays. In person or

virtual not stated (applicants report virtual). Not published. Roseman University. A required Kira assessment; then, by invitation only, a meeting with an interview team. Interviews run August 2026 through spring 2027. Not published. Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. An interview is required and by invitation only; none before your DAT scores arrive. Format not published (2025–26 applicants reported in-person interviews in Newark). Not published. A.T. Still University – Arizona (ASDOH). A group activity, a panel interview and multiple mini interviews (a circuit of three timed stations with a standardized patient), on an in-person or a virtual day, September–March. Not published. Stony Brook. Kira (for applicants who meet its preferred criteria), then an interview by invitation; setting and format not published. Not published. Tennessee (UTHSC). One interview at the College of Dentistry, usually with three faculty members and the Chair

of the Admissions Committee; interviews usually begin in early July, and slots are often taken by early September (SDN's tracker reports in-person and virtual interviews in 2026–27). Not published. Texas A&M (TMDSAS). An interview with the Admissions Committee; selection for interviews begins in July. Not published. Touro College of Dental Medicine. A 30-minute, one-on-one interview, in person or virtual, September–March. Open file: the interviewer has access to your file before or during the interview. Tufts. Interviews September 2026 to spring 2027; format not published (one 2025–26 applicant reported virtual). Not published (one applicant reported open file). UAB. An interview with the Admissions Committee, virtual at least early in the cycle (applicants report a Kira step). Not published. UCLA. A personal interview, by invitation; interviews July–January. Not published. UConn. Required, by invitation: an interview with basic science

and/or clinical faculty, part of a day-long orientation; its page describes a visit to the school (SDN's invite tracker lists it as virtual). Not published. UCSF. Two one-on-one interviews, evaluated by members of the Admissions Committee: a faculty member on Zoom, and a current student on Zoom or in person, with a 30-minute writing exercise; October through January (its undated international coursework page). Interviewers “do not have access to your written application”. UIC. Virtual: one interview with 1–2 faculty members, plus student services and a student panel; September 2026–March 2027. Typically closed file. UMKC. A personal interview. Not published. UNC Adams. In person (planned for 2026–27), September–November: “a series of personal interviews with our Admissions Committee” (UNC's catalog); number and length not published. Not published. UNE (University of New England). A required interview, by invitation only, typically

July–December (spring sessions “may be held as needed”); setting and format not published (SDN's invite tracker and applicants report a Kira step). Not published. UNLV. Mandatory and by invitation only, September 2026 through February 2027; format not published (applicants report a Kira step, then an in-person visit; UNLV's pages don't mention Kira). Not published. USC Herman Ostrow (DDS). On campus, by invitation; typically October–April. Not published. UT San Antonio, formerly UT Health San Antonio (TMDSAS). An interview with a faculty member and a third- or fourth-year student, August–January. Not published. UTHealth Houston (TMDSAS). An interview with an Admissions Committee member or designee. Not published. University of Utah. In person only ("There are no online interviews offered"); format not published. Casper required. Not published. VCU. A 30-minute interview (“2 faculty and 1 candidate”) at the school, plus a wax tooth

carving on interview day (its interview-day page); its selection page describes “a series of personal interviews with faculty and student members”. Interviews mid-September–February. Not published. University of Washington. In person during the fall; invitations August–November; format not published. Not published. Western University of Health Sciences. On-campus interviews, September–February. Not published (an applicant reported closed file, 2026–27). Schools Using MMI or MMI-Style Evaluation Of the 59 schools above whose pages we could read, two say on their own pages that their interviews include multiple mini-interviews: A.T. Still University's Arizona school (ASDOH) , whose interview morning includes "a circuit of three timed independent interview stations with a standardized patient," alongside a group activity and a panel interview, and UMMC (Mississippi) , whose interview session "includes multiple mini-interviews with members

of the Dental School Admissions Committee" (its pages don't describe them). Michigan's site could not be read in October 2026; one 2025–26 applicant there reported a live online MMI. Older lists, ours included, named three more schools as MMI programs (and Stony Brook and ATSU–Missouri as mixed). None of these three schools' own pages supports it: Minnesota invites select applicants to a Kira first round, then select applicants who complete it to a live 20-minute structured interview with two faculty. University of Washington describes in-person interviews in the fall, and no MMI. One 2025–26 forum poster wrote, before interviews began, that UW was returning to a two-day visit with a Saturday MMI; no interviewee described one afterwards. Maryland interviews virtually and mentions no MMI; five 2025–26 applicants on a public forum reported Zoom or virtual interviews, and none mentioned an MMI. Schools Using Traditional One-on-One

