The Complete Guide to Acing the Pacific Dental Services Dental Assistant Interview

With over 775 dental offices across the United States, Pacific Dental Services is one of the country’s leading dental support organizations. As a pioneer in group dentistry, they offer excellent opportunities for dental assistants to learn and grow in a collaborative environment

Landing a job with Pacific Dental Services takes preparation as the interview process is designed to thoroughly assess your skills experience and alignment with their values.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share insider tips and sample responses to help you tackle the Pacific Dental Services dental assistant interview with confidence. Let’s get started!

Key Details About Pacific Dental Services

Here’s some useful context about the organization

• Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Irvine, CA.

• Operates under the brands Pacific Dental Services and TDA Dental Groups.

• Supported by over 5500 team members nationwide.

• Core values include clinical excellence, exceptional service, and philanthropy.

• Focus on continuing education and career development.

• Ranked one of the “Best Places to Work in Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare.

With a supportive company culture and strong reputation, Pacific Dental Services is a rewarding place to grow your dental assisting career.

Pacific Dental Services Dental Assistant Interview Process

Here are the typical stages to expect:

• Prescreen Phone Interview: 30 minutes focused on assessing basic skills, job history and alignment through situational questions.

• In-person Interview: 1 hour panel interview involving both technical dental questions and behavioral soft skills assessments.

• Working Interview: 2-4 hour hands-on audition where you shadow team members and may be tested on clinical tasks.

• Reference Checks & Background Screening: Thorough verification of work history, skills and professional conduct.

• Job Offer: Selected candidates will receive a formal offer within 1-2 weeks.

This multi-stage approach allows Pacific Dental Services to thoroughly evaluate technical dental expertise, soft skills and culture fit.

How to Prepare for the Pacific Dental Services Dental Assistant Interview

• Review your resume thoroughly and be ready to expand on your skills and experience.

• Brush up on dental terminology, equipment and clinical processes by reviewing dental assistant training materials.

• Refresh your knowledge of dental radiography, infection control, impressions etc. Key technical areas will be assessed.

• Prepare STAR interview stories that demonstrate key dental assisting competencies required for the role.

• Practice articulating your approach to patient care, communication and education. These soft skills are vital.

• Align your values and motivations to Pacific Dental Services’ core purpose of delivering clinical excellence and exceptional service.

• Prepare questions to ask about development opportunities, company culture and the team you’d be working with.

With diligent preparation across technical abilities, soft skills and company research, you’ll confidently ace this interview.

10 Sample Pacific Dental Services Dental Assistant Interview Questions

Practice articulating responses to questions on key areas:

Technical & Clinical Skills

1. How would you prepare a room for a dental procedure?

2. Tell me about your experience taking dental x-rays and radiation safety protocols.

3. What steps are involved in taking dental impressions?

4. How do you properly sterilize dental equipment and instruments?

Patient Care & Communication

1. Our patients are at the heart of everything we do. How would you provide exceptional patient care?

2. Tell me about a time you educated a nervous patient at their cleaning appointment. How did you put them at ease?

Adaptability & Multitasking

1. This role requires efficiently managing multiple tasks in a fast-paced clinic. Share examples of how you’ve delivered results in past busy jobs.

2. Tell me about a time your schedule or responsibilities changed suddenly. How did you adapt?

Motivations & Alignment

1. What appeals to you about working at Pacific Dental Services compared to other dental offices?

2. The team environment is very collaborative here. Tell me about your experience working closely with doctors, hygienists and other dental assistants.

Preparing clear, compelling responses and stories for these common interview questions will showcase your capabilities and alignment.

5 Key Dental Assistant Interview Tips

Implement these strategies to maximize your chances of interview success:

• Demonstrate your dental expertise through terminology, clinical process descriptions and scenarios.

• Provide specific examples when describing your skills and experiences. Quantify your contributions.

• Convey your patient service philosophy through real stories that epitomize your care and compassion.

• Ask thoughtful questions that show your engagement in finding the best role fit.

• Express your commitment to continuous development and collaborating within a team.