Please click on the sponsor banners.  The sponsors are allowing this site to continue as a FREE resource for all RDH's and DH Students!

Job Interview Question Ideas
Be prepared BEFORE your interview!

A member of the RDH list asked that this page be done to help others out.  Here are some contributions from list members to help other RDHs out with their job interview questions.  If you have any to add, please --> click here<-- to instantly add your ideas to the site! Thanks :) for all your help!

Brynne contributes:

1. Who confirms the next day's appointments?

2. Is the RDH paid if she goes to give a presentation on
   behalf of the dental office?

3. Is the RDH paid for time spent at CE?

4. Who pays for CE?

5. What benefits are paid - i.e. uniforms, disability insurance, liability insurance, CE, travel to CE, lodging and meals for CE

6. Will the RDH have an assistant when placing sealants?

7. How long are appointments?

8. If living in a state where it is legal for the RDH to administer local anesthesia, will I be able to do so?

9. Is the office conservative (does a lot of watches) or aggressive (fix before it becomes a problem)?

10. How long until vacation is granted for one week...for two weeks, etc.?

11. If on commission, is there a base pay?

12. What is the office policy regarding parents in the operatory when their child is in the chair?

13. What is the office's emergency plan and is it practiced/gone over regularly?

14. What is the office policy for the hygienist if there is no patient?  Is the hygienist allowed to stay and do stocking, sharpening instruments, etc. or is he/she required to leave/check out?

15. Are uniforms provided?

16. Are uniforms cleaned by the dentist?

17. What is the office policy if a patient refuses x-rays?

AMY from MELBOUNE,FLORIDA contributes:  

1. Is there a hygiene budget for supplies?
I have found over the years that this is very important. I have started several jobs after which you find supplies, even toothbrushes in short supply due to office finances. Although I realize that every business must run on a tight ship to make a profit, it is a bit difficult to give OHI with no toothbrushes, proxybrushes, etc. I have worked jobs that instruments are not replaced or retipped regularly and even with the best sharpening you have to work twice as hard and probably get off less deposits. Which brings me to another hint: Always ask to look at the equipment before beginning a job. Look at the instruments, cavitron, titan, etc.

2. Do you have the flexibility in your schedule to lengthen or shorten recall appointments as necessary?
We all know there are patients that even the most experienced hygienist could work on for 2 hours and not be complete. And then (although I might add on the rare occasion) there are even patients that we dream about who only take 40 minutes even when an exam is required. Even with scaling and root planing appointments I find there are patients whom I can complete half a mouth in 1 hour and there are patients it could take me 90 minutes and I still feel I needed longer. For our own comfort and wellness, I feel the less stressful the day the better, so input in your schedule is key!!!!!

3. Can you take vacation when you choose or only when the doctor is away?
I am surprised at the number of offices that allow the employees to take vacation only when the doctor is away. My schedule certainly doesn't match the employers. 

4. Do you require the hygienist to find a replacement while they are on vacation?

Roxann Contributes:

1. Is the RDH expected to know and understand insurance codes and
   billing?
2. If a patient is required to take premed but doesn't, how do you
   handle that patient? (you won't believe some of the responses you'll
   get!)

Druann Contributes:
Good questions to add to an interview are:
1) how often is the office closed for holidays, seminars, vacations and other situations
2) what holidays are you paid for, must they be one of your usual working days
3) if the state regulations permit, are you able to work if the DDS/DMD is not in the office because of illness, vacation, CE or other reasons as long as another employee is working for emergency purposes?

Suggestions from the instant posting page:

• Ask to see the appointment book. Then you can see how busy the office really is. Ask what happens if your first or last patient cancels. (Do they tell you to come in later, or leave early, and then dock your pay?) 
• Ask to look at a patient record and x-rays. You can tell a lot about the office by looking at their record keeping and the quality of x-rays, quality of work (look for overhangs, etc.) 
• Ask if you can have a working interview. 
• What happens if the dr. takes a day off, can you come into the office to work on recalls, room maintenance, etc, or do you lose the day? 
• What kind of recall system does the office use?
• Ask if the Dr. provides a yearly review of performance and salary/pay. This would be much less awkward than having to bring up the subject of pay on your own.
• If my schedule falls apart - will I be sent home and not paid? (If you are an hourly employee.)
• How does the office handle emergency time off such as when you wake up in the morning too ill to work, or if a child is too ill to go to school or daycare, or if the school or daycare calls and asks you to pick up a sick or injured child? What about if the DDS calls in sick? Are you paid for that day? What about snow days? Are you expected to come in anyway or will you be called and told the office is closes? Are you paid for that day?
• What is the office philosophy regarding premedication? Do you strictly adhere to the patient taking it one hour before their prophy and reschedule them if they don't or do you dispense antibiotics at the office and start prophy before an hour has passed? Or, if the patient forgets to take their antibiotic an hour before their appointment, do you feel it is okay for them to take the antibiotic once they have returned home?
• What is the office policy on working on pregnant patients?
• Specifically ASK how much time the office takes off during the year.  Also ask if you will be paid for this time off and if not, how much notice will you get so you can try and find temp work (not all areas of the country have established temp agencies).  I learned the hard way, I asked if they paid vacations, they informed me no due to the hygienist not producing during this time.  I didn't find out until I started working that they take at least 4 wks off a year, which turned out to be 7 wks.  In my area there is not a temp agency so it's not easy to find employment to make up for this time period.  I don't know about you, but I cannot afford almost 2 months off a year unpaid.  I have bills, a family to support just like everyone else.
• A good way to bring up salary - "Do you pay hourly or commission?"
• ASK about the retirement plan, and if the employer matches your contributions.
• How long has the office existed? also ask the next question:
• How many hygienists have worked in the office before you? (a lot of hygienists? or 1 hygienist for more than 10 years?)
• When did the last hygienist left the office? (shortly? or is it hard to find any hygienist to work in the office? why is it so hard to find another hygienist?) -
• Why did the last hygienist left the office?
• How long do other team-members work in the office? (are other employees working for a long in the office? (Then probably there is a good working atmosphere) 
• Where is the office located? Near the house of the dentist? (Is the wife always in the neighborhood of not?)
• Are there other hygienists working in the office?
•  Do you have to share your instruments with other hygienists? -
• Who will sharpen instruments?
• Who will clean the room after the working day has ended? (in Holland sometimes hygienists have to wash the floors, I don't know how the situation in the States are..)
• Ask if the office refers out perio, and how much. Also find out who the specialists are.
• 1. Working in an office with a RDH asst., Ask the Dr. if the asst. has a RDA lic. and how long has the RDA worked with the RDH schedule? 2. If a Salery base with commesion is offered to you, always ask if the office will be increasing or decreasing this commesion persent or your target production? If they don't know, then have a contract signed between you and the office that both understand that it cannot be changed (decreased % or increase production) without both parties agreeing with the change. Rebecca Smith
• Provide example of your ability to communicate, participate and contribute in a team environment.
• What information does the front desk supply to the RDH about insurance? Do they let you know when the last FMX was taken? What about adult fluoride (some insurances will pay)?

Suzanne Burton, RDH, BS contributes:

• Can I work with General Supervision, if legal in my state, when the Dr. is out of the office? If so, will there be support staff in the office with me on those occasions?

Please --> click here<-- to instantly add your ideas to the site!