Interviews These schools' own pages use the words "one-on-one": Harvard (up to two, with an admissions committee member), Touro (30 minutes, open file), Louisville (typically one or two, about 20–30 minutes each), High Point (three 10-minute interviews with WSDM faculty) and UCSF (two: one with a faculty member on Zoom, and one with a current student on Zoom or in person), and the Dental College of Georgia 's admissions brochure, a PDF created in September 2024, describes "two one-on-one interviews with DCG faculty and administrators" (its current web pages give no number, and say interviews are "conducted by DCG faculty, alumni and professional staff"). Boston University and Creighton describe an online interview with a member of the admissions committee (Creighton adds a mandatory in-person presentation and tour), and UTHealth Houston 's catalog says "An Admissions Committee member or designee conducts all interviews." None of these

three says whether anyone else takes part, and most other schools don't say how many people will interview you, so ask when you're invited. Schools Where More Than One Person Interviews You These schools' own pages describe more than one interviewer, on a panel or across separate interviews: Howard: a 25–30-minute panel interview and a second interview with the Director of Admissions (its older DDS page). Florida: one open-file interview with 3–4 Admissions Committee members. Tennessee (UTHSC): usually three faculty members and the Chair of the Admissions Committee. Iowa: timed “one-on-two” interviews, each with a different pair of interviewers (Iowa doesn't state the total). VCU: a 30-minute interview with two faculty members. Kentucky: a panel of Admissions Committee members, faculty, staff and students. MUSC: two 30-minute interviews with faculty members (its undated FAQ, which doesn't say how many sit in each). Minnesota: a

structured interview with two faculty, after Kira. UT San Antonio: a faculty member and a third- or fourth-year student. UCSF: two one-on-one interviews, one with a faculty member and one with a current student. ASDOH: a panel interview, alongside a three-station MMI and a group activity. Meharry: two interviews, with faculty, alumni or Nashville dentists (its FAQ doesn't say how many sit in each). Roseman's catalog describes "A meeting with an Interview Team" without saying how many sit on it. UIC says candidates "interview one time with 1-2 faculty members", so you may meet one or two. OHSU says selected applicants interview by teleconference "with members of the admissions committee", and ECU invites candidates under consideration for admission "for an interview with members of the Admissions Committee"; neither says how many of them each applicant meets. Nova Southeastern and Detroit Mercy, listed here before as panel schools, don't

publish their formats: Nova's page says "An interview with faculty", and Detroit Mercy's says "personal interviews". Meharry, also listed before as a panel, describes two interviews, not a panel. Schools Using Kira Talent or Async Video Components These schools' own pages make a Kira Talent assessment part of DDS/DMD admission: School. Kira Use. Stage. NYU College of Dentistry. Required for all applicants. Before the in-person DDS Candidate Day. Columbia University CDM. Required for designated applicants. Part of the admissions review; Columbia doesn't say how applicants are designated or how Kira relates to the interview. Roseman University. Required of applicants who meet its minimums. Before in-depth review: a Kira score in the committee's range moves the file to review and possibly an interview. Indiana University. Required of every applicant. Before review. University of Minnesota. Select applicants are invited (it is the

first-round interview). Before a live, structured interview with two faculty. Detroit Mercy. Required. After an interview invitation. Stony Brook. Invited once you have submitted all materials, paid its fees and met its preferred criteria. Used with the AADSAS application to select applicants for interviews. High Point. Required: “Without your Kira assessment, your application will not be considered for an interview”. After you apply through HPU's own application; last date November 8, 2026. Applicants also report Kira steps at USC, UNLV, UAB, UNE, Nova Southeastern, Tufts, Washington, ASDOH and the Dental College of Georgia, whose own pages don't mention one, and at Michigan, whose site we could not read. Treat these as reports and check your invitation. Kira use is more common in CAAPID advanced standing programs; see the CAAPID section below. Schools Using Hybrid / Multi-Component Evaluation Days Matching the definition above, these

schools' own pages combine more than one kind of assessment: ASDOH: a group activity, a panel interview and a three-station MMI, on one morning. LSU: an interview and a timed 35-minute chalk carving, scored 0–10, on interview day. Kira plus an interview or visit: NYU, Roseman, Indiana, Minnesota, Detroit Mercy, Stony Brook and High Point (see the Kira table above). Some schools add parts their pages don't describe as assessed: Creighton pairs its virtual interview with a mandatory in-person presentation and tour, VCU's interview day includes carving a tooth out of wax (a 2021 VCU story counts it among "several activities designed to help them relax as well as get a sense of their future education and profession"), UIC lists student services and a student panel among its interview-day components, which "may be held on different days of the week", and Pacific (Dugoni) adds an orientation, time with current students and a tour. UNLV's

