Dentistry rolls out the welcome mat during admissions interviews
How U of T Dentistry is aiming to make its admissions process 'the most positive experience possible'
Imagine being selected for an interview at your dream school, the top doctor of dental surgery degree program in the country. Yet, instead of nerves and that agonizing worry over whether you’ll be accepted you get…Friendly dental students…. Tours… Balloons… And some personal time with the dean.
That’s the kind of experience the Faculty of Dentistry wants each of its candidates to have. For the past three admissions cycles, the Faculty has made changes to the format of its admissions interview weekend with the hopes of making the interview process feel welcoming and inclusive for candidates and their families.
Of course, some nerves are to be expected — only 180 applicants are invited to interview each winter and, of those, just 96 students will be selected for admission into the first year Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) class.
“For me, the most stressful part of dental school was getting in,” says fourth year DDS student Greg Pigeon, a student ambassador who volunteered for this year’s admissions weekend.
But while the admissions process is necessarily rigorous, it can also be warm, says the Faculty's vice-dean, education, Jim Lai.
For Lai, who also instituted changes to the interview format for the Faculty’s admissions, setting the right tone for the day is not just important — it’s crucial.
"You have direct access to the dean. You could ask him anything."
“We want to ensure that all the candidates who walk out of their interview had the most positive experience possible. We really want to reinforce how great our school is,” Lai says.
“We are working to make our Faculty more responsive to the needs of students,” says Daniel Haas, dean of the Faculty of Dentistry. “Being present for the students, being there for them from day one, is an important part of that overall approach.”
But the welcome mat — which also involves refreshments and a student activities fair prior to the interview — doesn’t roll up once the hard part is over. After the interviews, DDS students take small groups on a tour of the Faculty, allowing candidates to picture what their daily lives might be like.
The last stop on the tour is Clinic 1, one of the Faculty’s largest patient clinics. There, candidates are greeted by the dean, who is joined by a handful of students.
“I tell the candidates that they are free to ask anything about the DDS program or about the profession that they are about to enter,” says Haas, adding, “I truly enjoy my experience during admissions weekend.”
Pigeon says most candidates want to know what dental school is like, and how to navigate the degree’s heavy demands. Having upper year students there to share their experiences is helpful, says Pigeon. But it’s the dean’s presence that adds weight to the day.
“You have direct access to the dean. You could ask him anything. I think from the candidates’ perspective it was a pretty neat opportunity,” Pigeon adds.
By meeting with the dean, the school also wants to send prospective candidates another message: Every candidate is valued.
“This is their first impression,” says Lai. “We’ve definitely created a much more open atmosphere and caring environment. We’re happy with what we’ve done, but we’re always looking at ways to improve.”
Recalling his experience at his own interview day, Pigeon agrees that the efforts to warm up the process are working. “People are still tired and worn out. It’s still a long day. But I think the changes make the experience more enjoyable. The candidates felt really welcomed.”
Photo: Dean Daniel Haas with students and candidates (Jim Lai)