What Reviewers Look For in the Dental School Secondary — Short Answer

This rubric evaluates whether your response answers the program’s exact question with a focused, accurately described example and a clear explanation of what that example shows. It also looks for concise, standalone writing that uses evidence rather than generic dentistry motivation or a resume summary.

What We Check

Mistakes We Flag

Answering a different question

A general why-dentistry response can miss a prompt asking about an experience, context, quality, or another specific topic. Address every part of the question directly.

Listing procedures or activities

A list of shadowing procedures, roles, or experiences does not show what you noticed, did, or learned. Choose one bounded example and explain your role and its immediate result.

Overstating your role

Do not imply that you treated, diagnosed, or managed a patient if you were shadowing, assisting, volunteering, or observing. Clear role descriptions build credibility.

Using unsupported lessons or slogans

Claims such as learning empathy, wanting to help people smile, or seeing dentistry as art and science need a specific event or observation behind them. Explain how the experience changed your understanding, judgment, or later behavior.

Trying to fit in everything

Unrelated service, research, awards, hobbies, and background can distract from the response’s main purpose. Keep the details that directly answer this particular question.

How this rubric reads your essay

• Built from published reader guidance — the sources are listed below.
• Scored per section against defined criteria, not general impressions.
• Calibrated for consistent scoring, so a better draft shows up in the score.

References

Frequently Asked Questions