"skills assessment", listed here before, belongs to its program for internationally trained dentists, not its DMD. Format by School: CAAPID Advanced Standing Programs Every row below comes from the program's own pages, read in October 2026, and from ADEA's CAAPID Program Finder where marked (ADEA). NYU's dental school site blocked our checker, so its row comes from ADEA's NYU profile. "Not on the official site" means the program pages we read don't mention it. Some advanced standing programs add a bench test, a written exam, Casper or an OSCE to the interview, and some publish almost nothing about their interview. Program. Format (program's own words). Kira. Bench test. Other. Boston University (DMD Advanced Standing). Zoom interview, by invitation; Zoom sessions with students and staff; optional Sunday Visit Day. Not on the official site. No (ADEA). Rolling review. Buffalo (IDP). In-person bench test first; those who pass interview

with faculty, in person, on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning; the process also includes an orientation to the school. Not on the official site. Yes, required (non-refundable fee). Bench tests and interviews in September and October (its pages now show the 2027 cycle). Colorado (ISP). Virtual, March–April: a school tour, a faculty/student interview and a student panel; bench exam in person, May/June (two other passages say "an evaluative in-person interview"). Not on the official site. Yes. Casper no longer required; 9.82% of applicants admitted to the Class of 2026 (Colorado's figure). Columbia. Kira for designated applicants; "Interviews are by invitation only" (format not published). Yes, designated applicants. No (ADEA). Preference to US citizens and permanent residents. Howard (IDP). Interview, format not published; entry to the third year "after calibration and competency assessment". Not on the official site. ADEA: yes, a

calibration on manikins after selection, May–July. ADEA: "If unsuccessful, the acceptance will be rescinded". Indiana (IU-IDP). Kira, then a virtual interview; after all interviews, a bench test for a select group. Yes. Yes ($400). Faculty grade the bench test without knowing whose work it is. Loma Linda (IDP). Dexterity (admissions) testing first, by invitation, on fall Sundays; interviews follow from the results. Not on the official site. Yes (the admissions test). Eligibility to test reviewed first-come, first-served; limited spaces; a fee applies. Minnesota (UMN PASS). Its 2025-cycle FAQ: Kira, then a group Zoom interview, then an in-person day with a practical test; UMN's current pages describe no process. Yes (2025 cycle). Yes (ADEA). 2026 deadline March 26, 2026 (ADEA). Nova Southeastern (IDP). A personal interview and a psychomotor bench test (format not published). Not on the official site. Yes ($3,000). The bench test "may

include" an amalgam preparation and a full-metal-crown preparation. NYU. Kira for every applicant, then an in-person Candidate Day for final candidates (ADEA's NYU profile). Yes, all applicants. No (ADEA). Candidate Day by invitation, registration required. Penn (PASS). Interviews at Penn Dental Medicine ("personal interviews") on Tuesdays and Thursdays; the day starts at 8:30 a.m. and includes a program and financial-aid overview, a lunch discussion and a tour with PASS students. Not on the official site. No ("There is no bench exam."). About 100 candidates invited to interview. Pitt (IASP). "a virtual interview and an in-person bench test". Not on the official site. Yes (fee for those invited; amount not published). Its undated FAQ: Class II amalgam, Class III composite and PFM crown preps in 2½ hours, scored blindly by three faculty. Rutgers (IED). By invitation only; format not published. Not on the official site. No ("RSDM requires

no bench test"). Suggests a bench preparatory course anyway. Temple. A formal interview on a visit and a faculty skills assessment (Temple); ADEA's entry calls the assessment a bench test and, for the two-year program, adds an OSCE and CASPer after the interview. Not on the official site. Yes (a fee applies). The only one of ADEA's 47 CAAPID listings that names an OSCE. Tufts (DIS). Interview via Kira Talent, virtual (its FAQ says "either in-person or virtually"). Yes. No (ADEA). Rolling, first-come, first-served review. UCLA (PPID). Casper for all applicants; finalists take an interview and a knowledge and skills assessment "held over a 3 day period" ($300). Not on the official site. Yes (ADEA). Casper required. UCSF (IDP). Interview by invitation, typically August or September; format not published. Not on the official site. No (ADEA). 857 applicants, 84 interviewed, 20 accepted (UCSF's class profile, year not stated). UIC (DMD-AS).

