Oral surgery assistants are essential during dental surgery. They advocate for the patient, ensuring their comfort and ensuring the procedure runs smoothly.
They assist the surgeon by sterilizing surgical instruments, communicating a patient’s needs, and administering anesthesia.
They offer pre- and post-operation support for surgeons, following up with the patient before and after surgery.
They are the ones who provide patients with education about their oral health and how they should treat themselves at home to speed up recovery.
You must complete an interview if you’re interested in becoming an oral surgery assistant. During interviews, it is important to put your best foot forward.
These questions will likely focus on your relative experience and communication skills.
Always remember to keep your information relevant and compact. Be concise.
A good oral surgery assistant knows how to get information across quickly in a way everyone can understand.
To help you prepare for your interview, we’ve compiled the top seven most common oral surgery assistant interview questions, along with some explanations and example answers.
Oral Surgery Assistant Interview Questions and Answers
1. What experience do you have with oral surgery procedures?
Your interviewer wants to know about your experience level because it tells them whether you fit the job.
You will want to talk about your relevant work experience, highlighting any big opportunities from clinical or internships.
Be sure to name where you received your experience.
Example answer:
In dental school, I completed my clinical in San Francisco.
During this time, I had the chance to assist hands-on with tooth extractions, dental implants, and corrective jaw surgery.
My job was assisting with sterilization procedures and overseeing patient comfort.
See also: Sterile Processing Technician Interview Questions
2. What skills are essential for an oral surgery assistant?
This question helps an interviewer know whether you have the attributes necessary for the position.
While answering, the best way to shine is to list some of your best skills and how they relate to being an oral surgery assistant.
Example answer:
The most important skill any oral surgery assistant can have is communication.
Proper communication between the surgeon and the patient helps the process go smoothly.
Another important skill is detail orientation.
Ensuring that everything is set properly before surgery, down to the last detail, is a top priority.
See also: Dental Hygienist Interview Questions
3. How do you prepare the operating room?
One of an oral surgery assistant’s main jobs is preparing the operating room before surgery.
See also: OR Nurse Interview Questions
When an interviewer asks you this question, they want to know if you understand the sterilization process of the instruments.
Example answer:
I would wash my hands first.
Once my hands were clean, I would create a hot solution of sterilizing cleaner that was hot enough to kill germs without damaging the instruments.
See also: Dental Sterilization Technician Interview Questions
I would drop the surgical tools inside the solution and let them sit until they completely disinfect.
See also: Associate Dentist Interview Questions and Answers
4. How would you handle an anxious patient?
Your interviewer wants to know about your patience level and how you would alleviate your patient’s concern before a procedure.
Using past examples to illustrate your expertise with patients will help.
Example answer:
I once had a patient worried their jaw correction surgery would go wrong and hurt badly.
I reassured them that the procedure would go smoothly and that the pain would be less after surgery.
I let the surgeon know their concerns and asked the patient what I could do to make them more comfortable.
See also: Dental Receptionist Interview Questions
5. Do you have experience administering anesthesia?
This question is an opportunity for you to express your skills and knowledge for the role.
Describing a specific experience will show your interviewer that you are knowledgeable.
Example answer:
I once assisted a surgeon with corrective jaw surgery.
The surgeon ordered a general anesthetic, and it was my job to ensure everything went smoothly.
Once I was sure the patient was comfortable, I administered the anesthesia and monitored their vital signs during the procedure.
See also: Why Do You Want to Be a Dental Assistant
6. Why are you the ideal candidate?
This open-ended question allows you to explain your strengths and qualifications.
One great way to prepare for this question is to write a list of your skills before your interview.
Consider adding relevant experiences that set you apart from other candidates, such as where you finished clinical, dental school, or previous work experience.
Suppose you lack relative experience.
In that case, you can explain how different skills you’ve acquired from other aspects of life have improved your surgical assistant qualifications, such as how volunteering at a food pantry enhanced your communication skills.
Example answer:
I am passionate about helping people heal and seeing a person get better.
I have experience as an oral surgery assistant and was responsible for communication, patient comfort, and sterilization.
These experiences gave me valuable insight into the importance and responsibilities of this job and how to support a surgeon well.
See also: Tell Me About Yourself Dental Assistant Interview
7. How would you ensure open communication between all involved medical professionals and patients?
Oral surgery is a team sport that involves the surgeon, patient, hygienist, and oral surgery assistant.
Your interviewer wants to see how well you would work on a team.
The oral surgery assistant communicates other people’s needs throughout the procedure.
Example answer:
I have experience working in a busy dental office, where multiple dentists and hygienists were working alongside me.
See also: Dentist Interview Questions
My job was to relay a patient’s needs to other medical professionals.
Once a surgeon asked me to hold a patient’s hand throughout the procedure, and I had to relay that information to the hygienist so that they could prepare accordingly.
See also: Tell Me About Yourself Dentist Interview
Oral Surgery Assistant Interview Questions and Answers PDF
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Gain the confidence and knowledge you need to excel in your upcoming job interviews.
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Conclusion: Oral Surgery Interview Questions
One of the most stressful things about any interview is not knowing what the interviewer will ask.
It would help if you prepared yourself for any questions they might throw your way.
Studying the parts of the jaw and brushing up on information from your clinical or old dental school notes can help you look your best.
While answering, remember that your job is to assist. Other people’s needs, such as the surgeon’s and patient’s, should come first.
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