San Antonio ASDA Helps Prepare Pre-Dental Students for Dental School Interviews

Preparing for entry into any professional education program is tough, but the San Antonio Chapter of the American Student Dental Association lends a hand assisting predental students prepare for admission season. Held annually, the ADSA’s Pre-Dental Mock Interview Day is a half-day event for pre-dental students to meet UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry faculty and dental students, receive information on our programs, and practice their admission interviewing skills with dental students. On Saturday, November 16, 2019, 50 pre-dental students from several Texas universities participated in this year’s event. Amanda Le, DS3 and ASDA Pre-Dental Chair, says this event “provides the prospective students a glimpse at the interview experience, networking opportunities, and a personal tour of UT Health’s clinical facility.” Dean Loomer kicked off the event giving a warm welcome to all the attendees, this was followed by an overview of the school’s application process, presented by Dr. Kay Malone, discussion on the profession of dentistry, presented by Dr. Vidal Balderas, a student panel on their individual application paths, and a tour of the clinical building along with an opportunity for professional headshots. Jonathan Thompson, current DS1, participated in the 2018 ASDA event and he believes his participation while still a pre-dental student played an important role in his preparation for the admissions process. “The event not only prepared me for dental school interviews, but also provided an idea of what I can expect as a student. The mock interview was given by a current dental school student who asked questions I could have possibly received as a future applicant. The chance to prepare for possible interview questions in a dental school setting helped to raise my confidence in my ability to effectively answer questions that may be presented to me during an interview. I was also able to get advice from current dental students on classes provided in undergrad that are outside of the required courses that would effectively prepare me for dental school. I can truly say attending the ASDA Mock Interview Day played an integral role in my acceptance to dental school!”