By invitation from faculty, April–August; virtual (its FAQ: "will continue to conduct virtual interviews," with an optional in-person tour afterward; its How to Apply page says "an on-campus or virtual interview"); interviewer, length and file policy not published. Not on the official site. No ("does not require a bench test"). Rolling review; 1,568 applications, 151 interviewed, 81 offers, 52 enrolled (Class of 2028). UMKC. Multi-day visit at the end of July: instrument check-out, procedural lectures, practice time, interview, skills bench exam; a writing sample (its catalog). Not on the official site. Yes ($2,500, program page). US citizens and permanent residents only. UNC (ASPID). One in-person day in Chapel Hill: program overview, interview with faculty of the ASPID admissions committee, bench test on manikins. Not on the official site. Yes ($300). Not rolling: positions filled after the interviews and bench tests. UNLV. Two and a

half days: orientation and tour, three panel interviews with faculty, a one-hour case-based written exam, 2–4 hours of simulation practice and a dexterity test (a $500 practice-and-test fee, "subject to change"). Not on the official site. Yes. Up to 8 selected on the highest marks (UNLV's page; ADEA estimates up to 12). USC (ASPID). On-campus interview, by invitation, with a practical exam in fixed prosthodontics and operative dentistry; may include a written exam; a small-group problem-based session (its catalogue). Not on the official site. Yes (practical exam). —. → Full CAAPID programs comparison guide Know Your Format — Now Practice It. DentPrep's AI coach simulates every format in this guide — traditional 1:1, MMI timed stations, and Kira async — matched to your specific school.. Start Practicing Free →. How Format Affects What You Should Prepare Knowing your format changes your preparation priorities. Here's the practical

implication for each: If Your School Uses Traditional 1:1 Priority 1 — Know your application cold. Few schools publish a file policy, and Touro and Florida (an interview with 3–4 committee members) say theirs are open file. Assume your interviewer may have read your personal statement and activities list. Probe the threads of your own narrative before they do. Priority 2 — Depth over breadth. Even a 20–30-minute conversation allows follow-up questions, tangents, and genuine exchange. Prepare fewer answers more deeply rather than many answers shallowly. Priority 3 — "Why this school" with genuine specificity. Open-file interviewers have seen hundreds of applications. The applicant who references a faculty member's research, a specific curriculum feature, or a recent school initiative stands out from the one who says "great reputation and excellent clinical training." → Full 30-day prep plan If Your School Uses MMI Priority 1 — Practice

reasoning out loud, not answers to specific questions. MMI stations will not match what you've prepared. Applicants who've trained their reasoning process outperform those who've rehearsed specific content. Priority 2 — Reset between stations. Carrying emotional residue from a bad station into the next one is the most common performance-damaging pattern. Develop a physical reset ritual in practice. Priority 3 — Structure is everything under time pressure. Position → Reasoning → Counterargument → Conclusion. In 8 minutes, this structure must be automatic. → Full dental school MMI prep guide If Your School Uses Kira Talent Priority 1 — Technical calibration before you open the link. Camera at eye level, light source in front, clean background, quality audio. Record yourself and watch it critically before your actual assessment. Priority 2 — Use the preparation window deliberately. 30–90 seconds of silence before recording begins. Don't

spend it rereading the prompt — use it to identify your opening sentence, your one concrete example, and your closing connection. Priority 3 — School-specific "why this program" answer complete before you open any Kira link. This prompt appears at virtually every Kira assessment and is the easiest to prepare for and the most visible when it isn't. → Full Kira Talent prep guide If Your School Uses a Panel Priority 1 — Address the full panel, not just the questioner. When one panel member asks a question, begin your answer directed to them, then expand eye contact across the full panel as you develop it. Priority 2 — Composure with multiple observers. The panel format creates more observation pressure than 1:1. Practice with multiple people present so the sensation of being evaluated by several people simultaneously isn't novel on interview day. Priority 3 — Include quieter panel members. Note which panel member responds most actively to

you. In unstructured panels, naturally engaging one member more than others can create missed connection with evaluators who may be harder to read. Consciously include the quieter panel members. If Your School Uses a Hybrid / Multi-Component Day Priority 1 — Manage your energy across the full day. A bench test before an interview, or a panel after a PBL group exercise, requires pacing. You cannot give maximum effort to every component simultaneously — prioritize the components with the most evaluation weight. Priority 2 — Treat each component as independent. Poor performance on the bench test should not carry into the interview room. At Pitt and Indiana, the bench work is graded without the graders knowing whose it is. Priority 3 — Know which component is the gate. At Buffalo, only candidates who pass the bench test are invited to interview; at Loma Linda's International Dentist Program (not its DDS), the dexterity test decides who is

interviewed; at Indiana, the bench test comes after all interviews, for a select group. Knowing the sequence helps you plan your preparation and energy. How to Confirm Your School's Current Format Step 1: Check the school's admissions page directly. Look specifically for "interview" or "selection process" sections. Some programs describe their format in detail; others are vague. Step 2: Contact the admissions office. A single direct question — "Can you confirm the interview format for this cycle?" — gets a definitive answer that no guide can provide. Do this after you receive your invitation, not before. Step 3: Check current-cycle SDN threads. Search "[School name] interview 2026" or "[School name] Class of 2031 thread" on the Student Doctor Network. Applicants who interviewed in August or September of the current cycle often post format details within days of their interview. Step 4: Check DentPrep's school-specific guides. Each one

says what the school's own pages publish about the interview, labels applicant reports as reports, and says plainly when the school doesn't publish its format or whether the interviewer has read your file. Our dental school interview tracker lists the interview method applicants reported for every school this cycle, beside what each school publishes. Format Changes to Watch in 2026–2027 Several trends are reshaping dental school interview formats and are likely to continue: Kira adoption is increasing. Programs that conducted all screening through paper review are adding Kira as an intermediate step. If a program didn't use Kira in 2024, it doesn't guarantee they won't use it in 2026. Confirm format when your invitation arrives. Post-pandemic virtual interviews are increasingly permanent. Several schools that shifted to virtual formats in 2020–2021 have maintained virtual components permanently — often the first round, with in-person

reserved for final-round candidates. At Harvard in 2026–27, the first interview is virtual; in the fall, candidates offered a second interview (not all are) may take it virtually or in person, and spring interviews are both virtual, on the same day. MMI stations remain rare in US dental admissions. Of the schools whose pages we could read in October 2026, only ASDOH (founded 2003) describes them (UMMC's pages mention multiple mini-interviews without describing them); LECOM (opened 2012) and Touro (first class 2016), two newer programs, describe interviews without stations. Verify the format for each school on your list. Hands-on testing is common in CAAPID. Of the 22 advanced standing programs in the table above, 13 add a bench test or practical exam to the interview, Howard adds a calibration after selection (per ADEA), and 8 add neither. Quick Reference: Format by Category US Dental Schools and the MMI ATSU Arizona (ASDOH) and UMMC

(Mississippi), on their own pages. Michigan: reported by one applicant only (its site could not be read). Washington, Minnesota and Maryland, named on older lists, describe no MMI on their own pages; at Washington, one 2025–26 forum poster expected a Saturday MMI, and no interviewee described one. US Dental Schools Using One-on-One Interviews Harvard, Touro, Louisville, High Point and UCSF (two interviews, one with a faculty member and one with a current student), in their own words, and the Dental College of Georgia in its admissions brochure (a September 2024 PDF). Boston University and Creighton describe an interview with a member of the admissions committee, and UTHealth Houston one conducted by "an Admissions Committee member or designee"; none of the three says whether anyone else takes part. On file policy, only Touro and Florida (whose interview is with 3–4 Admissions Committee members) publish an open-file interview; UIC

("typically") and Minnesota (whose interview is with two faculty) publish closed-file ones, and UCSF says its interviewers "do not have access to your written application." US Dental Schools With More Than One Interviewer Howard (its older DDS page), Florida, Tennessee (usually), Iowa, VCU, Kentucky, MUSC, Minnesota, UT San Antonio, UCSF, ASDOH and Meharry, on their own pages. Roseman's "Interview Team" has no published size; UIC's interview is with "1-2 faculty members"; OHSU's is "with members of the admissions committee" and ECU's "with members of the Admissions Committee", which don't say how many of them each applicant meets. US Dental Schools Using Kira Talent (Domestic DDS) NYU, Columbia (designated applicants), Roseman (applicants who meet its minimums), Indiana, Minnesota (select applicants), Detroit Mercy (after an invitation), Stony Brook (applicants who meet its preferred criteria) and High Point (before any interview

offer), on their own pages. Applicants and SDN's invite tracker also report a Kira step at UNLV and UNE, and applicants at UAB; none of the three schools' own pages mentions it. CAAPID Programs Using Kira NYU (all applicants), Columbia (designated applicants), Tufts and Indiana; Minnesota in its 2025-cycle FAQ. CAAPID Programs With a Bench Test or Practical Exam Buffalo, Colorado, Indiana, Loma Linda (its admissions dexterity test), Minnesota (ADEA), Nova Southeastern, Pitt, Temple, UCLA, UMKC, UNC, UNLV and USC. Howard's calibration comes after selection (ADEA). CAAPID Programs Without a Bench Test Per ADEA's profiles: Boston University, Columbia, NYU, Tufts and UCSF. On their own pages: Penn ("There is no bench exam."), Rutgers ("RSDM requires no bench test") and UIC ("does not require a bench test"; ADEA agrees). What to Do Next. Once you know your format, preparation can begin in earnest. DentPrep's AI interview coach simulates

every format in this guide — traditional 1:1, MMI timed stations, and Kira async — matched to the specific school on your list. Start with the format you're most concerned about. ); }; export default DentalSchoolInterviewFormats; Which dental schools use MMI? Of the 59 US dental schools whose admissions pages we could read in October 2026, two say their interviews include multiple mini-interviews: A.T. Still University's Arizona program (ASDOH) describes MMI stations, as one part of an interview morning with a panel and a group activity, and UMMC (Mississippi) says its interview session “includes multiple mini-interviews” without describing them. Michigan's site could not be read; one 2025–26 applicant there reported a live online MMI. Washington, Minnesota and Maryland, named on older lists, describe no MMI: Minnesota invites select applicants to Kira, then select applicants who complete it to a structured interview with two faculty,

and Maryland interviews virtually. At Washington, one 2025–26 forum poster expected a Saturday MMI before interviews began; no interviewee described one. Formats change by cycle — always confirm with the school directly. Do most dental schools use open-file or closed-file interviews? Most schools don't say. Of the 59 US dental schools whose admissions pages we could read in October 2026, five publish a file policy: Touro and Florida run open-file interviews, UIC ("typically closed file") and Minnesota ("Closed file format") closed-file ones, and UCSF says its interviewers "do not have access to your written application." Applicant reports are mixed: SDN's long-run surveys lean open-file at most of the schools whose summaries we read, but closed-file at Tennessee, and single applicants reported closed-file interviews at WesternU and Loma Linda. When confirming your format, ask specifically about file access. How do I know what interview

format a dental school uses? Check the school's admissions page directly, contact the admissions office after receiving your invitation, and check current-cycle SDN applicant reports. Formats change — data from two or three cycles ago may be outdated. DentPrep's school-specific guides say what each school's own pages publish about its interview, label applicant reports as reports, and say plainly when a school doesn't publish its format. What is the difference between a Kira assessment and a traditional interview? A Kira assessment is an asynchronous video interview — you record responses to prompts with no live interviewer. It functions as a pre-screening step before in-person evaluation. A traditional interview is a live conversation with a faculty member. They require different preparation: Kira rewards tight on-camera structure; traditional interviews reward genuine conversational depth and rapport. Do dental school interview

formats affect admission chances? The format determines how you're evaluated, not whether you're qualified. An MMI school evaluates eight dimensions of professional readiness independently. A traditional school evaluates them holistically over a single extended conversation. Neither is categorically more difficult — but they reward different competencies and require different preparation. How much notice do dental schools give about the interview format? Most schools describe their format in the interview invitation email or in supporting materials sent with the invitation. If the format isn't specified, contact the admissions office directly — knowing whether to prepare for MMI, traditional, panel, or Kira before starting your preparation is worth the 2-minute email.